Wow. That's a real shame. Tyson doesn't need the bad luck. He already lost a motor last year in the car that James has (the former Scruffy). For the record, I don't think Tyson built this motor, just inherited it. He and Jack are the two nicest guys around. Just look at him woriking on Todd's car instead of running, and that after driving to get the part. Where else do you find people like this?

AFA Jack, well again, very sorry. Somehow he can come back with a smile everytime. That would have probably put me behind the wall.....permanently. Not that I'm afraid, just hate bad luck. He can rebound. I don't know how he does it.

It's great to see 4 Pelicans out there. Good job for you, Todd and Don.

BTW, Jack was supposed to be out at Willow today with OTR.............I wonder, he is pretty dedicated. Maybe he is instructing from the front seat of his Jag this morning. ;)

bottomline: SoCal guys are WAAAAAAAAAAY more hardcore than us NorCal guys.

i also lost it in turn 11. big difference in speed tho. my instructor had time to say, "huh, cliff, you dont want to do it like this.....!" i saved it hazzard county style, and gave my throttle lifting the respect it so deserves. glad you guys are fine, and sorry i missed the visit. my job had some fires to put out.

Tyson was so jazzed after the exhibition race, he was almost non-plussed about the tranny. He was grinning almost as wide as me after I figured out the line. Heck, in the AM of the first stay I couldn't spell "line".

Zeke - what you said about Tyson x10. What a great guy. In between fixing Nostatic's car, Jack's car, and instructing he was turning the third or fourth fastest lap times - after a track-only M3 and a GT3.

And for Jack, instead of driving down to Willow and spending the night, he's taking Tyson all the way back to LA and said he was planning to drive back to Willow, not sure if it was to drive, but at least help out. I can't say enough nice things about Tyson and Jack.

I'll have a bit more to add later. Gotta go wash the car.

Wow, what a weekend!

Just a quick update, then I'll come back later with a fuller story.

Flatbedded Scrappy to WEVO, where Hayden Burvill (wevoid) was patiently waiting to help me out. The plan was to leave the car, ride back with Jack, then bring my spare trans up on Friday to swap out for the Thunderhill race weekend.

Hayden came up with a limp-home idea. The trans turned out to be a completely destroyed magnesium diff. side cover. Seems the torque of the 3.2 and the 7/31 ring and pinion were just too much for the weak mag side cover, and it split open. This destroyed the tops of the teeth on the R$P, and made quite a racket.

Hayden determined that we had a 90% chance of success by cleaning out the debris, cleaning up the edges on the ring gear, and replacing the destroyed mag. side cover with an aluminum unit to limp me home.

So we decided to give it a go, and sent Jack on his way solo back to L.A. so he could get a few hours of sleep before running the driving school at OTR's Big Willow event. (This guy is harcore!!!!)

The band-aid worked, and hayden and I finished up around midnight. Cool! Noisy, but functional.

Success, but it's now a little after midnight, and I'm exhausted, and, and still have a 6 hour drive ahead of me. Ugh!

I'm back at work now, and I'll be working very late tonight to make up for the lost time, but it was all worth it. What a great weekend!

Geez, sorry I missed the race. I think Don was the only one that got out unscathed, although I definitely got off easiest in the mechanical woe department. No Willow for me today...instead rest and trying to get caught up at work.

Great track, great time. I think I might like Laguna a bit better, but I need a couple more days at Sears to find out. Ready for a 2006 trip...

and when are you northern guys going to come down and run Willow? Hmmm?!?!?

Yeah, I was hooked before, but after yesterday's race, I think I'm falling down the slippery cliff into W2W racing.


I just want to compliment Don Plumley on his first ever track day. I don't think I've ever ridden with a smoother, more consistent first timer. I think it must have been from the fact that he brought no ego into it, and just wanted to listen and learn. By the time I rode along with him on the second day, he really had everything down pretty well, and was hitting 90% of the corners near-textbook. Won't be long before he needs coaching for speed, rather than instruction. (BTW, thanks for the wine tasting!)

Todd also did a great job of picking up the line on this very technical track, and it was fun watching him progress. First lap out, he was laughing like a kid on his first roller coaster as we crested over the blind 3a. I have a feeling he'll be back. :)


BTW, in Jack's defense, he was trying to sort out a clutch release issue which distracted him just long enough to cause him to over-cook the braking zone for 11. It doesn't take much to be a little too late into that corner. Unfortunately, it's just not a corner that will forgive any mistake at all, as there is nowhere to go. I'm glad he had such a good attitude about it. The car looked pretty terrible, but luckily it was all cosmetic.

