Topic: Thanks to NSF and Bridget ...
... and everyone at MSR Houston for their Southern Hospitality.
It was great to end my season there this year with a fun opportunity to drive a crappy car. Who would have thought we could get a completely stock Chrysler Sebring on the finest Brake Best pads (when Carbotech failed us) up to 23rd place overall? It would have been 22nd overall if we wouldn't have let the old geezers escort service by without a fight a lap and a half before the extended full course yellow that ended the weekend. Then again, the front left tire had already worn through 2 layers of steel belts by that point and who knows if it would have held air until the end of the race, otherwise.
It was tough to see the MTGT and then Cookie Warlord carted off the track with severe wall-assisted damage. Glad nobody was hurt in either incident.
Equally tough to see the Swamp Shack Maniacs unable to continue their Class C Battle-Royale with the Resistance's Honda Goldwing/Civic. It was a 2 laps race with fuel stop pit strategy ready to determine the winner until the bitter reminder that These Aren't Race Cars reliability thing reared its ugly head. Kudos to the Resistance for catching a potential race-ending failure before it had a chance to strike. Who the heck looks for loose bolts INSIDE their alternator when they check over their car on Saturday night? They do. Meticulous prep and a well-deserved 11th overall in a 1975ish Honda Civic.
Oh, and ALSO equally tough to see was watching Ronda Rousey get absolutely schooled via PPV while sitting in Inglorious Bastards pit space. Thanks Gerry for the use of the Earnhardt chair and the offer to sleep in your RV.
Lots of great stories. Lots of wonderful, friendly people.
Bob, Ronman and the rest of the NSF crew and part-timers are awesome, giant-hearted folks. Oh, and they're also very thirsty, apparently.
Thanks to everyone for making me feel welcome.