The Gator Brothers

Another One Lap of America in the books.  One of the neatest things about getting to One Lap is seeing all those One Lap friends that you haven't seen in a year, or this year for 2 years. This was my 12th year and Gary "Duck" Drake's 2nd year.  Very interesting year, what with hi-jumping over an alligator on the way to New Orleans and the car stinking big time for the next three days.  Not thrilled with the rainy transit nights but at least it helped wash off the alligator smell;^)  Had a forward facing power steering hose compromised from the encounter with the gator but it didn't show up finishing the many miles to the hotel that night, but it did show up with the more aggressive steering on NOLA where running in the rain I lost my power steering and did most of the session muscling the car the car through the corners and splashing through the major puddles, but at least I didn't DNF.  Duck and I spent the rest of the week being called the Gator Brothers.  A big thanks to Amanda Hennessy and JD White for helping fix the power steering line.  Can't wait to see everyone again next year. 

On another note: 
We are still collecting for our charity, the Pa. Breast Cancer Coalition and are having one of our best years ever.  Only a few hundred dollars more and it could be the best.  If I missed you and you would still like to give, see me or go on-line to donate with a credit card at https://www.pabreastcancer.org/ be sure to put One Lap of America when asked for what event.  Thank You. 

I MADE IT HOME

 After competing in the Dry Skid Pad challenge (my best event of the week) and then enjoying the buffet lunch instead of the regular banquet, and then the awards presentations, it was time to head for home.  Just a transit of 618 miles and about 10 hours back to Mount Joy, Pennsylvania.  This transit was just about average for the daily transit runs this week, but I didn't have a co-driver for the drive home since Duck headed back to his home in the Cincinnati area, but it's good to be home again after being gone 9 days, and to be home for Mother's Day.  It was quite an event and counting the trip from home then back home again, I put on 5192 miles in 9 days.

Lots of stickers on the car but the ones on the roof are from everyone who donated to my effort to the Pa. Breast Cancer Coalition Stickers for our fundraising effort. All those people on the stickers rode along on this great adventure vicariously;^)  

Alligator Alley & Helping Hands

 Had a very eventful transit to New Orleans Monday night when I ran over a dead gator in the middle of the road.  The SUV in front of me cleared it with lots of ground clearance but I kind of launched over it in my Corvette, as we were clipping along at a pretty good speed.  It did  not appear that we did any damage and we were able to continue over 100 more miles to New Orleans.  The next morning when I was making my first run at NOLA I lost my power steering which makes steering very hard, but I continued on and finished my run. It was not a good score with major rain and ponding of water and really having to muscle the car through the turns, but at least I completed the run instead of a DNF.  I would say a big Thank You to Amamda Hennessy and JD White for their help in fixing the hose that was damaged in my encounter with that dead gator.   Also thanks to Adam Hennessy for helping to diagnose the problem.  With their fixing my car I was able to compete in the afternoon event and did much better.

Eagles Canyon Raceway in Texas

 

 

Mondays event was at the newly repaved and extended Texas track Eagles Canyon Raceway which is now 2.7 miles long.  Lots of blind turns and elevation changes.  This is a track I have never run before and you get just one recon lap before you do your timed runs.  It was an awesome track and after a full day we were off to NOLA at New Orleans, only 609 miles till we get to the motel.  It will be another long night.
  

Wet Day at Memphis

 Memphis was a wet day and since the front stretch is also the dragstrip which gets very slippery when wet, they changed up the format and ran just a portion of the track.  Because of the rain we also could not run the drag strip events. At least we got an early start on the 500 mile Eagles Canyon Raceway near Dallas. That night instead of a hotel we got to stay with friends Jeff and Kelly Murphy who had moved to Texas and lived somewhat near the track. 

West Skid Pad

Had a decent day on the Wet Skid Pad competition to start this years One Lap of  America. After skid pad then off to Grissom Air Force Base to Autocross on the runways, then a 500 plus mile run to Memphis.

 Thanks to our sponsors.  With their help I am able to participate in this years One Lap of America.  Thank you to, Top of the Line Roofing, Whitmoyer Auto Group, Krunch Kritters Spray and Body Shop, Jim's Scrap Tire Service, Lancaster County Corvette Club, Two Cousin's Pizza and Italian Restaurant in Mount Joy, Where and When-Pennsylvania and Barton Signs & Apparel of Elizabethtown.

As previously announced, this year my Transit Driver will be fellow car enthusiast Gary "Duck" Drake from the Cincinnati area.  Duck and I will share the highway transit driving and I will do all the competitive driving when we compete at each of the tracks. This year we will race on 6 different road course tracks, one Oval track, do 2 skid pad competitions, one Autocross and 2 drag events.  The event is about 3600 miles but with our trip to the start in South Bend and then home I will log almost 5,000 miles. 

This is such a world class event that I wanted to use it to do some community good and decided several years ago to raise money for the Pa. Breast Cancer Coalition.  Our accumulated total to date is over $36,000 raised for a great cause.  This year we are a little behind with our fundraising and can use all the help we can get.  A Donation of $20 or more gets your name on the car  and you can ride along vicariously;^)  You can also put a name on in Memory or in Honor of someone.  For those interested in donating and getting your name on a sticker on the car please stop in at West Main Auto in Mount Joy or see Duck or me, (make all checks payable to PBCC or Pa. Breast Cancer Coalition).  You can also mail me a check at West Main Auto 14 W. Main St. Mount Joy, Pa. 17552.  If it is more convenient just go to www.pabreastcancer.org/donate and you can donate using your credit card.  Be sure to note One Lap of America when asked for which event.  The Pa. Breast Cancer Coalition is a great resource and represents, supports and serves breast cancer survivors and their families through educational programming, legislative advocacy and breast cancer research grants.  The PBCC is a statewide non-profit organization that creates the hope of a brighter tomorrow by providing action and information for women with breast cancer today.   Thank you,  Jim Roberts