VTR’s Special Awards

The Carolina’s Cup

The Carolinas’ Cup is a perpetual award established in 1994 by the Triumph Club of the Carolinas. The cup is to be awarded at each VTR National Convention. This award is presented by the Triumph Club of the Carolinas to the registered convention attendee with the highest overall score for participation and competition at the convention. Points will be given for participation in each event and the show, with extra points going to the highest finishers. The intent is to award participation first, quality of finish second.Points are tracked per car registration number, not per owner (i.e. multiple car entrants cannot add up the points accumulated by each car). TCOC will provide individual names on the cup and an individual award each year.

The Ken Richardson Challenge Trophy (Revised July, 2010)

The goal of Ken Richardson, while head of the Competition Department of Triumph Motor Cars, was to produce the finest competition sports cars in its class. His long list of successful competitions, in both speed and trials events, speaks for itself. All of his cars were pristinely prepared and he was a stickler for details. The winner of the Ken Richardson Challenge Trophy must exude these qualities as evidenced in both performance and appearance of his/her car today. The award of the “Challenge Trophy” is limited to TR2 through TR3B models, as these were the cars to which Ken dedicated his career at Triumph Motor Cars. It was Ken’s desire that a weighted formula in favor of driving performance be used. To that end, the following rules shall apply:The “Challenge Trophy” will be awarded each year at the VTR National Convention. There is no limitation on the number of times an individual or car can win the “Challenge Trophy”. To be eligible, a car must be entered in both the speed and Concours events. The primary speed event should be an Autocross type event. At those meets where an Autocross cannot be held, a TSD rallye may be used and shall be scored in the same manner as the Autocross. At those meets where both an Autocross and a TSD rallye are held, the TSD rallye will be used as a tie breaker and will be scored in the same manner as the Autocross with one additional point given for participation. The relative “weightings” for speed competition and Concours shall be 60% for speed and 40% for Concours.

Those cars which enter both “speed” and “concours” events shall be considered for the “Challenge Trophy”. Weighting for speed competition shall be 60% for speed and 40% for concours.

The T.S. Imported Sweat Equity Award

This award is presented by Ted and Doris Schumacher of T.S.Imports. This is a large trophy presented to someone who exemplifies the spirit of Triumph ownership. This normally translates to the one person who has consistently shown dedication to both their own Triumph as well as the marque in general. This is in no way a hard luck award. The recipient is selected by the Schumachers when they are in attendance of the convention. Should the Schumachers not be in attendance, the convention chairperson and the VTR President will select the recipient. The trophy is placed in trust of the recipient and is returned to T.S.Imports one month prior to the next VTR National Convention.

The George Rabey Preservation Award

George Rabey, who served as VTR Chief Judge for a number of years, was instrumental in creating the Concours Rules and the creation of the Senior and Preservation classes giving VTR a professional and consistent structure for conducting its annual Concours d’Elegance at the Vintage Triumph Register National Convention. This award is given in his honor to acknowledge his accomplishment and the accomplishment of VTR members who maintain their Concours cars to a highest standard, while keeping with the spirit of VTR by participating in other moving events. The first George Rabey Preservation Award will be/was given at the 2002 VTR National Convention in Red Wing Minnesota.Those cars, entered into Concours in the Senior and Preservation classes, which enter both “driving” and “Concours” events shall be considered for the “Preservation Award.” The winner will be selected by the current VTR Chief Judge in consultation with the Host Club’s Concours Director using the following criteria:

The top three cars in the Senior Class and top three cars in the Preservation class shall be reviewed again by the VTR Chief Judge (or designee, if the Chief Judge is unable to attend the convention) and the Host Club’s Concours Director. This will even out any slight variances in the judging which might exist from one team to another.
Participation in driving events in the spirit of VTR

An agent of the VTR keeps the actual trophy in trust. The recipient will have the privilege to keep the trophy overnight after the convention Awards Banquet. The next morning, it is to be collected to be returned to its designated trustee. Each year, the Chief Judge will be responsible for procuring and delivering a commemorative plate to the VTR Convention. This plate will be presented to the recipient at the Awards Banquet to keep as a permanent recognition of their unique accomplishment.

The Dennis Riley/ Bill Wood Triumph Wedge Challenge Award

The Dennis Riley/Bill Wood Triumph Wedge Challenge Award recognizes “The most sporting TR7 or TR8 in attendance at the Vintage Triumph Register’s National Convention.” In addition to his many roles in the Georgia Triumph Association, Dennis Riley was President of the Vintage Triumph Register from 1991 until his untimely death of a heart attack in April 1996. He also owned both early and late sporting Triumphs (a TR3 and a 1982 Canadian market TR8 convertible). Shortly after he passed away, the Georgia Triumph Association established this award to recognize the owner of a TR8 that embodied the characteristics of the TR8 that Dennis so dearly loved. The first Dennis Riley TR8 Challenge Award was given at the 1996 VTR National Convention in Albany, NY. Triumph Club of The Carolinas member Bill Wood won the first three awards in an immaculately restored 1981 TR8 convertible, which he frequently towed to a number of events using a 1979 TR8 coupe. He was quite active in his role as the VTR TR8 Vehicle Consultant, and had just been appointed to the position of VTR Business Manager when he suffered a tragic accident while working at his church. He passed away quite unexpectedly in May 1999 after making significant progress in his recovery. Starting with the 1999 convention, this award was renamed the Dennis Riley/Bill Wood TR8 Challenge Award in recognition of these two remarkable TR8 owners and drivers.

The Vintage Triumph Register renamed this award The Dennis Riley /Bill Wood Triumph Wedge Challenge Award, in 2012, and expanded eligibility of the award to include TR7s as well as TR8s. This change was suggested by The Triumph Wedge Owner’s Association and The TWOA has sponsored the award since the first renamed Dennis Riley/Bill Wood Wedge Challenge Award was presented at The 2012 VTR National Convention at Galveston Island, TX.

The rules for the Dennis Riley/Bill Wood Triumph Wedge Challenge Award are virtually identical to the rules for the Ken Richardson Challenge Trophy. To be eligible, a car must be entered in both the speed and concours events. The primary speed event will be the autocross event. TSD Rally may be scored as a tie breaker for bonus points. Weighting for competition shall be 60% for speed and 40% for concours. (Modified 2012)

The Charles Macartney Daily Driver Award

Charles Macartney worked for years behind the scenes at Standard-Triumph Motor Company as a Service Manager, Chief Inspector, Works Manager and Quality Engineer. He would bring a new car home; take it apart with customary precision just to see how manufacturing had changed the engineered specifications, for example, brackets replaced with bent tin, a separate earthing strap removed from the chassis and the only earthing strap was the choke cable, etc. Charles had often said that the engineers, designers and line workers in the plant always did their jobs with one primary intention – to produce cars which would be driven and enjoyed by those driving them.The first Charles Macartney Daily Driver Award was given at the 2003 VTR National Convention in Armagh, Pennsylvania.

Those cars registered for the VTR National and not participating in the judged Concours classes who declare on their registration form that they would like to be considered will be eligible for this award. These cars will be given a windscreen sticker (or other appropriate identification) to display on the windshield placard during the Participants’ Choice Car Show.

The Chief Judge or his representative and the Host Club’s Concours Director or his representative will use the Charles Macartney Daily Driver Award Guidelines to determine the winner of this award.

This award will go to the car appearing at the VTR National which most typifies a well cared for and much loved Triumph “daily driver” with emphasis being on regular use, rather than perfection or conformation to original standards. Particular importance will be placed on:

Regular use in all weather.
A high overall standard of presentation.
Modifications to improve reliability, performance, or comfort.
Normal wear and tear from daily use.
Normal maintenance completed to maintain daily use. (If time permits all fluid levels will be checked underhood.)
Driving to the convention as well as participation in driving events.

This award, presented each year at the VTR National by a Host Club member who drives their vehicle daily, is provided by Charles’ son, John Macartney, in memory of his father.

An agent of the VTR keeps the actual trophy in trust. The recipient will have the privilege to keep the original trophy overnight after the convention Awards Banquet. The next morning, it is to be collected by the Host Club and returned to its designated VTR trustee.

Each year, the Chief Judge will be responsible for procuring and delivering a commemorative plate to the recipient at the Awards Banquet at the VTR Convention to keep as a permanent recognition.