Hmmm, where to begin. It's been a LONG journey to this point, and if you're just joining us, you'd better go set yourself up with a bucket of Pop Secret or Orville Reddenbachers' and get a cold adult beverage, this could take a while. Once the 2002 season ended, we sold the Cutlass, the truck, the trailer, the tools, EVERYTHING. We had no intentions of racing again, but:
Midway through 2003, Mike espressed interest in going racing again, which was fine with Tom who missed it a great deal. After perusing many publications looking for a reasonably priced car with a little potential, a Dillon chassis Grand Prix was chosen, which was garaged in New Brunswick, Canada. It only took 2 trips to the heart of Northern Maine to retrieve the car, thanks to customs, and to the previous owner who wasn't quite prepared the first time, so approximately 1,200 miles of driving later, the Grand Prix was at last home on Cape Cod.
Next, a trailer was needed. This is where Bob shined, as he located a beautiful 28' Pace on eBay. He bid on and won the trailer quickly, and once again, Mike and Tom were on a road trip, this time to Dover, Delaware on one of the coldest days of the year, approximately -3. However, it was worth it, the trailer is great, and they promptly brought it home to perch.
Okay, now, what to tow all of this machinery with? We were going to use Toms' work truck, a 2000 GMC utility body with a 6.5L diesel. Plenty of power to do the job, but not exactly traveling in the lap of luxury or comfort. So, Mike bought a brand new 2004 GMC Sierra extended cab 4x4 pickup with a Duramax diesel. Tons of power, very comfortable, and plenty of room for the team members, problem solved.
Mike and Tom (mostly Mike, okay 98% Mike) worked on the car all winter, and it was finally ready to hit the track in June, 2004 for an SCCA Regional race at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, CT. It was a beautiful weekend, and there was a large GT-1 field for us to run in. Mike hadn't driven in almost two years, and we knew the Grand Prix was significantly down on power compared to most of the other GT-1 cars, but we were here to have fun, test the car, and make sure there were no major problems, leaks, etc. Mike qualified 9th of 11 GT-1 cars, that was fine with us, the car ran good, only a minor oil leak which we fixed. We also had to modify the exhaust to bring the noise level down, which we did successfully. The race began around 1pm, Mike was ready, and so was the car. He began well, got a good start, and his lap times steadily decreased with every lap, he was feeling good and looking good too, but on the last turn of lap 11, the motor blew, he was hit from behind, spun off the track, and the car caught fire! Mike quickly hit the fire bottle, escaped the car unharmed, and watched as fire consumed the Lexan windshield and fiberglass hood before corner workers put it out.
Okay, what now? Easy, the damage wasn't as bad as it first looked. Mike has already repaired all the bodywork, now we're just waiting for the new motor to be assembled and installed. So we'll be back in a few weeks, watch here for the details.
Okay, time has passed, what's happening with the car? Well, the car is now car(s) as we've purchased the former Banana Boat Camaro (check the photo page). The #73 Grand Prix is 99% done. The new car, the #79 Grand Prix, is in the process of being reassembled after a complete chassis-up rebuild (photos on the photo page, go figure). We also are happy to report, that we have a new driver for 2005, Brian LaCroix. Brian will drive the #79 car, and Mike will continue to drive the #73 car. Brian has a long, illustrious history in SCCA racing, as he has competed in, and won his share of, races in the EXTREMELY competitive A-Sedan class. Brian is a naturally talented driver, and we have no doubt he'll be wheeling that #79 Grand Prix around the track with the best of them. Check out the team page for a little bio on Brian.
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