Top Alcohol
01/02/09
We recently upgraded the motor in the car to the latest version from Oddy's Racing Engines. As part of this upgrade we were given the latest manifold which has changed our fuel system.
In the hope of staying at the top of the Top Comp ladder as well as preparing for the rapidly approaching Western Nationals and its record setting opportunity we went to the private test session on the Wednesday before the Top Alcohol meeting.
The track had just suffered the annual indignity that is Motorvation and had been freshly scraped of it's rubber. In the time we were there not one supercharged car successfully got to the end of the track under full power, including us!
The fuel system was safely fattened up as torching the new engine was the last thing we wanted. This throws out the clutch settings as there is a direct correlation between horsepower produced and the rate at which the clutch locks up. Combined with the already mentioned track conditions, we had a perfect recipe for tyre shake.
We managed only two passes during the day and managed to square the fuel system up a little, however, the second pass shook the car...and Doug...violently. The sort of violent that cracks bodywork, breaks diff gears, de laminates wings, opens the doors on door slammers and sends drivers back's in to spasms.
Doug got out of the car after the second pass unable to get back in, unable to stand straight and unable to walk properly. We had Thursday and Friday for him to get well enough to race Friday night. We skipped Friday night with the hope that the extra day would let us race Saturday. Doug's physiotherapist thought otherwise.
I am sure Doug would appreciate a get well email if you sent him one dougb@zenithis.com.au
We apologise to our fans and followers for not attending this round and believe Doug should have recovered prior to the Western Nats.