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WCBA Racing ’09 Primm 300 Race Report

Tazz

Sr. Member
Joined
May 17, 2002
Messages
507
Loc.
Sac. River Delta, CA
Posting this here for those not on the mailing list, that may enjoy the read.

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WCBA Racing ’09 Primm 300 Race Report



I would like to start off by thanking everyone that came to drive, ride and pit with us this year. It was a very short crew compared to most years, but they got it done. A special thanks to our main sponsors Ultimate Transmission and Wild Horses Four Wheel Drive.

As most races go for us getting the racer ready is quite a feat. With the racer in Idaho and most of the team and me in California, the logistics of race prep can be difficult bring everyone together. This year I chose to take a few more days than normal to allow for getting things done. With the holiday being the weekend prior to the race I flew to Idaho the Thursday a week before the race. The plan was to work at the shop over the holiday and return back to California on Tuesday night prior to the race, to pack on Wednesday and head to Primm Thursday morning.

We had quite a list of things to get done in that time frame. Build a complete new rear end housing, change rear springs, install a new transmission, mount new transmission coolers, cooler lines, a new front coilover, redesign the top mount on both front coilovers, rewire the new dash after relocating the shifter and a bunch of general prep and repair. A big list, but with the help of Daniel Field, Brian Hartley, Russ Haggerty and Robert Field, days that started at 8:00 am and finished at 3:00 am the following morning for 4 days straight got it done. I concentrated on the fab work, while Daniel handled the transmission, and gear installations along with the new rear end, Brian went after the wiring and dash work. Russ jumped in where ever a second was needed. Robert did the hard part of keeping it so we could see the shop floor and getting the things we needed to keep the thrashing going. As I flew out Tuesday night there was a short list of final things that Brian, Daniel, Russ and Robert finished up.

With the first uphill battle behind, and time to contemplate my foolishness on the plane ride home I had plenty of time to reflect on the amazing friends one can have and be thankful for them. Arriving in Oakland needing to get to SF to retrieve my car to head home, it was nice to see they had actually got the bay bridge opened back up that morning. A special thanks to Matt Paves for picking me up at the Oakland airport and shuttling me back over to my ride at 8:00 pm on a Tuesday night. It saved me a good hour or two not having to sort out a ride.

Wednesday was a flurry of activity for both groups, the guys in Idaho loading everything up to bring the racer down and my daughter and I loading my truck in Rio Vista. With everything packed and nothing to do Wednesday evening I spoke with Daniel and we both had the same thought. What to do, we have never been done and packed before 1:00 am the morning we were to leave before. It’s quite the let down to go from thrashing though and then just set, waiting to leave.

I made it to Primm first on Thursday about 5:00 pm and immediately went out to the main pit to claim a spot. This was new for us also, being there early to actually stake out an area. Though we did manage get a large area to share with the Moss team, it was under the power lines as usual. Well better than other years where we shoe horned in the only small area left.

With the team from Idaho arriving about 8:00 pm that night we were all there. I want to send special thanks out to Brian Hartley and Hannigans Dodge for sponsoring us a new ’09 tow vehicle to tow our Ford racer down from Idaho. It’s always nice to keep the mile off your own vehicles. It was a great truck and worked flawlessly. With the trailer off loaded at the main pit we settled in to our rooms for the night. Friday morning brought the same flurry of things to do. Unload the racer get it ready for it annual Cage inspection which we have done at the Primm race to keep us from having to make a special trip to SoCal to have done. Primm is generally easy for us on the tech side, because when they do the cage inspection they tech us at that time also. By 9:00 am when everyone else was lining up for tech and contingency, we were done. The rest of the day was spent getting race fuel and other odds and ends done. We were short people this year so it was going to be a light crew at each pit.

The plan was to have Teressa at the main pit by herself handling radio duties and the Moss crew would support us there if we needed anything. Greg Weirick was down to help out the Moss crew at Pit 2 and handle radio duties and pit for us there. Robert Field, my daughter Vera and I out at Pit 1, we would be doing a driver change there and it would be our fuel stop. There was no plan to stop at any pit except pit 1 unless we had to. With Friday in the bag, and the drivers meeting past us we had dinner with the Moss crew. I can’t say enough each time I mention the Moss Crew, they are all great crowd to hang with and reflect the personality of their leader. Don Moss is as, stand up a guy, as I have met in my travels and a great competitor.

Saturday morning race day, brought it normal round of activity, last minute hand offs and people getting to pits. Other than some added ancillary unexpected excitement that is for another discussion, it went as planned. With the short crew, I was not going to be able to be at the start to see the racer off. I had to be at Pit 1 with my crew. It’s a 45 minute drive out to the pit 1 area and with it being at race mile 31, we had to be setup and ready for the racer to come through, so I left early that morning.

