Hallett 2016

Thanks to a lot of folks for helping me this weekend and for getting me there with a working car. David, Scott, Sean, Paul, Jeremy, Craig, Al, Pranav, Bryan, Richard Wooten, Alamo Autosports, Texas Track Works, Heritage Collision, Dederichs Motorsports, Driveshaft Specialists, Moonlight Printing, Motul, Brian Walden and others for helping with wiring for brake lights, stickers, sway bar mount bracket, axle end cap seal issues, hood fitment and rear seal, tools, RD duties, fabrication, tire mounting, etc. Without the assistance, I'm not sure the car would have seen much track time.

After getting the car back from the body shop on May 29th, I spent the next nine days, minus a few days work trip to Phoenix, reassembling the car - primarily custom 8.8 rear end fitment, ABS sensor setup, torque arm mount clearance (hello sledge hammer), rear sway bar fitment, headers, new exhaust, dynoing, alignment, corner balancing, custom driveshaft, trans rebuild, radiator repair, etc. including an all nighter last week.

It all came together with a few strokes of good luck, key timing on parts delivery, good friends, blood, sweat, and lack of sleep. As it turned out, the car was pretty spot on. It's the best it has ever run at Hallett (and maybe at any track ever), and was seriously hooked up.

The food was great. Awesome job on the smokers, Mr. Chefs.

A few things on the car list to cleanup or properly fix, then off to Pueblo to race for July 4th weekend.

Happy to be involved with NASA Texas and the Thunder group! Y'all rock!

MP

In the future you may refer to me as "Point-OH-NO-nine;" totally my fault, we just never measured the front track after putting the new hubs in. Michael/Al/Marshall/Hank did everything to accommodate for measuring including two sets of tapes and always got the same answer. Narrow-er Orange next time out.

And probably never another brisket, ever... I'm going out on top. (Well, maybe not - racers gotta eat)

And that was some of the most furious CMC racing I can remember. Congrats to Tyler for throwing it down and making it look easy.

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Originally Posted by Fbody383

In the future you may refer to me as "Point-OH-NO-nine;" totally my fault, we just never measured the front track after putting the new hubs in. Michael/Al/Marshall/Hank did everything to accommodate for measuring including two sets of tapes and always got the same answer. Narrow-er Orange next time out.

And probably never another brisket, ever... I'm going out on top. (Well, maybe not - racers gotta eat)

And that was some of the most furious CMC racing I can remember. Congrats to Tyler for throwing it down and making it look easy.

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Oh damn, did you get DQ'd :( that really REALLY sucks, I was very excited for your podium :(
One hell of a weekend, front of the car was destroyed by Scott Landon's E90 M3 for no good reason, trunk yanked the front back over as much as possible.
I thought for sure I wouldn't be alive on Sunday after some medical BS I had going on Sat night.
What an amazing group, I am very grateful for all of the congratulations and nice things that were said to me.

Also, I got some great feedback from the guy who takes care of the track, he said he has worked there for 16 years (I think) and that the AI/CMC racing this past weekend was the best racing he has ever seen there, he was stoked about it, quite the compliment.

Trial by fire this weekend.

Burnt up a trailer axle on Thursday morning, swapped it after 5 hours of fumbling and sending Records to hunt for parts. Got in super late after picking up RV (thanks Dave/Scott for offering to help pickup before my trailer blew up).

Ring gear bolts have apparently been backing out for a while, I think that explains the funny noises and vibrations I've been chasing down for the past two events. Completed a few sessions on Friday and walked out back to see that a bolt had punched a hole in the cover and fluid was spraying out.

Made a quick trip up to Wichita, KS to pickup another rear end, got it all back together Friday night. I was stoked to see my busted rear end already stripped and out of the car when I got back from Kansas.

Saturday's incident, I got lucky, only a bent upright and was fixed up after an hour's work. Sorry to see Randy's car get beat up so bad :(

Thanks Daniel, Sean, Paul, Dave, Allford, Richard, the Mostys, and everyone else that lent a helping hand this weekend.

Next year, hopefully I can make a Hallet trip without going to Kansas.

My Hallett experience was the "high of highs" and the "low of lows"... After having the engine tuned with a good A/F ratio, the trans rebuilt by the guy who developed the A-5 gearset, rebuilding the rear three link mounting that failed at TWS, I felt like the gun was "locked and loaded" for my curse of not being able to finish a weekend would be over and allow me to complete all four races in the first time since 2011...

I had great racing with Mason the ENTIRE weekend. Whether it was chasing or being chased, it was a LOT of fun. Unfortunately the vibration in the driveline that I "hoped" was a driveshaft out of balance ended up being something in the transmission and I'm pretty sure that the input shaft failed as I don't have any gears right now (forward or reverse).

