Crossposted from Lemons but I want to recognize everyone as often as I can.
I don't even know where to start this. This month has been a whirlwind of highs and lows so it's all very hard to process. By way of background we were thrashing in the first week of June to get on BABE when I lost my grandfather. We pressed on to get the car on the road late sunday only to have fueling problems and tow it home. Back on the road Monday only to blow the oil pump 60 miles from home. Sent the rest of the team on, put a new motor in by Wednesday and drove 17 hours to meet them in Alabama. The guys were great, I collapsed and they carried the trip the rest of the way. Returned home with 3 days to turn the car around and another death in the family. Everyone jumped in to ease my load and get things ready.
Friday was a series of small issues and tech problems that kept us from any test and tune but everyone did their part along with help from many other teams to ensure we got through tech. At the same time my guys kept the BABE rally spirit of "no man left behind" alive and worked on other peoples cars to get them through as well. They have done me proud.
No testing time meant saturday was full of ins and outs as we sorted the car for the first time but everyone kept their chins up and pressed on. Suspension changes lead to clearance issues in the rear and a cooling hose chaffed a tire and leaked. Quick hose swap and back at it only to have the hose blow off a few hours later from a fitting that wasnt secure. This dumped all the fluid on the track and the driver, unaware, did 2 laps without coolant, smoking the motor. We brought her in and patched her up, but for the last 2 hours the temps spiked every time you hit the gas so we knew a HG was blown.
Sourced one correct HG and a set for a 2.5 subie. No complaints from the team, just dig in, tear it apart and make it work. Modified the 2.5 gaskets to work by drilling new cooling passages and put her on the track sunday where she ran without issue all day.
There is no way I can remember or recognize everyone so if I have left you off the list I apologize, my brain is shot.
The Misfits, our little band of merry men and women keeps growning and Im proud to call each of you teammate and friend.
Chris A - We started this together and some days Im amazed a what its become, we don't always see eye to eye but we never argue and we know when to put aside differences and get the job done. I'm forever honored to call you friend.
Jim W - With us since the beginning and always a cooler head, voice of reason and great friend.
Jeff W - Jack of all trades, my "mini me" and golden tounged devil to speak when we need a voice. You are insane enough to feed my insanity and that makes us dangerous but friends
Rafael - Part of the original Mifits crew and like everything we do you may not always be able to "officially" join us but somehow you are always there and supportive as hell.
Chrissy - Thanks for taking care of us and giving us that ever needed voice of feminine reason, thank you for being a friend and supporter and well, just thanks, you know why. You drive next year.
"Pops" Wakeman - You provided us a place to sleep, food to eat but most importantly you brought wisdom, experience and the cool headedness that comes with those and kept our crew in line.
"Mental" Ward - New to the Misfits, but Misfit for life, we had a good feeling about you and we were right, you're one of us. Thank you for coaching the new drivers, inspiring the experienced and pushing our car the way it needed to be pushed.
Dave - Ever since you polluted us with grain alcohol on BABE we knew you were one of us as well. Sorry about Saturday but glad we got you in the car and had some fun!
Louis - again more BABE family love. Cant wait to have you travel with us again and join us in the pits anytime, sorry about the sunburn.
Jesse - You got yourself on hook for more gadgets in the future...sucker! Much love and thanks for the help, you really jumped in and got dirty despite more pressing obligations, thank you.
Eric - Our lifeline. I am consistently humbled as a mechanic when I work next to you. It was very easy to maintain cool in the face of adversity knowing you'd be there to wrench for us and get us through.
To all our friends and supporters from BABE, Volksrods, GRM and other forums who made the trip to come see us, help us, and wish us well we do this for you and with you. All of this insanity is fueled by like minded crazies and without all of you driving us on I'd probably just sit at home and dream about these adventures.
To all the teams, spectators and competitors you kick ass. So many folks stopped by to offer help, tools, parts, and just general well wishes I cant list them all but you drove us all and we thank you for it. I would be remiss without a specific shout out to the guys from Cometic gasket who gave us a set of 2.5 subie headgaskets to use on our motor. That action would normally be more than enough to warrant a special shout but I found out after we fixed our car that it was their LAST set of gaskets and their car had blown head gaskets too. Truly and outstanding gesture and one we will not soon forget.
To the organizers and staff of Lemons, none better, great event, great people. While we are honored and humbled by the IOE recognition the most rewarding thing was recognition by all of you that "we gave the car to the right guys" We really wanted to do you proud so I do thank you for the recognition and the opportunity to do this. You pushed our insanity limits and it in turn made us a better team.
On a final note, we will be back, and we'll try to keep up the weird but I'm officially retiring and moving to head mechanic and builder. I haven't done any competitive autosports in many years but after must cajoling from my team I suited up and got in the car, "back in the day" open face helmets were ok. I've always avoided closed face due to claustrophobia but I figured I could get over it. My apologies to anyone I almost ran over in the paddock as I tried to get back to our parking space to get the hell out of that helmet. Just as well Im a lousy driver, I'll keep buildin em and my kids will keep thrashing them.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR A TRULY GREAT EXPERIENCE!
