2011 Coupe for the 25 Hours

[EBarnes]

Excellent job guys! Always fun to see the coupe mixing it up!

Any in car video you could post on YouTube Karen (our did I miss it slomewhere?). I'd love to see your perspective for a few laps, and I'm sure I'm not the only one!

[EBarnes]

Excellent job guys! Always fun to see the coupe mixing it up!

Any in car video you could post on YouTube Karen (our did I miss it slomewhere?). I'd love to see your perspective for a few laps, and I'm sure I'm not the only one!

[vnmsss]

Thanks for the kind words guys.....My brand new Chase Cam system, that we had just mounted in the car on Friday, got hammered in the roll over (another cha-ching expense from flying monkeys). The rear camera, which was mounted on top of the car broke off and is toast. The front cam worked for the race, but the recorder and the connections are hammered, so the video is less than perfect. I'm working on at least a few clips, but we'll see what's salvagable....

In the meantime....The pictures keep coming in, so here's a few from Friday night's "fun":

[vnmsss]

[vnmsss]

[Mark Dougherty]

here are a few of team thunder Valleys thrash

[Mark Dougherty]

[vnmsss]

Team Thunder Valley Racing
FFR #28 Type 65 Coupe
Race start (sorry, camera was damaged in roll over):
http://vimeo.com/33359841

K

[Brian Z]

Awesome video! =)

[firechicken]

once again, I am just amazed by you guys! The whole ffr community had a wild time from the sound of it, rollovers, fires and serious competition and never an ounce of quit. My hats off to everyone who was there.

[Dave Smith]

Karen and the people there in this effort are my heroes.

[John Card]

I think this was the worst of it. That mangled thing in the middle of the picture used to be the forward mount for the lower control arm on the drivers side. I had to cut and grind that out and get it flush with the base metal again, While Rick worked on making new tabs to replace the old ones, then TC and Dave welded it all in while trying to get it all to align straight again. In the end, we got it pretty close to where it was, and the adjustments and shimming in the heims took care of any minor difference.

[vnmsss]

The 25 Hours…..A Year in the Making……..

Ed Boothman arrived in Healdsburg on Tuesday afternoon (11/30) , and spent the rest of that day, and all the next day loading the #85 car, and packing his trailer with all of the spares sent from Factory Five back in October. I had not seen Ed since last year's 25 Hours, and it was good to have an opportunity to catch up on things with our friend.

Rick's shop is an amazing place to prepare a car, and we had worked non-stop on the Coupe from the date of the last endurance race (October 8) until November 30, when we closed the door on the trailer and readied ourselves for the three hour trip to Thunderhill.

Having competed in the 2011 Western Endurance Racing Championship (WERC) series which began in April with a 3-hour enduro at Buttonwillow, the Coupe had been thoroughtly tested in the seven previous races that comprised the WERC season. This would be a year of highs and lows though, and it was only through sheer determination that the team had endured the last four months, and had continued competing in the face of great adversity. Rick and I knew that Andy would be watching over us though, and that he was smiling knowing that his hard work on the Coupe would live on.

By early October, it was clear that the car would need some serious prep work to get it ready for the 25 Hours. The car had been running well, with a strong motor, solid trans, and no serious issues all year. Our first diagnostic was a compression check, which we accomplished in early October. The engine had been running in the car since July 2010, having run several events in 2010 as a test and tune before running the 25 Hours last year. The same motor had run all season in the WERC, and we were now making final preparations for the 25 Hours again. The big question….Would this engine survive another 25 Hours?

As we set about the compression check and other diagnostics, the news was good. Every cylinder came in reading 175 or more, and the sparkplugs were textbook in condition. Needless to say, as we tested each cylinder, our hopes rose with every sparkplug that we pulled, that our DSS motor just might be able to run another 25 hour race. We drained the oil and carefully checked the drain plug for residual metal or any indication of metallurgical wear or degradation of the motor was occurring…..The oil was beautiful, with no sign of metal sheen or flaking.

