Last day of OLOA

Today is the last day! I can't believe it's over already. We have one little event called the skid pad at TireRack.coms main site where we started. Derek and I drove thru rush hour Chicago traffic yesterday. It was a short. 270 mile trip but took over 5 hours.



I met some amazing guys and caught up with a few old ones as well. Topspeed Motorsports is going to win again! This will be there third year in a row. Doug and Leh have been awesome the entire event. All the advice even when people are trying to take them down for the championship, they still take time out to help us newbies. Man can they build a car and have it last as well as go crazy fast.



We are in 8th place overall out of 75 teams that started. I have to say this was and will be a great event for years to come. I met some awesome people!



Look at all the GTRs!



Derek did eat again today! I can't believe we missed three dinners this week.



Can you say warranty is up!



Us with Matt Farah from TheSmokingTire.com



Last event today! I wish we could keep doing this.



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Location:Paxson Dr S,South Bend,United States

Day 6 and on the road again.

Well today started early and the jettison pod needed a good bath after 660 miles last night. Bugs the size of a penny kept hitting us at speeds we dare not say!



After the wash we went to the track for some much needed breakfast.



This track has the longest straight away with a banking right hand turn. I hit speeds in the 160 MPH range and you can't let off the gas at all or you let your competitors inch up on you. After this session I found out only a few of us had the nerve to stay on the gas and make a high speed turn.




I came in 6th place this morning and felt real good about it. The afternoon session not so good. I went off track on the smaller SCCA setup. I was coming in at 130 MPH hit the brakes hard and the car just could not slow down enough. All 4 wheels were off and I just floored it and turned left hard and was back on the track. I needed to make up for the mistake and went as hard as I could and managed a 8th place finish. WOW! Didn't think I could go that hard.




I was trying to remember the tracks because you see a new 1 or 2 every day!

This is a rare picture of the ghost from BIR we captured.



If you know what this is, then you in my age bracket.



Leh Keen is a professional race car driver and is winning this event along with Doug Wilks from Topspeed Motorsports out of Atlanta, Ga. Leh/Doug are the ones that told me about this event a year ago. So today I wanted to make sure I got a picture as I did a year ago. Leh left today as he has a race in NJ and couldn't stay.



The drag strip came next after these two events and I knew this is what I am good at. We prep the car for low ET and off we went!






With the wing off we went to the line. Lights turning I brought the engine RPM to 4000 and on green launched the car. The car went fine until 2nd gear and the transmission controller gave an high temp error and put us in LIMP mode! 2000 rpms all the way down the track! 56th place!

We then went bracket racing and I pulled a 8th place. The drag really hurt me today. I was 9th overall but after today I was pushed to 10th.





Doug and I relaxing in the pits!

We are now in route to Road America in Wisconsin. Only 2 days left of this event. I can't believe it happens so quickly.

I will post about tomorrow when I can.


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Location:Pine St,Monticello,United States

Day 6 Feeling a bit sad this is going to end soon.

After a long drive into the night we were able to get something to eat. Food is not your friend after 6 days of racing and eating anything quick and hot. We were able to at least sit and eat tonight.



We are in Minnesota and really looking forward to the next 2 tracks. What is really great for us is to switch back to E 85 gas!! We have been using 91 Octane for the last 4 days. The car just does not respond like it should with 91 Octane.

Guys out here seem to forget sometimes what they are doing, so they come up with ways to remember.



I will post a little later on.


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Location:Dellwood Dr,Brainerd,United States

Start of Day 5

Today was a great start to a new track that we haven't see or heard about. We got up early to meet the film crew. I walked to track (whew) and was ready for the first run.



With my first run complete I felt good about what I did, however the 13th place finish was not what I expected. I really thought it was a top 10 finish.

I am getting ready for the final run today and after that Derek will be taking over for the autocross event. He will do great. I will post once we get the results!

I had a better time in the afternoon. But right before I was to go on track we had a major wreck!



That is not a suicide door! He was in the autocross course and hit a guard rail after spinning out. Not fun! He is out of the event.

Derek is racing the autocross event and he is a little nervous but I know he will do well.

A ladybug was on my chair and once again we are in the middle of nowhere.


This ladybug reminds me of my son Josh and he is an animal whisperer. I think this was a sign he was with me today.

As I was getting ready a Honda 70cc came up and I promised my other son Ryan I would get a picture on it. So Ryan here you go buddy.



We have a long wait til we autocross and then we are out of here to Brainard Minnesota 620 miles away. 5 hour energy drink anyone?

Scores just posted for the afternoon session. I came in 10th place! I move up from 12th place over all to 10th over all. Yes yes yes! So happy with the car/driving so far.

We are waiting on Derek's autocross time right now but he had the second fastest time with a 29.4. He almost beat Leh Keen.

I will update you all once I know more.




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Beginning of day 4

So today we woke up to the sound of a garbage truck at 5:45 AM. Now it's not that big of deal but just 15 more minutes sure helps from all the driving. I wanted to get a quick swim in but the pool was not operational.



We headed out to get something to eat but, not a single place to eat could be found. We were on our way to the track and saw this.



I thought I was on the set of Last of the Mohicans. At the track they had no food as well. Went to the bait bag and grab what we could and ate.

First run came and I did OK 14th out of 75, but the big thing was I went off the track at about 50 MPH. It killed my time!



Afternoon came and after losing it the first time ever and needing to make up time, I went as fast as the track would let me. The other cars were throwing debris all over the track. Guess what? I went off again and this time the car just lifted and slid off. Nothing I could do but hold on and pray. I managed to get back on fast with just a little slow down.



After running off the track from grass at turn 6-7 I went in with my head down. Derek kept telling me that, there was nothing I could of done and that's racing. The car is fine from what we can tell now.

Scores were just posted and for the afternoon session I came in 10th out of 75 even going off the track! Explain that one to me? Goes off track and gets passed but improves time by 3 seconds???? We are in route to the hotel for a relaxing night of hmmmmmm sleep!!!!!

We are halfway done and I must say this has been such a blast to this point.



High Plains Raceway!



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1/4 star hotel/town

Just a quick update! We are in a town and I have to say its one of the worst! Hotel is really bad and the towns people are not all there!


This is the wall where you pick your prize stock and they kill it and bag it.

Also in the same store, I ask for a sub but HAD to fill a form out first as they would not take my order over the counter. We were the only two customers in the enter store.



We also were looking at getting power bars for tomorrow, however these we're expired with dust all over them.



Last but not least here is the hotel tonight!





Our big screen TV that they advertise is about the size of my laptop.


Posted by Bob using Blogpress

Location:N Main St,Byers,United States

Day 3 almost over

Today was a great racing day for team AOKNetworking. We started the morning session with cloud cover that stayed the entire time. We have never stepped foot on this race track before. We trained and trained online (YouTube Videos) to only find out last night we had to run it counter clockwise!




The morning session was fun and I really worked the car around the course as best I could. I came in 6th out of 75 cars.

The second session in the afternoon was better as I drop a whole second off my time. I ended up coming in 7th place out of 75 cars.



I was in 18th place at the start of the day. With a strong 6th and 7th place today I jumped up to 12th overall for the event.

We are now headed to Byars Co. It's a short 618 miles away from the race track we just left.



Tomorrow will be a fun track! I will keep you posted!

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Location:WaKeeney,United States