Very early in our competitive development, we learn, among other things, that talk is cheap, that a crafty tortoise can out run a speedier hare, and that winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing. It is around these simple principles that the Texas Triathlon was originally conceived.

Like it’s Ironman cousin, the Texas version was

long run. The conquest of these tests proved to be much harder than initially expected. For in the end, it was not the races themselves that took a toll on the cars,   it was the commute between venues.   The hype leading up to the weekend of racing brought almost 40 cars to the starting grid, each with it's   own (often self proclaimed) claim for the title. There were a dozen Vipers (primarily the GTS variety), almost as many Roadsters (from several different kit manufacturers, but heavily weighted by

Factory Five Racing Owners), and a scattering of other animals thrown into the fray. All were ready to do battle during the last weekend in March, on some of the toughest turf the lone star state lays claim to.

There was no place for the speed-squeamish in this event, the choice was to either "come out and play", or huddle under the bleachers and hide.  Here, even the practice sessions took prisoners, and left people with nowhere to go.

Ralph is a highly sought after software engineer, who spends most of his time traveling around the world solving his clients’ software ailments. Whenever possible, he stuffs his work gear in the ample FFR Roadster trunk space, and hits the

Saturday morning came early, after a night full of racing dreams, and the caravan loaded up

Along the way, Wayne’s Supercar fell victim to the gremlins of the road, and limped off with a coolant leak. This setback would, ultimately, keep Wayne from the possibility of an overall

At the Motorplex, the Drag Races went on without a hitch. Unfortunately, the underdog 427s were left in the wake of the GTS class Vipers and C5 Corvettes™. Both Ralph and Terry did manage to beat most of the rest of the Roadster field, establishing an early lead in that category.

That afternoon, after a two hour commute to the

Sunday brought the racers back to the Motorsports Ranch, for the culmination of the racing weekend. Since Wayne had not run the Drag Races, he was, effectively, not qualified for the overall title, even with the strong showing in the Auto-Cross. Terry, on the other hand, had placed in the overall top ten in the Autocross, and in the top twenty at the Drag

Strip, and was in the hunt for the  Roadster points lead. A strong showing on the road course could have catapulted him to a high ranking. Although he ran one of the best heats on the asphalt, his average times were good enough only to place him tenth overall, beaten only by one -Roadster, Wayne Presley’s Purple Reign.

The final points tally gave Terry a sixth place finish overall, and Ralph (surely the only one to run a Marathon after the Triathlon, with a long road trip back to Maine), finished a very respectable 15^th, beating many higher priced Vipers in the process.

After Wayne’s initial coolant problems, he and Barney, the Purple Hotrod Dinosaur, were rockin' !!! He came back to gain more points in two events, than many had attained in all three events combined. The points he could have attained in the drag race contest surely would have launched him into a top ten overall finish.

The Texas Triathlon 2000, an event which grew from a friendly challenge into a full scale horsepower war, certainly won the award as the most diverse and creative event of the new racing season. Triathlon 2001, however, may shape up to be the event in which -Roadsters regain their rightful position atop the ranks of the racing elite.

Just wait until next year, when the Coupe comes calling all out to play again !

Check out the triathlon's final points standing.