5:39... and things are WAY different
Well, I (Johnny) just got off my double stint from hell. Within the first 40 minutes of my stint, I radioed in to report a vibration from the right rear in left hand corners. About 3 laps later, the exact same thing that heppened to Matt on the left side of the car, happened to me on the right (sheared hub). After finding some more parts (thanks Mr. Buck), we got the thing back together. As I headed back on track I immediately noticed another vibration that became progressively worse. I came into the pits and the guys discovered a broken left rear shock. Ok, fix it and also address the no-ABS issue (which require complete disassembly and reassembly of the right rear corner), I was back on track. So, we finish up the first half of my stints and head back on track. Then, I receive word that we had a fuel spill and had to report to the pits for a 5-min penalty stop. Ok, back on track. Nearing the end of my stint, all of a sudden, at the exit of turn-6, the right rear drops and I think I have a flat tire. NOPE.... I nursed it back to the pits to find a shock that was broken in half, this time the right side. SO, we scrounge some more parts, fix some more things, put Matt in the car and are back on track. Matt is scheduled for a double, so we'll see how that goes. We are something like 30 laps down now, but still plugging away...
- johnny k
8 comments:
So sorry for you guys.I am very happy that no one has been hurt with all the hub failures.Hang in there,you never know what can happen in endurance racing.
Hope the warming morning puts your troubles in the past and it's smooth sailing from here. Good Luck.
Dad (Tom)
Wow, I can only imagine your frustration. keep it goin. 4 and a half to go. Alot can happen as we all see. The other cars still have to hold together, too. I woke up and had to check in. Hopefully that sunrise will be a good sign for you.
2 broken shocks & 2 sheared hubs? Man, you guys are driving the shit out of that poor car....
Wow Johnny. Sounds like you guys are having your share of problems. These MX5s are not the same as the ol' Miatas. Too bad.
Can you catch the leaders? Time to make a decision... drive flat out and hope to catch them, or go into cruise control and just finish. Hard to trust the car and go fast though when you don't know if it will split in half.
Glad I'm not there this year to make that call.
Be safe!!
Thanks for the updates. Keep
em coming. Wishing I was there...NOT! :-)
What were the engine failures on the other mx-5's?
Brad R.
Where are you ?
Blog watchers-
I talked with Andrew and Johnny... with 40 minutes to go, they were in about 6th in class (last running??), but about 17 laps from the leaders. BUT, Johnny had to get off of the phone with me because the car was coming in to replace another front hub. I can only imagine how much further back they dropped.
Bummer!
They both sounded tired and beat up. It was a long night from the sounds of it.
At least they have a good supply of replacement parts from the other MX5's that dropped out of the race early on!
Get some sleep my friends and have a safe travel home.
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