Landracing Forum
Loring Timing Association (Maine) => Loring (AFB) land speed venue => Topic started by: gkabbt on July 14, 2016, 06:08:09 PM
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Weather today was like NC.....89 with about 85% humidity which made for a VERY unpleasant day. There was a saving grace with about a 12 - 15 MPH tailwind. This was not only good for the racers but good for us non-racers as well. Tomorrow temperature is predicted for 83 and then 74 for Saturday.....YEAH!!!
Tim Kelly announced at the drivers meeting that were 65 entries here so far with about another 15 - 20 expected to straggle in. I was actually hoping for more racers but I guess that this wonderful place is just so far away from everything that it probably keeps folks away!
As I do at all meets, caught up with old friends and made some new ones.
Anyway, here is my Google Photos link from today in the pits, staging and on the starting line:
https://goo.gl/photos/riZftotaxu49DYPY7
I think Google Photos is faster but some have problems with it and if you do, please try this Google+ link:
https://plus.google.com/photos/115248360774022016668/album/6307296932918249473/6307296937190656130
As usual, I hope you enjoy,
Gregg
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Wish I was there.
But, this is my opportunity to close the sale on home and get out of Dodge.
Hopefully, the reservations at the Crowne Park in September can be used.
To all - I know you're having fun, you might not be going as fast as you want ; but stop safe.
Franey
Great pics.
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Should have put in my 1st post that we do have (to me) some VERY special folks here:
1st is Donna and Joe Timney.....This is the first time I've seen them since they retired from the ECTA. Had a short but good reunion. Will touch base with them more as the weekend progresses. They do have Donna's bike here so I'm sure she will have some 200+ MPH runs.
2nd is Fred Vance.....After seeing him in Wilmington in June and now here, it is REALLY good to see him out and about after his health issues. I thought my drive from NC was bad but he drove here from Texas! I guess, as the expression goes, "Don't mess with Texas" is true.....LOL! :-D
Gregg
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Andy, I see you're looking at the pics and thanks! Now I gotta say that you NEED to get the Blonde Bitch up here.
Wonderful track and you've got a timed 1 and 1 1/2 miles. REALLY nice area but just a LONG way to get up here!
Side note: GOOD LUCK at B'ville!
Gregg
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Thanks Gregg, good seeing you.
Quick recap. Scott Davis ran a blistering 266 on a turbo ZX12 making that the fastest pass of the year thus far
Ron Kesowlowski ran a 244 in the Charger stock car.
Ralphie Navarro bumped to 220 or 222 (I forget which)
Greg Neal went 195 on his N/A Kawasaki 600
Ranson Holbrook earned his AA with a speed of 252
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And Jesse, MANY thanks for your update on the bike and car speeds! :cheers:
DANG!!!!! There should be some HAPPY folks in NE Maine this evening!!!!! :-D
Gregg
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Excellent, Scott Davis 266mph on the Turboed Kawasaki ZX12, "Congratulations mate" 8-)
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"Thankyou gkabbt", there are us folks half a world away enjoying your pictures :-)
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^^^^^
A big plus 1 from someone ever so close to being able to get there and share the fun in person. If I had an indoor shop I'd be listening as well!
Ed
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Gregg, thanks for the pics man. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Without you I wouldn't have a clue as to what's going on.
God Bless. Mike.
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Weather today was better than yesterday temperature wise but wind did cause issues. As I posted in my streaming thread, racing was halted at 11:30 due to strong crosswinds. Winds did die down a little and racing resumed around 3:00 PM only for cars and lower HP bikes. A lot of these cars and bikes started hot lapping and around 4:30 PM, I packed it in even though Jesse said they may run later than 5:00 PM if the win abated. Tomorrow is supposed to be 74 degrees and little wind so hopefully racing will be back to normal!
Jesse told me late this afternoon that this is the 16th meet here. This is the 1st one they have ever had to have a LONG hold on the course for wind.
As for today pics:
The first one is the banner that files over Main St. here in Presque Isle. They are VERY happy to have the racers here!
