Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Update..

This is pretty much all that's left of the car that was supreme just a week ago...




Well the car came back in one piece but with a fair amount of damage. Race one did not go well, the car was sluggish and didn’t want to go. A quick carby re-jetting and it was supplying peak power again. This little car wheelstands the full length of the straight and you have to back off to get the front wheels on the ground long enough to go around the next corner, then it’s back on the power and front wheels off the ground again, lap after lap for the full race.
Toward the end of the second heat and well in front of the pack, a backmarker spun in front of us and we hit him hard… so hard that he went over the top of our car. He ripped the steering off, crushed the Nerf bars, bent the Jacobs Ladder and broke the disc brake rotor and caliper, bent the back axle and tore the big wing off the roof. All because the backmarkers steering wheel fell off in his hands…. He did the same thing in the next race and took out another car, he was black flagged for the rest of the night. (too late she cried)
We had all the new parts on hand so the car was quickly repaired in time for the Final Race…
Half a lap ahead with only a few laps to go the car suddenly lost power and pulled infield and out of the race.
The impact of the accident had critically stretched the control cable to the four carbies and it broke.. (weep!)
I’ve spent the last two days making new Nerf Bars and doing repairs to the body. We have a week off so there is time to fully rebuild the suspension and make ready for the next encounter. Of course we always hope to finish a race so we get the points but racing is often more about luck that good planning. (or whether some twit crashes and takes you out) LOL
Such is life! (Ned Kelly’s last words)




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6 comments:

The Jules said...

What driving beer did you use, because maybe it needs to be stronger?

Pearl said...

Wow! Impressive stuff!

Pearl

Anonymous said...

Hi Tempo,
What a shame this had to happen, I hope you all have better luck next time around.

Windsmoke. said...

Steering wheel fell off??, should have been black flagged the first time round. Anyway good luck on the rebuild, most importantly you know the roll cage is up to the job :-).

HermanTurnip said...

I'm new here, so forgive me is I ask, "Is that a car or a spaceship?"

Perhaps I should get myself acclimated before asking inane questions? Heh...

Regardless, here's hoping that nobody was injured in the accident!

Tempo said...

Hey Jules, you could be onto the problem there...They dont allow us to drink at the track, not even allowed to drink in the pits at all. If they have any doubt they breath test you and if you are over 0.00% you get disqualified and asked to leave the track.
Thanks Pearl, we try!
Hi ya Mags...luck is the key I'm thinking. The best preparation does not keep you on the track when some dumb ass crashes and takes you out of the race.
@Windsmoke, I agree completely, this boso took two very nice cars out of the race because he couldn't put his wheel on properly. You have to take the steering wheels off to get in these tiny cars, then put them on to race. They have a quick clip on system but this guy simply didn't put his wheel on properly.. scary stuff that. Imagine a wheel coming off at speed with those concrete walls all around you.
Hi Herman and welcome, no such thing as a bad question mate. These are Formula 500 speedway cars (Australian style)They have highly modified 4 cylinder motor bike motors that run on methanol. This car is just 320kg with driver and fuel and around 165hp+ making it extremely fast. I don't drive them, I only fix and build them.