Well, the new hub held together for the weekend. All in all - the Autumn Classic was a success. Got to qualify Saturday with a VERY damp track, and Sunday in the rain. That put me in the middle of the grid, so both Saturday and Sunday, I was able to see the starter throw the green. Ahha the little victories. Saturday's race saw my first pass for position, Sunday yielded three passes, and even some dicing with a Sprite. And a new personal best lap time.
Of course there were some low's (if it was alway easy, it wouldn't be fun). Saturday afternoon saw the demise of the shift linkage where the shift tube connects to the shift lever (c clip, fixed that in 10 minutes). That didn't stop me since the car was in third when it disconnected. Who needs to shift? I was still catching a couple of cars in front of me! But then the temp started to climb so we came in. Actually, the bolt that holds the alternator on the bracket backed out, and I had lost the belt and one of the bushing. A trip to every parts store in Mansfield yielded nothing. So we headed back to the track to have dinner, pack and leave. At dinner, I decided to check out the boneyard where the Safety trucks drop off the parts that fall of race cars. I could not believe it, but there was the belt! So, back to the paddock and fab up a bushing. While that was going on, I noticed that the plastic cover for the main terminal on the alternator was loose - the piece that attaches to the alternator had broken off. But I was able to push on a crimp terminal. Sunday morning, everything was up and running.
Sunday - race time. Everything is looking good. Start goes ok, of course the track is dry, so everybody behind me goes flying by, we go two (or was it three) wide into 1. but we're staying up with the pack. Pass an orange Mustang - pass for position in class!!!!. Then we take on the Sprite. This is really cool! Get by him, but he hides in traffic and passes me back. OK, work him over a little, then take him on the front straight!. OK, things are going good. brake for the carousel, just a little too hard, lock up the fronts, here comes the grass, here comes THE WALL!!!! NO, the back end just comes around a little more, and we end up 90 degrees to the track about 50 feet off. I remembered to put in the clutch, so the engine's running, so grab first, check traffic and get back out there. Didn't notice, by the Sprite gets back around me. :-(
But we finish the race!!!!!!! But, oh, no! The temperature is climbing again. So, pull off at 8 and get towed back in. Sure enough, the belt has decided to depart the vehicle again. And we still had the handicap race to go. Someone said it came off at three, but the next race had started, so we could not get out there to ask, so I went down to station 5 and they said that Safety 1 had picked it up. Back to the bone yard, and sure enough, there it was. What kind of luck is that, loosing a belt twice and recovering it.
Here comes the handicap race, of course I'm on the pole with the slowest qualifying lap of those entered. Well, we got to lead about three laps but actually it was the best practice session ever, since everyone went by me at the same time. And set a new personal best time.
Can't have a better weekend than that.
Best of all, Sharon says on the way home "When we come back in October......." That's about as good as the time she said "The next race car we buy........"
Hope everyone else had a great time at the Autumn Classic.
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Lucky for me as soon as I hit the track for my final stint I forgot about that and pressed on...and luckily it didn't fail!
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