NEWS AND UPDATES

9/18/2005 It's been awhile, so I thought I'd give a short update, still not on the track, still no car running. Season has ended, there are 2 or 3 more weekends of specials and enduro races, but the main season is over. I worked on the Dodge chassis for about four days, got the body all lined out, got it all set, I hauled the buick motor out to it, and lowered it into the compartment. I would have to build up about six inches and backwards about ten inches. It would put the motor out too far on an unstable mount, so I have resolved to the fact that it won't work. From this point, I am not going to proceed until I can afford, and locate the right parts. I am going to strip out my Firebird and get it as ready as I can, and when I get the money, I am going to have a cage put in it. I will then drop the buick in it. I am also going to find a reasonably priced 360 for the dodge and either try to run both, or sell one. Hopefully I will have the money to get this done by the start of next season, this project is dragging on too long.

7/22/2005 No news in this case isn't bad news, it's just no news. Just wanted to let everyone know that I am still here, just not doing much. I bought the car from Scott and Jeff, got it home, put the doors and left fender, hood and deck lid on temporarily, and took it to my trailer sponsor's house and parked it. I have been working on the motor a little here and there, found out that I am going to have to run an automatic tranny, cause for some damn reason there is no such thing as a standard flywheel for a 73 buick 350. I have talked to alot of people, and I've come to the conclusion that I am not going to be able to run it with a standard. So at this point, I will get it going with an automatic, and begin trying to find a motor that I can run a standard on. I will be working on it slowly, because I don't have as much time to put into it as I would like. Maybe my next post will include some sort of pictures. See Ya'll at the track!

6/27/2005 Well, I'm finally back from AZ. I will be leaving again for the Fourth of July Weekend. I Talked to Tanya's Cousin's Scott and Jeff from and I am going to buy the Super Stock that they have. It is in good shape other than the fact that it is a Dodge. However, it will look like a dodge and walk like a dodge, but it will talk like a GM and be powered by the Heartbeat of America. It will be kinda like Johnny's Cadillac. only it will be different years and makes. Mopar Chassis, Ford rear end, and Buick Motor. Anyways, When we get back, it shouldn't take more than 2 or 3 weeks to get it up and running. About all it needs is my seat, an instrument panel, my motor and trans, and a decent set of tires, and it should be ready. Well, besides paint and numbers. I will try to keep updates on the progress, with pictures. See Ya'll at the track!

5/9/2005 We ran in the race on Saturday, May 7^th. I wasn't expecting to, but my trailer sponsor called and wanted to take his family to the races, but they wouldn't go unless I was running. So at the last minute, I went and picked up the trailer and loaded up. I got to the track at about 5pm, and our class was just qualifying. I tried to get the car off and get to the line in time to qualify, but there were no pit pads left, and with the rains the night before, the back of the pits were just that, THE PITS. It was about a foot and a half deep in mud in most spots, so by the time I got the car unloaded, it was too late to time in. Needless to say, if I am going to get there too late to get a pit pad, I will not be going. Anyway, I'm glad that I went. I was talking to one of my buddy's at the track, and we discussed some things and I figured out the main reason that I am not getting enough speed coming out of the turns. So, I corrected that, and there are a few other things that we are going to do to the car, and I should be able to finish better. I did better than I have done thus far. I started scratch in 22nd position out of 23 cars, and finished 15th. Not too bad for a rookie driver that lost all sign of any brakes on about lap 16. I guess you don't need brakes to go fast and beat the rest of them.

5/2/2005 Well, we ran in the race on Saturday, April 30^th. Some of the changes we made helped out quite a bit, but after the practice laps, we took the right rear off, because I had figured out that it was brake fluid leaking from the wheel cylinder. I wanted to check it after the practice laps, and we discovered that the brakes were way to tight. so we backed them off quite a bit, and that probably helped more than anything. Tanya thought that I had gotten laped twice, but my trailer sponsor said that I only got lapped once buy four or five cars, and stayed ahead of the rest.I know that I lapped one car once, and another twice, but I am not sure about how many lapped me. Anyway, I don't think the car is going to do any better so I am going to concentrate on other things.
Tanya's Cousin races in the super stock class, and has a dodge car that only needs a motor and tranny. In that class, I can run my Buick motor and tranny, and it also allows for alot more modification to the car and motor. He said he'd give me a great deal on it, so if it is good enough and Tanya gives me the nod, I will be running in Super Stocks in June.

