59sled
Active member
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2022
- Messages
- 52
So here's the run down on my Nephew in Law's 4th attempt to race his Speed UTV car.
Last year was a mess.
1st race he did get 2nd but the car didn't complete the whole race, It broke in multiple different area's.
2nd race car decided it wouldn't start when they called the cars to the line. DNS
3rd race the car did a few laps and blew valve cover gasket and oil was spewed out.
So he redid a crap load of things to get this thing race ready for this years M.O.R.E. series. Kid is determined not to give up on this car.
This will also be the first trip on the kids Ranger since getting it back from @the_fablab_ a week earlier. Truck got caged, seats, harnesses, Giant Motorsports link killer kit, Camburg 3.5" fabricated rear end. spooled with 40 spline axle and some new 3.5x18 5 bypass Kings.
4Am and ready for the 2 hour drive in this thing.
Got to the pits at 6am.
Speed car looking good with its new Cystic Fibrosis Racing for a Cure wrap. New front bumper and rear tire carrier.
Here we go race time report. This race is done in 2 heats. One morning race on a 14 mile course and one bigger course in the afternoon.
Only 5 cars in his class. He started 3rd.
1st Heat race report.
1st lap all is good. Slow pace as the dust was gnarly. No wind.
2nd lap was good. Pitted at after 2nd lap to top off fuel. He didn't trust the fuel gauge. At this pit I noticed oil all over the top of the spare tire. Seems like the plastic over flow catch canister cracked. Wrapped rag around it and sent him off.
3rd lap. No dust, Hauling butt. But we lost radio communication to him. We can only hear him through his Starlink live stream only. We realized on a pass by he has no antennae on the top of the car. That explains the lack of radio communication. Keep pushing. He sets the fastest lap of all the UTV's
Boy has off road racing changed.
4th lap. Still pushing in third place. At this point only 3 UTV's racing now. But we see the 2nd place CanAm cut the course and come into the pits. Driver and codriver get out of car. Crew looking at it, then we see the Driver and Codriver get out of their racing suits. 2nd place CanAm is done after 4 laps.
5th lap. Pushing good and knowing they cant get worse than 2nd place, Just have to finish the race.
Well, the car shuts off. Lost oil pressure. Speed UTV has a sensor if it gets low pressure it goes to limp mode or shuts off. They get it restarted and all is good. But a few miles later car shuts off again. Let it idle and build up oil pressure and they are off. Car shut off 3 times on lap 5. The car also popped out of gear a couple times. We wave him in before last lap. Still no radio comms. We explain to him. Lets top off the oil to save the motor. You're too far behind 1st place and no one else is running.
6th lap. He takes off good. we are still watching his live stream from the Starlink. 10 miles. Car suddenly stops. And all we hear is Driver yelling fire.
Well the valve cover gasket said no more. Oil all over the car. Small fire under the gear box was put out with a fire extinguisher. He says we are done come get us. Tow him in. Well theres 2 1/2 hours before 2nd heat. They load up the car and head into town to pressure wash it. Car gets back and we silicone the crap out of it. Unfortunately all we had was the 24 hour cure stuff. Oh well. We just need to start the 2nd race and do one lap.
Smoking car.
2nd heat race
They call for the drivers to line up. Car starts but its still leaking oil out of the valve cover but slower. Only need to start and one lap.
They suit up. put it in gear. Go about 20 feet and all you hear is grinding sound and car wont move. We all run over and the car lost all forward gears. Can only go in reverse. Hoping it was a cable adjustment. but no. Didn't work. Yank the cable off and grab output shaft with pliers hoping it would lock into first. Nope more grinding. We are done.
We start packing up . Most of the crew leaves to head home. We get a text from the Driver(my nephew in law) with a pic of a 2nd place trophy.
That was a shock. Since we never called into race officials of a DNF and he turned in more laps then the other 3 cars that were out of the race. And did a certain percentage of laps. He got 2nd place and has 2nd place in points too.
This is what happens when a class 1600 car tries passing but instead runs into the side of the car and goes up over the front tire. Luckily no one crashed. Rubbing is racing, Right!
So since we were done early. It was time to play in the newly redone kids Ranger.
But first we stop at "The Spot"
Then we head over to Lenwood road. You know the spot. Where everyone videos the rides headed back towards the outlets. Gotta get the driving videos for the Gram.
The road is pretty smooth now. My kid said its like a dirt road now.
We did that a few times then headed over to Hodge road to look at the jump. Unfortunately a CHP was at the top of the south off ramp. Also the jump looks so blown out now compared to years ago. So we decided to air up and call it a day and drive back home.
So here's an artsy shot at Hodge Road.
Still a fun trip.
As for the Ranger make over.
With a cage and no interior panels. Its loud. Especially with the exhaust cut off at the back of the cab.
The new 3.5" Kings bypass clicking is insanely loud.
The spool in the rear end. Fun.
The 4.56 gearing on 35's was nice. Truck actually did 62mph up the hills through Acton.
Too me the 5 point harnesses were the best thing. What a difference being planted in your seat. And not hitting your head on the roof in every whoop section.
We both think the front suspension is too soft. The weight of the Solo cage doesn't help now.
