“We have registered 355 cars,” Stan Seto, registration chairman, said. “Between the perfect weather and our 25th anniversary, this is a record-setter.”
Perfect weather was the order of the day for the event that is hosted by the Miami Valley Triumphs, the MG Car Club, Southwestern Ohio Centre and Five Rivers MetroParks. Beneath the shade trees, there was little grass to be found as British machines were grouped in 38 classes.
The featured marques were Morgan, celebrating 100 years, and Mini, celebrating 50 years. In addition, the North American Spitfire Squadron, a club devoted to Triumph Spitfires, held its national event in conjunction with British Car Day.
There are usually a handful of Sunbeam Alpines and Tigers each year, but this year, there were 23 Sunbeams at the show. Add a dozen Land Rovers, and you had a British car to suit every taste.
In addition to awards in all of the classes that are determined by balloting by the participants, there are a number of unique awards presented.
Each year a Five Rivers MetroParks ranger picks a favorite car. This year Officer Pearson chose a Triumph TR 3 belonging to Glenn Bjornson of Kentucky.
“Of all the cars here, that’s the one I wish I could drive home,” Pearson said of his pick for the Ranger’s Choice.
Squadron Leader James Thornley and Warrant Officer Chris Johnson of the Royal Air Force Squadron stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base were also on hand to pick the Royal Air Force Award. Joan Jensen’s Mini pickup truck was tagged for the honor.
“We chose it because we thought that would be the kind of truck we’d like to see running around the flight line, hauling parts and such,” Thornley said.
The Longest Drive award was given to Jason Cundiff, of Terre Haute, Ind., but he drove much farther than that and arrived at the show by accident.
“I was heading home from a vacation in North Carolina,” Cundiff said. “My throttle cable on my Triumph GT 6 started acting up about 5 miles from here and I pulled over to work on it. A couple of other British cars stopped to give me a hand, and they said they were going to the show, and I could probably get a new throttle cable there, so I came to the show, too.”
Cundiff did get his cable repaired, and was last seen heading toward Indiana with his new piece of luggage that was the award for this 499-mile drive to Dayton.
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