I had a fun time racin'! I took 3rd place in the "Stock, 400cid and less" class in the mud-bog. I bombed through the 200' pit in something like 7seconds (I think that's right). In the modified class it was more like 10 or so since Pansy Comer blasted through the pit *sideways* right before I went.. I got out of the "groove" and into the goop.
Pansy has two first-place finishes in the mud-bog (1st Modified 400- and 1st X-Open ("outlaw" whatever)) while John Comer got.. 1st in the men's modified (I think.. maybe it was third).
Unfortunately, Banshee "sneezed" on Mr.C's X-class run through the impassible bog (for the first run with Stock & Modified, it was a "fast track".. for the Unlimited/Open class and then a re-run of the other classes, it was IMPASSABLE.) with the Nitrous on.
Dunno if that was what did it, or if Banshee was ailing before that (so much mud was caked into everywhere the plug wires were grounding out).. but the small-block is now seized..
They didn't get to run the obstacle or baja. :-(
Spent $20 at the carwash on just getting Banshee's motor visible, and another $20 getting my rig hosed off well enough to find the motor and the tie-rod.
Bent my front clip from all the sticky mud that clung to it. :-(
I needed a new tie-rod for my rig since the original Chevy unit was pretty sloppy and had developed a "death wobble" on washboards.. I put a new tie-rod on for the obstacle race on Sunday, but Checker gave me the wrong short-side end, so I had about 2" of toe-out.. but they were calling for me to race..
7 minutes-something on the course.. I KNOW I could've done much better if it had handled well.
Comers didn't have the camera rolling when I first started, but at least they got to watch it.. I didn't get to pre-run (parade lap) the course, so I didn't know what to expect.. I was in 3rd gear low and *scootin' when I (unknowningly) came upon the first jump and... woaahhhh.. Little Devil left terra-firma well behind.. surprisingly, the landing didn't hurt. The SOA suspension soaked it up.. I tagged the bump stops at some point.. dunno if it was that jump or not, but it didn't hurt anyhow... felt pretty good.
Then I started driving nicer. I landed the jump, and things got VERY shaky. I thought I had dented the front driveshaft when I landed (I did rub the tranny shield).. instead, it was just the severe toe-out, and the 33" Mudders that caused the shaking.
I got it back under control and realized it wasn't a bent 'shaft.. but I couldn't really get on it in the straight aways even because the front end was fighting me so much.
The full-width axles combined with the toe-out to make me climb the sides of the course on more than one occasion.. sure thought I had a chance at testing the rollcage a few times.
Finished my race and did an inspection.. noting only the shiny spot on the 'shaft and where I'd hit the trans shield.
My GF Michelle then went back out and took a turn on the course.. she was doing well right up until the end.. when she finished off the 19gal of fuel. D'oh. I didn't think the Comer-motor would be *THAT* thirsty, but it is.
Almost rolled while being towed out.. once again, the toe-out Buckshots grabbed the side and yanked us up
the hillside. Without power steering, and the quick-ratio ( low assist) steering setup, Michelle had a hard
time turning out of the roll, but she did. I then had to limp it back.
My friend Blair's '81 Bronco that he threw together last week held up just fine all weekend until the last lap of
the 1hr long "Baja" race when he split the aluminum NP208 apart.. he was tied for 1st in the Obstacle race.
(Blair is a one-time Scout racer and he keeps giving me his left-over parts (like half of my racer) so I let him
hang out with me still.
The 350cfm Holley 2300 w/ #72 jets doesn't flow enough to run my 304 beyond 4000rpm. First pass through
the mud-bog I thought it was getting wet when it was sputtering.. second time I looked at the tach and
noticed it was sitting pretty steady just above 4,000 in 2nd.
I have the 500cfm handy now.. it showed up too late to be of use for the weekend. :(
I didn't run the Baja race since I was out of fuel and I had JUST put the old (worn out) tie-rod end (of the
correct length though) on and didn't really feel like breaking anything BAD..
The new motor held together, I took a 3rd place plaque home, and everything seems to be in pretty good
shape. Michelle ran her first race, and took home 1st place.
Now I have to spend another $20 or better making enemies at the car wash getting everything cleaned up so
I can re-tighten various components and get ready for the next race in Lolo, Montana this coming weekend
(July 1-2, near Missoula, MT)
Oh yeah.. while towing home, not 100 miles from Billings.. I blew another rocker arm off.
Dan Phariss from Big Timber showed up to watch the mud racing on Saturday, and Dan Shields of Billings
drove his '74 SII with 2" + SOA in the obstacle course.
This mud is YUCKY.
Many thanks to Super Scout Specialists, The Binder Bulletin, 4x4Play, and especially John and Pansy
Comer, the Gryphin Racing Team.
This 304 *works*. :-)
Next weekend I get to run the drags and the obstacle course.. I might get my chance to show those Jeeps a
thing or two..
-Tom Mandera, Helena MT
Other Races
Copyright 2000, Tom Mandera