Other preparations included a complete bleeding of the brake system, as well as installation of new Carbotech pads. We would stick with the enduro compound from Carbotech, as the stopping power is good, but the less aggressive nature of the pad assures much longer wear for the rotors. An in depth nut and bolt check, installation of a new radiator, along with replacing rotors and all key wear items in the IRS would take up the rest of the prep time before we were ready to load.

The IRS system has been a continual source of performance issues in our racing over the last three years. In our experience on track, the IRS system used in our cars was sufficient for the street, but after running the IRS under full race conditions, we had determined that it was not up to the demands and stresses of endurance racing. The latest issue we faced was in the driver side axle popping out of the differential, something that’s less than reassuring at triple digit speeds. We were in a quest to solve the issue though, which meant we would be replacing every piece in the IRS system prior to taking to the track at the 25.

Preparations included an extensive check of the differential, and the installation of all-new hubs, bearings, axles, clips, and boots on the Coupe. Gone was the T-Bird-based hubs which had run on the car from birth, being replaced with Mustang Cobra hubs which were sourced from Summit Racing. Spares for everything were prepared as well, and as we’ve discovered in racing an IRS-based Coupe, you'll be carrying around a whole lot of stuff to support the effort. Finally, after months of competition and preparations, on November 30th, we loaded the Coupe and closed the door on the trailer, knowing that we were ready.

Ed, Rick and I pulled out of the parking lot as the sun was setting over the beautiful Northern California Wine Country. It would be a three hour run to Thunderhill, which gave each of us plenty of time to run through a final checklist of preparations.

We had worked on an extensive parking plan for the three FFR teams that would be pitting together. FFR Challenge Series racer and enduro competitor Dr. Tom Coon would meet us at the track on Wednesday evening, however, he would have to return to St. Helena later that evening, as he had surgeries to perform over the next two days. When we arrived at the track, we soon discovered that our parking assignments were not as indicated on the paddock map, in that they had left out one tiny detail: We had a large building in the middle of our parking area….Oh, well….The best laid plans of mice and men…..Soon enough, we worked out a “new” plan for the big rigs, and as the temps began to fall and the winds picked up, we got the vehicles parked and settled in to our new digs in the area which would be our home for the next four days.

Thursday morning brought clear skies, albeit windy conditions, and a number of Thunder Valley Racing crewmembers arrived bright and early to support the team. In light of the recent IRS issues, it had been decided earlier in the week that we would test the car on Thursday, with the thought that if any issues with the IRS surfaced we’d have enough time to make the repairs and test more on Friday if needed. Rick and I would put the car though its paces, pulling into the pits after 3-4 laps for the crew to check the axles, hubs and bearings, looking for any indication of problems of developing issues.

Sure enough, in the first test session, after only three laps, I could feel a small vibration developing in the left rear axle. I dove into the pits, and a quick jack of the rear and inspection of the axle indicated that it had popped out of the differential. Immediate trip back paddock and up on the jacks for the Coupe. Co-driver Jeff Awender arrived, and with him came a very cool air-operated scissor jack, which we didn’t know at the time, would become the most well-used piece of equipment in the cold pit that weekend. The axle was inspected and re-set in the differential, and then it was back out on track for another 3-4 lap session.

All was well for 3 laps, and then as I “landed” over nine on the fourth lap, the axle began the same vibration…..Back in to the hot pit for inspection, back to the cold pit to take this thing apart and further investigate the source of the problem. It was determined that the C-clip was not fully engaging, and some “adjustments” to the C-clip allowed for a larger surface area to engage the detent in the spider gear. Re-install the axle, and Rick would get some seat time as we went out for test session three…..Rick drove for 20 minutes, and reported no vibration. He brought the Coupe in to the hot pit, where the crew checked the axle…Success! It was holding! Rick went out again and ran another 20 minutes, and the crew felt the issue had been resolved…..I was not as optimistic though, and decided to take the car out and put it through its paces….Sure enough, lap four, the vibration returned. A quick trip to the hot pit confirmed that the axle had popped out again.

