2. Hobbies

Team Terrific - The Early Days

Many of our contemporary friends are aware of the Team Terrific moniker that Diane and I use. But the history of how it all came about is largely untold or unknown. While rummaging about the other day, I came across photos that serve to tell the story of Team Terrific's roots - The Early Days. The team name has been around since the late 70s, now well-over 40 years ago! It all started as a lark with good friends. This photo site brings back very fond memories of good friends and good times. So, here's the story as told by these pictures and their respective captions.

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Long before the current day Team Terrific Vintage Racing team, the first first Team Terrific team was formed. It was at Woody Creek Raceway in Aspen. Bob Alder, John Cormey, and my brother Bruce Alder were the original team photographed here in about 1978. (Yes, that is me on the left.). For a number of years Bob and John participated in the Rocky Mountain Jaguar Club (RMJC) events in Aspen, me with my E-Type and John with his cars (a Porsche 944 here). Ted Hummell organized these track days for RMJC. One year my brother Bruce joined in the fun, renting a Rabbit (not shown). Sometime during the weekend, John hatched the idea of calling ourselves Team Terrific, went into town, bought the T-shirts, and a legend was born. And yes, alcohol was involved. <br><br>Team Terrific still lives today. What great fun we had in those early days.
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Long before the current day Team Terrific Vintage Racing team, the first first Team Terrific team was formed. It was at Woody Creek Raceway in Aspen. Bob Alder, John Cormey, and my brother Bruce Alder were the original team photographed here in about 1978. (Yes, that is me on the left.). For a number of years Bob and John participated in the Rocky Mountain Jaguar Club (RMJC) events in Aspen, me with my E-Type and John with his cars (a Porsche 944 here). Ted Hummell organized these track days for RMJC. One year my brother Bruce joined in the fun, renting a Rabbit (not shown). Sometime during the weekend, John hatched the idea of calling ourselves Team Terrific, went into town, bought the T-shirts, and a legend was born. And yes, alcohol was involved.

Team Terrific still lives today. What great fun we had in those early days.

TeamTerrificRacing

  • Long before the current day Team Terrific Vintage Racing team, the first first Team Terrific team was formed. It was at Woody Creek Raceway in Aspen. Bob Alder, John Cormey, and my brother Bruce Alder were the original team photographed here in about 1978. (Yes, that is me on the left.). For a number of years Bob and John participated in the Rocky Mountain Jaguar Club (RMJC) events in Aspen, me with my E-Type and John with his cars (a Porsche 944 here). Ted Hummell organized these track days for RMJC. One year my brother Bruce joined in the fun, renting a Rabbit (not shown). Sometime during the weekend, John hatched the idea of calling ourselves Team Terrific, went into town, bought the T-shirts, and a legend was born. And yes, alcohol was involved. <br><br>Team Terrific still lives today. What great fun we had in those early days.
  • That same year, this time with the trophies we won. Team Terrific RULES!
  • In '84 and '86, before racing with RMVR, John Cormey and I took racing lessons with Danny Collins at Second Creek Raceways in rented Lola Formula Fords which they had available for rent.
  • Then one day, while spectating at RMVR's Avon event in 1987, it dawned on me, "Hell I should do this!" So I called John, asked if he wanted to go half-and-half on a race car and see if we liked racing with RMVR. <br><br> As they say, the rest is history. At Danny Collin's recommendation we purchased the Titan MK6 from Joe Morrison who'd been racing with RMVR but wanted to move into SCCA. His loss, our gain. Too bad, so sad, Joe.
  • So, we're off and running. Did we like it? Heck! Maybe we even loved it. And Team Terrific LIVES again, a decade after after it was originally hatched back in the late 70s! <br><br> This picture was taken at the very last time RMVR raced at Aspen's Woody Creek Raceway in 1988. It was our first season with the Titan. Since were were sharing it, we alternated who used it for the weekends. I got the long straw for Woody Creek. Also in the picture is Charlotte, John and Lynn' s daughter. Lynn is seated at right beyond.
  • Here we are at the old Mountain View track at Mead. Looking on with the can of Coke is Joe Morrison, the fellow who sold us the car.
  • Again at Mountain View in 1988. Me on left and John Cormey on right.
  • This is at Steamboat, also in 1988. Since I'm looking on and John is in the car, obviously he got the long straw for this weekend.
  • It was always fun watching John, being well over six feet tall, get out of the car. Not totally sure which track this was. Looks like probably Second Creek or Pueblo. But is was 1988.
  • Words of wisdom from the master, John. He was the better driver.
  • After the first season, nothing would do but a ground up restoration. Joe's car was in really good shape and got us thru the first season with no issues. But, . . . .it was time to put the Team Terrific imprint on the car. During the winter of '88/'89 we re-did the car. Here's the frame back from the powdercoat shop with the suspension re-attached.
  • And the body work back from the painter. As you'll see later, the car underwent several other paint jobs over his history. But this basic color and design (Thanks John and Scott Krista) would eventually prevail. Perfect for a '70s formula car.
  • And now complete and ready to go. This picture is in the parking lot of a work bay we rented in a complex which also housed Concours Cars, the paint shop we used to paint the car. That business was owned by Scott Krista. We then got to know Scott who was to become the next member of Team Terrific.
  • After the 88/89 ground up restoration, the proud owners couldn't help spend money for vanity studio photo. Boy were we proud of that car and our efforts.
  • So the 1989 season has begun. Here at Second Creek John got the long straw with me being the pit crew for the weekend.
  • Second Creek 1989. Not sure who's in theTitan, probably me judging by the lack of height in the seat. But take note of the #12 car on the left. Scott Krista by this time had completed his #12 Lola FF and is now the third musketeer of Team Terrific.
  • Steamboat 1989. This year I got the straw to run Steamboat. Yeah! Again, John giving what was undoubtedly good council.
  • Steamboat 1989.
  • After a hard run. Looks like Steamboat 1989.
  • Another nice picture of being on the grid at Steamboat in 1989. At left in the RMVR shirt is Gary ?, then me, Scott Krista in red driver's suit, and Jimmy Steinmetz in white togs. Scott's Lola is in lower left of the picture.
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