Axelrod

Yeah, me too. I'd really like to take a new C6 Z06 and prove to everyone that a "stock" Z06 can be in the top 10 no problem. But, GM refuses to give us a sponsorship for one. And, I just can't plunk down $70k+ considering that we've been flat out paid by every other manufacturer and tuner out there... all except lonely GM.

BMW, Audi, Lexus, HKS, Dinan, etc, always commit to giving us a car for two months for testing and for the event. And, it's tough to beat the "free ride". It sux to have to give them back, but then again, they are ridden waaay hard over that 5k miles for the event.

And, we DO stop by every Lapper that is by the roadside. That is the one thing that really bothers me about comraderie in this event. The comraderie exists at the tracks, but if you're pulled over by a cop, or broken down, very few people actually stop to see if there's anything else necessary. No comraderie there. We've stopped in the past to help talk an officer out of giving someone a ticket! We've assisted in tearing down motors roadside! Pay it forward guys! Some day it could be you by the roadside!

varkwso

I would take a sponsorship in a Yugo if that was all I could arrange. The demographics for GM are not there to support a Vette in OLOA - look at the average buyer. But I would love to see a privateer beat some, more, of the "sponsored" teams...

Heck, I am even looking at STi's to add to my fleet. I think I can sneak a 4 cylinder 4 door past my wife if the kids do not rat me out.

No has ever said OLOA is easy by the way that I know of. It takes a good car, better prep, good drivers and some luck...and I would always rather be lucky than good

1lapRacer

And, we DO stop by every Lapper that is by the roadside. That is the one thing that really bothers me about comraderie in this event. The comraderie exists at the tracks, but if you're pulled over by a cop, or broken down, very few people actually stop to see if there's anything else necessary. No comraderie there. We've stopped in the past to help talk an officer out of giving someone a ticket! We've assisted in tearing down motors roadside! Pay it forward guys! Some day it could be you by the roadside! [/QUOTE]


If it wasn't for that comraderie we wouldn't have come back for the second dose and especially for the third round. Every set of blinkers or stranded car gets our attention.. we have slowed way down many times to reallize that it wasn't a lapper and sped back up probably disappointing some poor family. We have run very hard some nights just so we werent at the tail end of the pack in case something broke (did I say in case... when something broke) we had the safety net.
We did stop one night on the way to the 2000 event and provide first aid and support for the injured in a nasty wreck at 3 am at the only blinking light for 30 miles in Indiana. The troopers who arrived 45 minutes later were a bit miffed looking when we snuck off in a vette that was running open headers due to losing the cats.

The best one lap story I've heard about people being stranded was one of the bimmers in 99 hit a 4X4 post with both front wheels ruining both rims. They called for a tow truck but it was taking a while. Another team saw them stopped confirmed they had help on the way then made a u turn went to a convience store bought junk food, "beverages" and "adult" reading materials for them to kill the time.

One year we saw a team that had lost the alternator and bought a coupe of spare batteries. Another compeitor with a similiar car ran with them through the night swapping out the dead batteries in to their car to charge. They said they did batter swaps every 20 minutes through the night.

Stopping to lend a hand when tickets is being written makes you A) a better one lap citizen than us or B) really good at handling law enforcement matters or C) plain crazy with a lawyer on retainer!

Axelrod

That was Phil in the Firehawk that kept losing alternators. It was funny as hell to meet up with the next day after the first lost alternator.... they had made their own jumper cables to keep switching batteries in the car. What did they use for jumper cables? They ripped out Monster speaker wire out of the car to keep it running!

1lapRacer

The case I was thinking of was in 1999 with an acura and a honda swapping back and forth. I think they had one battery for each car and two spares . I belive they ran from heartland park to PPIR or maybe Texas Motor Speedway. I all becomes a blur.. what track is this? what state is this track in? what day is it?

thecoupe

We stopped twice to help people, both of them had already fixed their problem when we stopped. Stopping while someone is getting a ticket is just asking for trouble for you and for them.

Matt

RogueVette

You're a good man for stopping. As for the ticket thing......What could be better then getting out of a ticket? I have only failed at getting someone (or myself) off once out of a total of 15 stops on the last 4 one laps. Sorry Brody, but there was no winning with that jack a**