A meeting of the minds resulted in us crafting a plan to replace the c-clip with a stouter version (square shouldered, thick), as well as re-position the boot, compressing it to a small degree, as it was believed that the boot might actually be serving as a lever in certain attitudes, and actually “pulling” the weak c-clip out of the housing. Our plan was executed, and it was back to the track for round five of the testing. Jeff Awender would drive this session, and the car performed flawlessly. A few final checks of the axle during the last sessions of the day confirmed that the axle issue had been resolved. We were ready to run!

Co-Crew Chief John Card is an expert engine tuner as well as a fellow Coupe builder, and his efforts with our race team over the last two years contributed to our Coupe enduring every challenge thrown at it, and Team Thunder Valley Racing arriving at the 25 Hours at the top of the leader board in the Series.

[vnmsss]

[vnmsss]

Phillip and Julie taking a break from the action.....

[vnmsss]

[vnmsss]

By the end of the day on Thursday, the vast majority of our crew had arrived at the track, and the preparations for our hot and cold pit areas were underway. Fierce, 30+ mph winds on Thursday and into Friday hammpered the efforts, but crew members managed to hoist the awnings, set up a hospitality area, and arrange the cold pit with all of the associated support equipment by mid-day on Friday.

There would be no test and tune for the Coupe on Friday, and the next time the wheels would turn on the car would be in the practice session prior to qualifying at 5:15 PM that afternoon. The afternoon was spent wiring in the new Chase Cam camera system, which would provide the team with the ability to record front and rear video footage, as well as log GPS performance data which could then be played back in sync for engine and on-track performance analysis. A large number of our crew had supported our team and worked together many times over the last five years of endurance racing events, and as more members of the team arrived, it was like old home week in the pits. Our hospitality crew, BaLinda, Julie, and Evelyn, assured that we had hot coffee, and lots of good eats to sustain the effort throughout the day.

4:45 PM arrived, and we were ready. Fellow FFR racer Dave Riha would take the Coupe out at 4:45 PM for a few warm-up laps, and then driver Nick Steel, who could not make Thursday's test session and had not previously driven the car, would jump in and finish the practice session. As a former engineer with Factory Five Racing, Dave Riha's had the opportunity to hone his skills to a high level in wide number of Factory Five cars. He's known as a capable driver, and the team knew he would come up to speed quickly in the Coupe. Within a few laps, Dave was turning laps in the low 2:00's. Nick would be next up in the car, but by the time the driver change was made and he was just getting up to speed in the car, traffic on track was beginning to become an issue. An increasing number of teams we heading out for warm-up in preparation for the 5:15 qualifying session. After only 3 laps in the car, and traffic becoming a bigger issue, the decision was made to bring Nick in and have Dave to get back in the car to run a couple of qualifying laps just in case something would happen to shorten the session, as ocurred last year, when the qualifying session was cut short due to an on track incident......Little did we know that we would be the incident that affected everyone in qualifying this year...

Dave headed out and we followed his progress on the live timing and scoring monitor for his first lap, and then, a few minutes later, the session was being red flagged for some reason, and when we checked the race monitor, it appeared that Dave had not competed a second lap. Calls to Dave on the radio went unanswered, and as car after car of the 83 cars on track streamed past our pit, each of us strained to find a glimpse of the blue Coupe. Word from Jeff Awender, who had been out on track qualifying the Tom Coon's #21 Challenge Series roadster was that a car had flipped out of turn seven and the session had been halted....It was dark out there, and he could tell a car was off track in a ditch..His instinct as he passed the scene was that it was a small car, perhpas a Miata, but he wasn't sure....He did think the car was blue....

