Topic: F-ING Renault Fromage1 Racing
Friends of the F-ING Renault Fromage1 Racing team,
The Renault ready to leave Portland!
The Renault in the pits of Thunderhill!
Well the results are in and we are all back in one piece, well except for the Renault motor, minor detail. It was a blast for all.
Mitch drove the first two hour stint, somehow he was given a undeserved Black Flag penalty for a pass under the Yellow Flag, which was next to impossible as the Renault was only capable of passing about three cars out of the 150+, luckily we were able to use our get-out-of-jail-free-card we received by surrendering our front license plate to the judges so they could rig up a camera mount on the tech inspection area. Thus we were able to avoid having to write “The French shall not pass under Yellow” a hundred times on the car. We also had a minor front brake problem when he came in that we fixed in about a half hour.
Mitch tearing it up through turn 13.
Then Brandon jumped in for his two hours of fun. The Renault was faster than any other car through the turns, but unfortunately as in most race tracks there are long straight sections, where we would be left in the dust. So we all learned how to suck it up and stay out of trouble as we were passed in the straights, on both sides in most cases!
Brandon holding off the BMWs through turn 4.
Jim jumped in next for the time of his life and did a short 45 minute stint as he was feeling his concentration waning. Luckily for me he surprised us when he came in, as I was turning into a nervous Nelly psyching myself out, organizing my tool box to stay focused on something else.
Jim nailing a clean line down turn five.
So I jumped in and hit the track. As I drove down pit lane I noticed we were running very hot in the coolant department. No big deal at the time I thought. So I did the last 45 minutes to close out the day, but during the last three laps things started to go from fun to serious as puffs of smoke became visible from the exhaust to the team in the pits, I was unaware of this until the cloud of doom poured out the rear to fill my mirror on the last lap of the day.
Phil knowing the end is near through 13!
We had blown the head gasket and showered the engine compartment with oil, water, guck and steam. After some fellow racers pushed me back to our pits we opened the hood to survey the damage. Not good.
This says it all.
Our neighbors saw that we were packing up and asked what was wrong, after finding out Jay from Caffeine Racing produced a magic bottle of Nanosphere Block and Head Sealer. Anything was worth a try to avoid having to go home a day early with our tails between our legs, so we poured it in and IT WORKED! No smoke, no water or oil puking from every crevice. You have to love Nano technology!
The next morning I hit the track and did another 45 minutes before, well, you can guess where this is going, and it involves smoke, oil, water and very bad noises! We pulled in and were done. You have no idea how slow time passes at a race track when you are not racing. Day one went by in a flash, day two was an eternity! Well during the eternity we tried to resurrect the car to go out for the last two laps to take the checked flag to avoid a DNF. We did not know when they were going to call the race so I went out at 4:15 hoping I could make it to 4:30.
What I/we learned was that a now 2 cylinder engine puking a variety of fluids back into itself is not a very fast race car. Did I mention there were hills at this race track, well yes there are thank you very much, and there is nothing like going up these at 10 MPH billowing smoke with a dying engine with 140 cars passing you at 80 MPH cursing your very existence. The first lap was a hilarious joke for all the race attendees and the second and the Renault’s last lap I was under a Black Flag to “GET THE HELL OFF THE TRACK YOU SLOW IDIOT”! In the end we went out a lap too early so we didn’t get to take the Checkered Flag but we did have the best time of our lives. And the Renault engine got to die an honorable death at the track!
The life blood runs black….
I’ve realized I’ve neglected to mention our Hotel room experience that capped off the weekend, mental note: when in Willows avoid the Safari Hotel at all costs. When we arrived, we new we were in for an interesting stay. Mitch and Jim opened their door to the nasal punch in the face of a two day bong party which just wouldn’t evacuate the room, they were always hungry for Doritos for some reason. Brandon and I had the DIY toilet repair duty along with the lack of a working heater in the sub 30 degree nights. Oh and did you want towels with the room, yeah about that we have these 1’x2’ Saltine texture towels that you had to get from the front desk, not a standard item on their service menu I guess, that and soap. Ah the joys of the racing life.
We can’t wait for next season to start. Now we just have to find another motor with twice the horsepower to put those BMWs in their place!
