Tulsa MIS-Adventure

[Madmiles442]

Well, if you haven't heard by now, I've had tremendous luck while at Tulsa,
Unfortunately, all of it was bad....
Tuesday - Drive to Tulsa. Start out only an hour behind schedule. No prob, I'm still ahead of rush hour. 3 car pileup on 75 in McKinney starts the week off well. That's okay though, cause I have Driving School tomorrow and I'm SO excited!
Wednesday - Up on time, breakfast, follow directions a little too closely and end up turning off too early on 64, I'm lost. Rain starts. Arrive late, walk into classroom to a raised eyebrow from our instructor. After 1 hour classroom (good class!) let's hit the track. Raining like crazy. "Um, sir? I'm in a Cobra and all these other fancy cars with roofs and windows can go out in the rain.."
"Well, kid, drive the Explorer around the track." Hmmm..my first time on a track, wet track (I mean pooling water) and Teach wants me to take my wife's beloved Explorer for a couple of laps. Jeesh... Okay, rain's not letting up and almost lunch, so let's go. Learned the track, the lines, look ridiculous with helmets on in an Eddie Bauer...
After lunch, sun breaks through! Track still damp, but no active rain, so I'm going! New helmet, gloves and shoes all fit, good. Joe, the instructor that's been eyeing my car all morning hops in, "I have the track record here, let's rock and roll!"
Turns 1,2,3,4,5....turn 6, 90 left, upon throttle, the rear end let's loose and we're instantly spinning off in the grass. Wheeeee! Joe's hollerin' "whoa! whoa!". While I'm new to this racing stuff, I'm still thinking it's not good when the instructor is freaked. Didn't hit anything. No harm, no foul. Made it 6 turns. Back on track (literally). Went a couple of more laps then pulled in until the track dries up.
Got in some hot laps later in the afternoon without incident. Feeling the car set, tires grip up and their breaking point. Man, this stuff is a blast!
Last group of the day, feeling great. I'm getting this course down, pushing the car and it's responding. Coming down the front stretch, 100 mph or so, turn 1 coming fast, don't brake until you see God, hard brake, downshift 4 to 3, chirp...squeal...uh oh. .back ends coming around because of the downshift. I've let the clutch out too fast. I'm having this entire realization as tire smoke and dirt is flying and I'm spinning through the inside of the turn. Stop on the track, restart, wave to corner worker, finish the lap and change pants.
One day, two trips off the track.

[Madmiles442]

Thursday - Got to Hallett early, but you can't get there before the rain. Again the fancy cars go round and round while I'm enjoying a corn dog. Rain stops, track dry enough, I go out and after 2 laps, rain starts again. Jeesh, Miles, take a freakin' hint!
After lunch the sun's out and I'm rearing to go. Dampness off the track? I'm there!
Start off easy...let the game come to you....good lines, good turns, good grip....car's screaming mechanical music and this is awesome!
Next group I'm going to keep up with those good guys. So far I've been passed more than I've passed, so I'm turning this bit around.
Great run going - 6 passed, 2 past me. Coming through turn 9, the Mustang 3 ahead of me throws a rod and drains his oil pan. 2 cars shoot left, another Cobra and myself shoot right. I never saw a thing. Sliding in the grass again. Wheeeee! Right towards that big Ford logo inflatable. Oh well, at least that will be a soft landing. But I'm drifting more left. Towards that WHACK! 10" tall railroad spike tying down the big balloon. Careen off that and slowly back into the wall of tires. BUMP!
Straight to the pits and I can see by the look on those faces, I've torn something up. Oil cooler smashed, fiberglass shredded, my beloved little street/show car has sustained some permanent damage. This won't wash off like all the dirt and grass that's coating her underside. She's crying little black tears into the grass and I'm thinking about joining her finally.

Ford guys were told by track management to install the inflatables without obstruction to the drivers. I'm working this one out with Ford Racing....
Cruise that night was cut short by a wall of flash flood rain but there was some really cool cars there. Neat stuff.
Enjoy a partial drowning of sorrows with my bud, Shiner.

[Tugboat]

Mad,

Great writing, I almost cried with you. Great story for you and bud (shiner) to tell around the car show lawn chairs later.

Thanks for the painfull humor.