We will soon. At least I will. I'll get the others to come along.

Tyson.... Tyson.... Come to the Dark Side.... VARA is awaiting you.... :)

Thanks for the kind words, Tyson. It's really a result of good instruction (in particular Claude Leglise) and a priority on having safe fun. And it was really helpful to have the passenger seat time in Dean Thomas' (dtfastbear) and Tyson's cars. That was really cool!

Or could it be that this early encouragement is all part of your evil plans? For me to modify a new car with your evil touches? Or to ply you with yummy Pinot Noir and Syrah? Or both? Hmmmmm (pinky finger touching corner of mouth...)

I had a great time - and in large part to the support and encouragement of Todd, Jack and Tyson. Thanks guys for making it a phenomenal first track experience.

Oh, no need to tempt me! I'm working on it. I've got some things to do to the 2.5, plus a full rollcage first.

Nope, no evil plans, just telling the truth. You really did amazingly well. Especially on such a difficult and intimidating track.

well, I guess "no flares for you" (said in soup nazi voice)

I'm bummed that I crashed. But it looks like the suspension components, wheels, tub, engine mounts and everything escaped unscathed. I'm going to need some new rear lights for the R assemblies, a rear bumper, and some light paint work.

The really cool photographs were taken by the track photographer. He shot about a dozen pictures from where my rear wheels locked up to the point where the tire wall cables snapped the car back onto the track after the impact. I'll get them in a couple of weeks.

When I came in, it looked bad. :eek:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1132212174.jpg

But by the time the car was packed, it was looking less scary.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1132212260.jpg

The Jag stayed in the garage. Here's the 911 at Willow today. I didn't get a chance to even go home between Sears and WSIR, so there's no replacement wing in place, and the car still hasn't been washed.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1132212583.jpg

In that picture, does it look like I'm lifting both passenger-side wheels?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1132212624.jpg

Pre-crash, here's a Jack Olsen-style self portrait of three:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1132212685.jpg

Jack and Calvin:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1132212702.jpg

And Dad and Calvin:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1132212732.jpg

I'm going to write up more later, but it was a great time from beginning to end (well, except that crash part). The car is mechanically fine, and Tyson and I will be heading 500 miles on Friday to do a time trial and four wheel to wheel races with NCRC/ARC. :cool:

Jack,

How hard did you hit the wall? Did the impact rattle your teeth?

Glad to hear it's only superficial damage and that you didn't hurt yourself.

Tyson,

Sorry to hear about your 915 .... So, did your R&P look a little like this?

http://www.holscope.com/crown_wheel_and_pinion_01.jpg

http://www.holscope.com/crown_wheel_and_pinion_02.jpg

Jack,

Sorry to hear about the incident. At the risk of sounding insensitive, I think the "wing-on-the-roof" sprint car look is pretty cool! You might be on to something, there! :)

It'll be great to see you, Tyson and Don this weekend. The weather forecast is damn near perfect. Laura and I will need to split the races in the Miata unless they let me run the cab...

Have a safe drive North.

Cheers,

Dean

I went to a Trackmaster event at Sears Point on Sunday with a friend in his Lotus Elise. I had a great time. That track is so much fun with all the elevation changes. I also got a ride in a Corvette Z06 on slicks.... OHMYGOD, what a beast.

I need to get my car sorted out and on a track near Dallas. Unfortunately since Texas is so flat, I doubt there are any tracks that are as exciting as Sears Point or Laguna.

Yes, but not quite that bad. I immediately grabbed fourth gear and nursed her down the hill from turn 7 to the track exit at 11, so no further damage occured. Just the tips of the teethe broke off, and It's not missing any teethe entirely. That's how I was able to make it back home.

You should've seen the perfect "Kodak moment" when Hayden from WEVO was taking the sanding wheel to my ring gear on the vice. Hey, it worked! It was just funny to see a guy so meticulous and with such incredibly high standards doing such a thing. We both got a good chuckle out of it. :)

I'm envious. You guys look like you had a great time.

Jack, I diffinently would say you're lifting both inside wheels. I've seen it before in a previous post of yours. :)

I hope I get to join you guys some day in the near future.

These guys are way more dedicated than I am; I still haven't fixed my car since my little incident in the race @ Thunderhill back in September! What's worse is I [i]have[i] the parts, and it's all of maybe two hours on the outside.

Thom,

It's only Thursday, Brother! Get into your garage NOW and get to the track on Saturday!!