COOK'S SHOOTOUT 2012

[Seldom Seen Slim]

My last photos of the day start with this shot of the Speed Demon team hydraulic press.  Danny Burrows (Blowfish driver) told me about when they had a big puff of air into the airbox and the sides ballooned out.  So they found and fixed any tears and broken welds, and then - to squish the out-of-square box back into nice straight sides and edges -- well, here's the press they used:



What they did was lift the front of the gooseneck trailer and put a block of wood on the ground, which block then had the airbox pieces place on it.  Then -- using the foot of the hydraulic trailer lifter-upper as the moving part of the anvil and they weight of the trailer as the solid block above the work piece -- they pushed the button to raise the trailer - which means the hyd. foot tried to move down.  Instant on-site press.  Not bad ingenuity, hey?

Here's the team's IT center.  Ian Mann is in the back of the photo.  He's THE team IT guy.  Next to him is Betty Howard, George Poteet's sister.  Betty is the administrator for all of George's cars -- keeps licensing and insuring and such issues under control.  I didn't see the face of the guy sitting with his back to the camera.  But notice, if you can see it, the dual computer screens, the base station CB and the base station VHF radios for SD team communications, and also the UHF receiver so they can hear the Cook Enterprises local FM.  Does your team have this kind of a setup just for the electronics.  Yes, Ian's specialty is knowing and fiddlin' with the various MoTeC units in the car.  Handy guy to have around.



The rolling parts bench -- both new stuff, in the ARP drawers, and parts as they're removed from the car.





Next is an assortment of shots of the adventure to get to the tranny, loosed and remove it, and while that's going on -- start setting up the replacement.  Speaking of the old unit -- I heard (afterwards, at the truck stop as we ate, that the old unit had issues, all right.  Once on the parts bench it seems that turning the input shaft DID NOT generate a similar turning of the output when it should have.  Not in neutral - more like broken.  So I 'spect that by morning the new unit will be in the car and set up to run.







Here's a picture of the airbox that got trailerised:



Back to more of the removal of the Liberty 7-speed transmission that costs about three times what I made in my first job right out of college.





That's the SD team thrash photos.  Note, as Ray also commented, that there's not much of a trouble getting in close for photos.  Stay out of the way of the guys turning the wrenches, but don't expect them to kick you out of the area.  It's wonderful to see such work going on so well and so teamfully (new word there, hey?)

Next post will be a few photos of the Rice Vigeant work so they can run in the morning, too.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Left side of the engine bay of the little #9999 Rice Vigeant lakester:

(Ooops - I posted one of the SD shots.  I'll dig out the R/V shot after things sort out here this morning).

Here's the other side.  On the left of the photo, resting on one of the blue frame members, is the black box labelled "Power Commander":



And that's what I'll send along for you tonight.  It's an early to bed night -- because the racers had a blast out there today andwant to get going as early as possible.  So what's that mean?  It means the Mike Cook wants us out there, in our course worker positions, by 6.30 in the morning.  Ishta - a 5.30 wake up call.  But that's okay - 'cause I know that while Nancy and I might be shorted on sleep tonight - so will many of you folks out there in internetland.  Sunrise is about 7.15 - 7.20 -- and both SD and R/V will run in the morning (assuming this evening's work gets completed successfully) - as well as Al Lamb and Jamie Williams, and Brandon on the electric bike, and Greg and Kim, and Jim Knapp.  They all want the cool morning air.  Tune in early, ladies and gentlemen -- and maybe go to sleep a bit earlier than usual.  Unh, if the boss objects to you spending too mch time at the computer tomorrow -- we'l be saving all of the comments that show up on the Forum just so you can review and enjoy it all after you're back at the house.  (By the way, the way the Forum works includes ALWAYS saving the stuff that's entered, but I thought maybe you'd fall for the story if I told it with a straight face.  

Finally (this time for real): Thanks to the half dozen or so of you that have sent in donations during this event.  I really appreciate it because it makes it possible to keep the site running and to keep adding to the array of ways we can help one and all learn and enjoy thanks to www.landracing.com.  Anybody else thinking of sending a few $$?  Use the Paypal buttons that are scattered here and there on the site, or mail your donation to LR.com, 509 Dukes Road, Skandia, Michigan 49885.

G'night.

[disgrAce]

Hi Guys. Thanks heaps for the coverage, it is brilliant. I live in Kim's home town of Yackandandah, in Victoria and without you guys I would have to wait for her to come home for a full wrap.
Once again, Thanks.
P.S. Tell her I'm watching.
 

[stay`tee]

Ray, the crew member in the photo of the Aussies on page 18, is no other than the "Esteemed" Mister, Jim Higgins, ,,

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Ah, what a bummer!  So we wake at 5.30 this morning so we can be at position by 6.30, right?  But we forgot to tell the motel coffee guy -- and there's no coffee yet.  I gotta call Mike Cook right now and tell him we'll be tardy and it's not our fault.  Geez, would hate to fall asleep during a run.

