Back to basics. updated: plan B.

Subject: Back to basics. updated: plan B. Sat Aug 23, 2008 4:08 am

I've made no secret of the fact that I haven't been able to race my Late Model for a while because of an injury that really easily could have killed me. The accident was the beginning of the end of my dreams of ever getting to the World of Outlaws LM division. Since then I have been hit or miss every weekend until this year where I have had to sit out the entire season. I know I should be grateful to be alive and I should be glad that I'm not in a wheelchair like my friend Brad (although it kind of worked for him since he's been announcing WoO races on ESPN, still I'd rather have my legs...I think).

Anyway, the last time I talked to my doctor he told me, "For God's sake, stay out of that damned car. Do you have some sort of death wish?" Well... OK, no. I thought I could be happy being on the edge of the track taking pictures and, it is fun. Still, I couldn't take watching friends on the track while I was stuck watching.

My spine, at best will take two or three years and maybe a couple more surgeries to heal. The Late Model can corner at nearly 3Gs when the track is tacky. My back simply will not take it without risking paralysis. So, I decided a couple of weeks ago to help a friend's son with his cruiser class car (full frame V8, 2600lbs, 8 inch tires, around 500hp). The kids got guts but not much skill. He's been complaining that the car doesn't turn. I've watched, the problem isn't the car, its the loose nut behind the wheel. Rolling Eyes

So, he asked me tonight if I'd like to take it out for hot laps and help him nail the handling. I did, I turned somewhere around a 16 flat lap, the class record is 15.45. This was with a car that was put together from junkyard parts (yes, I'm bragging).

I was expecting to be in traction and limp home, but when I came in from the hot laps I felt fine. My doctor (who is also the track doctor) asked me how it felt. Then we talked. These cars pull at best a little over 1G in the corners. They are slower so when you do wreck you have less momentum, the only way to find out if my spine would take it was to borrow the car for tonight's race. I did. I was leading most of the race until a tie rod snapped sending me full throttle into the infield and the retaining wall (see picture). I feel fine! OK, sore, massive headache, but no real damage. I'm having an X-ray done tomorrow. If everything looks OK I think I could race this division for a few years until my back heals.

Its not my Late Model, and I probably won't be able to carry over any sponsors, but its racing. So, the reason for the long story, my buddy Erick has the fire service for three tracks. We were talking, he thinks we can put together enough sponsorship to build a new car (I'd just pay for it myself but even these cost around 10 grand). SO depending on the X-Rays I will be putting together a new car this winter. It's a "hobby" class, but even so I thought I'd ask, would anyone like to see how race cars are built? I'm thinking of putting up a build thread on another site as the car comes together, if any-one's interested I could post it here as well.

Taking a header into the wall:

Back to basics. updated: plan B. LakevilleJuly2008549

Back to basics. updated: plan B. LakevilleJuly2008549

RC Addict Staff Number of posts : 154 Registration date : 2008-06-22

That sounds awesome, I would love to see a build thread. I'm happy to hear that your getting back into a car. I wish you luck!

RC Pro Number of posts : 316 Registration date : 2008-07-08

I'm a car nut, so Id love to see a build thread. Good luck with he x-rays and getting into a new car again. Them are some hot laps you turned out.

Schwenzo

RC Addict Staff Number of posts : 204 Registration date : 2008-06-18

I'm glad you are going back into a class that is semi-safe for you. I knew a little about you being injured but I couldn't recall seeing the explanation before.

If I knew it was as bad as you currently stated I think I would have suggested you becoming a car owner and finding a driver who brought in sponsor cash.

So how bad is the cost of running this class? What are the rules on the make/models you can use?

I'm guessing you will be the old sage in the class teaching the kids how to drive and possible help them move up in class in the future. Might not be what you wanted but getting to help others could be what you need to do. Maybe find the next Tony Stewart, Scott Speed or Jeff Gordon and get them to drive for you. Move him/her up the ranks while smooth talking sponsors.

Maybe we should convince Shaun to race that class, he's getting some experience by building his street car right now. I'm pretty sure we shouldn't convince him to race the Aerocoupe even if it was a legal car for the class.

