COOK'S SHOOTOUT 2012

[Bob Drury]

  Those of you who (like me) have a engine water tank in your car, PAY ATTENTION.
  When you lose a head gasket, you create STEAM!  
  Under no circumstances do you want a rectangular or square sided tank unless it is made of 10 ga. or heavier steel.
  Your aluminum water tank will scald you (right through your SFI fire suit) when a seam splits.
  I use a 15 gallon Moon tank with a positive latch cap and two dump lines (using hot water heater pop off valves) which in case of emergency blow the water out behind the rear tires.
                                              Bob

[Glen]

Bob, good words.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Jim is in the car - really.  I can see it/him from here.  Junior Cook found a sinkhole about the 4 1/4 and tried filling it.  It's now level, but soft and not very good for racing, so the drivers have been warned.  It's on the freeway side of the course.  I'm expecting they'll keep working on it between runs -- but for now it's as good as can be in short order.

Jim is being belted in right now.  I tried taking a photo of another obstacle -- but don't know if it'll show up and I don't want to take the time to post it, so I'll tell you.  Where the underground river crosses - is about 100 yards down the course from where the Bearcat is lined up.  And right in the middle of the course at the river there's an orange cone, presumably warning of the soft spot that's there.  I'll get the photo in here later so you can review the proceedings, with photos, tonight.

Course is being cleared now for the run of car #1690.  Gloves are on the driver.  Ready to fire up the engine.

I can hear all three engines now, and Cook reports that my hearing is correct.  Canopy is down.

Car is under way on the truck.

Car is off the truck.  Pulling hard -- course sounds kinda bumpy.  Nice to be able to hear the shifts and all.

At the one mile and gaining speed.

At the two mile, through the three mile.  Pulling hard at the four mile.

Chute out before the five mile.

Slowing on the course, chute is out and looks okay.  Patrols are following the vehicle.  No apparent issues - we'll wait for a report on the radio.  Car is stopped at the 6 1/2, just after the times section.

[Glen]

Slim, are any bikes ready to return?

[Seldom Seen Slim]

77F, winds ENE 10, 16% humidity at the airport.

15 - 20 minutes 'til Greg is ready to run.  He's been letting the motor cool.  He's checking tire pressures right now.  He's the only bike readying to run.

Still no report on what made Jim Knapp pull the chute.

No more posts from here 'til I've got something to tell you.  Go potty, refresh your drink, do a chore for your spouse - or, if you're working this Saturday (that's today, you know, at least in the western hemisphere) -- do something to make the boss happy.   I know -- the same phrase could be used for the spouse.

Hope you hit your refresh button.  Greg is 2 - 5 minutes from running - bike is cooled and tires are aired and cooler is iced.

We're looking for FIM Charlie so he can observe.  Drew is on his way to the end of the track to "catch" Greg when he arrives.

So - why catch?  For the FIM records an official observer is stationed to watch the bike leave and another to watch it arrive.  Sanctity of the records, you know - no changes or modifications can be done if the vehicle is under scrutiny at all times.

[RayTheRat]

More photos.

Something we all know, marked on the Bearcat's trailer.

The graphic on Al Lamb's trailer.  Pretty impressive.

Rice & Vegeant's pit entry marked with cones and balloons.  Kinda festive.

The R&V lakester at speed.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Greg is ready = waiting for Drew to get in position.  He's at the seven mile right now.

Watters running northbound - towards the mountain.  Wind speeds:  
Tower 8 mph headwind,   4 1/2 mile   3-5 mph headwind.  8 mile 4-5 mph headwind.

Drew is in position at the 8 mile for Greg's return run.  Course is clear for bike #379 on a return run.  Tower says "Send him".

Engine is running, bike is under way.  Through the three mile (remember, the timed stretch is 5 1/2 to 6 1/2).

At the four mile, entering the timed section.

Entry speed   205.485   kilo 203.374   mile 203.400.  Hunh?  Way down from previous run.  Enough for a record?  No -- needed at least about 10 mph or so more.  He was on a 230+ record, and down run was about 257.

