Into scrutineering and Tech Inspection

Well, the time had come to prove we are capable of reading, and we went into drivers' registration, handed over all the docs, and copies of everything, and got signed off! Next it was over to scrutineering and tech inspection, which also went very smoothly. Right behind us was Monster Tajima's car. What a machine that is! No photos give it justice.





See you all for the next update!

Quick Updates

We got our new Kumho tyres delivered, and put them in the room, once we put them in the corner I stood back, and sudenly I felt right at home, tools, helmets, tyres, all next to the bed - ahhhh, really is just like home.

And then the sticker guy showed up to install the numbers on the doors of the evo. We need these on to go through tech inspection tomorrow, and better if a pro installs them.

Back to the Hotel.

After recceing today, we stop on the way back to own for some really nice burgers at a winery that has seating out by a fast running creek. Very nice. then it was back to Hotel where I updated the blog, checked our notes and Cath re-did the pace notes.

We plan dinner, and make more lists. Why is it the more I cross off the list the longer it seems to get!!??

UPDATE TIME!!!

Well, we've been to the top a few times now, writing our notes and then checking them. The bottom starts twisty and fast, with bumpy tarmac, then it goes to fast hard 'dirt' that will seem like tarmac when driving on it, then back to proper tarmac, then onto full gravel dirt, which may well have a line with most of the gravel brushed off by the time we run on it.

Our first recce when we got to the top of the hill, we got out and walked around and went inside the shop they have there, and Cath immediatley almost fainted from lack of oxygen. We ended up seeing the EMT's service quite a few people, and even saw one rushed back down to the bottom, thrown into an ambulance and whisked away.

The road is forever changing, it was changing just between recces. Getting to the apexes is the #1 key for us, accuracy is tantamount. Speed will come.

Will add more images and details later. Keep safe.

Friday 18th June

Well, we got out of bed, just, had waffles and coffee and headed out on the 'road trip' to our destination: Pikes Peak.

What a drive. Sometimes boring, sometimes incredibly spectacular! Check the shots in these photos, although these were done with a camera phone, they have come out quite good. From boring open deserts and fields to some beautifully rugged terrain.

The climb to our final altitude was a long and slow one, but all good, and at times we climbed to over 11,500 feet and finally, Colorado, which is actually on a very high plateau that sits about 6500-7000 feet. We did find ourselves gasping at times for deeper breaths of air.

We are now in Colorado springs which will be our home for the next 10 days. Tomorrow we clean the evo, confirm our order for our E85 race fuel, check out Pikes Peak for a pre-recce, and start to get things in order for the event.

More importantly, we are here, and time to finally relax, maybe sleep in, and get into the time zone and altitude. One thing that came to mind driving along looking up at the huge rock monoliths that skirt the highway that runs along parts of what seems to be the Grand Canyon are these beautiful and huge and majestic and imposing rock formations was 'it's bigger than you', if you get that at all.

JD

Dyno sheet

this is the dyno sheet from the tune!

Tuesday, July 15.

Got up and had wonderful waffles this morning, and then called my close friend Jay Jones (aka Jaybird) and arranged to have lunch in the middle of his hectic schedule. I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoyed being in his company again. Both Cath and I had a great 4.5 hour lunch.

Then it was onto Road Race engineering, these guys are pure pro's and like MEEK in sydney, there isnt much they dont know about evos. Once the workshop was cleared, we moved in to grab a lift and work on installing the new K&N intake system from i-autosport (iautosport.com.au for all your aftermarket needs, both european and Japanese brands).

When we finished this, the ECU guy showed and we set about getting a reading as a baseline on 98 octane (91 in the US). Once it was confirmed all the perimeters were set, we had a run, and with Meek hot side piping, Meek ECU flash, 272 Cams, turbo outlet, and the intake, it made 229kw at the hubs. Pretty impressive!

Then we drained the fuel and refilled the tank with E85, and RRE started to dial up some pretty impressive and continually growing numbers. Final result was 285kw, and we couldve stayed with 300+ but kept it down to keep it under control, with the older clutch and all best work within a cautious range for now.

The next day, Wednesday, it was off to GT Fabrications (ebay name evo05) for our new Hans helmets and hans devices, collected the truck, dropped the rental car off, picked up the rented trailer and headed back to Road Race Engineering to collect and load the evo.

Loaded up we headed up to northern Los Angeles to meet up with good friend Brendan, another good steak, quite a few laughs and then we crashed at his house for the night, but not before we dragged poor Cath through some photo albums at Brendans' showing some of my old race cars I used to run. Brendan is the drivetrain engineer at Honda US race team HQ, running the Acura's in ALMS series and at Le Mans. So when you watch the ALMS series and see the Acuras' kicking butt, know that that is Brendan's work, along with a team of course. Brendan is an early Datsun afficiando, having an early 510 wagon and 240Z at his house.

We are now somewhere in Utah, a small town called Richfield, and with 550 miles down, and 510 to go to get to Colorado Springs we will be on the road again tomorrow. Right now, we are off to have dinner and a cold tall beer...

On the road again....