4/25/2005 Next race is this coming Saturday, April 30^th. I finally got the car back on line, I pulled the gas tank and put in a fuel cell like they told me to. Now I have to weld sheet metal over the rear firewall. Once I get that done, figure out why the right rear is leaking, and get some wheels, and some good tires, I should be good for a couple more races.
I think we may have figured out why the car was running so slowly, and I was getting lapped about once every five laps. When I replaced the spark plugs, I assumed that they were pre-gapped for the car, but they were gapped at about 38 when they should have been gapped at 44. The idle was way off (high then low) and it was running sluggishly. I corrected the gap and it now idles and runs smoothly. Hopefully that took care of it. if not, this will be it's last race, I will have to figure something else out. Hopefully I will be able to get the firebird on the track in the next couple of months.

4/12/2005 WOW!!! I never would have thought that this could have been such a rush. I had more fun than I have had in a long time, and all I did was get lapped, spun out, put into a wall, and lapped some more. Everyone that I talked to told me that my driving was great, but the car for some reason could not keep up with the rest of them. I would floor it less than halfway through the corner, and hold okay, but once out of the corner, I would still be all in and they would fly past me. We're gonna try a few things and see if we can make it work better. If it doesn't work at the next race, then I am not sure what we'll do, keep working on the Street Stock until it is done I guess. Anyways, I had an awesome experience, and even though it was a 250 lap race, I completed about 137, and got knocked out on lead lap 160, I feel like I won to an extent. I came away with a very positive experience and lost alot of fear, and am now fully hooked, and so is Dad.
Congratulations to Ray Bolinger on a 1^st place finish, and to Tommy, his first time ever on a track and finished 3^rd.

4/04/2005 We finally got A car ready for the track. It's not the street stock that we are working on, it is a hornet car, but it will do to start the season off. We are currently working on a mid 70'^s Monte Carlo That will have a '72-'74 Buick 350 in it. We have everything we need as far as I know, except for tires. If anyone knows of any used street stock tires that we can purchase, an e-mail would be greatly appreciated.
We will be at the track on Saturday, April 9^th for Test and Tune, and Maybe for the Enduro 250 on Sunday, If the funds are available.

