GT40 in Cannonball - Buzz Clarke CAV

[Ron Earp]

Dear members,

one of our own, Buzz Clarke, will be entering his CAV GT40 in the One Lap of America race this year and it kicks off tomorrow. He has a site diary located here:

http://www.gt40rides.com/2005/

And they indicate that updates will be provided daily. If you don't know what the One Lap is go here and get educated:

http://www.onelapofamerica.com/

Last year Buzz came in 7th I think and this year I hope he does better. He wrote me and said the competition was stiff this year with a bunch of Ultimas entered. Good luck Buzz and keep us updated here as well as on your site.

Best,
Ron

 

[Gary Gibbs]

I have spoke with him a few times on the phone. Sounds like they are ready for some fun. If they happen to come buy your area it would probably be good to stop by for support. They are coming to VIR on Wednesday and a few of us are going to check it out. If he does need support we will be there for him, etc. It does look like a great group of cars this year. Should be unreal. There are many vettes, vipers, ultima, radical, etc. There is a C6. Will be interesting. Things get started tomorrow. A few of us are headed to VIR Tuesday night (probably camping) and will be ready for Wednesday competition, etc.

 

[Hershal Byrd]

OK Buzz,
Lets better last years performance and no U-Haul trailers.
You can borrow mine. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Hersh /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Phil]

Ron
I believe I saw that car at Carlisle last year and it had just completed the race.
Phil

 

[Lynn Larsen]

There are photos and videos located at Lake Effect Racing's website. This includes Buzz's CAV. There are also some cool videos such as a 'Vette loosing a cylinder/going around and a Subaru going airborne and loosing it (nobody hurt, but a pretty spectacular off!)

Buzz has been doing quite well according to the results posted so far. He has regularly out done the Ultima. Go Bud!!

Regards,
Lynn

 

[Ron Earp]

Looks like they lost their motor on event #4 - anyone know more details or know where they are? Might be some forum members could help out.

 

[Bill Hara]

The website posted above states " Final Standings"

31st place - CAV GT40

15th place - Ultima

3rd place - Dodge Ram SUV

????? What the????

 

[Gary Gibbs]

Hi guys (and girls??). Just got back from VIR and had quite an enjoyable trip. Lots of serious iron in this competition. Basically you have three well prepped and very fast cars and drivers up front and the rest of the field trying to keep up. The RAM 1500 is a "NASCAR truck" very low and lots of power, and balls. I did not look underneath but would guess not much was made by Dodge (motor maybe it??). If it were not for an accidental roll out in the drags for the truck resulting in a 15 sec quarter I would guess it stood a very good chance of winning.

Concerning Buzz. He has been doing very well when running. He had a severe leak develop in what was found to be a intake gasket that he just had installed last weekend. It appears as though it was slightly out of position on the back cylinder and the water jacket eventually pushed through. Lots of white smoke out the pipes on the track. He ended up spending several hours with the repair at IRP and ended up missing Beaver Run and Lancaster (3 events total) thus has dropped him way down in the overall standings. When running he has been in the top ten. Todays results are posted and he finished 14th on the south course (mostly do to an off at turn one!), 10th on the north course (first time on the north course at all), and 4th for the full course (first time on that course). You basically get one recon lap before 3 hot laps. If you do not know the track you are at a severe disadvantage. Hearing Joel describe how lost he was coming up the back esses on the north course reminds me of how it was for my first several laps running that course. You are thinking where is the track/line going??

On the full course Buzz's car was hitting ~164 MPH on the back straight and he ended up running over 9 seconds faster then Dennis Olthoff in his Superformance Daytona with 650 HP. Not bad considering Buzz's car is down about 200 HP from that of the SPF Coupe /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

His driver, Joel, really has not had a lot of seat time in this car. Has not driven it since last year, etc. He is a very good driver though. It really looked like they were having fun today and they hope the intake gasket holds up, etc.

Buzz told Joel to take it easy on the drag race, and Joel is not used to drag racing at all. He went out and screwed the launch with way to much wheel spin and short shifted the car (at 5500) to take it easy on half shafts, etc. He ended up with a 12.389 sec 1/4 mile and 6th place.

It was the first time I was able to meet Buzz in person and really enjoyed it. He had lots of interesting stories. Like traveling down the interstate headed to NH (after the intake fix) at ~125 MPH towing a trailer just as a Trooper pulls on. A bit of braking and puckering and they go by the trooper never to hear from him. When he says it is the worlds fastest U-haul I believe him. Last year he was traveling through the Rockies at night and very tired. Joel was sleeping and Buzz was trying not too. They were traveling fairly fast and he was hoping to catch a car so he could keep an eye on their tail lights through the twisties. He eventually cought a Viper in the one lap. The Viper looks in the rear view and sees a car and decides to pickup the pace quite a bit. Buzz is determined to keep up with the guy to help him stay awake. After they get to CA he talks to the Viper guy and the guy figures out that it was Buzz's GT40 towing a trailer following him and is quite amaized. Aparently it should be "U really haul ass" on the trailer!