After that one, the next 10 - 15 are a small tour of this former Air Force Base and some now empty buildings. I can only imagine what this former active Base was like. Kinda made feel sad.
After those the rest are from the pits, staging and starting line.
Anyway, here is my Google+ link for today:
https://plus.google.com/photos/115248360774022016668/album/6307673156986808897/6307673158706661746
As usual, I hope you enjoy,
Gregg
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Hey - it looks like the same architect knocked himself out at Loring - as the one that did K I Sawyer AFB here. Dang near every building looks the same. But --
What's with big solar panels in #42? At least someone is using the old base for some new stuff.
Driving around any closed base is kinda weird to me -- and I'm just a civilian. Imagine how Stainless and Johnboy feel all misty and homesick when they see those bases... :roll:
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Interesting you mentioned the solar panels. On my 20 - 30 min tour, I did see quite a few of those and most were by vacant buildings. My guess is they are "old school" ones from the active base.
Agree with weird.....BOTH sad and weird! As I was driving, I was picturing how bustling this base must have been, cause it's REALLY BIG. At the same time I was also thinking how devastating this base closure must have been to all the surrounding communities. That's where my sad comment really came from.
Gregg
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I move to Marquette (K I Sawyer is 15 miles out of town) in '75. The base closed in the 90s or so. The dormitory buildings are crumbling, lots of Air Force space has been used, and it's frickin' weird to drive through housing and see some places bustling, others desolate.
Back to racing. Thanks, Glendale.
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And I was just about to update my previous post with:
It's also like that here.....some areas bustling and others falling into such disrepair!
Enough of this downer stuff, so.....You're right, back to racing!
Gregg
PS
Just curious, is Glendale a persons name?
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Looks like it is now Glendale! :-o :evil:
Pix are good and so was the sound while it lasted! :-)
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Thanks for the feedback Woody! I'll do it again tomorrow for as long as I can. Accuweather.com (on my phone) has updated and they say 100% chance of the stuff that falls from the sky tomorrow and 40% Sunday. Oh well, we'll just see what happens.
Gregg
PS
Sorry, the Glendale thing just doesn't do it for me! :-D
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Wayne Jesel,
I see you're looking in this thread and just need to say that you REALLY need to get one of your vehicles up here.
Fantastic facility and WFO on smooth not grooved pavement for 1 1/2 miles. Ask Ron Kesowlowski about it!
I'd LOVE to see the truck up here and see what it would do!
PLEASE think about it!!!!!
Gregg
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Nothing much more to report from today other than that wind was brutal. First time we ever had a full course wind hold. No major speed changes. Tomorrow we try again
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2nd is Fred Vance.....After seeing him in Wilmington in June and now here, it is REALLY good to see him out and about after his health issues. I thought my drive from NC was bad but he drove here from Texas! I guess, as the expression goes, "Don't mess with Texas" is true.....LOL! grin
Gregg: As the famous Mr. Spock was quoted, sort of, I sure hope he and his best lady "live long and prosper!"
Let him know that we think about him here in Saltville.
Jim and Mary Ann.
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Those are great photos, Gregg. The "Iron Dinosaur" sure looks interesting. What sort of engine is in that thing?
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Jim. I'll do it 1st thing this AM!
Bo, It has an LSx in it and only made 1 low speed pass Thursday. Just like their last meet at Wilmington, had FAST ECM issues. They loaded up and went home to yesterday. Don Gilmore is the owner and I'm going to hook
him up with a friend of mine who is VERY good with the FAST ECM's.
Gregg
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LCx and fast ECM are totally unknown terms to me. I need to get out and about more. The dinosaur look lot like those land speed cars from the 1920's that had big aircraft engines in them.
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A B/FR with headlights, that can't be right can it Stan?
DW
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We will try to do something next year. Had a hectic this year. Had all intentions I even entered earlier but it didn't work out.
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A B/FR with headlights, that can't be right can it Stan?
DW
It's got a Massachusetts license plate on it. The gendarmes might be upset without them... :cheers:
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I'm sure the entrant promised it was okay.
