Spaze Racing

This past weekend at the track was really the biggest roller coaster I’ve ever had. The ups were just as high as the downs low, and something happened that I would never have expected. Dealing with the after effects has been a little easier than I thought they would be, and its nice to have PTuning standing in my corner! They are the best guys I’ve ever met, and they are my family! But you all want to hear what happened don’t you? Ok, ok, onto how the weekend went.

Saturday started life with a clean tC with brand spanking new Toyo r888’s in 285/30/18 on brand new wheels, hubs (custom hubs that were 5×114.3) and heavy duty axles. The tires were accompanied by Progress Technology’s new 1″ rear sway bar! The car was towed by a Lustine Toyota Tundra Limited. Let me tell you this truck ROCKED! Leather seats, Nav, you name it, complete with PTuning and Lustine Vinyl on the side, and the best part is the color. The truck was “Super White” which is the same color as the Time Attack Car. We got there just as the drivers meeting started and Chris and the guys went though the usual procedures for their events. With the carnage in the morning, both times I went to grid to go out in a session, it was canceled. I decided to try for the intermediate session after lunch and learned that the 285’s were insane! I was clearly the fastest car on track but i was still learning the car. I went out again in that group but with the number of cars i didn’t get a clean lap. However, i did have a passenger, CarbonXe from Scion Life. He came all the way down from NJ with his father to watch this event. When he asked for a ride, MrC was cool enough to let him hop in for a session. By the third session, I was flying! The car was really hooked up, with the Brand new Tires from Toyo, and the rear sway bar from Progress the car was a turning machine. There was NO understeer on entry, or mid corner. There was a little throttle steer, but its to be expected with a FWD car. After a good 5 laps the car was acting funny, almost like a flat. I had been experiencing terrible knock back earlier in the morning and I figured this was unrelated. I came out of the carousel and tested to see if there was a flat, I shook the car a little and even brake checked it… nothing. I continued the lap at 2/3’s speed and as soon as i turned into the pistol grip something let go. I had very little steering and drive, I went off, down the hill and stopped on the motorcycle chicane. The car had enough life in it for me to move it back into the pits, but something was wrong. As we diagnosed the problem it became apparent that the hub was toast. It had actually separated and the wheel was held on by only the brake caliper! With a quick series of phone calls we located some bearings and Saturday night we went back to the shop. We managed to press out the new hubs and press in the old hubs (stock hubs) and new bearings. The car was put back together just after midnight under the light of our loaner Toyota Tundra.

Sunday morning Chris Rado give us an axle nut, the last piece of the tC puzzle, and now we are back in business. I’m back on the old 255’s, and everything is going great. The car is insanely fast, and we are kicking ass and taking names. We continued to hound some of the modified RWD guys and really cement just how fast our little TC is. Before we knew it The Time Attack was starting and on the first street class run my good friend David Ortiz had some problems exiting “big bend.” The result was David emerging from a twisted and mangled e36 M3. The car was clearly totaled as the trunk was shifted over and the front right corner was missing. My heart sank, but at lease David was ok. This was yet another wreck in this event, which was quickly becoming the most expensive event ever. The Modified Time Attack was next, and I brought the car up to grid. We were behind the P&L Subaru about mid pack. The perfect place really, as I knew Paul in the P&L car was fast! The three laps flew by and I managed a 1:38.609, which was good enough for 1st in class 8th over all in modified!!! I brought the car back into the paddock to greet the guys and tell them I had nailed it but that was short lived as the Unlimited Time Attack was next. Everything was going fine for the first two laps, but on my 3rd timed lap for the unlimited class, I jumped over the jump, and kept my foot in it too long. As soon as I hit the brakes I knew it was over, and I was going for a ride. I slammed into the carousel and I had too much speed to stay in it. I flew out of it, into the grass and into the wall I went. I managed to move the wall a little, and break just about everything in the front of the car. The windshield shattered on impact, as well as the passengers mirror ejecting from the car. I must have cursed for a good few minutes and when I finally settled down

I stuck my hand out the window and wave. That way people knew I was ok, but I was not going to get out of the car until I knew it was safe. Because it was the last lap and there were only 5 cars on track I sat for a few minutes before the EMS crew arrived. When the arrived, they asked “How are you?” and they chuckled when I said “Pissed!” I got the usual go around with any pains and what not, but i was fine. My Ego was shattered and I was pissed to mess up this piece of art. I then helped the wrecker guy load the car up and thanked everyone for coming to my aid.

After the car was put down in the paddock The whole crew came up to me and asked if I was ok before they even looked at the car. I was still hyped up and pissed, somewhere between a virtual breakdown, and wanting to destroy something. With the swarm of people around the guys started to assess the damage. We tore off the hood, and the fender, and it looks like the strut tower is still ok. Seems like the car will need to appointment on a frame machine and spend some time in the paint booth. The goal is to have the car running in 6 weeks for the seasons last event, GT Live at VIR. If we win that event, we are the series champs for our class, and we’ll be known as the fastest modified FWD car in the country. This was my goal for the season, to be number one! I’m really hoping we can do it despite this setback and I know there will be more than one sleepless night in the coming weeks. I was checked out by a Doctor yesterday and given a clean bill of health. I have a little whiplash, but nothing 800mg of IBuprofen 3 times a day cant handle.

I Would like to take the time to Thank PTuning for letting me drive their car. Its really an honor to be part of their team and without the cage, and the craftsmanship that when into that car, my accident would have been a lot worse. I want to thank our sponsors as well Progress Technology for their awesome coilover setup and swaybars. Seibon Carbon for their Carbon hood and decklid. Hawk Performance for their awesome DTC-60 racing pads. Toyo Tires for their ultra sticky and competitive R888 racing tires. Phillip from Mackin Industries for getting us the new Advan Racing RZ 18×10s wheels that we were running in the front. Lustine Scion for loaning us a brand new, fully loaded Toyota Tundra 4×4 limited to hall the ptuning tC. This truck is Awesome, period. A special thanks to Keith from Lustine for setting this all up and helping us throughout the weekend. I also want to thank Chris Rado, for giving us parts, and giving us support after the accident.