I got to the track around 7:45...I started out as a bad day. I was supposed to be off work for Thursday and Friday to finish getting ready and but work decided I didn't need those two days off and I spent the nights getting ready and days at work...and no time sleeping.
Got to the track around 7:30 to get the car ready for the first session.
1st Practise - I start off fairly easy to get use to the new front sway bar and the new Cline rear spring. Lateral grip is much improved, even with the bad tires on. After about 4 or 5 laps, smoke starts filling the cockpit. I figure this isn't a good thing, check the gauges and everything seems okay...one more lap and the smoke seems to be getting worse, they flash the surface condition flag at start finish, and the smoke starts getting worse. I ease around the course and bring the car into the paddock. Up on the stands it goes...scouring the engine for oil leaks. A small leak is present on the fuel pump blanking plate...but nothing serious. I'm a bit confused as to the smoke until I peak at the gearbox. The entire tailshaft housing is coated in oil. A quick spray with carb cleaner revealed a nice healthy crack that extends about half way up the housing. So...I left the stock gearbox at home, (one of those...oh that shouldn't be a problem, it's 2:00 I don't want to lift 75lbs into the truck). Go figure...one stock bit left in the ReK racing gearbox and it is the failure point :)
Qualifying - no track time as I was in the truck driving an hour and a half south to my house to get the spare gearbox from the garage. As I'm a block from my house I remember one important thing, grab the flange for the driveshaft as the spare gearbox and the race box use different output flanges. Everything loaded back up and I arrive back at the track about 4:00 saturday evening. By 6:30 I have the new gearbox in and everything buttoned up except for the driveshaft flange which we take back to my friends house to press out the U-joint. 7:30...drop u-joint on the ground and spray needle bearings all over the garage floor...only 24 of the 32 needle bearings a re found... the others are MIA. So...no parts stores open until 9:00 on sunday morning...so I figure I'm going to miss the morning warmup. While taking a shower I remember there is a spare u-joint in the box in the truck...so...off to dinner then to the track to get the u-joint. By 11:30 everything is ready to go.
Sunday morning we get to the track at half 8 or so and finish putting the car together. by 9:45 we have it off jack stands and I drive it around the paddock to make sure it works. bonus 4 gears...no leaks and no smoke.
Sunday 15-Minute morning warm-up session: I go out to try and re-learn the car as the gear ratios are so different with the stock gear box that I only use 3rd gear for the majority of the track, 4th for the straight and 2nd for the chicane. I have a couple moments with lapse of gearbox thought and choose the wrong gear with no major consequences (chose 3rd WAY to early but didn't over rev...just upset the car a little) 2 laps later I'm starting to get it figured out, then I get into the chicane and NO 2nd gear...NO 1st gear either...2 speed box now. I milk around for the remainder of the session and try and see if it's driveable with 2 gears...it is, but now it's definitely a momentum thing.
Race - Start from the back of the field as i have no qualifying time. 3rd gear start is bad and fouls the plugs with the low RPM...I just try and keep up with the field as the green flag flies. I slot in behind the SSC Neon and figure the car will clear up on the back straight and I can move by him. He waves me by, but the car is misfiring and not running right. I move to go around, but NO power...he's held me up in the corners that the plugs are still fouled. 4 laps behind him and I finally decided to make the move on the outside of 7...he gave in easily and I had clear track ahead. I got down to a 1:37.5 which was one second off my best time, but with a 2 speed gearbox and carrying an extra 70bs (heavier battery and stock cast iron gearbox and bellhousing) I was pleased with the performance.
I managed to get in 16 laps, a finish 1 lap down to the fast guys in the run group (which was better than last race at 2 laps down, overall ran more consistent laps in the 1:37 range and open track) I got the hollow victory as the FP competition was a no show (heard he totalled his car the week earlier, but no details). I was all set for the victory lap, but I stalled the car on the way out and couldn't get it started
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING! I now have my novice permit signed off and I'll sent it in this week and I'm now a Regional competition license holder! So the Goal for the weekend was met!!! Now I can't wait for next year.
Aaron _________________ Aaron Johnson Albany, OR #38 FP Spitfire Oregon Region SCCA Member #310579 http://www.geocities.com/spitracer9
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