As the flow of traffic slowed, our hearts sank further and further, and the sense of anxiousness among the team grew with every passing moment....Finally, after 30 long minutes, we received confirmation that it was indeed the Coupe that had rolled, and that it was lying on its roof in the dirt off track. Everyone's immediate thought was to Dave, and wanting to know that he was all right. Track officials confirmed that he was out of the car, walking around and in fact, had been on his cell phone while waiting for the ride back to the pits with the safety truck. Another 15 minutes passed, and still no car. As time ticked on, and in a moment of pure leadership, Co-Crew Chief TC McNett gathered the entire team together in the cold pit and updated everyone with the all too stinging facts: The Coupe had rolled, the driver was not hurt, and at this point, the damage was unknown. He called upon everyone to gather their muster and prepare for a long, long night. We would take stock of the damage as soon as the car arrived back in our pit, and those amongst us with the greatest mechanical skills should prepare to step forward. Everyone else would be supporting the effort in a "whatever it takes" way. Now was the time to dig deep and find the heart of our team.

Finally, after nearly an hour since we had last seen our car, the Coupe arrived in our pit. It was tremendously hard to look at what had been our beautiful Coupe, the car that Andy and I, and this entire team, had poured our hearts into over the last three years, now unceremonioulsy being hauled behind a safety truck, sitting with a broken windshield, dirt on the hood and roof, and battle scars from an on-track incident....The team sprung into action immediately, taking stock of the damage, and assessing every inch of the car to determine the extent of the needed repairs.....Within 30 minutes, a plan for the repairs was already forming....The Coupe was wounded, but it was fixable. We'd need some parts and it would take a whole lot of work, but this team would be doing whatever it took to see that the Coupe was on grid for the 25 the next morning....We had a little more than 13 hours to pull off a miracle.....Heroes were everwhere on Friday evening, and every member of our team earned my eternal gratitude for the effort in bringing that car back to life.....

[vnmsss]

Every single member of the crew poured their hearts into the repairs. Dave McNett worked tirelessly to rebuild the rear suspension. John Card and Rick Anderson, looked after the fabrication of the new suspension mounts, and everyone on the team assured the repairs were done in short order. We would need some additional parts, and BaLinda McNett and Victor Penner headed off for the long drive to the Bay Area for modified control arms provided by Hank Lopez....It was a four hour roundtrip, in someone else's vehicle, traveling to a place they had never visited getting parts from a person they had never met....That trip, and those parts appearing on scene enabled us to fix the car...This is truly an amazing community....Kudos to all!



"We're back here visiting with Karen Salvaggio as her crew repairs the damage from a roll over in qualifying....So tell us Karen, how are you feeling about the car flipping?"

[vnmsss]

After verifying that Dave Riha had not been injured, my concerns immediately turned to the reason for the roll over. Our entire team was speculating as to what could have happened to cause the car to go off track and roll. Having experienced the axle issues in the days leading up the to race, there was also great concern that something had happened to the rear suspension and creating a less than controllable situation. As we waited for the car, it was agreed that the very first thing to check would be the axles and their secure mounting in the differential.

Before the car was even lowered from the safety truck, our crew had checked the axles and we were relieved to verify that the axles were solidy in place and were not the cause of the incident. Our concerns then turned to further determining the cause of the off track excursion. As the car was being disconnected from the truck, I, along with members of our team, looked for Dave Riha, who had ridden back to the pits' in the safety truck. The car was here, but Dave was nowhere to be found......Where was he? Why wasn't he over here letting the entire crew, including me, know what had happened to the car?.....Not sure what he was thinking, but I eventually caught up with him, and after checking to see if he was OK, I was able to determine that nothing in the car's handling or performance had been the cause of the off track excursion. A simple drop of the wheels at track exit on six, and then a failed attempt to correct, resulted in the car spinning off track backwards, with the left rear wheel digging into the soft dirt and causing the car to roll.

All of the hours of preparation, the months of competition, in that moment, all seemed for naught.....The hours and hours of time and effort we had invested in the car in the days, weeks and months leading up to the race....All of the effort it took to get the car there, to orchestrate the parts, the efforts of each crewmember to make the 6, 8, 10 or even 12 hour drive to be with us at the track.....Were all lost in a nano-second of human error.