Being at Pit 1 for the start, my only vantage point was looking at a radio. Not a great view from there, but we listened in on our frequency, the weather man frequency and the moss radio next door to us. They had one of their team back at home following things on the IRC trackers and calling statuses in. So we were well informed of everyone in our class’s progress. At race mile 21 all of the teams were at about a 45 second split, when Daniel blew a corner and the Skilton’s jeep got by him.

At race mile 29 the excitement started when we heard over the radio that the Moss truck lost a front drivers side tire. Later we learned it was not just the tire but the whole hub and spindle assembly. Daniel said the dust no more started to clear and they were at Mosses racer sideways to the tack. Daniel and all my guys even though we are competitor, know my rules, never pass a guy that just took a hard out. They stopped to make sure the Moss guys were ok and offer up our, on racer spare parts, if they could use them to get back in the race. Don told Daniel to get out of the there and stay in the race. They blew by us at pit 1 with everything going well. As the radio chatter started to help the Moss guys out in the pit next to us, I said to have the them get there spare parts together and we would load them at the main pit when our racer came through. Drop them off on the way by as we were completing our second lap.

Even with the stop to check on the Moss racer we were only at a 4 minute split from class leader going through Pit 2. The racer was working great and the guys were intent on chasing the leader down when Brian told Daniel over the intercom that there was hard spot in the gas pedal. Just about that time it happened, the throttle cable broke. With the racer slowing as the rpm’s wound down, Daniel bailed out to see what could be done. It had broke in spot that wouldn’t let them reconnect it to the gas pedal, so Daniel did what any good kid that grew up in nowhere Idaho would do. He pulled it out of the sheath and ran it out a hole in the hood. Jumped back in, hooked his lap belt up, reached out the window and told Brian to start driving as he yanked on the throttle cable. I hope someone got a good picture on the bronco heading across the dry lake bed at 70+ with Daniel’s helmet out the front window so he could keep the gas on.

Over the radio, I was asked if we had a spare throttle cable, and the answer was no we don’t. I’m sure the Moss crowd is still wondering what will actually keep us down, as they saw this site coming into the main pit. Daniel in his normal hyper self was yelling for them to load the spares for the Moss racer, while he jumped out and ran to the race trailer. He grabbed a length of tie wire and headed back to the racer. Using it to lengthen the throttle cable so they could use it as a hand throttle from inside the racer rather than hanging out the front window. I’m sure there was more than one person, when they left the main pit that thought they were a bit touched heading out for another 70 mile lap with a hand throttle. As a team we are never down, our group as whole comes from living on making things work in our daily lives, so a small thing like this won’t keep us down.

As they left the start finish line for the second lap, with the Moss parts strapped in a cooler on the racer. They had a plan, the driver needed to handle the throttle, because the lag time giving directions would not work. With the driver handling the throttle with one hand and steering with the other, the co-driver handled the shifting duties on the manual valve body and secondary had on the steering wheel when needed. I have to give it to the team of Daniel and Brian for being able to work so well together. It wasn’t a flawless effort but an amazing one, it was. They did hit a rock that cost us a rim and bit more time while changing it, but made it to the where the Moss racer was down.

I had spoke with Don at his racer a couple of times via his teams radio and told him if he felt having an extra couple of hand doing the repairs, would make the difference to have my guys stay and help get them up and running. We knew that time was running close for them to get a second lap in for a finish, so we wanted to help if we could. Don let me know that he felt they were good without the extra help. With parts handed off to the Moss racer the guys headed on, we still had a race to finish. When they came into pit 1 we worked a bit on the hand throttle to make sure it would last to the end of the race, dumped the fuel in and the racer was headed out for the last 38 miles. With very little issues, given the hand throttle and all, there really wasn’t any more excitement getting to the finish line. We had a second place finish even with all of the issue we had and given the down time, stops, hand throttle and all we were only 1hr 20min behind the first place team.

It was now time to watch the Moss team hammer it, to get a second lap in and a finish. You will have to get Moss’s write up for that side of the story, I won’t take their thunder away here. I’ve done the split times, taken out all of the down time and issues and when you correct it, our race speed can be competitive. All in all in was a great day of racing for the WCBA Racing team.

