Vengeance of the Racing Gods

[Will Campbell]

This weekend the team and the 01 car headed to Summit Point, the track where the 01 car premiered last year. We had some issues last year, but managed to set a lap record in the process.

So with more power, and some fancy aero bits that were a result of the team burning up electrons in a CFD program, we were pretty optimistic about our chances. As a plus, the weather report called for sunny skies with a light breeze. So we were looking a perfect weekend, with a faster car and weather that would support re-setting the current lap record we set last year.

Because we’d made some changes, we signed up for Friday as a Test & Tune day to shake down any problems we might have.

Which was a Good Thing, as we spent all day Friday on the jack stands, unable to start the car until the very end of the day. We never got to turn a lap.

But at the end of the day, we thought we had fixed the problem. We had spent the day swapping ECUs, ETC units, even a new complete wiring harness, all to no avail until we changed out the cam and crank sensors. Then the car roared to life. We sent Ryan for a lap around the pits and the side roads and all seemed well for the race on Saturday.

The day started with a huge crowd around the 01 car, as is common at the track. Last year, no one knew what it was. This year, some recognized it from the Gearz show, and some knew it from seeing it win the Super Unlimited National Championship last year. But everyone was interested.

Unfortunately there was a lot of time to look at the car in the pits, since it started once in the morning, and then resolutely failed to start again. It cranked fine, had good fuel pressure, was firing the injectors, and was sending spark to the plugs. So what was wrong?

More hours were spent troubleshooting, until, by some magical incantation or just plain racin’ luck, the car fired again.

We’d missed the warmup, but got the car to the grid for qualifying. But once on the track, the car was way down on power, and just didn’t have any straight line speed. We were getting passed on the straight by cars that should have been in another ZIP code.

Still, Ryan managed to get the car to within two tenths of pole anyway, so at least we would be starting P2, and on the front row. But for the first time, we hadn’t captured pole in the car.

We’d been able to start the car on command after qualifying (imagine that!) so we just put the bodywork back on and waited until race time.

Because we wanted to minimize the risk of the car not starting again, we pushed it to the grid, and lined up right behind the well-driven Ferrari 430 Challenge car that had just nipped us for pole (and whom we had beaten handily last year).

At the flag, the Ferarri and a Porsche GT3 Cup car dropped us and we knew we were in trouble. Remember that last year we were black-flagged because we had so much torque at the start that the starters thought we must have jumped the start.

Shortly after the start, Ryan radioed in that he was again losing power badly, and we told him to just bring it in.

But that was too late, as the car expired coming into the Carousel with vast clouds of smoke pouring from the exhaust.

We were done for the race, and when the car was towed back to the pits after the race, we saw oil in the engine compartment, and a new hole in the block where there had been solid metal. Something- probably a tortured piston—had ejected itself in a violent way from the confines of the block.

The engine will get an autopsy this week, but our engine builder can’t build a new one in time for the VIR race and the UTCC, so once again we will miss those due to an engine failure.

It’s a bitter end to a race weekend that should have gone much better. But sometimes the racing gods exact their revenge. This weekend was apparently their vengeance.

Next time, the results will be different!

[Alex]

That car doesn't seem to have much luck with engines? is it tune related?

[Fran Hall RCR]

different engines=different tune....

we ran one engine for most of last season with no issues...only lost one early last season due to a bad build

thats racing.....

[Troy Truglio]

It was good to see the car in person and made my decision to buy in the future more solid. The car looked good on track for the few laps and sounded good booming around. I knew something was really wrong when they 430 pulled away a bit at the start. I was hoping cold tires, but when the 911 passed on the straight I was very sad. But even slow it looked dang good on track and my wanto meter was pegged.

BTW- Fran couldn't have been nicer to meet and answer my questions in the mist of car issue melt down. I know when my car has issues I am not as calm. So sad you will not be at the UTCC this year. I am going and was looking forward to getting passed by you on the long straights and see the car from that perspective. Anyone else with a good running track SLC that can go in place? Someone needs to give the Riley team a run and that GTR that did a 1:53.

[Ben]

What a bummer! However, true champions fight to the end!

[Ben Whittle]

Bummer, at this point would a 'unopened' GM LS3 crate engine save for maybe a better dry sump system, be a more reliable bet?

Who built both engines?

[Ron Earp]

Damn bad luck, I'm sorry.

I suspect you guys checked ignition timing when it did run on Friday and found it to be okay?

Putting holes in engine blocks isn't a good way to reduce weight and lighten the car. I know from experience.

[Cam]

Ouch! Murphy stikes again in the racing laboratory.

Will, once again thanks for the write-up, really gives you the feeling of being there.

[Jim Craik]

Racing........................................

Almost never easy!

It will kick you around, confound you, ruin all your hopes and plans.............................then you will wreck your pride and joy.

But then again, if it were easy the incredable joy of success just would not be there.

Will, I know you will make it happen!

[Jack]

Oh, it will happen! The National's are the target and preperations will be made I'm sure.

[Dave]

Sorry to hear about the misfortune. One positive though...you were just shy of the pole with a wounded warrior.

You should just put a rotary in the car if this LS based engine lets go again.

[Justin]

Or a carbed big block Ford. Oh, wait!!!