I wish them well for the rest of the event. Buzz commented today that he has been happy that in the last two years he has not had a CAV related failures in the competition. All of the problems that they have had have been do to stuff that he installed (EFI, etc.).

 

[Jean]

Modern day “Cannonball Express”!!

Dear GT 40 Fans!!

It is that time again … time for the Cannonball! If you are a dedicated petrol head you will understand the appeal of this event. What could be better than being at the start of such an event in a GT40? On the 29th of April 2005, a CAV GT rolled up at the start line for this event, for the second year in a row! The owner driver, Buzz Clark and his co-driver, Joel Lipperini came 11th overall last year and pocketed the Rookie of the Year Award. This year they hope to do even better. The 2005 Cannonball One Lap of America event takes place over eight days, covers 3 100 miles and 20 race events!

Auto Futura would like to wish Buzz and Joel, all the very best for this event … if only it was us blasting across America in a CAV GT !!

John & Jean

You can follow their progress on his website. It has daily updates and some interesting pictures and video clips.

Links: www.gt40rides.com
www.onelapofamerica.com

 

[Lynn Larsen]

Gary and Buzz (when you get a chance to see this),

Yet another time when I missed you at VIR, Gary. My neighbor and I were both set to come up there yesterday, but work issues for both of us and the battery going out on the wife's car prevented it. Thanks for the excellent update!

I really hate that I couldn't make it up to VIR. I apologize, Bud, that I wasn't there to root you on. But, I am pulling for you! It seems such a shame to have that nice of a track that close and not be able to get up there any more than I do. Maybe we'll see you next year.

Regards,
Lynn

 

[Gary Gibbs]

Thanks Lynn. I briefly spoke to Buzz today and he said things went fairly well considering it was raining and Joel was sliding everywhere. I am not sure how they finished and the data is not posted yet. I think they are hoping for a good showing at Nelson Ledges.

 

[Ron Earp]

So what is the outcome and story of the CAV GT40 in the One Lap?

 

[Rick Muck- Mark IV]

I intended to attend the Lancaster event (it's around the corner from my house, I can walk there) but my mother in law thought a trip tp the emergency room was a greater priority...)
Really bummed I didn't get to cheer the 40 inch crowd...
Rick

 

Ron, the results of the CAV in the Cannonball are that we survived (even though missing 3 events do to an intake gasket), and are looking forward to next year with your car in the competition.

AutoFutura gave us some technical support on Roll Center work so I'd like to thank them first. We all love these cars, even those of us that don't have the skill to build one. It is amazing to think that my CAV GT has been through 6,000 road miles and 17 track events last year, and another 5,000 road miles and 15 events this year without breaking anything on the original car as it came out of the shipping container from South Africa. Thanks to the John & Jeans, the Roberts, the Chrises and all the other dedicated builders that make these cars possible.

Hersh, thanks for the trailer offer; maybe next year if Ron doesn't con you first. By the way...has it been field tested out to 115mph to 125mph?

I'll get some of the pictures together that might interest everybody, and put them up over the next few days.

Regards,

Buzz

 

[Ron Earp]

Buzz, good to hear the car made it through okay and both of you are safe and sound. I'd like to see more GT40s doing track events and things like this, but I've yet to see one at a track day. It is a shame since some of the manufactuers spend a lot of time to tray and make the cars track worthy (or at least give you a decent starting place) but few seem to spend time there.

I am going to try like hell to join you next year on the event but I suppose it depends on when the RF gets over here to me. I'm planning on having the motor and tranny ready to drop in and broke in on an engine dyno, but I'm sure there are things that will need sorting. Plus, I need to get some track experience in on the car before hitting the One Lap - as you know breaking something on the track stinks!!! Still, if it gets here in say, October/November, I think I can have it running around well in mid-January at the latest and debug it.

So what was the deal with your motor combo, you lost an intake gasket, any reason why? Any other GT40s along? How'd the Superformance coupe do?

Maybe 2006 is setting up for the GT40 showdown in the US - CAV, Superformance, RF, and any others plus drivers that might come out to the track. I look forward to getting out there with the rest of you that are already having fun!

Best,
Ron

 

[Hershal Byrd]

Buzz,
Good to hear your back and doin' good. That's a good testiment to the CAV that it held so well. Next year I bet you do alot better. Experience is worth a bunch in these type events.
My trailer has been at 120MPH but don't tell the wife. She was sleeping when I stoked it up to that on an open stretch. The trailer is like it's not there. You can't even see it in the side mirrors as it doesn't block the rear view at all. The only way I know it's there is by looking in the rear view mirror. I gotta admit that this trailer is really handy. WE loaded it up with all kinds of display stuff like a portable shade, big cooler, four chairs, and all our luggage. It's better than a trunk or boot as they say in the UK. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
It sound like you had so much fun at this event over the last two years that I may just try it out myself next year. Sure wouldn't hurt having an RF contengency at the cannonball. We will see.

Hersh /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif