Dave532
15+ Year Contributor
- 98
- 0
- Jun 5, 2006
-
Minneapolis,
Minnesota
Lake Superior Pro Rally 2002
Oct 19,20 2002
Houghton, MI
Pre-Race: Once I threw my 'new' blown motor, I re-installed the old rally motor. I tightened every last bolt and triple-checked everything on the car. I still had vivid memories of this rally last year and I knew how hard it could be on my 200,000+ mile DSM.
Assuming my PGT competitors didn't have any problems, I had to win both days to secure the Divisional Championship.
Bob was available again as my co-driver and we were both prepared to do whatever it takes to win as he was vying for Co-Driver's Championship as well.
With the help of my sponsor, Metric Auto Works, I was able to secure an outstanding deal on some new Hella 4000 HIDs.
Though I had few complaints about my current KC/Hella setup, the 40+ amps they were drawing were taking a toll on the electrical system and overall power. I was very eager to try the new Hellas on the stage and see what overall effect they had.
Friday: We arrive in the beautiful autumn countryside of the UP in Michigan again. Meet up with old friends in the Library and already start talking about we are going to do next year. Bob I get registered and the car passes tech again (whew!). I fit the car with the Michelin's and hope for the best.
Stage 1: Though it is not actually raining yet, the day is overcast with threats of various precipitation...like myself, most teams bring every tire they have...you can encounter anything from dust to snow at this time of year in the UP. We start to get back in the groove and set a respectable time. I am always relatively slow on the first stage.
Stage 2: Though I forget the name, I distinctly remember this car-beating stage. With my rally-proven wheels, tires and suspension I confidently keep the right foot down. We have raced on this stage before, we can do it again.
Stage 3: A short rough stage. I start pushing as hard as I can, assuming all my PGT competitors are faster. There are alot of new WRX's in the field and even in stock trim they are hard to beat...the only apparent weakness is a soft 2nd gear but I know by next year they will have that solved.
Service: Night falls quickly this time of year so we mount the lights in preparation for my favorite/most hated stage...Passmore. Bob checks the times and it looks like we are currently 2nd in class. I have to make up some time before the end of the night. A mixture of rain, sleet and snow has started.
Stage 4: A light drizzle helps to keep the dust down but the roads are getting slippy. We hit our lights and push the best we can. We make some good time here driving at 10/10ths. The new Hella HIDs are absolutely incredible. There is nothing I cannot see with these 4 pencil beams. Expensive but worth every penny. Not only does the light reach as far as I can see but it is very bright and truly white. A glance at the Volt meter verifies my hopes...the electrical system is not encumbered by these lights at all. I guess going from 500 watts to 100 really makes a difference!
Stage 5: Passmore: Snow is falling but not accumulating on the stage. I REALLY wish I could afford more tires to deal with a wider range of conditions like these but I have only a couple sets to work with. This stage is long, fast, technical...everything you want in a stage. Last year I had a minor embarrassing off and I swore not to repeat my error.
Bob is calling the notes expertly and I am taking advantage of the HIDs and the AWD. Very slippy and unpredictable but I need this win so I push as hard as I can. We pass a couple cars on stage and set a good rhythm. About halfway through the stage suddenly the steering becomes extremely loose. During corners it feels like the front end has a mind of its own. On the straights it still feels a bit twitchy but I can still push hard. For 5 more miles I drive as hard as I can, catching the car in the corners as it violently swings from side to side. I yelled at Bob not to be concerned but I wasn't sure that whatever was loose wasn't going to completely fall off. Toward the end of the stage, we get passed back by one of the cars we passed earlier....I hate that feeling.
Service: We finish the stage but with a horrible time...my hopes were not very high. We limp back to service hoping the wheel doesn't fall off. Luckily the Metric Auto team is part of my Service Crew this weekend and they quickly look into my issue with the steering. Once I am out of the car I feel my stomach and arms start to cramp up badly. It was so intense trying to 'catch' the car as it would randomly choose its direction, that my body was now starting get it's revenge. I had to sit down for 30 minutes and drink as much water as possible in attempt to get 'loosened up'.
In the meantime, the Metric crew found my issue...a loose lower ball joint on the right front. The nut was keeping it in the control arm, but it was completely out of it's socket. It appears the snap ring was knocked out of the "trench" which keeps the ball joint in place. I was just another victim of the toughest rally in America.
In retrospect, I believe I cut a corner too sharp and struck a culvert. Which is even more embarrassing considering Bob had yelled "Don't cut!" from the notes
The Metric crew replace my control arm in record time and I inhale a burger right before we have to hit the stages again.
Stage 6: Passmore II. Though my Championship hopes are probably gone I keep telling myself anything can happen. I have to make up something like 2 minutes in the next 2 stages. We are seeing every form of precipitation in varying strengths now depending upon our elevations. We start the stage and it is immediately noticeable the stages are much more slippy now...snow, mud, loose pea-shaped gravel...all contribute to the difficult conditions. The repaired suspension is working well and I start driving at 10/10ths. Bob and I synced perfectly. I knew this was an all or nothing scenario and I committed 100% to every corner.
Tap brakes, rotate, full throttle again and again, over and over. I still believe that was the best driving I have ever done up to that point in my life. Bob's calls were perfect and we start passing cars on stage like they were standing still. The car was sliding everywhere but the DMS suspension was predictable and I just kept my head down until...
About a mile from the stage I set the car up for a 3rd gear left hander. This time, however, it doesn't rotate and I watch the trees come closer and closer to the right front...the car's not turning! We go off into the trees at about 50 mph. We bounce over a large rock and I hear the radiator get punctured by a small tree.
Bob throws out the Triangles and OK sign while I survey the damage; coolant leak, bent radiator support, crushed cat converter and a bent control arm...the same one we just replaced!!
I look back on the corner to see what happened. Apparently there was a long wide clump of wet leaves on the right side of he corner that just sucked me in to the trees and off the road.
Bob and I were angry and very disappointed...even if we didn't win, that was the best stage we had EVER had before the off. We were completely in sync. Everything was going so well. WTF
Saturday: Our last DNF of the year
. We could not effect repairs quickly enough to get the car ready for Saturday's rally so we packed up and headed home. The Divisional Championship was lost and I had more repairs to do. Lesson learned; tac weld the ball joints in the control arms as insurance. As a small consolation we did secure the Regional Championship and were invited to the National ClubRally Championship in Missouri in February.
All that expenditure of time and money to end up with a finish like this
It was a very long and depressing tow home.
The good news was that Bob agreed to co-drive for me again during 2003 season which started at Sno-Drift Pro Rally in two months time.
I resolved to try even harder next year, learn from my mistakes and take the 2003 Divisional Championship. Period.
Disclaimer: The exact order and/or number of stages may not be entirely accurate as I am generating this recap entirely from memory. I
am conferring my strongest memories from each event. Everything recorded is true...just not necessarily in the correct order
Oct 19,20 2002
Houghton, MI
Pre-Race: Once I threw my 'new' blown motor, I re-installed the old rally motor. I tightened every last bolt and triple-checked everything on the car. I still had vivid memories of this rally last year and I knew how hard it could be on my 200,000+ mile DSM.
Assuming my PGT competitors didn't have any problems, I had to win both days to secure the Divisional Championship.
Bob was available again as my co-driver and we were both prepared to do whatever it takes to win as he was vying for Co-Driver's Championship as well.
With the help of my sponsor, Metric Auto Works, I was able to secure an outstanding deal on some new Hella 4000 HIDs.
Though I had few complaints about my current KC/Hella setup, the 40+ amps they were drawing were taking a toll on the electrical system and overall power. I was very eager to try the new Hellas on the stage and see what overall effect they had.
Friday: We arrive in the beautiful autumn countryside of the UP in Michigan again. Meet up with old friends in the Library and already start talking about we are going to do next year. Bob I get registered and the car passes tech again (whew!). I fit the car with the Michelin's and hope for the best.
Stage 1: Though it is not actually raining yet, the day is overcast with threats of various precipitation...like myself, most teams bring every tire they have...you can encounter anything from dust to snow at this time of year in the UP. We start to get back in the groove and set a respectable time. I am always relatively slow on the first stage.
Stage 2: Though I forget the name, I distinctly remember this car-beating stage. With my rally-proven wheels, tires and suspension I confidently keep the right foot down. We have raced on this stage before, we can do it again.
Stage 3: A short rough stage. I start pushing as hard as I can, assuming all my PGT competitors are faster. There are alot of new WRX's in the field and even in stock trim they are hard to beat...the only apparent weakness is a soft 2nd gear but I know by next year they will have that solved.
Service: Night falls quickly this time of year so we mount the lights in preparation for my favorite/most hated stage...Passmore. Bob checks the times and it looks like we are currently 2nd in class. I have to make up some time before the end of the night. A mixture of rain, sleet and snow has started.
Stage 4: A light drizzle helps to keep the dust down but the roads are getting slippy. We hit our lights and push the best we can. We make some good time here driving at 10/10ths. The new Hella HIDs are absolutely incredible. There is nothing I cannot see with these 4 pencil beams. Expensive but worth every penny. Not only does the light reach as far as I can see but it is very bright and truly white. A glance at the Volt meter verifies my hopes...the electrical system is not encumbered by these lights at all. I guess going from 500 watts to 100 really makes a difference!
Stage 5: Passmore: Snow is falling but not accumulating on the stage. I REALLY wish I could afford more tires to deal with a wider range of conditions like these but I have only a couple sets to work with. This stage is long, fast, technical...everything you want in a stage. Last year I had a minor embarrassing off and I swore not to repeat my error.
Bob is calling the notes expertly and I am taking advantage of the HIDs and the AWD. Very slippy and unpredictable but I need this win so I push as hard as I can. We pass a couple cars on stage and set a good rhythm. About halfway through the stage suddenly the steering becomes extremely loose. During corners it feels like the front end has a mind of its own. On the straights it still feels a bit twitchy but I can still push hard. For 5 more miles I drive as hard as I can, catching the car in the corners as it violently swings from side to side. I yelled at Bob not to be concerned but I wasn't sure that whatever was loose wasn't going to completely fall off. Toward the end of the stage, we get passed back by one of the cars we passed earlier....I hate that feeling.
Service: We finish the stage but with a horrible time...my hopes were not very high. We limp back to service hoping the wheel doesn't fall off. Luckily the Metric Auto team is part of my Service Crew this weekend and they quickly look into my issue with the steering. Once I am out of the car I feel my stomach and arms start to cramp up badly. It was so intense trying to 'catch' the car as it would randomly choose its direction, that my body was now starting get it's revenge. I had to sit down for 30 minutes and drink as much water as possible in attempt to get 'loosened up'.
In the meantime, the Metric crew found my issue...a loose lower ball joint on the right front. The nut was keeping it in the control arm, but it was completely out of it's socket. It appears the snap ring was knocked out of the "trench" which keeps the ball joint in place. I was just another victim of the toughest rally in America.
In retrospect, I believe I cut a corner too sharp and struck a culvert. Which is even more embarrassing considering Bob had yelled "Don't cut!" from the notes
The Metric crew replace my control arm in record time and I inhale a burger right before we have to hit the stages again.
Stage 6: Passmore II. Though my Championship hopes are probably gone I keep telling myself anything can happen. I have to make up something like 2 minutes in the next 2 stages. We are seeing every form of precipitation in varying strengths now depending upon our elevations. We start the stage and it is immediately noticeable the stages are much more slippy now...snow, mud, loose pea-shaped gravel...all contribute to the difficult conditions. The repaired suspension is working well and I start driving at 10/10ths. Bob and I synced perfectly. I knew this was an all or nothing scenario and I committed 100% to every corner.
Tap brakes, rotate, full throttle again and again, over and over. I still believe that was the best driving I have ever done up to that point in my life. Bob's calls were perfect and we start passing cars on stage like they were standing still. The car was sliding everywhere but the DMS suspension was predictable and I just kept my head down until...
About a mile from the stage I set the car up for a 3rd gear left hander. This time, however, it doesn't rotate and I watch the trees come closer and closer to the right front...the car's not turning! We go off into the trees at about 50 mph. We bounce over a large rock and I hear the radiator get punctured by a small tree.
Bob throws out the Triangles and OK sign while I survey the damage; coolant leak, bent radiator support, crushed cat converter and a bent control arm...the same one we just replaced!!
I look back on the corner to see what happened. Apparently there was a long wide clump of wet leaves on the right side of he corner that just sucked me in to the trees and off the road.
Bob and I were angry and very disappointed...even if we didn't win, that was the best stage we had EVER had before the off. We were completely in sync. Everything was going so well. WTF
Saturday: Our last DNF of the year
. We could not effect repairs quickly enough to get the car ready for Saturday's rally so we packed up and headed home. The Divisional Championship was lost and I had more repairs to do. Lesson learned; tac weld the ball joints in the control arms as insurance. As a small consolation we did secure the Regional Championship and were invited to the National ClubRally Championship in Missouri in February.All that expenditure of time and money to end up with a finish like this
It was a very long and depressing tow home.The good news was that Bob agreed to co-drive for me again during 2003 season which started at Sno-Drift Pro Rally in two months time.
I resolved to try even harder next year, learn from my mistakes and take the 2003 Divisional Championship. Period.
Disclaimer: The exact order and/or number of stages may not be entirely accurate as I am generating this recap entirely from memory. I
am conferring my strongest memories from each event. Everything recorded is true...just not necessarily in the correct order