RC Addict Staff Number of posts : 885 Registration date : 2008-06-21

It would be legal...a little too nice to tear apart, but legal.

I doubt that I'll be running up front a lot, this is a class that entire families live for in this part of the country. There's a lot of pride in racing a "real" car around here.
Oh, and I don't want it to sound like I was whining to much about my injuries, I've had far worse, without going into morbid detail there is a reason I jump all over people about fire safety.

I wasn't going to waste the space by printing the rules but then it dawned on me most people here probably never have seen build rules for any class. If you read through these keep in mind that many times what appears to be a rule is only a way of making you think creatively. For instance, the engine rules sound pretty rigid... but if there wasn't a lot of creative interpretation going on there wouldn't be a bunch of owners paying Brad Malcut (he's big in dirt engines in Ohio, PA, WV, Ky and IN) close to 7 grand to build their "stock" motor. I can't remember the last time they actually tore down a car to check so think of this set of rules as "guidelines." Very Happy

2008 Cruiser Rules
CAR:

Any 1955 to present eight-cylinder rear wheel drive sedan with a minimum stock wheelbase of 108".
No four wheel drives, pickups, mini vans, two-seat sport cars or station wagons.
Full frame cars only.

WHEEL BASE:

Must have a minimum wheel-base of 108 inches.
0 tolerance.

BODY:

Bodies - must be straight, sound, and OEM stock steel only and remain in the original location on the frame. Rubber body mounts must be used, no cutting, chopping, shortening or lowering.
Glass - All glass must be properly removed. All window openings must remain open.
Ornaments - all exterior chrome strips, mirrors, lights, and trim must be removed.
Upholstery - all interior upholstery must be removed.
Air Bags - Must be removed.
No Mirrors- all mirrors must be removed.
Radios - Radios and Antennas must be removed.
Grilles- plastic or metal must be removed and replaced with screen. Grille must retain original configuration.
Rear Quarter Panels - rear quarters may be fabricated. All home-made panel measurements must remain stock and in stock location. Track officials must approve panels.
Sheet Metal - all interior sheet metal used for patching, covering or cosmetic purposes will be minimum 20-gauge steel. The only cosmetic sheet metal allowed in the driver’s compartment will be the dash area and rear firewall. All others must be pre-approved.
Dash - may be removed for roll cage installation.
Light openings - must be covered, aluminum may be used
Gutting - The only sheet metal allowed to be removed will be listed in the rules below.
Roof - All metal bracing in the roof and roof post may be removed down as far as the bottom of the windshield and side windows. No lowering of roof allowed
Hood and trunk - latches must be removed and replaced with quick release hood pins. Hinges may be removed and must be replaced with quick release hood pins. No open hood scoops allowed.
Doors - inner structure, hinges and latches may be removed, doors must be welded shut. Doors may be fabricated with 22-gauge steel only and must be approved.
Floorpan - Stock steel unaltered floor pan must be used. The only alterations to floor allowed are to repair rust and may be raised 8” from center of drive shaft tunnel to door on passenger side. Minimum 20 gauge steel. No tunnels or air ducts.
Radiator - Any stock OEM or aftermarket radiator, Radiator support brackets may be fabricated. Must Remain in stock location. May use racing type coolant, antifreeze is not allowed.
Fan/shroud- all cars must be equipped with a fan shroud, may be fabricated.
Fender wells - Inner wells may be removed.
Fenders - may be cut a maximum of 3” above the tire and conform to original configuration.
Rear Fender Wells: inner rear fender walls may be removed. Any openings must be enclosed with minimum 20-gauge steel.
Firewalls - must be left in OEM stock location. All cars must fabricate firewall between driver’s compartment and fuel tank. The only alteration allowed is for installation of roll cage. Must be minimum of 20-gauge steel.
Speaker deck - must be left OEM stock.
Steering wheel - any steel wheel may be used. Outside steering column casing may be removed. Steel shaft may be used. If casing is removed, the shaft must be mounted with a heim joint. No tilt wheels. Quick release allowed.
Bumpers - Any OEM stock bumper in stock location. Brackets may be fabricated. Ends of bumpers are to be cut flush to the outer edge of body and capped. Caps must be attached to body. No holes in bumper.
Numbers - All cars must be numbered. Numbers must be painted on both doors and on the roof, 18” minimum height. Roof number must be read from the passenger side of the car. All numbers must be distinctly contrasting to the car color. No reflective numbers.

