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Just because I've been quiet doesn't mean
things haven't been busy:
As I was thinking about writing this earlier today I realized it's been almost a
year since I last saw Lucifer run under his own power. Just before noon on
August 23, 2002, I stepped out of the cockpit during a test day at Mid-Ohio and
Johnny Miller got in. I had asked him to turn a few laps to show us whether we
needed to work on the car or the driver to get ready for the 2002 Runoffs. Late
tuners-in and/or those who enjoyed themselves during the 70's may not know
and/or remember that the throttle stuck when Johnny went into Turn One (at 125
mph!), but the vision of billowing tire smoke and the windshield flying through
the air like an errant Frisbee are permanently etched on my memory cells.
Some of you have questioned my sanity in letting someone else drive such a
valuable piece of machinery, but (after we redesign the throttle stop) I'd do it
again today. Johnny was doing exactly what I'd asked and wanted him to do - show
me what the car could do so I could learn to go faster. The only thing he "did
wrong" was not fill up the driver's seat up as well as I do! Ends up he was
unconsciously using his feet to help keep himself from sliding around in my
custom fit seat and was pushing the throttle at an angle as he made the
right-left out of the Carousel onto the pit straight.
The pedal slipped behind the stop (Johnny felt it but didn't recognize what had
happened) and unfortunately the condition was not discovered until he lifted for
Turn One. And before you ask, Johnny has been instrumental in getting the car
back together - we've used parts off (the never completed)
MHG-002 chassis and his contacts within the TransAm community have been most
valuable. Some professional drivers might have walked away without a backward
glance, but Johnny's a straight-up guy and I'm glad to call him a friend.
Johnny and Quinn (Conda) stayed in town after the June National at Road Atlanta
to get the chassis back on four wheels. After an unplanned two-month vacation in
Big Stone Gap, VA, Lucifer now resides at the Phelon Motorsports shops in Aiken,
SC, where most of the final repairs will be completed. Old Tallahassee buddy
(from the above-mentioned wasted - pun intended - 70's) and Phelon shop manager
Tim Schmidt thinks getting him back to Woodstock around the first of October is
both possible and reasonable. We hope to do a test day at Kershaw on Oct. 17,
then carry our
"2002 Runoffs car" to the American Road Race of Champions at Road Atlanta the
weekend of November 7-9. I'll keep you informed as thing progress.
In the meantime, I'll be attending the 2003 Runoffs with Chris Ingle's SEDIV T-1
Championship winning Corvette. Chris qualified sixth at the 2001 Runoffs before
stopping to inspect the Turn Nine gravel trap during a very wet race, then last
year earned an invitation but won a government-sponsored vacation in sunny
Kuwait from August through the end of March 2003. Since returning he's won all
five remaining SEDIV Nationals and goes to Mid-Ohio with a very real shot at
finishing on the podium. If you're planning to be there, stop by our paddock
area (white #7 T-1
Corvette) and visit, otherwise keep up with the action at http://www.scca.org,
wait for my report and/or wait until the race is televised on Speed.
Finally, who is Dee Duncan and why is she writing about "Who Will Win?" the
GT-1 race in SportsCar? I have no argument with her pick of Cliff Ebben to win
(he dominated at the June Sprints and I picked him last year myself), but how
can she ignore the year Phil Simms has had? Phil finished third at the Runoffs
last year in his rookie season of National racing and has only gotten stronger
in 2003. It's not like he or the Simms Racing crew needed additional motivation,
but that article is SERIOUS bulletin board material!
Maybe we oughta change his name to Rodney (as in Dangerfield)?
See y'all at the track...
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