Sept 6,7 Thunder Hill American Iron

Hey everyone, I'm still incredibly brain-dead, but let's see if I can hammer out a race report for y'all.

Chris Cheshire went with me for the entire weekend, and I couldn't have done it alone. Not only was he great with all the wrenching and other general physical labor a race weekend entails (even with a bad back), his specialty was truly being the "voice of reason and sanity." Thanks again Chris! I owe you BIG TIME.

Here's the outline: Thursday we left Santa Barbara at 10:30 am and went to 7s Only Racing at the Buttonwillow Raceway for a last minute dyno session. We got there at 2:30 and worked on the car until 6:30 pm! Then we headed up north to Willows, CA and got in at 12:30 am. Friday testing day at Thunderhill Raceway proved long and arduous with only a few laps on track all day. Dinner Friday night with the CMC group was a blast and they even picked up Chris' and my dinner by mistake! Saturday raceday was equally long and arduous. Saturday night parts run to Chico and back, dinner at 9 pm. Sunday raceday was relaxed and a lot of fun (finally), with the long tow home commencing at 5 pm. We arrived at my house in SB at 3 am and Chris passed out on the spare bed, not EVEN going to attempt the last 10 minutes to get to his place.

Here's the history: Recent engine work required last-minute tuning on Labor Day. With some tuning issues to be conquered, we decided a last-minute session on the dyno would sort out some minor bugs. Basically, on Labor Day we couldn't de-tune the engine enough to fit into my 9.5:1 weight-to-horsepower ratio (I can only add 100 lbs of ballast), so we decided to lower the computer's rev. limiter to stay under the 335 hp that was my max. By flashing the computer's PCM to cut-out at 5500 I can't physically get the car to drive in the higher horsepower. This was OK'ed by the AI director, so off we went. Also, the engine hadn't had any testing at all since I can't (by law at least) drive the car on the street, so we had our fingers crossed.

And here's the play-by-play: During the second pull on the dyno, a radiator hose decided to disconnect from the radiator and I lost all of my water on the shop floor. OK, we filled it back up and tried a third run. Whoops, the car is overheating badly--guess there's a big air bubble in the system. Then it took 2 hours to "burp" the air out of the system! Sheesh, we were supposed to be there for an hour max! Finally we get the sheet that shows 335 hp and we're outta there, on our way for the long haul up past Sacramento. We roll into the hotel at about 12:30, unload and get a few hours of sleep.

Friday morning we head right out to the track for testing. We discover a slow oil leak from somewhere, an electrical problem that is causing the alternator to not charge the battery, and a GNARLY engine vibration. I get just a few laps but we were worrying about that vibration most of all. After the day is over, we decide to just short-shift to keep the engine revs under the bad vibration point, to change the oil to a thicker one, and to check the grounds in the car for electrical problems. That night we have dinner with the CMC guys who are a total blast as always, and pass out early.

Saturday morning we do the oil change and fix my exhaust hangers. My exhaust was bolted on to a metal tab that was welded to the car--basically a hard motor-mount. We hope that will help the vibration, and it does a little bit, so I head out. I do a few laps, still babying the engine, and decide to come in to the paddock--and just as I pull off the track the car dies! So, I grab Chris and a CMC guy, get the truck and a tow strap, and we tow my car back to my pit area. Seems the battery is dead: so we still have an electrical problem. The oil situation seems better though, that's nice. We yank the alternator and go into town to get it tested: it tests fine, we buy a new battery and get back to the car. We get all that in and the car running again for the race.

Race: Standing start with a really ugly grid formation, but still very exciting to see all the crazy passing and tire smoke on the start! I was still babying the revs to 4500 and getting to learn the track, and therefore very slow. But I finished, and as they say, "points is points." Came into my pit area with the voltmeter on 9 so there was still an electrical problem. (Sigh.) Back in impound, the new safety director has chosen AI for a surprise inspection that has some drivers hot under the collar. Apparently he decided that those with problems can't race until the problems are fixed. A few words from JWL get everyone back into the game. My car had squeaked by because of my electrical problems, now I wonder what the safety inspector would have said about my car. I cooled off and chatted with some folks, and then started to call around for a new alternator. Luckily we bumped into one CMCer who "loves automotive electricals" who decided for us that the diode was out and a new alternator would cure the problem. We wrench for a bit, listen to the second CMC race (good job Nick!) and then head out for Chico, about 40 miles away.

New alternator in hand we get back to Willows at about 9, have dinner, and then pass out again. Sunday morning we jam back to the car to get the new alternator in, and hard-wire its wiring harness to power. Seems like we cut too much out of the dash again--the alternator wasn't getting the signal to charge. Start 'her back up and the voltmeter shows 14--FINALLY we're back in business! I run the entire practice session, actually have breakfast from the track concessions, actually make my own coffee, and make the qualifying session. I run all of that session, and qualify last with a horrid 2:12 but heck, at least I'm running! Chris heads off with his camera, first time all weekend, I eat some lunch and take a nap. Funny how when you're that tired, the floor of your trailer and a roll of paper towels make for an excellent bed and pillow.

Sunday's race was a rolling start with three green flags: Stock Cars first, AI second, and CMC third. I think that was the best choice for traffic issues. I actually kept up with the AI group for 2.5 laps--that power is really helping me out! I can only imagine what it will be like for the Oct race at Buttonwillow, with the car properly tuned and running strong. I had a great race until the front 4 CMC guys caught me near the end, and then the front ASC guys lapped us. That made for some interesting traffic, and I found myself horribly off-line in turn 3 next to a stock car with Al Hernandez (CMC 4th gen Camaro) in the mix too. Well, I went off, and just tried my darndest to keep some semblance of control off in the dirt. Luckily there was no contact and everyone else could just proceed, and I kept the car moving and brought it back on track under control, albeit a bit dusty.

So, after all of the drama after the race on Sunday, we packed up and headed home. Chris and I switched off quite often, and even had to stop to wrestle with the trailer awning that refused to stay put away, and we got in at 3 am. And then I slept most of yesterday. Now I'm off to my engine guy to talk to him about all of my issues, to hopefully take the car in to him today. What a trooper that Camaro is--I am often frustrated with it and call it a "piece of junk" (and other bad names) but truly it's a RAD car and it's gonna be a winner. ;-)

Christine