Our trip out to Nationals was a bit more than eventful - I'd try to explain it, but you'd have to be squished into a baby seat, have fumes blowing in your face, and be stuck facing a giant white screen for 30+ hours. I can't figure out how the guys made it to Lincoln in under 24 hours last time. Once we got there it was ok, but I'm pretty sure we might not have made it if we didn't make a pit stop in Ohio for a load leveling hitch. Note to self - if you're following an enclosed trailer, make sure you have a walkie talkie so you can tell them they're about to flip over.
Upon getting to the site (and Wiley drove most of the way, so thanks Wiley!), we were about 60th in line at 3am...wtf? After some much needed shuteye, we got in and managed to save a bunch of (yet somehow not enough) paddock spots, and ended up across from my WDCR friend, is somehow unable to ride a bike. As I was not participating in the Pro Finale, I took the opportunity to say hello to our friends from far away.
I can't comment much on the Pro Finale - I didn't participate and ended up kicking myself. I was a one-eventer, and one is the loneliest number, so I sat cheering on the rest of the team. G-Fab's own Atlantic States Champion didn't fare so well either, but he can tell you about that.
We took Monday off of car stuffs so we could go and get married - yes, we took the plunge, and no, nothing is different. Aside from the fact that my name was changed at registration on Tuesday and it was broadcast that all over the SCCA Ustream.
I'm now fully convinced that a) you need to be 300 lbs+ to drive CP, and b) CP stands for Casualties Probable. I never want to run with CP or CPL again. I could stand running 5th heat again, but running with them is like just ASKING for a delay, an oiled down course, whatever. There was a huge delay on Day 1 when a CP car grenaded itself, so we sat in the shade trying to survive the hours before we were able to run again. 5th place after Day 1 wasn't too great - At least I was ahead of two people, but let's face it. Being that far off the leaders is no fun.
Day 2 was just as poor, with the Baby problems starting during second heat. The new water pump, with roughly 2000 miles on it, proved faulty and we were forced to take several mechanicals. While the impressed audience gathered around us ("I can't believe you got all those parts out, fixed it, and put it back together in 20 minutes!"), G-Fab and its affiliates pulled the best teamwork since Dover and Panda's wire-harness-eating. Unfortunately, we couldn't run with the water pump seal being blown, so Wiley missed out on his last runs, and Todd jumped into a nearby Corolla for his third run.
I had to work during third heat, so Big Bear and Tim Kong went to the local auto parts store and got a new water pump. PJ worked like the sweatshop Filipino that he is, and the car was back together and in grid, waiting for me, by 5th heat. All I can say is that I was very impressed, and super lucky. Luck ends there though, because there was another CP casualty, and another delay. When you're hot, sweaty, and tired, you don't drive well. I am a prime example. The standings from Day 1 didn't change, so I have a standing 5th place record with Nationals.
Our return home brought the Annual Team Challenge. There was some sneaking around, but I ended up driving a Honda CR-Z on Direzzas in FSP - imagine my surprise when I actually won, by a few seconds! Of course, because PJ is also sneaky, our teams tied for points but his team was overall higher in PAX standings, so I was jipped out of my first place trophy :( It was a good end to a good season.
We took the off-season to do some things like installing new fun parts on Panda, play around with Baby, get the G35 ready for DS, and buy a house and stuff. Yep, we're homeowners. We've had several small get-togethers since we've moved in, and it seems to handle company well. Now we just have to figure out where the turbo goes.
With LOTS of help, we got the G-Fab tire mounter/balancer in the basement, and experimented with Panda's old shoes on the 18x8" stock-size wheels for the G35. The experiment went well, and 315's on all four corners is just how we roll.
We decided that Baby just might need some rest after such an intense season, and with the G35 being reclassed into DS, it makes sense to at least try it. I'm hoping we can figure out a way to get more legal front camber, but if not, it will still be a really fun car to drive. We're in the process of upgrading the brakes (yay Porterfield). My birthday was earlier this month, and I got something every girl dreams of: A front swaybar.
The season has already started (where did the time go?!) with the first non-points event at Fairfield County Sports Car Club in Stratford, CT. Four spins, corded tires, and a new appreciation for warm weather later, I'm feeling more confident about driving a car with 120 more HP, two more cylinders, and about a square foot of more (and stickier) tire. I'm praying to the weather gods that April 7 will give me more of a feel of Hoosiers that actually stick - it's been years and it's not quite like riding a bike. After that is the DC Pro, where I'm going to embarrass myself again, but still have a great time. I'm actually super excited about the season, so I hope I don't suck. More to come....