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Weather today started cool and a little cloudy. We did have a very little spritz of rain before racing started and caused no issues on the track. Clouds cleared away around mid morning and turned out to be a beautiful day.
As I posted in the streaming thread, pits had really cleared out from yesterday to today. I guess many folks had done what the came to do or broke and left. As the day progressed, I was seeing more folks leave or break.
I left the track around 4:30 PM and am not planning to go back tomorrow.
All-in-all it was a good meet to me and next year, I will be here on the first day.
Anyway, here is my Google+ link for today:
https://plus.google.com/photos/115248360774022016668/albums/6308051599410536113
As usual, I hope you enjoy,
Gregg
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This my third time here and on the way to and from the track on Maine 89, I always see these signs:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/mFCvuT11LGnHe6MleJvYhtkGDoIFf9tdcRzAcYdcsSecHHfPckSn-1dLvVjdI4iLEEG56yOzcUI=w1708-h960-no)
I go the 1 1/4 miles expecting to see a stop or flashing light, cross walk, crossing guard and there is nothing!
In NC we have similar signs for deer but it does not have mileage! This is a true WTF to me! LOL! :-D
Gregg
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So, this afternoon I'm down at timing and Greg Neal make a pass on his bike and afterward the course goes on hold.
Joe Daly comes down the track and stops just before the mile, get out of his truck, picks up something and throws it on a trailer he is towing.
As I was leaving this afternoon, I see Joe over in Greg's pit and is there to present Greg with this:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xoxOMsLqUjik0PMwpSPWkDSF1wMRYBV1vZ6AUtoFIlSsbnLJgjGoocvD45HlLVe5I8z17cDeAJ0=w1708-h960-no)
Yep, dead woodchuck that Greg hit with his motorcycle! :-o Thankfully, it did not cause any issues on Greg's run.
Talk about weird! :-D
I guess if this woodchuck had the headlights from that B/FR, Greg might have seen it and it might still be alive!
Gregg
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You had to travel how far to see a moose? 8 miles toward Mqt from the house we saw this yearling at the C-store along US41.
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Jon, did not and have not seen a moose on this trip. Just thought the sign was strange!
Gregg
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On my post from Thursday, I mentioned seeing some special (to me) folks.
I knew this picture would probably not be good because I was shooting into the sun but anyway:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/z76_rsiTtEaKs5rl2-FXFs0QXzNjUwx5zUxFHjuWTk6IPS2SseZFuQHTsdVsyI2YgxbKSpCeDSU=w1708-h960-no)
Donna, Joe and Fred all in one pic!
REALLY GREAT seeing Donna back on the bike after her get off from several years ago. Joe told me she made 3 low speeds runs on the test and tune runway and then told him she was ready for the mile. The pic above is that run and IIRC she ran an easy 164. Later in the afternoon when I was down at timing, she made another pass at 180 and change.
Hopefully tomorrow she'll be back over 200! Go Git'em Girl!!!!
Gregg
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I woulda recognised Joe's stance if the sun was completely blanking out everything else. I've got scads of photos of him at ECTA 2 Club hat giveouts and he's never changed at all. Donna I can recognise - for other reasons :evil: And then there's Fred. Hi, Fred!
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A B/FR with headlights, that can't be right can it Stan?
DW
Dan, That is Ed Braces roadster that ran at Bonneville several times, and IIRC him telling me, set records as a FR in the early to mid 2000's. As Jack posted, it does have plates and Ed told me he does take out for cruise nights hence the headlights. By the looks of the patina, it's exactly as he ran it at Bonneville, and I'm assuming that's why he ran it in the FR class.
He was just here having fun with this piece of history! Probably should have run T/O!
Gregg
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I woulda recognised Joe's stance if the sun was completely blanking out everything else. I've got scads of photos of him at ECTA 2 Club hat giveouts and he's never changed at all. Donna I can recognise - for other reasons :evil: And then there's Fred. Hi, Fred!
LOL and true on BOTH accounts and Yep, Hi, Fred!