[vnmsss]

The picture of the Coupe on its roof is pretty uncomfortable for all of us.......To be clear.....I believed in Dave Riha, and the fact that he was driving my car is my responsibility....I own that.

As a professional driver, and someone that has taken the wheel of countless numbers of cars over the years, both on and off the track, I also know that I hold a responsiblity when I get behind the wheel. Maybe it's my years of military service, or something imbued in me from my upbringing, but there's a personal responsibility one holds for their actions. As racers, we've spoken many times among ourselves at the track, that what we're doing out there is nothing short of playing with fire...Anyone who thinks racing is anything less than that, is simply kidding themselves....Do cars get wrecked? Oh ya. Do people get hurt? With any luck, no, but the reality is, it happens. Can bad things happen to good people...You bet...Each time we get in the car, it's an assigned risk....Period.

All told, the most disappointing aspect of the incident was the stark reality that we had crossed the line; The line between winners and losers.....In that moment, all of the preparation and the readiness we had mustered for our competition was meaningless...We had arrived at the 25 Hours holding first place in the season points, needing only to run the six hours to secure the championship....In an unbelieveable twist of fate, as we headed into battle, we had fallen on our own sword, and our competitors were driving by the spectacle and heading back to their pit to scratch us off the list...We had already beaten ourselves.......Or, so they thought....

The rest of the story is a tribute to the dedicated individuals on our team who would seize victory from the jaws of defeat.....The winners.

[NicksPapaw]

WOW Karen. Reading this writeup is just an emotional roller coaster. If a person doesn't understand racing, all they need to do is read the previous posts. Thanks for the update. Oh, by the way, the Factory Five family of owners and supporters ROCKS!

[rocket]

After a week and a half, I still can’t describe what it was like riding the “25 Hr. roller coaster”. For me, it began with preparing the car for the Buttonwillow Enduro. I had only prepped my own car in the past and that was for sprint races. But, having driven with TVR the last three 25 Hr. races, I had a pretty good idea what was involved: LOTS OF WORK!!! After 2 months of cleaning, inspecting, replacing suspect parts, system checks, fluid changes, countless phone calls, trips to the machine shops, and a whole lot more, the Blue #28 was declared ready!
The group of men and women, who dedicated their time and energy to help with the 25 hr. effort, are nothing short of greatness. NOBODY stepped back from tackling an assignment. “Can’t” was not in the vocabulary for the entire weekend. Every time I strapped into the car to drive, I knew everyone had put their utmost effort to make the car safe and sound. Thank you all!!
Lastly, Karen, thank you for the friendship, respect, and trust that you have shared with me during this whole process. You are a deserving Champion!

[Hankl]

What we're doing out there is nothing short of playing with fire...

More like sitting in a pool of gasoline with two lit sparklers!!

Hank

[vnmsss]

Thanks Rick......I would not have been able to finish this season without your help, and the massive amounts of encouragement from Lady Diane (Uber "Team Manager")......Six years of fierce competition on track between us, and countless good times shared with our families and friends in the pits have left many good memories......It's come full circle my friend, and it was fitting that you and then I would drive the last two stints in the Coupe's racing history.....


They say "Greatness" is forged in the crucible of life, and is only earned through years and years of hard work, dedication and practice, practice, practice.......The members of Team Thunder Valley Racing indeed earned greatness last weekend......Each one of these folks are talented in their own right, and bring a wealth of experience to any task....But if you were to talk to each one of them, I believe you'd find that they are ordinary people who accomplished extraordinary things because they were focused on a task, were valued in their work, and selflessly dedicated their efforts in a relentless pursuit of a superordinate goal...Accomplishing something bigger than "self"......

These people and this team were indeed "great" that weekend, and the feeling of accomplishment in witnessing your team's car cross the ********** after 25 hours of grueling competition, knowing you faced adversity and overcame every challenge, is the lure that brings people back to the 25 year after year......