The trans will come out this Saturday and head back to Florida for a failure analysis and then I'll figure out if I go a T-5 based A-5 box or go to either a T56 or TKO600... Ugh.

The car was as hooked up as it could be and I had awesome launches on both the standing starts (I'd like to think it's thanks to the decoupled three link).

Congrats to Mike Patterson for CRUSHING the AI track record (he beat it twice in the same weekend) and ended up with what I think was a 1:23.002... Just AMAZINGLY fast. I don't know how I'll find three seconds a lap as about all I could do this weekend was a 1:26 flat.

The food was absolutely the best I've had in my entire life. I'm honestly not a rib fan, but I'm converted now. Just like my mother in-law's tamale's, I don't think I'll ever eat ribs unless they are massaged by the grill masters who drive Chevy's (Thanks to Dave and Sean)!!

The Hallett experience was full of highs and lows for me too. Getting the car finished and loaded went down to the wire due to waiting on parts and being stuck out of town for work. I am glad I didn't collect anybody when the brakes failed and I went off in T2 R4. I am looking for new brakes that better defy the laws of physics.

The racing all weekend was really exciting and what an amazing drive Mike had! I don't think I have seen the entire field so closely matched before. I do hope the rules committee will address the advantage the GM cars have over the Mustangs in AI though.....

It was a real privilege to get to race in such a talented group at a fantastic racetrack!

Cograts to Mike P. for such an awesome weekend,glad to have him back. Really happy for Jack that we finally have his car close to where it should be, lap times proved were getting close. The racing was great biggest accomplishment was holding Mike P. off for half a lap. More than suprised we had qualified 2nd for the final in AI. Close ,clean racing all the way around and thanks to the CMC guys for making it easy to get by. Not sure the guy driving the challenger understood the rolling start,you'll see why I mean when the video gets posted. Jack shot himself in the foot a couple of times and it cost him a podium,but thats racing. Hope every one has a good Summer. By the way any body notice the AIX guys were running Hoosiers?

By the way any body notice the AIX guys were running Hoosiers?[/QUOTE]

295 Hoosiers, just makes Mike P's drive all the more impressive.

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Originally Posted by mach1

Oh damn, did you get DQ'd :( that really REALLY sucks, I was very excited for your podium :(.

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Yes, and deservedly so.

Rule says 74.00" (rounding is to half the last specified decimal or 0.005) Car was at 74.09", or just at 3/32" over the limit.

It's our fault; the rule is clear and I had every chance to oversee the measurement. When we changed hubs and bushings we set the alignment (allegedly) but never measured for track width. Will be skinnier for Houston.

But the transmission shifted flawlessly.

Well our Hallett experience started 2weeks ago, Our tow vehicle is still in the shop. So I asked Paul ( Vato Duals ) Culp if he could pull my (way over weight trailer)( hey it's Hallett,bring everything!). Well everything was good until the gas stop at Bucees. We see oil dripping from the diff. Or so we thought. Paul crawled under and discovered the brake line melted against the exhaust. 7:00am in Corsicana no one has a line in stock. David (OIF but too wide)(too soon) sees a Toyota dealership across the freeway. So they head north to meet up with Pranav. Paul and my self went to the "we are no help Toyota dealership" so we drove in to Maddisonville, found Maddisonville Auto parts. Their people ROCKED! after an hour and some "southern engineering" we were back on the road. After a few bad directions from the (storm trooper) navigator. We finely arrived at Hallett!!!

Friday was a blast cooking But apparently I did not drink enough water.

The cramping started Saturday after qual. Holy Crap just kill me!

R1 - one lap and I could not hardly move my legs, they both were cramping! So after dragging my Fat,old, way out of shape, way too big butt out of my car, I made it into the trailer to die.

Conversations with my son
Garrett- dad don't go out, cool off ank drink more water.
Me - but I have pole position!
Garrett - you're crazy
Me -yep

R2 - ran three laps left braking most of thr way, major cramping.

Pitted (refer to R1)

So after drinking everything I could get my hands on, and eating THE BEST BRISKET AND SIDES EVER! Craig gave me some Australian concoction. I started to feel better.
After Midnight Ribs® I got some sleep.

R3 - after Pauls (Vato duals) relentless work on the car setup, it was working well. I felt good.....so I had a great start, Gary jumped out in front, I ran like a rabbit with a pack of hungry dogs on my butt. I held up for a while but bus stop just kills me.

R4 - well I got to watch a great race from the rear. Lol

Thanks to all who helped, it was a great weekend!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fbody383

Yes, and deservedly so.

Rule says 74.00" (rounding is to half the last specified decimal or 0.005) Car was at 74.09", or just at 3/32" over the limit.

It's our fault; the rule is clear and I had every chance to oversee the measurement. When we changed hubs and bushings we set the alignment (allegedly) but never measured for track width. Will be skinnier for Houston.

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So who's butt looks big at Hallet?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fbody383

Yes, and deservedly so.

Rule says 74.00" (rounding is to half the last specified decimal or 0.005) Car was at 74.09", or just at 3/32" over the limit.

It's our fault; the rule is clear and I had every chance to oversee the measurement. When we changed hubs and bushings we set the alignment (allegedly) but never measured for track width. Will be skinnier for Houston.

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*Ahem* Pueblo?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fbody383

Yes, and deservedly so.

Rule says 74.00" (rounding is to half the last specified decimal or 0.005) Car was at 74.09", or just at 3/32" over the limit.

It's our fault; the rule is clear and I had every chance to oversee the measurement. When we changed hubs and bushings we set the alignment (allegedly) but never measured for track width. Will be skinnier for Houston.

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Way to take it like a man! Thanks for setting a good example, I would probably be crying about it being so close. If I am ever in this situation, I will remember the example you set and try to live up to it.

Tech used my longacre tape measures.

For enough advance notice and the right fee, I would've happily supplied some "special" tape measures that distort around the 74" and 72.75" marks.

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Originally Posted by Pranav

Tech used my longacre tape measures.

For enough advance notice and the right fee, I would've happily supplied some "special" tape measures that distort around the 74" and 72.75" marks.

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Distort the "right" way at 74" and the "wrong" way at 72.75" :)

I have tape measures that start at -2"...

Front row seat with the Orange is Fast! Camaro: https://vimeo.com/170725588

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fbody383

Front row seat with the Orange is Fast! Camaro: https://vimeo.com/170725588

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Damn, nice work in R3!

Here is our video from Hallett start of races 2,3,4 plus some interaction with CMC guys https://youtu.be/TE5i6VCYc8k

Goddamn I missed out! CMC is determined to install that drivetru yeah?

Race 3

https://youtu.be/wy-4qfHxdKo

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dtanker65

By the way any body notice the AIX guys were running Hoosiers?

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295 Hoosiers, just makes Mike P's drive all the more impressive.[/QUOTE]

Who were the AIX cars? Times? Given the fact that ST1 group has sort of gone full retard with $350k Doug Rippie Corvettes with 550rwhp and sequential transmissions, Misty and I have tossed around the idea of coming back to Thunder in the AIX group...assuming there are folks to play with in the 3150# and 450-500rwhp range.

The AIX cars were S197 Boss Mustangs from Kansas City. Mike Montgomery has been converting his and James Strader's cars to AIX.

I heard the guy that was not happy about our Shootout format packed up and left? The guy that said "I've been to Nationals and that is NOT how they do it". After driving that far he just left because we did not do things the way he wanted them done? Do I understand this correctly?


JJ

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mach1

Race 3

https://youtu.be/wy-4qfHxdKo

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HOLY CRAP! Is there any part of the track that your car does not handle well?

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Originally Posted by Storm Trooper

HOLY CRAP! Is there any part of the track that your car does not handle well?

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The car pushes in several parts of the track, gotta drive around it and stay patient. Trailbraking deep really helps get the car turned in.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ShadowBolt

I heard the guy that was not happy about our Shootout format packed up and left? The guy that said "I've been to Nationals and that is NOT how they do it". After driving that far he just left because we did not do things the way he wanted them done? Do I understand this correctly?


JJ

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Was it the inverting grid for qual races part? If so, I get that....just sayin'. The rest of the format seems spot on. Qual. Races for points. Points scored determines grid for final race.

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Originally Posted by MikeP99Z

The AIX cars were S197 Boss Mustangs from Kansas City. Mike Montgomery has been converting his and James Strader's cars to AIX.

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We have been away for a while so not familiar with those folks or cars. Part of the reason I was throwing the idea out there and seeing if it snagged any interest. Maybe even run Nittos and have a fun series with power on crap tires and just put smiles on our faces without breaking the bank on purple crack and spending contests...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AI#97

Was it the inverting grid for qual races part? If so, I get that....just sayin'. The rest of the format seems spot on. Qual. Races for points. Points scored determines grid for final race.

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He didn't like the inverted grids, even though we had two flags (AIX/AI/SI and CMC)... oh well.

https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...27&oe=57E01E37

At least the transmission is okay...

100,000 street miles
12 years of racing
Stock Trac-Lok

Why did Santa put coal in your diff?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by marshall_mosty

He didn't like the inverted grids, even though we had two flags (AIX/AI/SI and CMC)... oh well.

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Shame. Such good racing to be had.