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Posted March 19, 2010 in News, fp by RD3

Gearing up for the 2010 season

After a long off season that saw the #84 Super Stock, aka “Trish” cooped up in the trailer, we finally got to test again. The car sat in the trailer since the BabyCancer.Org Christmas Party because of the cold weather here at home. We pulled the car out and began preparing it, going through the car part by part. Some things we checked and changed, others we thought would be fine. Cody Fisher, last years Super Stock Rookie of the Year in the #64 FreckledHound.Com Chevy came over to help me work on Trish. Rich Jr, the boss, took a step back and watched us preform work on the car. We started by pulling the motor, clutch, and transmission so we could make sure everything was in good shape. The motor was freshened by Bill Loe Race Engines. We put a new clutch disc in and Cody, my dad, and I dropped the motor back in and put it all back together. My little sister Nicole did the parts chasing for us, and only got one wrong thing; while my girlfriend, Amanda, BBQ-ed lunch for everyone.

Dennis “The Toolmater” McDonald came up the following weekend and we took everything out of the trailer and scrubbed the floors and reorganized it all for the new season. Cody Fisher came back up to help and we worked on the brake system of the car, which consisted of changing the bearings and seals, and putting new brake pads and rotors on the front and rear the the #84 machine. The last step was installing the clutch and transmission, which Pops and I did during the week. Everything went together smoothly and we were set to practice.

 

We arrived at the track to shake down Trish and make sure she wouldn’t have any problems. The first session I found out what the spoiler change would do to my car, and it did everything they wanted; it slowed me down and took away the downforce I had last year. I had a decent run and went off into turn one and before I knew it I was spinning backwards. Trish stayed out of the wall and I brought it in to get ready for next session. The next time out the car was running pretty good, only two laps in when there was a caution for a crash. Gary Read had lost the grip on the rear like I had and he hit the wall. Under caution the car started filling up with smoke and Cody, my spotter for the day, said to bring it in so we could check it out. I told him I saw the smoke and was planning on coming in and pulled off immediately. Back in the pits we found one of the hoses with a big crack in it and power steering fluid everywhere. Dennis and Amanda cleaned the car while my dad built a new hose. We put the hose on and filled it back with power steering fluid.

I went on track one more time and had some power steering issues. The pump kept cutting in and out so it was hard to steer consistently and I decided I didn’t want to put Trish in that kind of jeopardy so I parked it. The team and I decided the practice was not worth destroying a car and we loaded up and called it a day. The practice was a bit of luck for us, because those mechanical issues would have happened opening night, but instead they happened in practice so no harm, no foul.

I would personally like to thank Turn 4 Studios, FreckledHound.com, Cleaning Plus Janitorial, The Americas Baby Cancer Foundation, Midvalleysports.com, Laps for Little Ones, BcSportsimages.Com, Low Budget TV, Bill Loe Race Engines, and Rons Rear Ends.

I would also like to express my appreciation towards my crew and my family: Dad, Debbie, Nicole, Amanda, Cody Fisher, Dennis McDonald, Jason, Steve Mason and our guard dog, Spooky. None of this would be possible without their help and support, so thank you all.

THANK YOU FANS AND SUPPORTERS OF DELONGRACINGINC.COM! See you opening night, March 27, 2010.

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FAN OF THE WEEK

  • ~ FOTW: Spooky ~ off season 2009/2010

    Since we haven't started the season yet, the "fan of the week" could only go to.... "Spooky", our shop dog, who has fearlessly guarded the race car during this long, cold winter. Love ya Spook!

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