The Awesome Members of 2011 Team Thunder Valley Racing
TC McNett, John Card, Bill Robertson, Hank Lopez, Tracy Marshall, Diane Anderson, BaLinda McNett, Tracie Card, Roman Vaisman, Ryan Althoff, Molly McCarthy, Dale Althoff, Dave McNett, Doug Deffebach, Victor Penner, Mitchell Pinnix, Joshua Bligh, Jeremy Bligh, David Hodgkins, Phillip Hodgkins, Julie Smith and her sister Evelyn, Ron Stebles, Jud Shutts and Jeremy White.


Team Thunder Valley Racing Drivers
Rick Anderson, Dave Brown, Nick Steel, Jeff Awender, Dave Riha, and Karen Salvaggio

[Movieman]

Karen,
One thing I will promise you is that 20 years from now you will have forgotten what position you finished in but will remember the people of your team and how they
stood together on that weekend.
The older I get the more I realise is that it's the people you meet on this journey and the shared experiences that matter most.
The rest is all smoke and mirrors.

[NicksPapaw]

Amen Movieman, Amen!

[FFRSpec72]

What a great and wonderful accomplishment to have achieved !

[shlbygt]

I’ve had the privilege to serve on Karen’s team at the 25 Hour for the past five years. In each of those years the team has experienced moments that could have or should have put the car out of the race. Lesser issues than what TVR experienced has put other teams out of the race every single year.
However, at no time during any one of the races did I feel we would not finish the race with the car running competitive laps at the end. No walking wounded laps for Thunder Valley Racing.
It just never occurred to me that we would not finish, the only question in my mind was which position we’d be running at the end.

So what if the roadster gets hit in the driver’s side wheel by an errant Mitsubishi and screws up the wheel and axle. No problem, Andy and the gang will install a new axle and away we go.
In the middle of the night when the transmission goes wonky (from the original collision damage) a new transmission is installed and a busted rear end bracket is rewelded. Back out on the track as good as before and off we go to the finish.

Or the year the Coupe became affectionately known as the Exxon Valdez because of internal engine issues caused by a third party that forced the team to fill up the oil (15 quarts in total) and top off the fuel at each pit stop.
Heck yeah, you can run a 351 Windsor for 25 hours that is detonating due to .030 pistons in an almost .040 bore and nonexistent valve guides. Thanks unnamed engine builder, you are the best.

This year the car goes turtle during qualifying breaking the windshield and the suspension. Where do you find a Factory Five Coupe windshield in Willows CA on a Friday night? No problem, Karen has been dragging a spare windshield to the event for the past three years and the team finds a guy to install it at 10pm at the track. The repairs are finished just before rollout to pit road for the start of the race and the car runs like a champ.

That folks, is organization, preparedness and great team work.

Thanks for all the fun times Miss Karen.
Mitchell

[crash]

shlbygt-I found it ironic as I scrolled down reading your post which forum sponsor was being advertised at the bottom of the page.

As I always say "Luck favors the prepared!"

[vnmsss]

Santa Drives a Silver Fox Body..........



Lots of great stories from this year's event...The team had been put to the test on Friday night, and all through the race, heroes were everywhere…....One of the best examples of the sheer will and endless determination that defined this team was found in the early hours of Sunday morning....

The Coupe was amazingly still turning competitive laps and holding its own within the group...With less than six hours to the finish however, the car had developed serious brake issues. The drivers had been pumping the pedal prior to every turn for hours, but they were now reporting the pedal was going all the way to the floor, and even after pumping the pedal well before each turn, the car was rapidly becoming undriveable. After already having bled through almost three quarts of fluid in hopes of bringing the brakes bask up to serviceability over the previous six hours, the team decided to bring the car in make some big changes to the brake system, including changing calipers, rotors, and installing fresh pads, in the hopes of giving it their best shot to make it to the finish.

