The Run and Gun Recap!

[Dean Lampe]

2007 Run and Gun is in the record books. I met Ryan and Chuck who are building an RCR here on the forum. They were there in their Cobra which Ryan piloted to a Rookie of the Year win. I was parked next to Ray with the beautiful Gulf GT40 from RCR. We were in the vendor area hanging out under the RCR banner. Hersh was there with his RF40. He has been a great friend to this event for years. He had some crazy engine trouble but in true R&G fashion, everyone pitched and offered unsolicited advice while two guys fixed the car! I wish I had some pictures but I was just to busy to get the camera out. I did race RCR33 and I was able to edge out Randy Schrantz (Pikes peak champion) for first place in the small block Pro class. The car handled amazingly. I took second overall for the closed wheel classes on the road course. I needed to beat Randy on the drag strip to win the top dog award but he ran a 10.02 in the 1/4 mile. I just loaded up and tipped my hat to him. Save the trans axle to run another day. I will tell you that I absolutlutly abused this car this weekend. I had a great spin, I ran to 7500 rpms almost everylap, and I pounded the bvrakes as hard as humanly possible. I did have to part failures. I broke a 2psi pressure valve and lost my front front brakes. I just drilled it out and turned it into a coupling! I tore the bushings out of my front swaybar pillow blocks but I had a buddy get the put back. The finally faileure was a fuel pump. That has been the problem all along with the webers. It really wasn't the carbs, it was a fuel pump. It is a good thing that we have 2 tanks. All in all for a car that had less than 20 miles on the street when I got to the track, it held up very well.
Brian Smith was there from Kit Car Mag and shot a lot of pictures. I think just about everyone there will be in the magazine. Brian shot some great pictures of Ray's Gulf car and RCR33 on the track together and then a ton of detailed chassis shots. We MIGHT have a cover coming your way way soon!

I know Chuck took a ton of pictures so hopefully he will post later today. We had a great time. There were almost 60 racers and 300 -400 spectators. We had two diving instructors giving free seminars and Keith Craft did an engine seminar. We had a great banquit and over the course of the week we probably drank 15 gallons of margarita's! It just doesn't get any better.
Dean

[Big-Foot]

Good report Dean...

Odd - I've never seen a residual valve fail before and I use them in all my cars. One would think that if it was to fail, it would fail in the open position.

Glad to hear you kicked some tail out there!!

[Bill Musarra]

I hope we keep this open, meaning the event. I know several guys who would like to make it next year. I for sure will. I just hope I get some setup and racing guidance before then. Since it is a year away, I would like to generate some interest from some of the east coast guys to caravan out there next year. If the dates are set, could you post them Dean? That way we could set up the vacation days, and plan out the trip.

Bill

[Mesa]

Spectacular result Dean!
Congrats on a great success, only a man of experience and talent could have set up a car so well that he could take it to a competition with 20 miles on it and win. Maybe someday I'll be able to make the trip with my SLC.

Stunning.
Rob

[Dean Lampe]

Thanks for the complements guys. There were a lot of very nice cars driven by great guys. I hope we can have more than 2 GT's on the track next year. The dates are the same weekend, Oct. 8- 11, 2008. I know Chuck has some pictures that he can share with the group when he gets on line.

[Rob]

Congratulations Dean! Sounds like a great time and sounds like both you and your RCR33 performed well. Thanks for sharing.

[Chuck]

Here are a few pics from R and G. Ryan and I learned more than we would have though possible in just a few days. The instruction was great, the weather was great, the cars were outstanding, and the help and support was invaluable. We will be back next year - hopefully with a GT and a Cobra.

Now, go to this link for a little treat. Sorry about the resolution and the shortness of the clip. but that way Dean drives it was hard to get a longer clip.

YouTube - Dean Lampe's RCR40


Unfortunately I took a lot of pictures, but mostly close up detail shots to help me with my build, not likely to be of much interest to most readers. My daughter took some shots and I will up load those as soon as I get them.

[Bill D]

That video of Dean's car on the track made my private parts tingle!!!

[Fran Hall RCR]

Chuck...the video is F&%@ing awesome...sorry guys had to be said...

I am very proud of and thankful to Dean and Ray for taking their RCR40's to the R and G...

I really wanted to be there but I had other customers and projects to take care of last week...

Dean sent me a link to pics of his car from the previous weekend at a Porsche event and I am blown away by the commitment to excellence that you guys are able to achieve in the timeframes...
Welcome to PhotoMotion car number 157.
Take into account that during most of the pics, Dean is running well over 100mph....!

I see others taking 5 years to build their cars and you chaps are doing it in 5 months and running in National competitions...I am seriously humbled and loving every minute.......thank you.!!!!!!

Bill D...you need to keep those comments to yourself...information overload...

[Chuck]

More pics, thanks to Evan ONeal, a future Cobra owner:

[Evan O'Neal]

Great photography!

Dean's driving was fun to watch, GREAT stuff.

[Bill D]

What is the round black bar mounted horizonally in the front nose of the Gulf car?

[Fran Hall RCR]

Bill ,

its a recreation of the original lift bar for the quick jack..

[Bill D]

Thanks Fran. I would love to see more pics so I can do the same to mine

[John Lowe]

Dean

Superb. I just spoke with Fran and would love to know what your final (latest?) suspension set up is in particular spring rates, roll bars and shock settings. My intention would be to dial these into my RCR kit which should ship to the UK in Jan 08.

Regards

John

[Fred/Belgium]

Car N° 9 is very impressive in regards to the details versus original !
Amazing build
Congratulations

Fred

[Chuck]

Bill D: You ask, you get. Here are some more pics of that cross bar. The one with the tow eye is Dean Lampe's. Note the screening Ray put on his Gulf car. Really nice details on both cars. Dean and Ray have rasied the bar for those of us following behind them (no pun intended):

[Bill D]

Thanks Chuck. Thats exactly what I was looking for.

Can you actually lift the car up by the bar?

[Fran Hall RCR]

Bill

PM.