Tazz
Full Member
For those that have been following along with our progress, and the many questions at SOB. I thought I would post the race report here, that was sent out to our sponsors and others that have been involved in this project.
The Score Primm 300
One step closer, is how I would describe our weekend. We finished, it has been a while coming. From starting the build on this rig with just a frame 18 months ago tell now, has been a journey. It was our third race and we got to the finish line.
We had a few issues. One came from totally out of the blue, others to be expected and then our recurring transmission heating issue, but none from the suspension. Drivability was great for a 92 inch wheel base rig. I will say that if we hadn’t tested it as hard as we did at SOB two weeks ago and found our week spots it would have been a lot different outcome.
The race started off with the out of the blue issue. We had rerouted the exhaust after the last race to try and get as much heat sources away from the transmission as possible. It now runs outside the frame and dumps out to the side just in front of the rear tire. In all of our testing it never posed an issue. Race morning as we are staged behind Don and all of the other rigs, I kept smelling exhaust gas in my helmet.
Most of you don’t know, but some do, that I have lung issues. They can be a bit tricky at times. Well all of a sudden I was fighting a full blown episode with our own exhaust fumes being pumped in my helmet by the air supply, setting there at idle for so long. As we set there with about 15 racers still to go off in front of us. I was out of the helmet and racer, Jeremy and Daniel said I was white as a ghost. Daniel ran to get Russ to get in the rig, as I didn’t know if I was going to be able to get it under control. Jeremy crept the racer forward as I walked along on the co-dog side, getting this back under control. We were down to 5 racers and I was still out of the bronco and Russ hadn’t made it yet. We were close enough that Sal could see we only had one in the rig and gave a funny look. It was time to go for broke, and there is nothing better for me than stress and adrenaline. I slammed the helmet on, bailed into the co-dog seat and got the belts on and raised my hands as we pulled up to the flag. I heard Jeremy say are you sure, and said I’ll make it.
We left with as Jeremy described it, hearing Darth Vader through the intercom. We were off and everything was going good, tell the first hair pin corner. Something punched a hole in the rear outside tire just as we were in the corner and Jeremy stabbing the throttle to come around. The tire came off the rim and the rim grabbed hard, we were heading over. Jeremy was quick and drove into the roll real quick and saved it. With me sounding like Vader and 3 miles into the race we changed the first flat. With Jeremy treating me like a mother hen, and not wanting me to get worse. We changed the tire while mired in silt to rear axle, on the outside of the corner in a bad spot. Strange happened to be parked there and as he came to check on us, had to dive out of the way for the next car as it blew the corner and went outside us. With the tire changed we locked in the hubs and got out of the hole.
Everything from there to pit B went fine, other than Jeremy was spending more time concentrating on the sounds coming out of my helmet than pushing. He said, he was worried that at any minute he was going to have to drag me out of the racer and give me mouth to mouth. Trying to figure out how he was going to explain to everyone, how I didn’t make it. Because as he said we may be real good friend, but I’m way to ugly to give mouth to mount to. With his nerves calmed and my breathing under control, the racer was handling the rough terrain well. By pit B it was all about finishing, not catching Don. We didn’t get to Don’s 102, on the blacktop we were running at 50, Jeremy thought it was a regulated speed zone, he said isn’t it 50 mph here. I said no and he then pushed into it. In the straight sand wash we did get it up there though. He had it going 80 at one point and the rig was handling well, I told him I liked the pace but didn’t think the transmission would last. It was pegged straight down past 280, other than having to stop because of the transmission heating issues and another flat at about RM. 66 the lap was a good one.
We turned it over to Daniel and Russ for lap two, I booted up the computer, so I could follow their progress on the IRK tracking site. They had the same issues, heating and at Pit B had the hood pulled to try and get more air flow though. It helped, but they were feeling a lot of heat afterwards coming through the front to them. Russ only had to hit Daniel a couple times on the helmet to keep him under control. At pit C we had a double pit, Daniel had told the pit crew that he want them to dump water on the transmission cooler. As he entered the pit he was waved over by the Don’s pit crew and they asked what he needed. He said he thought something was funny as he had just got off the radio. He said water on the cooler and they put some on it. He blew out of there went almost to the other end of the pits, and there was our crew waving him in. So he pulled in there too, they knew what he needed and immediately cooled the transmission cooler down. It was the only pit where Don and my crew weren’t side by side in the pits, which is what added a bit to the confusion. I will say that I would rather have two crews looking after us than none.
I can’t say enough or thank Don and his crew enough for the working with us. I had 4 people drop out in the days before the race so we were short on help. They were there at every turn to help, even as Daniel was pulling into Pit C and Don was finishing they stayed until the finish for us. All of his crew is a great bunch of people.
As I was watching the tracker, the rig would come to a stop and I would chalk it to transmission cooling. They would be off again. Just before check 4 I saw them stop, again I figured it was transmission cooling. I watch it for a while and they were down for what felt like ever. They we on the back side of the mountain and we couldn’t reach them by radio, so while listening on our channel and weatherman, I kept waiting for the call. Then they were moving again, and then they were stopped at Check 4, again it took forever for them to get moving again. I kept waiting for the call, figuring they had limped it in to check 4, the call never came. Then they were moving again.
When the race was over, I asked Daniel what happened on the back side. He said well the transmission was getting hot and we were looking for wide spot to let it cool and we saw a buggy stopped. I went to go around it, and there was this nice looking gal with halter top on and her race suit down to the waste working on the engine of the buggy. So I figure that would be as good as any place to stop and let the transmission cool. As I stopped a guy came out from under the rig and said they had lost the starter. I asked if it could be pull started, he said maybe. So Daniel and Russ jumped out to help them get thing together. Daniel said as he lay under their rig gray taping the starter to the frame. The old guy said to him, you must be single, Daniel said yes. The guy said I figured so I have my daughter ride co-dog just for that reason. Well it wouldn’t pull start, so Daniel being the chivalrous guy he is, gladly towed them all the way to Check 4. I was glad to hear it wasn’t a complete waste of time he did manage to get a name and give his e-mail address to her.
At check 4 Strange was all over Daniel for towing the buggy to the check point, Daniel asked why he was yelling at him for taking care of the buggy. Strange said you’re wasting time and need to get after it if you’re going to finish in time. Daniel all chivalry gone, because a guy was yelling at him, turn into his normal charming self and told Strange what he could do with himself. I’ve got 1 hr and 30 minute to make it 18 miles and was off. In the dust just after that, they came on a rig flipped over in the course at speed the guy pointed him to the left. They took it and missed seeing a rock about the size of an engine block, the front cleared it, but it center punched the rear axle. It didn’t stop them, but did slow them quite a bit. Daniel said that, it was still moving well so he just kept going, other than it was getting loose in the rear. They brought it on in, he called me on the radio as they were coming across the bridge and said get ready to jump in and drive it across the finish for your points. I told him you brought it this far, take across yourself. We were going to finish our first race, and that was good enough for me. He brought it across with 1 hr and 5 minute still left on the time limit.
We looked the rig over after and the rock had sheared both centering pins in the rear springs, thanks to the heavy duty u-bolts and plates we use, they held. It had slid the rear back about 2” though and that was what had caused the rear to be loose.
The trip home for our guys didn’t go without incident they broke a spring on the trailer just as they were coming into Boise, which caused a blow out and they had a bit of excitement for a few moments. They ratchet strapped the axle up without a tire and limped it on into Boise. Left the racer at Daniel’s uncle house and made it in about midnight their time. They’re headed back this morning, as I type, with the other trailer to get the racer.
Once again thanks to all that helped. Greg (broncodawg) thanks for coming and being such a great team member, willing to man Pit B by himself. You’re welcome to come with us anytime. To my younger brother Jim, and Brian for manning Pit C and hauling the racer down from Idaho. Jeremy for worrying about my health, and driving as well as you did while pondering the fact that you may need to give me mouth to mouth. Daniel and Russ, especially Daniel for actually making a Bronco survive, and keeping his priority straight. It’s not everyone that can focus so well, after trying to get a date in the middle of a race. To Don and his team, Moss Brothers Racing, they are great people, and threw a couple of their guys in with Greg to man pit B. They also were there to dump our fuel in at the main pit as we did the driver change. The only people we had were the drivers to man the main pit. With all that went down, I came away with one important lesson learned get to a crowded breakfast early. The waitress might make the mistake of think everyone is together, as they’re all leaving and hand you the bill for everyone’s breakfast. All is good we sorted it out.
A big thanks to our sponsors, Wild Horses Four Wheel Drive, (Stockton, CA) For all the products they supply us, their Extreme Duty U-bolt kits did the job and held the rear axle in place when the centering pins sheared. Ultimate Transmission (Boise, Idaho) for building a transmission that would last through the extreme heat issues. BF Goodrich tires, BC Broncos, S&H Terminal, IronBender.com and Sierra Point lumber. We couldn’t do this without the help you all provide via products, replacement parts and financial support. Jerry D, for his help and the use of his shop to build some custom parts at the last minute.
My team at WCBA Racing for the tireless hours of prep they put into the racer. Daniel Field, Jim Lacey, Russ Haggerty, Brian Hartley, Deon Field, Jeremy Parriott and Mike West. A special thanks to Mike West for everything he does behind the scene, managing the site, promotional materials, signs, numbers, logistics of rooms and crew members, and the list could go on. The only thing that would have made this finish better would have been having you with us for it Mike. Not to forget, all of the spouses and families out there that let me borrowing their loved ones away to go racing.
Thanks
Dan Wright
The Score Primm 300
One step closer, is how I would describe our weekend. We finished, it has been a while coming. From starting the build on this rig with just a frame 18 months ago tell now, has been a journey. It was our third race and we got to the finish line.
We had a few issues. One came from totally out of the blue, others to be expected and then our recurring transmission heating issue, but none from the suspension. Drivability was great for a 92 inch wheel base rig. I will say that if we hadn’t tested it as hard as we did at SOB two weeks ago and found our week spots it would have been a lot different outcome.
The race started off with the out of the blue issue. We had rerouted the exhaust after the last race to try and get as much heat sources away from the transmission as possible. It now runs outside the frame and dumps out to the side just in front of the rear tire. In all of our testing it never posed an issue. Race morning as we are staged behind Don and all of the other rigs, I kept smelling exhaust gas in my helmet.
Most of you don’t know, but some do, that I have lung issues. They can be a bit tricky at times. Well all of a sudden I was fighting a full blown episode with our own exhaust fumes being pumped in my helmet by the air supply, setting there at idle for so long. As we set there with about 15 racers still to go off in front of us. I was out of the helmet and racer, Jeremy and Daniel said I was white as a ghost. Daniel ran to get Russ to get in the rig, as I didn’t know if I was going to be able to get it under control. Jeremy crept the racer forward as I walked along on the co-dog side, getting this back under control. We were down to 5 racers and I was still out of the bronco and Russ hadn’t made it yet. We were close enough that Sal could see we only had one in the rig and gave a funny look. It was time to go for broke, and there is nothing better for me than stress and adrenaline. I slammed the helmet on, bailed into the co-dog seat and got the belts on and raised my hands as we pulled up to the flag. I heard Jeremy say are you sure, and said I’ll make it.
We left with as Jeremy described it, hearing Darth Vader through the intercom. We were off and everything was going good, tell the first hair pin corner. Something punched a hole in the rear outside tire just as we were in the corner and Jeremy stabbing the throttle to come around. The tire came off the rim and the rim grabbed hard, we were heading over. Jeremy was quick and drove into the roll real quick and saved it. With me sounding like Vader and 3 miles into the race we changed the first flat. With Jeremy treating me like a mother hen, and not wanting me to get worse. We changed the tire while mired in silt to rear axle, on the outside of the corner in a bad spot. Strange happened to be parked there and as he came to check on us, had to dive out of the way for the next car as it blew the corner and went outside us. With the tire changed we locked in the hubs and got out of the hole.
Everything from there to pit B went fine, other than Jeremy was spending more time concentrating on the sounds coming out of my helmet than pushing. He said, he was worried that at any minute he was going to have to drag me out of the racer and give me mouth to mouth. Trying to figure out how he was going to explain to everyone, how I didn’t make it. Because as he said we may be real good friend, but I’m way to ugly to give mouth to mount to. With his nerves calmed and my breathing under control, the racer was handling the rough terrain well. By pit B it was all about finishing, not catching Don. We didn’t get to Don’s 102, on the blacktop we were running at 50, Jeremy thought it was a regulated speed zone, he said isn’t it 50 mph here. I said no and he then pushed into it. In the straight sand wash we did get it up there though. He had it going 80 at one point and the rig was handling well, I told him I liked the pace but didn’t think the transmission would last. It was pegged straight down past 280, other than having to stop because of the transmission heating issues and another flat at about RM. 66 the lap was a good one.
We turned it over to Daniel and Russ for lap two, I booted up the computer, so I could follow their progress on the IRK tracking site. They had the same issues, heating and at Pit B had the hood pulled to try and get more air flow though. It helped, but they were feeling a lot of heat afterwards coming through the front to them. Russ only had to hit Daniel a couple times on the helmet to keep him under control. At pit C we had a double pit, Daniel had told the pit crew that he want them to dump water on the transmission cooler. As he entered the pit he was waved over by the Don’s pit crew and they asked what he needed. He said he thought something was funny as he had just got off the radio. He said water on the cooler and they put some on it. He blew out of there went almost to the other end of the pits, and there was our crew waving him in. So he pulled in there too, they knew what he needed and immediately cooled the transmission cooler down. It was the only pit where Don and my crew weren’t side by side in the pits, which is what added a bit to the confusion. I will say that I would rather have two crews looking after us than none.
I can’t say enough or thank Don and his crew enough for the working with us. I had 4 people drop out in the days before the race so we were short on help. They were there at every turn to help, even as Daniel was pulling into Pit C and Don was finishing they stayed until the finish for us. All of his crew is a great bunch of people.
As I was watching the tracker, the rig would come to a stop and I would chalk it to transmission cooling. They would be off again. Just before check 4 I saw them stop, again I figured it was transmission cooling. I watch it for a while and they were down for what felt like ever. They we on the back side of the mountain and we couldn’t reach them by radio, so while listening on our channel and weatherman, I kept waiting for the call. Then they were moving again, and then they were stopped at Check 4, again it took forever for them to get moving again. I kept waiting for the call, figuring they had limped it in to check 4, the call never came. Then they were moving again.
When the race was over, I asked Daniel what happened on the back side. He said well the transmission was getting hot and we were looking for wide spot to let it cool and we saw a buggy stopped. I went to go around it, and there was this nice looking gal with halter top on and her race suit down to the waste working on the engine of the buggy. So I figure that would be as good as any place to stop and let the transmission cool. As I stopped a guy came out from under the rig and said they had lost the starter. I asked if it could be pull started, he said maybe. So Daniel and Russ jumped out to help them get thing together. Daniel said as he lay under their rig gray taping the starter to the frame. The old guy said to him, you must be single, Daniel said yes. The guy said I figured so I have my daughter ride co-dog just for that reason. Well it wouldn’t pull start, so Daniel being the chivalrous guy he is, gladly towed them all the way to Check 4. I was glad to hear it wasn’t a complete waste of time he did manage to get a name and give his e-mail address to her.
At check 4 Strange was all over Daniel for towing the buggy to the check point, Daniel asked why he was yelling at him for taking care of the buggy. Strange said you’re wasting time and need to get after it if you’re going to finish in time. Daniel all chivalry gone, because a guy was yelling at him, turn into his normal charming self and told Strange what he could do with himself. I’ve got 1 hr and 30 minute to make it 18 miles and was off. In the dust just after that, they came on a rig flipped over in the course at speed the guy pointed him to the left. They took it and missed seeing a rock about the size of an engine block, the front cleared it, but it center punched the rear axle. It didn’t stop them, but did slow them quite a bit. Daniel said that, it was still moving well so he just kept going, other than it was getting loose in the rear. They brought it on in, he called me on the radio as they were coming across the bridge and said get ready to jump in and drive it across the finish for your points. I told him you brought it this far, take across yourself. We were going to finish our first race, and that was good enough for me. He brought it across with 1 hr and 5 minute still left on the time limit.
We looked the rig over after and the rock had sheared both centering pins in the rear springs, thanks to the heavy duty u-bolts and plates we use, they held. It had slid the rear back about 2” though and that was what had caused the rear to be loose.
The trip home for our guys didn’t go without incident they broke a spring on the trailer just as they were coming into Boise, which caused a blow out and they had a bit of excitement for a few moments. They ratchet strapped the axle up without a tire and limped it on into Boise. Left the racer at Daniel’s uncle house and made it in about midnight their time. They’re headed back this morning, as I type, with the other trailer to get the racer.
Once again thanks to all that helped. Greg (broncodawg) thanks for coming and being such a great team member, willing to man Pit B by himself. You’re welcome to come with us anytime. To my younger brother Jim, and Brian for manning Pit C and hauling the racer down from Idaho. Jeremy for worrying about my health, and driving as well as you did while pondering the fact that you may need to give me mouth to mouth. Daniel and Russ, especially Daniel for actually making a Bronco survive, and keeping his priority straight. It’s not everyone that can focus so well, after trying to get a date in the middle of a race. To Don and his team, Moss Brothers Racing, they are great people, and threw a couple of their guys in with Greg to man pit B. They also were there to dump our fuel in at the main pit as we did the driver change. The only people we had were the drivers to man the main pit. With all that went down, I came away with one important lesson learned get to a crowded breakfast early. The waitress might make the mistake of think everyone is together, as they’re all leaving and hand you the bill for everyone’s breakfast. All is good we sorted it out.
A big thanks to our sponsors, Wild Horses Four Wheel Drive, (Stockton, CA) For all the products they supply us, their Extreme Duty U-bolt kits did the job and held the rear axle in place when the centering pins sheared. Ultimate Transmission (Boise, Idaho) for building a transmission that would last through the extreme heat issues. BF Goodrich tires, BC Broncos, S&H Terminal, IronBender.com and Sierra Point lumber. We couldn’t do this without the help you all provide via products, replacement parts and financial support. Jerry D, for his help and the use of his shop to build some custom parts at the last minute.
My team at WCBA Racing for the tireless hours of prep they put into the racer. Daniel Field, Jim Lacey, Russ Haggerty, Brian Hartley, Deon Field, Jeremy Parriott and Mike West. A special thanks to Mike West for everything he does behind the scene, managing the site, promotional materials, signs, numbers, logistics of rooms and crew members, and the list could go on. The only thing that would have made this finish better would have been having you with us for it Mike. Not to forget, all of the spouses and families out there that let me borrowing their loved ones away to go racing.
Thanks
Dan Wright
