2022 – PVGP Historics at PittRace

We returned to the Pittsburgh International Raceway (PittRace) for the 20th running of the Kastner Cup. Hosted by the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, this was the second time the Kastner Cup has run at this event. The weekend was hot, as expected for July. Christian Marks came over from Germany to drive Peter Bulkowski’s TR8, and proved to be the one to catch all weekend. Sam Halkius brought his vintage TR6 to play, and was fast as always. Curt Johnston brought both of his Huffaker wedges, Curt pilots the TR7 while Joe Carr had driving duties on the TR8. Our cars ran in thier respective run groups, and on Saturday afternoon we ran together for the Kastner Cup. The race was won by Chris Marks, with Sam Halkuis taking second and Joe Carr rounding out the podium. Coming in 4th was Henry Frye, who took home the coveted Kastner Cup.

Kastner Cup winner Henry Frye (#29 TR250) leading Joe Carr (#111 Huffaker TR8) early on in the Kastner Cup feature race. Photo credit – Katherine (Kat) Kurkov

Race Report from the Kastner Cup winner, Henry Frye.

Again, thanks to everybody who came out to the Kastner Cup this past weekend, both racers and friends. It was fantastic to spend time with old friends and make new ones. While my weekend got much more exciting at the Kastner Cup presentation, it still would have been a really great race weekend for me had the cards fallen in a different direction with the pick for the K-Cup winner.

As I sat on the Grid for the K-Cup race, I am looking at Chris Marks (TR8) on pole, Sam Halkius (TR6) on the outside pole, then Joe Carr (Huffaker TR8) and my TR250 on the second row. Behind me is the Curt Johnston (Huffaker TR7) and Bob “why are they braking 200 feet early?” Lang (TR6). Plus, I realize there are several really fast GT6’s back there, although circumstances kept the Dolan cars from posting times that would put them where they belonged on the grid. I’m feeling intimidated, I realize that set of Speedsters under my car are going to be working really, really hard keep any kind of pace with this crew. 

It rained earlier in the day, and the track would best be described as “drying, but not quite dry”. I realize Joe is driving a borrowed, incredibly important, historic car, and is feeling out the corners, but for me the grip was there. The race is off to a great start, Chris Marks is in the lead going into turn 1 and by turn 3 Joe has completed the pass on Sam for P2.  Chris checks out, uncontested for the race win. On the second lap, Sam and Joe are side by side through turn 1, and Sam gets around Joe in the braking zone for turn 3. Now I am dogging the Huffaker TR8 as Sam starts checking out for an uncontested P2 finish. On lap 3, Joe gets a bit squirrelly braking for 1 and washes out to the outside. I power by for the pass on the inside, and stay in front of him for a lap and a half. On lap 5, Joe passes me in the braking zone for turn 3, but powering out of Coyote Gulch (turn 5) he is too heavy on the gas and washes out to the outside. I pass pulling up the hill, and Joe gives a good fight heading for turn 6, but I am on the preferred inside line and the turn is mine. But alas, next time we are going down the start/finish straight, the TR8 passes me for the last time, but my TR250 is scored in front of the TR8 for 3 laps! As the race wears on, Joe settles in and shows us what he and that beautiful TR8 were capable of, and finishes the race some 12 seconds in front of me. After the race Joe explains to me what I was seeing in his cockpit, his HANS tether was not quite right and he was trying to get it sorted while on track!

I am thrilled to finish 4th, the first car not running on grooved slicks. Even better, I learn Mark Wheatley, my long-time paddock partner finished behind me in 5th in his TR4! Unfortunately for Bob Lang, his car didn’t go the distance, he pulled in after noticing a temperature spike.

In the reunion race Sunday morning, Sam and his TR6 were a no-show, and Chris was under strict orders to keep the Bulkowski TR8 in one piece as car owner Peter has a pending sale in place. The two TR8’s are front row, with me and Curt Johnston right behind them. The two TR8’s take off, and my rear view mirrors are quickly filled with Bob Lang and Brian Dolan’s GT6. I am watching the two of them battle it out, when Bob gets by me in Turn 3. It does not take long before Brian gets by me as well and catches Bob. Now I am watching the two of them race each other hard, and I am enjoying the action from the best seat in the house. When the two of them are trying to out brake each other in turn 3 and I see each of them making tire smoke, I realize things are really heating up there! Then they are side by side going down into turn 5. Knowing there is no way two cars are going to through turn 5 faster than one car can, I lay back a little and it unfolds perfectly. I get the run into the corner, am on the gas hard tracking out on the preferred line, and can squeeze my way right up the middle between the two cars! Thanks for making room guys, that was an awesome pass! Bob and Brian continued racing each other so the rest of my ride in the reunion race was not heavily contested, and I was pleased to finish third behind the two TR8’s. As I understand it, Chris had to slow down to let his brakes recover, Joe took the overall lead and by the time Chris had confidence in his brakes again, he was out of time to mount a comeback. He told me he needed one more lap to catch Joe!

The whole scene with Christian Marks flying in from Germany to drive Canadian Pete Bulkowski’s TR8 was epic. These guys know how to have fun while preparing a fast race car. Then there was Chris’ incredible drive on Saturday morning’s Ground Pounders group session. It was a very wet track and he literally lapped the entire field and the rooster tail shooting up behind the TR8 was so cool!

Henry Frye
#29 TR250

Race Results

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Kastner Cup Race