Well, I got down to Las Vegas last weekend. The drive went really well. My wife had a great attitude, and the only real problem arose when we started to descend more south. It became a little warm in the car. She looked over at me and asked me to turn on the AC
Overall, the trip was great. At the track my only issue was my aluminum exhaust that cracked on one of the welds right after the downpipe. Thing is, it didn't crack on the track, but rather 5 minutes before the drivers meeting
It was nothing that Jim Green couldn't fix. He kindly went ( on his birthday might I add) and picked me up a exhaust clamp and we just wedged the two sides together and hit the track. Other then that and some chewed up tires, I didn't even add fluid to the car all day. I opened the hood often to check things, but there was never anything that was wrong. It was a big step in vehicle reliability. I logged 1450 miles this weekend and went through an outrageous amount of fuel ( 3.5 tanks at 23 gallons each). E85 availability was not a problem until my last trip to the tank in Mesquite Nevada. It is the only e85 station for about 90 miles to Las Vegas and about 250 to where I live. I showed up to this....
I had filled up 2 days prior with no issue. I did get pulled over 50 yards shy of the station at 4am. I was doing 53 in a 35. He asked why I was going so fast, and I explained that I was trying to make 8 am class in Provo Utah, and he said it was no excuse for going that fast. He went back to his cruiser and I thought for sure I was getting a ticket. He came back and said he was going to give me a break, bt to slow down. He then asked me what model my car was, and I told him it is an audi quattro. He gave me a nod and said " nice car ". I said thanks and have a good morning..
As we pulled away, I told Kate that hte record would show that he let us go bc he liked the car.
She said it had to do with the baby and mother in the back seat, but I stood by my story.
Speaking of which, here is the family at one of the many stops to feed young Kellen. I am bringing that kid up right!!!
The track was a kick. I have a lot to learn, but the car really did well. I turned it down to around 24psi for all but the last run. My instructor was really conservative and really freaked out when the car got loose at all. I don't think he realized the dynamics of a locked rear diff. They have lousy turnin, but exit speeds are unreal. Anyway, my last session after he had already ripped me on my student evaluation for lousy throttle control( give me a break, YOU try driving this thing at speed!! ), i turned it back up to 32-33psi and let it rip. He wanted to take it easy on the last run, but i felt like I had been doing that all weekend. I let it rip around a few corners, and then down the strait for one last pass. hehe. 133 is REALLY fast for that section. I bet it is the fastest postest all day, including the radicals.
It was really fun. My Dad and I fulfilled a 10 year dream of both tracking URQ's on a weekend at Spring Mountain!! Now we just need to live the Miller dream up here!!! You have about 6 months to prep a car!! Come on Dad, you have a parts car now!!!
Hank