Larry

[Madmiles442]

Friday - Raining again. 2 auto parts stores and 2 wrong oil coolers later, I bypass the dead oil cooler at the filter. With the cloud cover, I can still get out there and get some laps in. Head out after lunch and get 4 laps when the oil temp hits 110 C and water temp hits 120 C. Oil pressure is way high too. Pull her in and shut her down. I've had enough. The good laps were great enough to keep me coming back, but I feel beat up and I should quit while I'm ahead. I wanted to make sure the photographer had some good shots of me to buy so went and looked at those.
Watch the other Cobras make their laps. Steve's getting pretty good at this! We're all watching Clois fly around with lap-time envy.
Tailgate party was big fun. I'd like to thank my sponsors for the evening - Sauza Tres Generacions and Crown.
Saturday - Worst rain yet so I'm sleeping in. I'm woken at 8 with a screeching whine of "HOUSEKEEPING!" Ugh. Head out to the track after the rain stopped at lunch and watch some more good laps.
The photographer is out at corner 10 so I hop in for 3 or 4 really easy laps, just for the photo shots. 3rd lap in, I see some white smoke out my driver's side. WTF? Oh, crap, that IS me. Coolant and oil belching out my exhaust pipe. Blown head gasket. I've seen that before. Right before I threw a rod in a 70 Chevelle. I baby it back to the pit and shut her down. Push onto the trailer (thanks everyone for the pushing help!) and head home early about 3.
But I didn't get a ticket on the way home, so I have that going for me!

Hey, it may sound like woe is me, fact is, I had a blast. Addictive like golf, one good lap brings you back. You could not wipe the grin off my face while whirring around and yes, I was the goof that hollered "YAHOOOOO!" down the front stretch during a hot lap.
And if I fix all these parts, what else could break?! Don't answer that!

[DAVID GAGNARD]

Mad;

I've run at Halllet before and it's not the easiest track to learn on, but a fun/technical track to run on...........If you plan to track your car more, might I suggest you take the car to a track and spend a day on track with an instructor........

I thought I knew everything after a few track events only to learn I did not know squat about road courses........I did a 2 day driving school and learned more those 2 days than I would have learned in a year on my own..... It's been 2 years now and I plan on at least one more driving school this fall........it's money well spent and you will learn tons about driving and your car.......

And if I fix all these parts, what else could break?!

Any one of the other 2,000 or so parts on your car!!!!!

But after it's all said and done, you still had a blast out there and the more you do it, the better you'll get and the more fun you'll have!!!!!!!!!!!!!! be careful, this kind of stuff is very addicting.......

David

[gsharapa]

I'd say that was a great adventure but nothing like the guy with the real GT350 that missed 3rd gear in turn four on Saturday and crashed into the tires and went up and over! I have pics but too big to upload.

[jwoodard]

Miles,

Sorry to hear of your incident on the track. From looking at the photo, the damage appears easily repairable and you'll be back on the road in no time.

[gsharapa]

Here is the pic of the GT350 that crashed Saturday...

[Madmiles442]

Gary,
I saw that guy! Man, that car is a screamer too! I'm glad nobody got hurt, that's all that really matters. The ego and the fiberglass will mend...

[jdean]

Miles,

Sorry about the mis-haps, but I know you ramped up real quick on mastering the track! Those of us who made it had a blast! Here is a good mug shot of you.....

[FST FOX]

Yea the event was great, even though the rain could of waited till next week, had a great time, realized how hard a BDR driveshaft is to replace after breaking it the 1st day, but I new after I slightly tore up the U- Joint last Sat I was on borrowed time with my "temporary fix" will have carnage in another thread as not to take away from Miles thread. Will be out next year with spare driveshafts

[hey,littlecobra]

just walked in the door.... 6 long hours home!

I haven't read the thread yet, but I will....

glad SOMEBODY has continued on the tradition of

"TULSA MIDADVENTURES"

I'll read it and post on this later.
K

[Buzzmobile]

I had a great time meeting all you guys! thanks for coming up and playing with us on the track, even tho Dean had to do it for me...!


I hope everyone had a good time and will come back more.

Buzz

[FST FOX]

yea since I was late leaving with ya'll, my Navi sent me home going west to 35, had a 2 minute doen pour and scattered sprinkles

[hey,littlecobra]

Patrick, you might be glad you had that Western detour. We got in a blinding rainstorm- I couldn't see the Indian turnpike thing for about a mile. Very scary, very nerveracking, and certainly no fun!
rained off and on all the way to the Texas border; from then on, nothing but clear blue Texas skies!!!!
(well some clouds along the way, but no more rain.)
after dropping Joanne off at Love Field i finally got home right at 8 pm. 6 hours..... ugh.

I haven't unpacked. suitcase in the hall. camera somewhere. haven't uploaded memory stick but will when i can!
got a good picture of all you strong guys shoving Annie!!!

[FST FOX]

Yea i talked to John and he told me about the rain ya'll had, so yea kinda glad I got diverted

[hey,littlecobra]

here's poor poor Annie.....

more later!!!



Isn't Kim doing a great job supervising??

[Buzzmobile]

OK, Kristen....I really did not need to see just how big my butt is!

[Madmiles442]

Hey, Thanks to all for helping get my little Mistress on the trailer! With the CLUNK sound made when trying to restart, I literally couldn't have done it without you. Or Kim and her oversight.

Now, so I'm told, someone out there has a photo of me doing a little "agricultural racing." Please post! I want to put that in my digital scrapbook for the trip.