APPEARANCE:

Car must be neat in appearance, body damage must be repaired, and hood and trunk must be removable for inspection.

SEAT:

ALUMINUM Racing Seat required.
Must be on left side of car, no center steering.
Headrest required on right side.
Seat must be bolted to bars connecting to main roll cage.

BELTS:

A five-point safety harness belt must be fastened to cage or frame.

ROLL CAGE:

Roll cage-is mandatory and must be constructed with a minimum of 1 1/2” O.D. x .095 thickness steel tubing. Box tubing may be used to support the role cage.
The primary hoop must extend from both sides of the frame and meet the roof.
The bottom bar on the driver’s side must be welded to the floor, frame or box tubing with a minimum of three vertical pipes. The top bars will not be higher than the driver's shoulder.
2 bars minimum on the right side.
All parts of the roll cage assembly must be kept within the confines of the body of the car.
Full cage only.
All bars near the driver must be covered with padding.

BATTERY:

If the battery is mounted in the driver’s compartment it must be securely mounted and covered in a manner that will not allow it to leak or dislodge in an accident.

FUEL CELL and LINES:

Fuel cell is optional. 22 gallon maximum.
Tank or Cell must be securely fastened in the trunk of car to the frame or cage.
If fuel lines are run through inside of car, they must be inside of steel conduit.

TOW HOOKS:

Must have tow hooks on front and back, hooks must be easily accessible by tow truck operators.

WINDOWS:

Must have 3 bars minimum in front window area in front of driver’s head.
Screen is optional.
Driver’s side window net is mandatory.
No glass or plexy-glass allowed.

REPAIRS:

May use tubing for reinforcement and repair of original frame.
If a section of the stock frame is cut out it must be replaced with a stock piece of frame.

CHASSIS AND SUSPENSION:

Stock OEM only.

DRIVE TRAIN:

Drive train - All components must be in OEM stock location; mounts must be stock or stock replacement.
Transmissions - must be OEM stock for make and model, with all gears in working order.
Shifting levers - Stock only. No modifications.
Flywheels, clutch disc, and pressure plates - shall all remain stock or stock replacement for make and model. All units completely assembled must weigh within 3 lbs. of stock units. No lightening, turning or drilling allowed.
Drive shaft and axles - Stock OEM for make and model. No aluminum or lightweight shafts or axles allowed.
Rear-ends - Stock OEM for make and model of car. No Detroit Lockers. Rear end must be stock width.

BRAKES:

Stock four wheel hydraulic brakes required. No modifications allowed. No welding or modifying for disc brakes.
Stock master cylinders only.

TIRES AND WHEELS:

DOT Street Tires only. 7" maximum width.
Steel rims only. 7" maximum width.
Oversize lug nuts required.
Wheel weights are not permitted. Immediate disqualification.
No snow tires allowed.

ENGINE:

Engine must be OEM stock for make, model and year.
No porting, polishing, acid dipping, or balancing.
Manufacturer's performance parts are not allowed. All engine parts must be OEM stock or stock replacement passenger car parts only.
Oil pan - must be stock appearing.
Intake manifold - must be OEM stock for make and model. Aluminum allowed if car came equipped with one. Absolutely no modifications.
Timing belt/chain - must remain OEM stock.
Pulleys – All pulleys must remain stock OEM.
Smog pumps and Alternator - may be removed.
Water pump - OEM stock or replacement.
Ignition - must be OEM or OEM stock replacement. No after-market electronics
Fuel system - must be OEM stock for make and model and meet exact stock factory specifications. Fuel injected cars may not have a cold start or fifth injector working, must be removed and plugged. No added vacuum lines to the throttle bodies.
Stock OEM carburetor or stock OEM fuel injection for make and model.
Air cleaners - are mandatory and must remain under the hood. No holes in hood.

ALIGNMENT:

The engine must be in stock location.

HEADS:

Must be stock OEM for make, model and year. All cylinder heads must be conventional stock heads.

