Motor break in & TrailGlow light testing.

Ok Saturday the 11th week before the night race and we just installed Kitts new motor last weekend and headed out this weekend to test the motor and make sure it is going to run.
We also needed to break it in before we just head off on a 200 mile race in 110 degree temps....

Arrived at 4pm and temperature at Barstow was 106 and a slight breeze.
Next weekends reports say it will be as much as 6 degrees hotter!
Our goal was to run the new motor about 4-5 times for no more than a half hour let cool and repeat.

Our first run was great you could feel the new cam as we hit the river bed and she had no bogging even though we ran her slow and shifted before the rpms would get very high.

She really runs great. I am also impressed with how easy she starts and idles.
The new cam does make the motor shake a little but runs great.

Pepper needed to get seat time as driver as she is driving the next race, so she drove all day long. Plus I changed out the clutch and disc to make it easier on Pepper to shift and drive. So she needed to get used to the new clutch also.


Well the motor did great and soon Pepper was giving rides to people.
I am glad that Martee and Mark who have always been there for support and helping us.. not to mention taking Awesome Photos!! was finally able to get to take a ride in Kitt. Yes a very slow Sunday drive as we never pushed the motor at all but still at least a ride.

Thanks so much to Jen and Tony for the dinner that was awesome... you guys are always so nice to us. That chicken salad was great.


Here is a quick video of Pepper and Martee running through the roughest and largest whoops at Barstow where everyone was testing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpyCJTxcADA


Like I said smooth and yes a little slow but we were there to break in the motor. Next weekend we will double our speeds through this section and the shocks are all set so I know they will handle it.
(On a side not for the shocks I wanted to make a little adjustment but did not bring any allen wrenches.. so what did I find laying in the dirt just in front of Kitt the exact allen wrench I needed to make the adjusment! Now that is a good sign!)

Also as we did not make it into the night last race Pepper was able to take Mark for a ride just at dark and they were able to see how the the TrailGlow lights were adjusted. Now we are ready and I feel better going into next weekends night race with the lights set.

Here is a quick night shot of the car all lighted up with TrailGlows lights and panels... also notice at the start of the video another car with 8 headlights on and they are still not as bright as our 6 trailglows!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoiIg-d6cYk

Great lights TrailGlow and we love the light up number panels.

People say it all the time but especially from the back Kitt looks like some Mars rover! Now even more so at night... ha ha...





It was nice to meet up with several people while testing, OC pools we hope you guys do great and nice talking with you as always.
DSMS or most of you know them as DAMZL, you guys are so fun and we enjoy any time we get to hang out with all of you.
Martee and Mark thanks for the conversation, support and glad we were able to give you guys a ride finally in our little car. Thanks for the kind words and glad she rode nice for you.

Matt from Caveman and your lovely wife + friends... great to meet and see all of you you. Hope to see all of you and talk to everyone more at the up coming race.
Matt good luck and if you need anything stop into our pits, we have a welder, tools and with my brother and his 9 car we may even have a part or two you may need.
If not just keep running and do great as you look good out there.
Always a pleasure and we look forward to talking and hanging out with you more soon.

Well today I will tighten everything one more time, grease and prep and that is about it I think Kitt is as good as she can get.
I am a little worried as it is a new motor we are just going to have to hold back and take it a little easier in my opinion but I think we will be fine.
Once this race is behind us I will feel much better and less stressed about the motor. She seems fine and sounds great so I am sure all is fine. We shall see.

Pep your a great driver and I will do my best to pre point out the track and what's up ahead before we get to it.
I know you will do fine I am just worried about Kitt not you, your doing great.
Looks like we will have to drive into the sun for 2 hours before it sets! Dang
But we will manage. At night we will slow down a little and take it more easy until your comfortable with driving fast at night and then it is up to you. I will help to warn you on the hills, cliffs rough sections etc. and the rest drive what you feel safe to do.

Good luck next weekend and I hope we can put Kitt and you back into the podium and a top 3 finish!
Although you just have to finish to stay points champion pretty much, it is always nice to come home with a trophy for your hard work and long hours behind the wheel. As long as we don't break and we will be fine.