9/18/2005	It's been awhile, so I thought I'd give a short update, still not on the track, still no car running. Season has ended, there are 2 or 3 more weekends of specials and enduro races, but the main season is over. I worked on the Dodge chassis for about four days, got the body all lined out, got it all set, I hauled the buick motor out to it, and lowered it into the compartment. I would have to build up about six inches and backwards about ten inches. It would put the motor out too far on an unstable mount, so I have resolved to the fact that it won't work. From this point, I am not going to proceed until I can afford, and locate the right parts. I am going to strip out my Firebird and get it as ready as I can, and when I get the money, I am going to have a cage put in it. I will then drop the buick in it. I am also going to find a reasonably priced 360 for the dodge and either try to run both, or sell one. Hopefully I will have the money to get this done by the start of next season, this project is dragging on too long.
7/22/2005	No news in this case isn't bad news, it's just no news. Just wanted to let everyone know that I am still here, just not doing much. I bought the car from Scott and Jeff, got it home, put the doors and left fender, hood and deck lid on temporarily, and took it to my trailer sponsor's house and parked it. I have been working on the motor a little here and there, found out that I am going to have to run an automatic tranny, cause for some damn reason there is no such thing as a standard flywheel for a 73 buick 350. I have talked to alot of people, and I've come to the conclusion that I am not going to be able to run it with a standard. So at this point, I will get it going with an automatic, and begin trying to find a motor that I can run a standard on. I will be working on it slowly, because I don't have as much time to put into it as I would like. Maybe my next post will include some sort of pictures. See Ya'll at the track!
6/27/2005	Well, I'm finally back from AZ. I will be leaving again for the Fourth of July Weekend. I Talked to Tanya's Cousin's Scott and Jeff from and I am going to buy the Super Stock that they have. It is in good shape other than the fact that it is a Dodge. However, it will look like a dodge and walk like a dodge, but it will talk like a GM and be powered by the Heartbeat of America. It will be kinda like Johnny's Cadillac. only it will be different years and makes. Mopar Chassis, Ford rear end, and Buick Motor. Anyways, When we get back, it shouldn't take more than 2 or 3 weeks to get it up and running. About all it needs is my seat, an instrument panel, my motor and trans, and a decent set of tires, and it should be ready. Well, besides paint and numbers. I will try to keep updates on the progress, with pictures. See Ya'll at the track!
5/9/2005	We ran in the race on Saturday, May 7^th. I wasn't expecting to, but my trailer sponsor called and wanted to take his family to the races, but they wouldn't go unless I was running. So at the last minute, I went and picked up the trailer and loaded up. I got to the track at about 5pm, and our class was just qualifying. I tried to get the car off and get to the line in time to qualify, but there were no pit pads left, and with the rains the night before, the back of the pits were just that, THE PITS. It was about a foot and a half deep in mud in most spots, so by the time I got the car unloaded, it was too late to time in. Needless to say, if I am going to get there too late to get a pit pad, I will not be going. Anyway, I'm glad that I went. I was talking to one of my buddy's at the track, and we discussed some things and I figured out the main reason that I am not getting enough speed coming out of the turns. So, I corrected that, and there are a few other things that we are going to do to the car, and I should be able to finish better. I did better than I have done thus far. I started scratch in 22nd position out of 23 cars, and finished 15th. Not too bad for a rookie driver that lost all sign of any brakes on about lap 16. I guess you don't need brakes to go fast and beat the rest of them.
5/2/2005	Well, we ran in the race on Saturday, April 30^th. Some of the changes we made helped out quite a bit, but after the practice laps, we took the right rear off, because I had figured out that it was brake fluid leaking from the wheel cylinder. I wanted to check it after the practice laps, and we discovered that the brakes were way to tight. so we backed them off quite a bit, and that probably helped more than anything. Tanya thought that I had gotten laped twice, but my trailer sponsor said that I only got lapped once buy four or five cars, and stayed ahead of the rest.I know that I lapped one car once, and another twice, but I am not sure about how many lapped me. Anyway, I don't think the car is going to do any better so I am going to concentrate on other things. Tanya's Cousin races in the super stock class, and has a dodge car that only needs a motor and tranny. In that class, I can run my Buick motor and tranny, and it also allows for alot more modification to the car and motor. He said he'd give me a great deal on it, so if it is good enough and Tanya gives me the nod, I will be running in Super Stocks in June.
4/25/2005	Next race is this coming Saturday, April 30^th. I finally got the car back on line, I pulled the gas tank and put in a fuel cell like they told me to. Now I have to weld sheet metal over the rear firewall. Once I get that done, figure out why the right rear is leaking, and get some wheels, and some good tires, I should be good for a couple more races. I think we may have figured out why the car was running so slowly, and I was getting lapped about once every five laps. When I replaced the spark plugs, I assumed that they were pre-gapped for the car, but they were gapped at about 38 when they should have been gapped at 44. The idle was way off (high then low) and it was running sluggishly. I corrected the gap and it now idles and runs smoothly. Hopefully that took care of it. if not, this will be it's last race, I will have to figure something else out. Hopefully I will be able to get the firebird on the track in the next couple of months.
4/12/2005	WOW!!! I never would have thought that this could have been such a rush. I had more fun than I have had in a long time, and all I did was get lapped, spun out, put into a wall, and lapped some more. Everyone that I talked to told me that my driving was great, but the car for some reason could not keep up with the rest of them. I would floor it less than halfway through the corner, and hold okay, but once out of the corner, I would still be all in and they would fly past me. We're gonna try a few things and see if we can make it work better. If it doesn't work at the next race, then I am not sure what we'll do, keep working on the Street Stock until it is done I guess. Anyways, I had an awesome experience, and even though it was a 250 lap race, I completed about 137, and got knocked out on lead lap 160, I feel like I won to an extent. I came away with a very positive experience and lost alot of fear, and am now fully hooked, and so is Dad. Congratulations to Ray Bolinger on a 1^st place finish, and to Tommy, his first time ever on a track and finished 3^rd.
4/04/2005	We finally got A car ready for the track. It's not the street stock that we are working on, it is a hornet car, but it will do to start the season off. We are currently working on a mid 70'^s Monte Carlo That will have a '72-'74 Buick 350 in it. We have everything we need as far as I know, except for tires. If anyone knows of any used street stock tires that we can purchase, an e-mail would be greatly appreciated. We will be at the track on Saturday, April 9^th for Test and Tune, and Maybe for the Enduro 250 on Sunday, If the funds are available.