INTERNAL:

Valve job - must remain and meet stock factory specifications. No exceptions. No after market or swirl polishes allowed. OEM stock valve springs only.
Camshafts - replacement camshafts are allowed but must meet stock OEM specifications.
Rocker arms - must be stock OEM for make and model.
Crankshaft - must be OEM stock for make and model. No lightening, milling or balancing. No modifications.
Pistons and Rods - must remain OEM stock for make and model of car. No modifications or machining. All parts must maintain stock specifications. No Heron pistons.

FUEL:

Gasoline fuel only, no alcohol or other fuels allowed.

HEADERS:

Factory for make and model only.

MUFFLERS:

Mufflers are required on all cars - 100 decibels maximum.
Exhaust must exit outside the body parallel to the track.

CONDITION AND APPEARANCE:

All cars must be in good operational condition, presentable in appearance and in general safe condition.
All racecars are subject to judgment of the inspection officials.
No wings or tunnels of any type permitted under the car.

NUMBER APPEARANCE:

Car numbers must be a minimum of 18” high on the car doors and roof.
Do not use reflective colors.
Do not spray paint numbers on.
Duplicate numbers are not permitted. (A small letter does not change the number!)
Drivers are responsible for making sure that the numbers are legible for scorekeeping.

DRIVER SAFETY:

All drivers must wear an approved fire suit that is in good condition, including gloves and boots.
Full face Snell SA-95 or better rated helmet required.
NECK COLLARS MANDATORY -- HANS DEVICE, HUTCHENS DEVICE, OR HORSE COLLAR TYPE.
A fully charged and easily accessible fire extinguisher is required along with a window net .
Door plate must be on outside of driver’s door bars. Must be minimum 1/8” steel or 1/4” aluminum. Plate must be from rocker panel to top door bar with width from door post to door post.
Kill switch must be mounted in the dash area LEFT of the steering column, clearly labeled and accessible from outside the vehicle. MUST shut down ignition and electric fuel pump if so equipped.

ELECTRONICS:

No two way radios or other communication devices are permitted.
No “in-cockpit driver controlled” electronic devices of any kind permitted.
No driver accessible computer controlled devices of any kind permitted.

RC Addict Staff Number of posts : 885 Registration date : 2008-06-21

BilboBaggins wrote:: Maybe we should convince Shaun to race that class, he's getting some experience by building his street car right now. I'm pretty sure we shouldn't convince him to race the Aerocoupe even if it was a legal car for the class.

Hum

Maybe if... scratch

Back to basics. updated: plan B. Shaunracer

Naw... he'd never go for it.

Rc Master Number of posts : 481 Registration date : 2008-06-26

Lol

Well there are alot of rules and requirements on there. Bad part about racing all those rules. Looking foward to the build thread, good luck!

RC Addict Staff Number of posts : 204 Registration date : 2008-06-18

Yea, Shaun is a Drag Racer. I can't see him turning his baby into a dirt oval racer. But convincing him to go to the Junkyard and find a beater (maybe even another Areocoupe) to make into a dirt oval car would be fun.

RC Addict Staff Number of posts : 885 Registration date : 2008-06-21

musclecar201 wrote:: Lol

Well there are alot of rules and requirements on there. Bad part about racing all those rules. Looking foward to the build thread, good luck!

The ruls help because they level the playing field...but, yeah they can be a pain. I kind of like the old outlaw sprint car rules:

*Must look like a Sprint Car
*No power adders of any kind.
*Fuel injection only.
*RWD only.

That was it, and they were fast. Then the WoO came in and took over...now there are hundreds of rules. Sad

Bilbo, yeah, I didn't really think Shaun would sacrifice his car(too bad Laughing

) but I was bored and started to cut and paste just for the heck of it.

RC Addict Staff Number of posts : 204 Registration date : 2008-06-18

sidewinder wrote:: The ruls help because they level the playing field...but, yeah they can be a pain. I kind of like the old outlaw sprint car rules:

*Must look like a Sprint Car
*No power adders of any kind.
*Fuel injection only.
*RWD only.

That was it, and they were fast. Then the WoO came in and took over...now there are hundreds of rules.