The rear was decent out of the box for cruising. Once he picked up the pace. The shocks defentitly needs some tuning.
Last year was a mess.
1st race he did get 2nd but the car didn't complete the whole race, It broke in multiple different area's.
2nd race car decided it wouldn't start when they called the cars to the line. DNS
3rd race the car did a few laps and blew valve cover gasket and oil was spewed out.
So he redid a crap load of things to get this thing race ready for this years M.O.R.E. series. Kid is determined not to give up on this car.
This will also be the first trip on the kids Ranger since getting it back from @the_fablab_ a week earlier. Truck got caged, seats, harnesses, Giant Motorsports link killer kit, Camburg 3.5" fabricated rear end. spooled with 40 spline axle and some new 3.5x18 5 bypass Kings.
4Am and ready for the 2 hour drive in this thing.
Got to the pits at 6am.
Speed car looking good with its new Cystic Fibrosis Racing for a Cure wrap. New front bumper and rear tire carrier.
Here we go race time report. This race is done in 2 heats. One morning race on a 14 mile course and one bigger course in the afternoon.
Only 5 cars in his class. He started 3rd.
1st Heat race report.
1st lap all is good. Slow pace as the dust was gnarly. No wind.
2nd lap was good. Pitted at after 2nd lap to top off fuel. He didn't trust the fuel gauge. At this pit I noticed oil all over the top of the spare tire. Seems like the plastic over flow catch canister cracked. Wrapped rag around it and sent him off.
3rd lap. No dust, Hauling butt. But we lost radio communication to him. We can only hear him through his Starlink live stream only. We realized on a pass by he has no antennae on the top of the car. That explains the lack of radio communication. Keep pushing. He sets the fastest lap of all the UTV's
Boy has off road racing changed.
4th lap. Still pushing in third place. At this point only 3 UTV's racing now. But we see the 2nd place CanAm cut the course and come into the pits. Driver and codriver get out of car. Crew looking at it, then we see the Driver and Codriver get out of their racing suits. 2nd place CanAm is done after 4 laps.
5th lap. Pushing good and knowing they cant get worse than 2nd place, Just have to finish the race.
Well, the car shuts off. Lost oil pressure. Speed UTV has a sensor if it gets low pressure it goes to limp mode or shuts off. They get it restarted and all is good. But a few miles later car shuts off again. Let it idle and build up oil pressure and they are off. Car shut off 3 times on lap 5. The car also popped out of gear a couple times. We wave him in before last lap. Still no radio comms. We explain to him. Lets top off the oil to save the motor. You're too far behind 1st place and no one else is running.
6th lap. He takes off good. we are still watching his live stream from the Starlink. 10 miles. Car suddenly stops. And all we hear is Driver yelling fire.
Well the valve cover gasket said no more. Oil all over the car. Small fire under the gear box was put out with a fire extinguisher. He says we are done come get us. Tow him in. Well theres 2 1/2 hours before 2nd heat. They load up the car and head into town to pressure wash it. Car gets back and we silicone the crap out of it. Unfortunately all we had was the 24 hour cure stuff. Oh well. We just need to start the 2nd race and do one lap.
Smoking car.
2nd heat race
They call for the drivers to line up. Car starts but its still leaking oil out of the valve cover but slower. Only need to start and one lap.
They suit up. put it in gear. Go about 20 feet and all you hear is grinding sound and car wont move. We all run over and the car lost all forward gears. Can only go in reverse. Hoping it was a cable adjustment. but no. Didn't work. Yank the cable off and grab output shaft with pliers hoping it would lock into first. Nope more grinding. We are done.
We start packing up . Most of the crew leaves to head home. We get a text from the Driver(my nephew in law) with a pic of a 2nd place trophy.
That was a shock. Since we never called into race officials of a DNF and he turned in more laps then the other 3 cars that were out of the race. And did a certain percentage of laps. He got 2nd place and has 2nd place in points too.
This is what happens when a class 1600 car tries passing but instead runs into the side of the car and goes up over the front tire. Luckily no one crashed. Rubbing is racing, Right!
So since we were done early. It was time to play in the newly redone kids Ranger.
But first we stop at "The Spot"
Then we head over to Lenwood road. You know the spot. Where everyone videos the rides headed back towards the outlets. Gotta get the driving videos for the Gram.
The road is pretty smooth now. My kid said its like a dirt road now.
We did that a few times then headed over to Hodge road to look at the jump. Unfortunately a CHP was at the top of the south off ramp. Also the jump looks so blown out now compared to years ago. So we decided to air up and call it a day and drive back home.
So here's an artsy shot at Hodge Road.
Still a fun trip.
As for the Ranger make over.
With a cage and no interior panels. Its loud. Especially with the exhaust cut off at the back of the cab.
The new 3.5" Kings bypass clicking is insanely loud.
The spool in the rear end. Fun.
The 4.56 gearing on 35's was nice. Truck actually did 62mph up the hills through Acton.
Too me the 5 point harnesses were the best thing. What a difference being planted in your seat. And not hitting your head on the roof in every whoop section.
We both think the front suspension is too soft. The weight of the Solo cage doesn't help now.
The rear was decent out of the box for cruising. Once he picked up the pace. The shocks defentitly needs some tuning.
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