First, the generic info, threatining and delivering rain sporadically
throughout the weekend (nothing like towing an open car on slicks 1300mi. for
rain!) But all except one of my co-drivers got dry runs the entire weekend.
The adventure began earlier though, as I was offered a deal on a purple (color
coordinated with the race car!) durango on thursday afternoon, but would havbe
to make the tow vehicle trade that day, not 2700mi. of wear and tear later
after the weekend, hmm.... No hitch on the durango, but it had the big engine
and 3.92 rear end, cool. Except the explorer was already packed for the trip,
so it's rush home, unload everything, remove the cell phone, CB, radar
detector stuff, and go finish the deal. Had to stop on the way to pick up a
hitch for it before the hitch outlet closed (clear across town). Cut to 9pm,
I have the new truck, and the hitch in the garage, and the one socket non
existent in any tool set, is the 7/8" one for the bolts for the hitch - headed
out for autozone - closed! Thank goodness for Home Depot :) - open til' 10!
Socket in hand, it takes another two hours to bench press and mount the hitch,
and hookup the trailer wiring and match connectors to the traile!
!
r.
Now it's midnite thursday, and I should have been in memphis or nashville by
now :( Loading up the car and truck + shower and rudimentary packing takes
another 2hrs - seems like a great time to hit the road :) The timing really
wasn't bad, missing rush hour in all the cities along the way. Then the
highway comes to a halt in the mountains outside of Knoxvile, apparently a semi
and 13 other cars are involved - guess who forgot to pack a CB to listen for
the traffic info! After sitting for about an hour (which I should have spent
napping)We get directed off onto some lovely country roads for a 30 mile
bypass, too bad I'm PULLING a miata, not driving one! Since only the front
tires howl, I have determined the truck understeers :)
After a couple of naps, only 2 nod off's, I make it into petersburg at around
2am, thank goodness for the late start time (10am). Sat. morning, I wash the
truck and car (to guarantee rain), and show the truck off to Paula. Of course,
the trick flip flop chrysler paint looks blue under the overcast skies, someone
has played a cruel joke on me...
In an effort to help fill up the prepared classes, we have Danielle Engstrom
co-driving the car with me in DP, and Paula and Ginna running in L2.
Unfortunatley, we still get bumped into CM(!) to make a class.
72 runs, 6 tires, 2 battery charges, and 7.5 gallons of fuel later, Paula has
managed to win L2, and take top qualifier, everyone except me is in a challenge
of some sort, and I've been soundly beaten by my co-driver. I've managed to
spin 3, maybe 4 times, lets just say the car is a little loose on the throttle
:) Paula and Ginna make it all the way to the final rounds, to finish 2nd in
the ladies and bonus challenges. Not too shabby, as thanks to Danielle we find
out how fast we really should be going :) Very educational, now if I can just
assimilate the data into some useful format for Harrisburg....
I make the fateful decision of staying Sunday night to have dinner with the
gang and celebrate. This of course leaves a 20hr driving trip for Monday -
that trip just ended at 5am this morning, when I pulled in in time for a nap
before work. Memorial day traffic was not bad actually, except for just
missing by minutes a wreck on the bridge past the pyramid in memphis, and
having to take 3 naps in the last 5 hrs to make it in. I also did get to stop
on the Minnie Pearl memorial highway for gas :)
Beat's working though....
Stan Whitney
Grapevine, TX
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