There was a good reason they were called OUTLAWS. But rules make the sanctioning body more powerful. Razz

sidewinder wrote:: Bilbo, yeah, I didn't really think Shaun would sacrifice his car(too bad ) but I was bored and started to cut and paste just for the heck of it.

I can't see him running a gold car. Black, Blue, Red or White I can see. Personally I'd like to see it in Urban Camouflage, take the camo scheme but use fluorescent colors instead of olive/tan drabs. It would be easy to spot on the track.

RC Addict Staff Number of posts : 885 Registration date : 2008-06-21

OK, plan B: I got my back x-rays read a few weeks ago, they were not good. I had a pretty good clue that the news wasn't going to be good when I met the surgeon for the first time and he asked, "How much time do you spend in the wheel-chair each day?"
I answered, "Uh, none, why?"
He just shook his head and mumbled, "Oh, you must have a high tolerance for pain...good."

The bad news is, I'm having back surgery sometime this spring. Two doctors have said it's a 50/50 chance of helping, a 25% chance of crippling me from the waist down, but if it's not done there's a 100% chance I'll be in a chair for the rest of my life. I'm not worried too much, but I am annoyed. I wanted to be in a race car for as long as I could.

Talking to my doctor, he says to do what they say, stay out of any race car for a year, maybe two, and if things go well I may be able to get back into a Late Model. I haven't told him, but, if I can get back into a car I think it's going to be an Outlaw Sprint and hit the Ohio/Pa WoO shows.

Anyway, I decided at the track this weekend, I can't just not be involved in racing. Another thing happened that helped me decide what I should do; my cousin Kathy has a 15 year old son who has cancer. He's doing well, but it was close, and he's still not out of the woods. I went down to the Children's Hospital to see him, but before I could leave, I ended up talking to a ten year old girl who wanted to know why I looked sad. She stopped me and tired to cheer me up, talking to her mother latter I found out that she will be dead soon, they have begun palliative care. She was the strongest, happiest child I've seen in a long time. It made no sense, she knows and accepts her condition, she seems to have a good understanding of death; in fact, I think she's taking it better than I am, and I just met her. It broke my heart.
Children who get cancer die at six times the rate of adults who have cancer. There is no real progress in the research to help these kids because there isn't enough money to be made from a cure.

What's this have to do with racing? Well, everything! As I was watching the races it dawned on me that there is a captive audience of thousands every weekend at local race tracks. The reason any of us can afford to race is because the cars are rolling billboards and people do respond to the adds.

I don't have the details worked out yet but the plan so far is we use the captive audience, we hand out flyers to raise awareness of the problem, we get the track announcers to interview racers who will promote our cause, we get the racers to put a small sign on the car encouraging people to go to our website (which doesn't exist yet, but will soon). Basically, we expand one track at a time, one racer at a time, and we encourage people to call their representatives and ask them to increase funding for research. Eventually, I'd like to have a major sponsor (it wont be easy, but I'm good at talking people out of their money) and have a car in every major racing league in the country. Ok, that's a huge undertaking, and it may not be realistic...but if a ten-year-old girl can face death and still be happy, can still be concerned with someone she's never met who looks depressed, then I can do this.

I don't know how this will happen, but I do know THAT this will happen. I have long felt that the reason I was on this earth was related to racing, I never understood why I didn't make it to the big time; now I think I understand, my passion for racing was to enable this next phase of my life. My injuries are not the curse I thought they were, they are a way of slowing me down enough to see more clearly.

RC Addict Staff Number of posts : 204 Registration date : 2008-06-18

OK, How do I respond?

1. That sucks, being in a wheelchair is not good. I can tell you the owner of Williams F1 has been in a chair for decades and there is a crew chief in Nascar Sprint Cup who is in a chair, I just can't remember his name.

2. Kids with cancer seem to be able to handle the inevitable better than grownups.

3. That will be a huge undertaking. If you can pull it off it'll be bigger than Rick Hendricks organizations Leukemia charity.

RC Addict Staff Number of posts : 885 Registration date : 2008-06-21

Yeah, well it's not going to happen overnight. Very Happy

But I do have the support of five Ohio track owners so far, now I just have to figure out the details. How hard can that be? Shocked

I'm not THAT worried about the chair, I've beaten tougher things.