The team brought the car to the cold pit, and in the analysis of the issue, it was discovered that the master cylinder was leaking beyond repair, and the team set about looking for a new one....Quite a task to accomplish at Thunderhill, at 4:30 in the morning!…..The crew set about changing the rotors, calipers and pads on hand, but we would need to locate a new master cylinder to complete the repairs. Team Manager Diane Anderson and Lead Fueler Molly McCarthy set out on a parts walk, heading down pit lane, asking any team and anyone they could find if they might have a Ford master cylinder in the parts bin….The two walked for a long time, up and down pit row, and when they we just about out of options and all looked for naught, they came upon a sign which was trimmed with Christmas lights and was accompanied by a lit up plastic Santa, who was looking up the hill toward the garages…The sign read, “25 Hours teams needing help… Garage 25 is open all night” Diane looked at Molly and said, “Santa will help us!”

The two ran up the hill, or should I say hiked as fast as they could, having been up for more than 20 hours, and having battled the aftermath of rolled racecars and just about every challenge a racer could face. As the two rounded the corner of the garages, Diane spotted someone working on their car in one of the other garages, and she asked the person if they might have a master cylinder….The car he was working on was not a match, but he pointed to a silver car sitting in the darkness across from the garage and asked them if the master cylinder on that car would work…..Diane and Molly went over and to their amazement, it was a Fox Body 5.0 Mustang….Not knowing for sure if it was a match, they took a quick photo on their phone, and off they ran back to pitstall #5 to see if luck was in their favor.

TC and the rest of the crew were working on the car when Diane ran up, panting and nearly out of breath from the long run in the cold night air…..”Will this work!!??” It took a quick second for TC and the team to confirm that the master cylinder was indeed a direct match to the one on the Coupe, and Diane was off again on the long run back to the garages…..The owner, a racer himself and truly kind person fired the car up, and the entire team was amazed to see a silver Fox body 5.0 arrive on scene with just the ticket to secure the Coupe’s ability to finish the race. Yes, Santa drives a silver Fox Body!

[rely]

That is one cool story. Nice to be able to believe in Santa still!

[CheckerFFR]

My turn to weigh in on my experience at the 25. I'll try to keep it short and sweet. Let's set it up like a countdown. It'll be fun!

#8: Let's start with the wind. It was ridiculous! Everything that needed to be done and set up starting Thursday was put on hold until the winds died down so we might actually have awnings and tables left with stuff on them by the time the 25 started. The plus was NO RAIN though! The wind died down by Saturday morning and we were all very thankful.


#7: Team TVR had worked so hard with prep and while at the track to ensure the Coupe was ready for qualifying and for the race. The people and brain power that ran this operation was truly top notch!


#6: The heart-sinking moment that the #28 had not come in or been heard from after knowing that qualifying was black flagged and then red flagged due to a roll over was unreal. Then my worries turned into anger in the form a having a little bit of potty mouth while I watched the Coupe being towed in. It was truly a sad moment, but I never doubted our team and knew we would be back on the track to start the 25. I actually thought to myself, "Considering the car had the unpleasant experience of laying on it's roof, it really doesn't look THAT bad." I know Andy literally had a hand in taking great care that if there was no stopping the actual roll, he would do his best to have the car suffer as little damage possible. There really is no other explanation, especially considering most roll overs result in totaled cars and/or drivers being transported by ambulance or helicopter to the hospital, which had happened the previous day to the team from New Zealand.

#5: TC did a magnificent job of preparing the team before the car came in and was very nice about telling people if they didn't know what they were doing then stay out of the way. I loved how Tracie Card was right in the middle of all the action and when she wasn't handing over tools or running to find parts, she grabbed some cleaner and a rag and began giving the car a bath (btw: she stayed up the entire 25 hours and then some working logistics). The rest of us made sure there was hot food and delivered coffee to those working on the car. There was not one TVR team member that night sitting around doing nothing. As they say, "The show must go on," and we were working and planning everything as usual because the Coupe would be taking the green flag for the 25!