Interesting note -- wonder what it means:  Jim Knapp's truck/trailer is here in the motel parking lot, not on the salt.  I wonder if he's thrown in the towel?  Stay tuned for further details.

[Moxnix]

We appreciate your diligence, and detective work, w/ or w/o the morning java.

[Kiwi Paul]

I was talking to Jim at Speed Week this year, and he does things a bit differently to most. He doesn`t set up a pit as such, instead he just uses the Trailer as a mobile pit and workshop. I`m not sure if he commutes from the Motel to the Track like that however.......Gosh it`s early here....spent most of yesterday on the Refresh button.....have my cup of tea in hand, but it may not be enough.....

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Jamie Williams and Al Lamb are loading their bikes onto the trailers - and will proceed directly to their chosen starting points in a little while to make the first runs of the day.  Brandon (a/k/a Shocky or Sparky - the guy with the electric bike) isn't here yet but is planning to run first thing, too.

Speed Demon team is not here, nor are Higgins/Krebs/Waters, nor are Rice/Vigeant (although Rice is in the timing stand just now).  No sign of Jim Knapp, but then -- maybe he's still in the sack at the motel.

64F, winds 2-3 mph from the pits to the mountain.Clear skies -- but the sun isn't in sight yet.  Soon, baby, soooooon.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

We're ready to run - except that the wind has picked up and Drew Gatewood isn't here yet.  For bike runs we need an official at both the launch and reception point.  Charlie Hennekam is here - but not yet the Drew-guy.

Jamie Williams says he won't run in a wind of more than 5-6 mph -- and at the tower now it's picked up to 11 mph crosswind from the saddle in the mountains toward the freeway.  Al won't run in this breeze, either.

Speed Demon pit is now a hive of activity, and Rice/Vigeant pit is buzzing with coffee drinkers.

The electric bike will run first.  Wind is down to 7mph or so -- too much for the gas engined bikes, but okay for the watt-driven scooter.  He'll run in a minute or two.  Yes, that implies (correctly) that Drew has arrived.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Electric bike is underway, going from Floating Island toward the pits.  In the mile:

84.75 entry speed,    kilo 91.56   mile 90.54   exit 93.54


Wow -- quick turnaround!  He's already rolling on his return run.

Entry speed    91.87   kilo  94.77   mile  94.12  exit  ??


Next question -- will he turn around and run back for another try?  He picked up 3-4 mph on the return -- maybe the batteries needed a bit more warming before the first run.

Yes, he will make another return run, but will wait a few minutes before leaving.  You've got time for a coffeecup refill -- if the kitchen is near you.

Hope you got back -- the electric bike is under way again.  Going from mountain to the pits.

Entry speed 85   kilo speed  91.3   mile  89.8   Sure enough -- fell off.  Will he use runs 1 & 2 or 2 & 3?  

Drew reports that the AMA record for this class electric bike is about 62-63 mph.  Now -- I don't know the classes for elec. bikes, but I do know that yesterday Drew and the rider had the bike weighed here - so bike weight is evidently a component of classification.

Whoa -- Electric bike will make yet another run.

Run #4 (talk about hot-lapping!!):

Entry speed   89.9    kilo  90.0   mile  89.3

Go get some more Energizers, guys, and see if you can turn it up another notch.

[Stainless1]

sounds like he needs to start farther back... if he has the power to do so... maybe a longer cord

[Tybeeman]

Does anybody know what battery technology he is running?

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Once he's back in the pit and things are mellow for the rest of the race vehicles -- I'll go see if I can get details about the bike.  So you don't think he's running Leyden jars, hunh?

[Racerwrtr]

He's running on the 64.1 record of mine tat set at BUB two weeks ago, which bettered my last year's 61.5. His is pretty much a stock Zero S with Lithium Ion batteries...
Kevin

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Jamie Williams is up next.  He's on bike #969, running on a 209.598 record.  He's underway.

On course as the 7, into the timed stretch,  entry speed 210   mile speed 210. kilo  210.0 mile

I'll remind you that often during a run the timing stand will give us speeds only to the whole number or maybe the first decimal -- we gave updates later and then I give 'em to you.

Al Lamb might run next -- gotta see if he'll run in the wind that's blowing then.

I ust dug out our wind speed meter here at the SSS/LR.com HQ - and discovered that it is "Batteries Not Included".  It is brand-new, and many thanks to Scott Horner of Heads Up Racing for the donation.  I'll eventually auction it off as a fundraiser for the website -- but for now - assuming I can get a battery in Wendover -- I'll have wind speeds for you.

Okay - corrected speeds:   210.4  entry    kilo  210.0   mile   210.0   exit  209