Just remember the most important thing above all else is to Just have fun.

ahhhhh what a relief! Kitt ran so goooood. It was very hard for me to give rides and run her without wanting to just open her up. Kitt was ready to play

Mark and Martee...You will have to get a ride when I can step it up with her, you just dont get the full effect sunday driving like we did. Jen, Tony, Nick, Brandon, Megan, Kalie, and the entire group from DSMS, it was a great time hanging out and "relaxing" more or less when the cars were not out running around. Jen thanks for Dinner, YUMMMM I always get such great ideas what to get from Costco when you feed us! Matt and Lisa as always so nice to see you...It was nice to meet your friends Casey and Becca too. (i hope thats right, I have a hard time remembering names). Its always nice to see new faces out enjoying a sport that is so fun! Matt, it was nice talking with you and your brother at the end of the night, I am glad to hear everything went well and have nothing but best wishes for you in this next race....Your doing great and would love to see you on the podium at the end of the year! Lets go out and have fun, finish, and share some "driver" stories this time maybe over the pool!!! Renee from OC pool it was great to see and talk to you again and finally get to meet your husband Mike.

Paul and Brodie with TrailGlow, the little bit of time I drove Kitt into the dark, her lights were AWESOME!!!! I can not wait to have Kitt out there lighting up the desert and believe you me, she will. I hope you got to see the little video Tut posted of me running past pits all lit up!! Thank you Thank you thank you!! I really hope you get a chance to come out and Brodie you are welcome to camp out with us!

Tut, I know you only got about 20 min in the car with me, but I still will never be able to thank you enough for all your hard work, blood, sweat and cursing that goes into making Kitt possible. I really enjoyed helping to put the motor in last weekend with you and learn just that little bit more. I feel like we have some good Karma going into this race, and Ill be out getting Kitt all clean and shiny today while you are sleeping. I feel great, although a little nervous about driving into the night, that dusk time is kinda crappy to see... But WE will do fine. I trust you completely and know you will do a great job co-driving! I will do my best to get our checkered flag, and give a wave to mr Bill M. there at the finish line. You always help keep me focused and confident so lets go out there and enjoy the day!! We will have great friends and family out there supporting us and of course I feel Kitt is ready to go!!!
Thank you again to everyone out there this weekend helping us break in the motor, and see ya all in a few days!

Hey Tut and Pep its good to hear the break in went great. I am looking forward to next weekends race. As your “crew chief” I came up with a night time strategy. (Look at pic above) When the sun goes down pepper you need to drive backwards and the other cars will pull over thinking you are a cop. (maybe I shouldn’t give out strategies online. Dame I suck at this.)

Anyways Chris, Christine and I will stop by tech this Friday and say hi on our way out. By the way what time does tech start.

See you guys later

oh my gosh Jason, that is some funny stuff. Yeah we had a good day, just got done cleaning and spit shinning her. She is all ready to go and we feel real good!

It will be great to have you there..."crew chief" I hope with any luck she will not need too much attention on pits, but you never know....

I think Tech is from 5-9 on Friday just like usual

I am not sure what time we are going to get there. I am off Friday, so I can help load and everything with Tut. We will keep ya posted.

Lets keep our "strategies" ha ha ah to private messages

She really did look awesome out there at night though!

I am so glad she ran well. I am very excited for the race next weekend. Every girl needs a little pampering to re-energize her so lets watch her strut her stuff across the finish line!!

I am off friday too so hopefully we can get a jump start out there and get everything set up and maybe a ride and play around at tech for a while. I am wearing my happy face

Well it does not look like TrailGlow is going to make it. They sent an email and said they are not doing tech so we are going to go straight out to pits. We will all meet up there and we will probably drive Kitt to tech and hang out a bit there and then return to pits.

So we probably won't be hanging around at tech or at least not all night.
We will shoot for being over to tech by 5pm.
Tech is just down from the entrance of the Outlet Center offramp down to the first gas station then you make a right and go up towards the desert away from the freeway. At the end of the road is tech.

You can drive on dirt all the way to tech and we have done so before so might do it again. You guys can ride over there if you like?

Thanks for the kind words and it looks like only her oil being checked seems to be the only big thing we need at the moment on her.
She ran great and we look to take it easy and try to have a great day and take it a bit easier than the last race and see if we can come in for a decent finish.

5 entries now as Ashly Davis has just been added so Pep is starting 4 out of 5 cars.

Well we have everything we need if you guys need anything let us know.
Other than loading and then stopping for some fuel we don't have to much to do. Depends on what time I get off work and can get home and start loading depends on what time we will leave. I am guessing we will be out there around 2 or so maybe even sooner.
Will give you guys a call and a heads up.

Thanks for the funny and kind words and see you guys really soon.

Tut can you baby sit lucy friday night after tech untill the race saterday? We dont have a trailer anymore and dont want to be out in the heat all day saterday, glad to hear your ready, see you at the races mike #925

Yep should not be a problem if you don't have a trailer how you getting her there???

ahhh we get to babysit Lucy, how nice....
I am sure Kitt and her will play nice together and talk race talk all nighttttt

I'll do it!!! when can I pick her up!!!!!