British Reliability Run raises $10,000.00 for Charity!
Once again Abingdon Spares participated in and helped to sponsor the British Reliability Run, this time the Connecticut version, over the weekend of September 14, 15, and 16. We completed over 650 trouble free miles from Newtown, CT all the way up to Lake Placid, NY and back in two and a half days. A total of 8 teams participated in this inaugural event, two Spitfires, two TR6s, two MGBs, one MGA, and an NG, some of you may know this British Kit Car, designed like a classic roadster and based on MGB mechanicals, a very clever idea.
Day one took the 8 teams in the run up through rural Connecticut and Massachusetts, stopping in the picturesque town of Williamstown, MA for our lunch stop. After lunch the journey continued to a stop at Hemmings Motor News in Bennington, VT, then westward through the mountains to our first night’s destination of Glen Falls, NY.
On Day 2 the intrepid travelers headed north from Glen Falls towards Lake Placid, then continued on to the summit of Whiteface Mountain, yes all 8 cars went up the toll road to the 4600 foot observation point, and all 8 made it back down. Quite a spectacular view from the top! After summiting the mountain, we headed south again to our hotel in Glen Falls for the night, taking just a bit longer than expected, this part was to check the reliability of our ‘Lucas’ components, and reliable they were, as expected!
Day 3 was the return trip to our final destination, Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, CT for a wonderful barbecue hosted by our friends at Lime Rock. We had great weather every day, no rain at all, and some of the best roads for sports cars in the northeast. Much praise is due for the organizers of this run, the Connecticut Triumph Register and the Connecticut MG Club, as it went off without a hitch, all the credit goes to them for lots of hard work, careful planning and getting all the details right. All the directions were very clear in the route books, and the route and scenery were outstanding. We never had a backup trailer or “car of shame”, we trusted our cars and our own ingenuity to get us through and they did!
The real purpose of the CTBRR was to fundraise for our designated charity, Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, CT. This was the first year for the Connecticut version of this run, and together with family and friends, the 8 teams that participated in the Connecticut British Reliability Run raised just over $10,000.00 in contributions for the camp. The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp is dedicated to providing "a different kind of healing" to seriously ill children and their families through the Northeast, free of charge. It's a community that celebrates the fun, friendship and spirit of childhood, where every kid can "raise a little hell."
The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, founded by Paul Newman in 1988, provides summer camp programs at no cost to children who would not otherwise be able to enjoy these opportunities because of serious medical conditions. The camp also provides weekend vacations for the entire family, allowing the whole family to enjoy a vacation together in a supportive environment for both the child and the family. This $10,000.00 donation will provide 10 families with this opportunity. A wonderful gift from the British Car Community.
Abingdon Spares hopes to see more of our British Car enthusiasts on next years run!