#4: I think I will skip the moment that the car was towed in and the driver that rolled the car was nowhere to be found. I will also skip the part that no explanation was given to our team about what had happened and why we would all be up past 1 a.m., 2 team members would have to make a 4 hour roundtrip to the bay area for parts to repair the damage done, and we would all have to wait to see if we would be enduring the entire 25 hours or what other resulting obstacles would come up. Personally, I don't know what's worse; having your bell rung by the roll over on course or having your bell rung by the words and questions coming out of the car owner's mouth after they have had to track you down after rolling their car? Having 30+ years of experience with the car owner, I choose not to be presented with those options. Aren't you glad I skipped this part???




#3: Watching the other teams and hearing the applause as the #28 was pushed to our grid position, which was surprisingly not what I would consider near the back, was incredible. I expected to be pretty much the last car since we didn't get a qualifying lap in before the unexpected event. I did know we would be in front of the Stock Car though since an unpleasant parking violation was charged to their team and they were guaranteed a last place start. Anyway, I'm sure our fellow EO competitors had counted us out, but no no, they obviously don't know team TVR very well! Our entire team was out there to witness the car take it's starting position and there was not a frown to be found. The group picture was taken, along with many, many more photos. #28 did have some new bling to show off in the rear quarterpanel from the shiny rivets used to put her fiberglass back together, but she looked great and ready to unleash the beast.




#2: I must share a small part of the conversation that was had in Ricky Bobby's trailer about who was going to drive the Coupe during the race. I loved it when mom (Karen) said, "I'm going to get in that car and drive and drive and drive until I just can't drive anymore. And then, I'm going to pit, get a drink, and drive and drive some more. I might just do the whole 25 myself. And if I get out (she points at Rick), you're getting in and you're going to drive until you can't drive anymore and then I'm getting back in and I'm going to drive until I can't drive anymore." Rick then zipped his jacket up over his head, stuck his thumb in his mouth, and curled up in the fetal position on the couch. Mom's sense of humor.....not intact..... it had been a long day! Any of you that were there to experience the initial thought that it was us rolled in a ditch, to the hours after the Coupe was towed in, will understand the adrenaline and hot blood flowing through the veins of the car owner could have really been enough for a person to realistically drive the whole 25. As the race began and our entire team stood in our pit box watching mom click off laps with no word of any further damage or concerns resulting from our experience the night before, we all began to breathe sighs of relief. We were now preparing for our first scheduled pit stop and focused on a penalty free race. Mom did end up handing her baby over to Rick after 3 hours and 44 minutes in the car. Way to go!


#1: You have all been reading about the rest of the race and I know the story hasn't concluded yet. I really am so fortunate to be a part of team TVR. The sheer determination and will team TVR has and the realistic thoughts that our car will start AND finish the 25 are incomparable to any other experience I have ever had. All of the positive energy and true teamwork that occurred during this weekend was truly magical. Being a part of the 25 is a once in a lifetime opportunity and TVR has run it 5 times. If you ever get the opportunity to join us, oh wait, this may have been our last 25........have no fear; I have heard this many times previous to this year, please come and experience this for yourselves. Having the internet, not too expensive; becoming a member of the forum to read about the Coupe at the 25, free; being a part of TVR overcome obstacles, win the 6 Hour, win a championship, and finish the 25 Hours of Thunderhill for the 5th year in a row, priceless!



Keep checking in for the remaining chapters of the 2011 25 Hours of Thunderhill as told by VNMSSS and other members of team TVR.

[Garry Bopp]

Thanks, Tracy! It's great to hear about the 25 hrs from as many voices as possible. TVR has a huge following and we all appreciate the updates.

Garry

[Tpa65cpe]

Thank's to the entire team for sharing with all of us on the forum this encredible story!! WOW!! The first great rule is "No matter what the odd's NEVER QUIT!" and rule 2 is "Victory love's dedication and preperation!!" My hat's off to the entire crew and support staff for this encredbile accomplishment!

[johnmdanskin]

I'm using the roll and the recovery as an inspirational story.
Way to persist!
Wow!