XRRA AlbuquerqueRace Day
<- Day 1 - Tech Inspection
7:20 AM: The team is up and doing the final once overs on the rigs, topping off fluids and fuel. The drivers meeting is at 8:30.  8:30 AM: Driver meeting went without issue, it is a tight course so drivers and spotters are only allowed in a couple areas, it will make it tough to have a good vantage point for guiding Eric through the course, but it shouldn't be too bad. We also got the starting order. Luke will be starting 26th in Lane 2 and Eric drew the last spot in Lane 2, this will give a good oppertunity to watch the other competitors and really nail down our choice of lines. 9:00 AM: Let the racing begin. Chad from Ground control started first and ran a smooth 1:26, this is going to be a fast day of racing! 9:30 AM: The course takes its first victim, Moab champion Brad Lovell broke a rear link and drive shaft and has to be extracted. 10:10 AM: Round 1 is in the books. Luke ran a 1:10 in his first run, a couple back ups cost him a few seconds, but overall he was smooth. Eric's engine troubles slowed him, that and the loss of radio contact hurt us a little, but the new racer runs real nice, he was prefect through the rocks and actually beat Luke but a second finishing at 1:09. Shannon had the fast time on Lane 2 with 48 seconds followed by Josh at 54 seconds. In Lane 1, Rick D beat Shane Chiddix by 3 seconds have the fast time of 50 seconds to Shane's 53. Right now we are working on Eric's power steering orbital, it is leaking slightly, hopefully it's just a loose fitting. 11:07 AM: The morning is down and it was a fast one. Shannon currently has a 3 second lead over Rick D, as they were the only two to post sub one minute times on both courses. Luke ran well again, but the courses are not favoring the larger vehicles today. Eric again ran smooth posting a 1:16 beating Luke by 6 seconds, unfortunately the motor is just holding us back as Eric was so smooth through the whole course.  Morning Action! 1:05 PM: It's been a day off ups and downs, Luke was running real fast in his third run, but on the double jump he came up short, cased the landing and endoed. It ripped off the roof and did an number on the car. The motor hydro locked and the power steering res has a hole in it. While I was patching the hole in res, Chris pulled the plugs and Luke was under the car, unfortunately the Atlas linkage is also done and the car will not be able to get back in the race. Eric however ran his best run of the day, a 1:03 time that had him flying over the rock sections - its a what could have been if we had time to get the computer re tuned. Rick D, Shannon and Terri laid out the fast runs of round 3 with Josh just off their pace. The race for the top 6 will be tight! 2:30 PM: The 4 heats are down and the top six are in. Josh Murrey was in the position to be in the top 6 again, but a fuel pump wire came loose shutting down his rig and he took 4:00 on the last course. Eric was smooth again, he is just getting faster and faster, one back up cost him a few seconds, but he finished the tough course at a time of 1:16. The top six are: Shannon, Rick, Terry, Rob Bonney, Arron and Jason Pickett.   30:1 PM: It's over and what a fast day it was! In the first race Jason Pickett blew his rear driveline ending his day and he will have to settle for sixth. In heat 2 Terry flip his moon buggy on turn one landing him in fifth. Rob Bonney and Arron both ran smooth which will like have Rob edging Arron. Rick and Shannon put on a show for their 2 heats and as fast as Rick was, today belonged to Shannon who laid down his fast time of the day, 46 seconds on his final run to secure the victory. We got pics and video to come, but now as Shannon said "It's beer thirty!". <- Day 1 - Tech Inspection |
