Update test day

We dodged what would have been a "killer" bullet last night when Stephen encountered a nut that had seized on the clutch assembly. In the end the only "solution" was for me to grind it off.

What is so cool about the sport of drag racing is that it is in moments like these that you experience the beauty of good sportsmanship. Being that we are just two cars running in this category in Curacao and the other guy is, none other than legendary door slammer driver and EFI innovator engine builder, Pat Musi, we were able to not only get the part from him, but one of his crew put his experience to good use and gave us some pointers. So, the guys that we will be racing on Saturday night helped us out and kept us in the show.

We are very grateful to Pat and his crew for helping us out.

Today's race schedule has us making test passes around 9.15 and 11.15pm, so if you want to see PISS'D OFF PETE and King Kong IV stretch their legs, be sure you are at the track by nine.

Thanks for reading and if you happen to bump into Pat and his crew, do not forget to give them a "pat on the back". Truly great people.

Spun bearing sidelines Pete

It has been a couple of weeks since the last post, but we've been very busy on many fronts. So I'll jump right into it.

In a routine engine check whilst testing last month we discovered we hurt the engine. With no spare engine, this means that we will be enjoying the races from the bleachers for some time to come. The engine must be shipped back stateside for repairs.

All in all, it could have been much worse, if the problem hadn't been identified and we had gone out to the track for another pass. An attentive team mate heard a faint noise and threw the red flag. After a quick telephone consultation with Jeff Dobbins in which he suspected our engine had spun a bearing, all we could do is load up and head home.

Luckily, as Pat Musi was testing with King Kong IV as well, we asked him to give us a hand and confirm our suspicions. Below you can see some pictures taken when he was trouble shooting the Sonny Leonard 762 c.i. hemi engine.

For those who don't know what a spun bearing is or how it occurs, usually it is caused by lack of oil during high rpm's. Since I shift well above 7,000 rpm and the car is puling some strong g-forces, there might have been a problem with the oil pick up. And on second thoughts, the oil we were running might have been a tad too thin.

A shout out goes to Stephen Maduro and Eric Felix for doing a superb job of identifying the problem. Great job guys!

Thanks for reading.

Photo credit: own files.

Extreme Shoot Out race

Right.... race day had arrived. A week ago that is, the 2002 Extreme Christmas Shoot Out. Great fun, great drivers, great extreme import cars and an even greater announcer. I hope that this event will return for 2003.

While servicing the clutch for our first side-by-side qualifying pass, we discovered a problem that would limit us to that one run only. One of the air fittings that activates shifting on the Lenco was leaking. Unfortunately, we did not have a replacement fitting to run the elimination round.

Pat Musi vs Danny de Kort

All in all, a good experience. At the line I had strapped myself in too tight, for me to move around in the seat to see the christmas tree. After a lot of coaxing I staged the car but still could not see the amber light....so, when he left, so did I. Of course, dead late, but it was a start.... and before the finish line I decided it was enough... I was quite close to the retaining wall. Ran a 6.88 et. Happy with my first ever side-by-side pass. Something to build on.

Thanks to Pat Musi for waiting for me at the line.

See you at the races.

Photo credit: Exotic Boost.