2007 Challenge Championship

Well, Sue and I recently returned home from another outstanding Challenge Championship, hosted by the JAGIN JCNA club from Indiana, with help from the JCNA and President & co-chair Dennis Eynon.

Sue and I were very impressed with the condition and architecture found in downtown Indianapolis. Our hotel, the Crowne Pointe, was converted from the first Union Station railroad station in the USA. New and pristine, the hotel rate was a real bargain! It was within walking distance of the concours site, and many other interesting attractions in the city.

All events went off without major complication, due to preparation by the JAGIN members, and MAJOR help from the entrants, especially in running the slalom at IMS, and in judging at the concours.

Wednesday's " Classic Showcase" Rally, organized by Mark Smith, was won by Tom Krefits, Classic's President, who with navigator-wife Debbie, stopped
traffic on I465 when the E type OTS they had shipped from California for the event, burst into flames!! Oil soaked insulation covering the transmission had had enough, and ingited from oil dripping on the exhaust! Luckily, a trucker with a dry powder extinguisher, stopped and put the flames out before anything TOO drastic happened. Lots of excitement and stopped traffic on the interstate, was certainly distressing, at least!

The "Coventry West Slalom" was held at the Speedway on a huge lot, and was nearly won by sponsor Jim Anderson and/or Dick Maury. Karen Jones provided the real excitement for the spectators who watched Karen, the current all-time record holder in Jim Roberge's 600 BHP V12 E type, hold off serious competition from Coventry West's & Dick Maury's 6 cyl E type (2nd & 3rd places)and from me, Gary Hagopian in the "Silver Hammer". (4th place) First four scores were bunched within six tenths of a second!

The "XKs Unlimited Concours" consisted of beautiful Jaguars, all fanned out around the monument in Monument Circle, in the epicenter of the city. The city had the circle and feeder streets closed, and provided police escorts when we paraded from the staging parking lot, to the center of the city. Local head judge, Phil Wert had a huge group of judges, and managed them as well as I have ever seen done. Of course, that didn't eliminate the usual bickering about the judging that inevitably surfaces when entrants don't get their "customary" 100 point score. To my surprise, there was only ONE 100 point score out of this incredible assembly of Jaguars, a spectacular XK 120 FHC that won the Best in Show!

JCNA "Members-Of-The-Year", should go to Dr. Richard Foster and wife Diane, JAGIN members who hosted with food and drink, 140 of us at their personal car collection, most of which were Jaguars! Second in number were their 35 Corvettes, most of which had been INDY Pace Cars. Incredibly, he also entered an SS 100, and a Swallow in the concours, and participated with us as a judge!!! Now THAT'S what I call enthusiasm!

Speaking of enthusiasm, we need to recognize our many sponsors whose enthusiastic support makes these events possible. So much goes into the C.C. that the entry fees would be prohibitive without their support. Julian Barratt from SNG Barratt in the U.K., attended in person, and hosted the food and drink at Thursday evening's fabulous cocktail party. He also slalomed my E type, scoring in the top ten, in his first ever slalom! We think he'll be conducting his own slalom in the parking lot of the Barratt company, in England! Reps from the other sponsors were also in attendance, and participating as well. Dave Welch, Welch's Jaguar, Corey from Hagerty Insurance, and Jack Light from XK's are some of the folks whose names come to mind.

Although there was a fine crowd enjoying the event, there was room for many more cars and JCNA members. Kudos to all the organizers and their cadre who orchestrated another wonderful five-day vacation for those 1-in 25 JCNA members, shrewd enough to have taken advantage of the 2007 Challenge Championship opportunity!

On to 2009!

Gary Hagopian