Once again, what a beautifully ran event...
I got to Parker friday afternoon without a codriver. I was just hoping they would let me run without one, but the rules say you must have a codriver and sure enough they werent gonna let me run without one. Luckly, Ray said he could find someone to run with me. He found Mike, who broke his back one year ago fathers day. Mike said he would codrive and he would be ok. We pitted next to Ty Davis (the great MX desert rider) and he said it was the worst silt hes ever seen, mind you he has probably seen silt beds we will never even dream of. Once we staged, it was like 1 minute until the green flag dropped. I couldnt believe we started that fast. I decided before the race started I was gonna take it easy and hope to finish. Well, on the start I found myself in 3rd place at the first corner. The pink teryx and Ray set a ridiculously fast pace the first lap and I couldnt even see them after about 4 miles in. I had clear race track for a while so I tried to pick it up a bit. We ran the first lap flawlessly and were onto the second lap. One mile before the pits on the second lap, the car cut out going up a mountain. I rolled the car backwards and to a flat spot. The car started right up. I figured we were having a fuel issue. Luckily I was able to get the car back to the pits where we put fuel in thinking maybe I was already out of gas after 2 laps (I only have a 4 gallon cell on the car). Went 100 feet and the car stalled again. Came back to the pits and changed the fuel filter. Car went 500 feet and died again. Had a spare fuel pump so we decided to change that but we left the tools back at the pits where we changed the filter. We changed the pump and went another 100 feet and it died. I was about to give up when I decided I better check the plug wire. Sure enough, the plug wire was just laying there. After all this time, we were now down a lap. It was time to start burn laps off as quick as I could. I finally started to pass quite a few people back but they could have been a lap down also, i didnt really know. The last lap, I decided I was gonna hit the water crossing a little faster than I had the previous 4 and also because there was about 100 people watching there now. Bad idea, I hit it so fast, it soaked everything including the spark plug. The car sputtered for about 100 feet and finally picked back up and everything was back to normal luckily. We finally made the finish line after doing 5 rough laps. Im still not sure where I placed, but I finished and thats what Im happy about. The lead Teryx was ridiculously fast.
Ray Im sorry about the misfortune you were haulin the mail too. I cant thank you enough for all the air, tools and supplies you have given me at the track before the races. I want to say thank you to my codriver Mike, it was a good time and Im sure youll feel it for quite a while! Hopefully you get your car done soon.
Once again to Court, who drove me there and pitted for me. He has always been there for my races and had the parts Ive needed last minute and I cant say thank you enough. Hopefully youll get your car done too.
Dave at 2X Motorsports for all my parts on consignment (I know I still owe you!) You always have what I need and can get it immediately if he doesnt. Anybody who needs parts in Phoenix, I cant say enough about everyone at 2X Motorsports.
Jim Castelli, once again for letting me use his rhino which is a beast and can handle the BITD desert races. Maybe I better just buy it...
To Casey Folks, who puts on the best, most organized and on time races Ive ever been to! Anybody who hasnt been to a BITD race, needs to go out and see how well they run them.
One month to the Baja 500, think we can make it?!