Once again thanks to all of our sponsors, Wild Horses Four Wheel Drive for their components we run on the racer, Ultimate Transmissions for providing us with our 4th transmission. We have our cooling issue solved, so you’re off the hook for a new one after this race. Though it was nice to know that if we hadn’t got it solved, you build a transmission that we have proven will run at 300 degrees plus, for over a hundred miles to get us a finish. , BF Goodrich for their quality tires, that on a very rocky track we only had one flat. We will chalk that up to driver error, while managing a steering wheel and a hand throttle at the same time. Hannigan Dodge for our towing needs, nice to know you supported use even though we race a Ford. LWB inc. and the WCBA racing families for all of the effort, we couldn’t do this without the unnamed people that help us every day. Last but not least those that were not in the position to help this race, but have in the past, I know the economy is bad. You have contributed to our race program in the past and your quality parts are still on the racer and holding up fine.

Dan Wright

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Next Race update:

We will start our planning for Baja, I will be getting an e-mail out later this week or early next with a tentative timeline. Looking for those that are interested and in the position to help pit, chase or sponsor this year.

Thanks
 

OsideDave

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2006
Messages
878
Nice write up. At this point I will be down in Baja with a motorcycle team and possibly riding a 80-100 mile section. However if things change then its possible I could help with a pit/chase. If you like, send me a email/PM.
 

BroncoDawg

Sr. Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2005
Messages
672
Loc.
Bishop, CA
Congrats on a great race. Was a blast to be able to help make it happen.
Great driving job Daniel with the Evan Evans impersonation!!:cool:
 
OP
OP
Tazz

Tazz

Sr. Member
Joined
May 17, 2002
Messages
507
Loc.
Sac. River Delta, CA
Nice write up. At this point I will be down in Baja with a motorcycle team and possibly riding a 80-100 mile section. However if things change then its possible I could help with a pit/chase. If you like, send me a email/PM.

I'll hit you up via pm.
 
OP
OP
Tazz

Tazz

Sr. Member
Joined
May 17, 2002
Messages
507
Loc.
Sac. River Delta, CA
Guess I'll post this here to. It is the e-mail I sent out yeserday with our tentative plan.
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Tentative Plan and needs for Baja this year.

This is the first shout out to anyone interested in helping Old Horse Racing support the WCBA Racing team in Baja this year. We could be supporting more if someone else decides to enter. So far, I haven't heard from anyone else, that they are planning on racing it.

The race this year is from the Nov 19th - 22nd.

My tentative plans as of now to get something out there for discussion would be.

Saturday 11/14 Load Truck for Baja
Sunday 11/15 Leave Rio Vista Drive to San Diego
Monday 11/16 BFG Meeting in San Diego (if this gets scheduled for Ensenada then my schedule will adjust to accommodate it.)
Monday evening arrive Ensenada settle in.
Tuesday 11/17 Pre Run if we have the people and resources
Wednesday 11/18 Pre run if we have the resources Final Race meeting
Thursday 11/19 Tech and Contingency
Friday 11/20 Race start
Saturday 11/21 Race finish
Sunday 11/22 Awards and drive back to US and as far as possible.
Monday 11/23 Arrive Rio Vista

The crew Driving from Idaho with the racer should plan to leave Saturday morning early and be to Rio Vista that evening. We will all head down south from Rio Vista by Sunday no later than 8:00 am.

Those looking to help out and needing to take as few days as possible, I would like to have you be in Ensenada by no later than Wednesday evening 11/18. Tech and contingency is a full day. So we will probably have our final team meeting Wednesday night. Though we will work with whatever fits a persons schedule, that is willing to help.

The race is going to be a loop race tentatively going some what like last years, but without going north like it did Per Sal's comments at the Primm awards.

Tentative needs as I see it now are:
Chase 1 TBD
Chase 2 TBD
Chase 3 optional (would like to have it)
Pit 1 My Green F350
Pit 2 My Silver F350
Pit 3 optional (would like to have it)

I have at least 5 sets of pit/chase radio's and GPS and full tools compliment for both of the pit trucks.

Good qualities in a Volunteers are:
Self reliant and know their way around a vehicle and field repairs.
Work long hours on little sleep
Able to be the person that over looks the issues and stays up beat.
Doesn't expect 5 star accommodations, think low maybe 1 star if your lucky
Able to get yourself from where ever you live to Ensenada and back at your own expense, if you can do more than that, we'll welcome it.
Have vehicle that is chase worthy and willing to bring it to Mexico (not Required but we will need a couple)
Tools for your chase vehicle

Great Qualities in a volunteers
Ability to weld or other specialized mechanic skills
Independently wealthy... lol well I could hope.

Thanks

Dan Wright

Contact me via e-mail dan@oldhorseracing.com or pm
 
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