Nothing/nobody ready to run now, so we'll be on a break.  I'll be back with you in a while, but for now -- you've got time to go mow the lawn.

[RayTheRat]

Demon photos.

Two shots of an empty engine bay

A spent bullet...
...and a new one. 

These were done about 90 minutes ago.  I'll go check on 'em in a bit.

[Glen]

What happened to Jim Knapp's barnyard bearcat???

[stay`tee]

"Thankyou" for the blow by blow description of proceedings, ,,

any close'up photos of Jamies naked Busa,  ,,

[trimmers]

What happened to Jim Knapp's barnyard bearcat???

Jim told me that the chute self-deployed, probably due to bumps.  His truck driver told me he could see daylight under the rear wheels as Jim pulled away when he hit bumps.   I believe they plan to try again tomorrow.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Information:

Jim Knap reports they've giot a shaft in the jackshaft assemble that's got about a 10 - 15 degree twist.  They're analysing what to do.  He's just this minute pulling the truck and trailer back into the pit area.

Brandon Miller is a fella that showed up a few hours ago with his bike and wants to run.  He's been inspected and okayed -- but won't run 'til tomorrow.  It's an electric bike.  I'll get photos after I post this.

Kim reports that they're on the way to SLC with a compromised aluminum weld in the cooler water tank for Greg's bike.  That'd likely explain why the return run was 50 mph off the down run -- no intercooler.  They're gone now so I can't get fuller details 'til morning.  Her bike - the 750 - is down on power for unknown, as yet, reasons.  There's compression and the plugs look good, she says, but maybe the timing is off -- is the latest guess.  They'll be working and wondering.

The C motor is installed and running in the Speed Demon.  No runs 'til tomorrow morning, though -- it's too late to run according to their team wizards.

Al Lamb's bike is the only one still in the running to maybe make a run today.  And if he doesn't decide to run by 5 -- we're done for the day.

That's it for now.  Gabriel Uttley just walked up to the truck -- gotta go shoot the breeze with him.

[trimmers]

Which class is the R-V car running? And what is the record?

They're running Category A (special vehicles), Group II (without supercharger - they took the turbo off), Class 6 (1100-1500cc's).  The plan is to next install the nitrous bottles and try for 200 - but not today.  

Fuel makes no difference here as it's FIA sanction meet - pump gas, nitro, whatever.  Neither does body type - it could be a streamliner, a lakester, or a semi-truck.  It just has to be an unblown reciprocating engine between 1.1 and 1.5 liters.  Previously, their new record was held by a Mercury LN7 at 137 (km) and 138 (mile).

[Tman]

Which class is the R-V car running? And what is the record?

They're running Category A (special vehicles), Group II (without supercharger - they took the turbo off), Class 6 (1100-1500cc's).  The plan is to next install the nitrous bottles and try for 200 - but not today.  

Fuel makes no difference here as it's FIA sanction meet - pump gas, nitro, whatever.  Neither does body type - it could be a streamliner, a lakester, or a semi-truck.  It just has to be an unblown reciprocating engine between 1.1 and 1.5 liters.  Previously, their new record was held by a Mercury LN7 at 137 (km) and 138 (mile).

Thank you VERY much!

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Al Lamb is going to make a run before we quit for the day.  His truck/rig just left the pits to go to the 2 or three mile for the run.  He'll be running on a record around 245.  Here in the pits we've got a bit of a headwind.

Winds are 3 mph or so, mostly crosswinds, up and down the course.  Drew says Al will be ready to run in about 10 minutes -- they're icing the cooler right now.

Course is locked down, rider is ready to run.   He'll be going northbound -- freeway towards mountain.  Wind at the tower is 4 mph freeway to mountains crosswind, 8 mph cross at the 7 mile.  

Bike is underway.  Is at the eight mile and accelerating.  At the seven.  Entry 238.09,   kilo  249.28,  mile 246.65 

He's slowing down now.  We'll see if he'll make a return run.

He's at the two mile and is slowing to a stop.  Charlie will determine if Al will make a return run.  Is off the track at the two, and now off the bike.