Admin Number of posts : 1017 Registration date : 2008-06-17

God, i was useing crutches long enough, i can even imagine a wheel chair!

RC Addict Staff Number of posts : 885 Registration date : 2008-06-21

Micro-T Master wrote:: God, i was useing crutches long enough, i can even imagine a wheel chair!

If you get a motorized one its kind of fun. I had one right after my big accident, but I knew I was getting out of it so I suppose it makes a difference. I did see one thing that kind of fit my twisted sense of humor; the motorized electric wheelchair land speed record is only 88mph. If I do end up needing one I plan on having one that will beat that by at least 20mph. I'm thinking brush-less, a stack of laptop lipos, and some sort of streamlined cover. Cool

RC Addict Staff Number of posts : 204 Registration date : 2008-06-18

sidewinder wrote:: If you get a motorized one its kind of fun. I had one right after my big accident, but I knew I was getting out of it so I suppose it makes a difference. I did see one thing that kind of fit my twisted sense of humor; the motorized electric wheelchair land speed record is only 88mph. If I do end up needing one I plan on having one that will beat that by at least 20mph. I'm thinking brush-less, a stack of laptop lipos, and some sort of streamlined cover.

Not going to put a MotoGP motorcycle engines on it?
Or how about a HEMI.

RC Addict Staff Number of posts : 885 Registration date : 2008-06-21

Well...Gas chair.

BTW, if you know anyone interested in a really cool schoolbus, this one's for sale just up the road. CoolBus

RC Addict Staff Number of posts : 204 Registration date : 2008-06-18

sidewinder wrote:: Well...Gas chair.

Good start but really they should have tried one of the racing chairs like the use in the Boston Marathon.
Racing Wheelchair.

There are even wheelchairs that can ue used like a mountain bike.
Whirlwind Roughrider
Explorer
Fourcross

sidewinder wrote:: BTW, if you know anyone interested in a really cool schoolbus, this one's for sale just up the road. CoolBus

That's cool but I think this one is cooler. American School Bus

RC Addict Staff Number of posts : 885 Registration date : 2008-06-21

I'm not sure I could get into that racing chair now. Laughing

The bus is cool, I checked out a couple of bus racing videos while on youtube--I have to try a figure 8 in a bus some day! Midvale Speedway down the road does them twice a year I think, I mean really how dangerious could they be? You have tons of sheet metal surrounding you. What a Face

Rc Master Number of posts : 802 Registration date : 2008-06-18

Omg you guy's are crazy with some of your idea's.

RC Addict Staff Number of posts : 204 Registration date : 2008-06-18

brushlessmicrodude wrote:: Omg you guy's are crazy with some of your idea's.

Cell Phones
Brushless Motors
Computers
MP3 Players
Cd's
DVDs
Internal Combustion Engines
Helicopters
Airplanes
Trebuchets
Gatling Guns
Machine Guns
Bow and Arrow
Air Filled Tires
Assembly Lines
Phonograph
Telephone

All were considered crazy ideas when thought up but now all are accepted technology.

RC Addict Staff Number of posts : 885 Registration date : 2008-06-21

brushlessmicrodude wrote:: Omg you guy's are crazy with some of your idea's.

You gotta be a little crazy, otherwise, what's the point in living? Very Happy

Rc Master Number of posts : 904 Registration date : 2008-07-10

that's a good quote i may use that at somepoint...
infact i just got a use thanks

the lug

RC Addict Staff Number of posts : 885 Registration date : 2008-06-21

rclugnut wrote:: that's a good quote i may use that at somepoint...
infact i just got a use thanks

the lug

Sure, have fun with it, I doubt that I was the first to think of it, but what the heck? It's true though, a little risk enhances life...now of course there is such a thing as just dumb, believe me I know. Laughing

In fact I can still remember how a few of my many, many scars happened.

One dumb thing to avoid is...oh wait, I'd better not say that. But, its was dumb, and its is funny...now, after everyone healed. affraid

Rc Master Number of posts : 904 Registration date : 2008-07-10

everyone healed... lol
i've only manage to inflict injury on my self doing dumb stuff... well phisically at least but you guys don't wanna hear about all that

the lug

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