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2nd is Fred Vance.....After seeing him in Wilmington in June and now here, it is REALLY good to see him out and about after his health issues. I thought my drive from NC was bad but he drove here from Texas! I guess, as the expression goes, "Don't mess with Texas" is true.....LOL! grin
Gregg: As the famous Mr. Spock was quoted, sort of, I sure hope he and his best lady "live long and prosper!"
Let him know that we think about him here in Saltville.
Jim and Mary Ann.
Jim, Fred had a BIG smile on his face when I told him this and he said "Hi"
Gregg
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So, this afternoon I'm down at timing and Greg Neal make a pass on his bike and afterward the course goes on hold.
Joe Daly comes down the track and stops just before the mile, get out of his truck, picks up something and throws it on a trailer he is towing.
As I was leaving this afternoon, I see Joe over in Greg's pit and is there to present Greg with this:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xoxOMsLqUjik0PMwpSPWkDSF1wMRYBV1vZ6AUtoFIlSsbnLJgjGoocvD45HlLVe5I8z17cDeAJ0=w1708-h960-no)
Yep, dead woodchuck that Greg hit with his motorcycle! :-o Thankfully, it did not cause any issues on Greg's run.
Talk about weird! :-D
I guess if this woodchuck had the headlights from that B/FR, Greg might have seen it and it might still be alive!
Gregg
You should name the woodchuck Glendale! :-D
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Ed ran a blower on the 32 at Bonneville. Blower is on his rear engined modifier roadster now. That's the car he spun last year at Loring after the brake disk exploded and punctured the rear tire. The '32 held many records at Maxton.
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Ed ran a blower on the 32 at Bonneville. Blower is on his rear engined modifier roadster now. That's the car he spun last year at Loring after the brake disk exploded and punctured the rear tire. The '32 held many records at Maxton.
Thanks for that Ed.....I completely forgot about him telling me about running the blower on the roadster.
I do remember seeing a pop-riveted panel in the hood where the blower poked through.
Gregg
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We will try to do something next year. Had a hectic this year. Had all intentions I even entered earlier but it didn't work out.
Wayne, Sounds REAL GOOD. If you're not at Wilmington in September, I'll catch up with you at PRI in December.
As I posted earlier, you and your team will LOVE this track!!!!
Gregg
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Another great time was had by the Ron's Hobby Shop Special racing team. Using a Ford flathead engine that ran on the salt more than 40 years ago setting the XX/STR record the old girl this time burning gasoline hit 169 in the mile and toped 179 in the mile and a half. It was a FUN ride in the high cross winds a big Thanks to everyone involved in the LTA once again the Loring experience was outstanding. :cheers:
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Mr. Ronnieroadster Sir, You have a PM.
Give me a call!
Gregg
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Thought about this on the drive down to Mass. from Presque Isle today.
Ever wonder what the damage would be if a suicide door decided to open at speed?
Well it happened to Jordan Hanson driving the Sam Sampon 1034 C/GCC Friday and it was mostly cosmetic.
We saw him pull to the right, guessing near the mile, and Fire and Rescue rolled. Later heard it was the door opened!
I don't know what the speed was at when it opened but he went through the 1 mile traps at 75.908 MPH.
This car will run the mile at 160 and the mile and a half at 177!
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/AK9_vJg2RqIQT3OSxrARhXYINnAmTfyQyp9HsFNPXfsOonp4iTVFCBS-rqMxPlkfXeUR3XgHpBw=w1708-h960-no)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/g4ye9-1Hzo08W2ankJvPRBKJsf_qccoFP0E3r-TJBZ87IlFubLHFVFacSEX1_2v5zYiZU6brcEE=w1708-h960-no)
I'd bet somebody had to clean out their driving suit. :-D :-D :-D
Gregg
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I thought he'd found an oval track to race at in the evening! :-D :-D :-D
Pete
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:-D :-D :-D
Gregg
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Thanks for the photo. Just yesterday Nancy and James and I were discussing stock cars and swappin' paint. Good timing to show an example of what it can look like (even if it ain't the case here).