A quick update on my race today..... I completed about 71 laps of the 103 or so that the eventual winner got done before the 1 1/2 time limit. I was doing well until I t-boned a guy that got spun out by another guy.... that punched a hole in my radiator, but that was not the end of my race. In the end it was the transmission that quit - so my day was done a little early.
Once we got it home we assessed the damage.... Valerie is a little worse for wear - the steering is a little off due to the frame being bent some.... but at least I did not roll my car like the one guy who did and had to be taken to hospital on a stretcher.
I got hit so hard that the gear shift does not move any more (something is bent... stuck in drive mostly)..... I banged my left elbow, left knee (somehow) and my neck is sore from my head hitting the steering wheel when I t-boned that other guy. I was off the track a couple of times (over the top of the corner b/c I went in too fast and could not get it turned).... I only spun out once and that is when someone hit me from behind (almost every corner someone was spinning out so I felt good about the fact that I kept it going straight the whole day).... my visor was so covered with mud that I could barely see - the inside of the car is caked with mud.... it was bizarre!
You would be going through a corner at 40 or 50 mph between two cars - one high and one low - so you are trying hard not to slide into one of them.... wrenching the steering wheel back and forth to keep going straight - then, as you get on the straightaway you look up and there are three cars spinning out and blocking the road..... dodge them - almost lose control - someone hits you from behind - mud gets shot off the tire of the guy in front of you and hits you in the head covering your visor so you can see even less - then you are in the next corner with a guy on your left and right - bounce through the corner - etc, etc.....
So - would I do it again? Maybe. If my brother so some one else I know puts a car in - maybe (I think I can resurrect Valerie). On the the other hand, it was a lot of work (like 40+ hours getting ready) for an hour of fun (and a wrecked car in my garage now). So we will see. Definitely not tomorrow though.
So all in all - living my dream was fun! My car was as fast as anyone at times (once the track was dry) and best of all I had a lot of help and a lot of family and friends hanging around. A bunch of people from church came to watch. A bunch of people from the speedway gave me things, hauled the car out there, made exceptions so that I could show up late (I had to be in church until just a 1/2 hour before the race started - they wanted us out there 2 hours ahead of time at least)..... nice to have so many family members helping out..... it was just great! Thanks to anyone who helped in any way to make this happened. An experience that I am glad I had - a dream come true. Pictures and video to follow later in the week.
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