3736 Race Report - Parker 425
After staging at 6:15am we finally made our way up to the start line and left at 9am.. Our goal was to finish this race.. Our plan was to take it very easy the first lap, let all the 1700’s get past that were i cant say this wordtin and gettin it, and when we finished lap 1, aprox. 150+ miles, we would know if we needed to speed up the pace to finish in the time given.. 16.5 hours…
We left the line and headed to Pit 1, which was RM 32 I believe and took it very easy.. This course was nothing like Baja, as the first 25 miles or so are all woops and long, very long silt beds.. We took our time and went by Pit 1 with no issues at all… ( we didn’t have a crew at Pit 1).
We left Pit 1, and headed to Pit 2, this is where Pop and Wesley were. Again, taking it easy, we chugged along, and kept a good pace at about 25-30 mph on average… We pulled in, took on fuel, pissed, and took back off heading to pit 3, Midway Pit, where Mike Acton and his crew were waiting on us…
We chugged away and hit pit 3, RM 92, with no issues and took on a couple of gallons of fuel, they went over the nuts and bolts, and we headed off to Pit 4..
Pit 4, RM 104 was manned by Pit Works, aka Chase1, aka Keith.. We honked when we went by knowing we had enough fuel to make it to the main Pit, wich is RM 150. The last part of the course is a full on Rock Garden, slow and steady and carnage was everywhere…… We took it easy, and made it to the “Parker Python” which is a course built for the spectators at the main pit area.. About 10 miles long of jumps, sharp turns, and everything in between.. We hit it, in great timing, and made our way the 10 miles to get to the Main pit which was manned by Jeremy Weimer, Cass and Tracy, Pop and Wes and John, Gary’s Pop.
With the crowd cheering us on, we, or I kept getting faster, and more balsy on the Python, and falling in to the crowds want’s of going fast and showing off.. Well, when we pulled in to the Main Pit, we had busted an oil cooler and was on fire from the transmission fluid over heating and boiling out onto the manifold.. Not one issued until the Python…. damnit…
We pulled in and had Mike Barnett and another guy with him, plus our crew and we jumped on the issues at hand…
Mike took care of a Pitman arm issue and a few other things up front, while Me, my Pop, and Mikes buddy, put in a new oil cooler, and got it plumbed…
Took 50 minutes, but we were back going and headed out….
We decided to take it easy with all that had happened and chugged along.. It was 4:30.. Finish Line Closes at 1:30 am…
Then the rains came, and oh i cant say this word did they come… Flash floods… Was insane.. the course flooded, the washes turned into just that.. and were rivers… We did the last 137 miles in 4wd… It was the most brutal thing we’ve ever been apart of…
As we are coming along, heading to Pit 1 to get through, our team is calling us but can’t hear us.. We hear them talking about heading out, because we must have broke, as we are screaming into our GD helmets… Bitd Rescue came in asking about us, we talked back.. Nothing…. Seemed like things were going south… We got to Pit 1, and realized it was our PTT(push to talk) that was F’d and used the spare mic. we carry, and let the crew know we were on the way… WE trudged forward… Slow, in deep water/silt mud, whatever… High RPM’s, and slow going… Pulled TT’s and buggy’s out of the way so we could get by…
We hit Pit 2, RM 52ish, pop and wes were there.. They gassed us, we took all 11 gallons, fuel mileage was in the crapper with the high spiining just to get through… We trudged on..
WE got to Pit 3, Midway, and Mike came out and fueled us with the fuel he had, about 6 gallons maybe, wen’t of the lug nuts, and we took off.. He gave us reports on the course, flooded cars, hypothermia, all kinds of i cant say this word..
We kept on going…
We called Pitworks, Keith, and told him to hold steady, we are on the way… We hit Pit 4 and took on fuel, and had about 2.5-3 hours to finish.. That’s rm 104, and we thought at the time, that the finish was at RM 120….
We trudged on.. 16 miles, 2.5 hours.. Easy, right???
AT 12:00 am we hit RM 120.. No finish.. No people.. No lights.. Nothing but the Canyon from hell… or the Choppers Gary kept calling it..
So, we had 1.5 hours to finish.. some 15-20 miles.. or we time out.. Game over…
We took it up a knotch and sped on.. fast, slamming i cant say this word, just looking for the sign that the finish was approaching…..
We were so freaking out of it, we left the line a 9am and had been at it ever since, no sleep the night before, 42 hour drive from Atlanta straight through a couple days before, we were feeling the fatigue….
We finally hit a paved portion, one we hit on lap 1 and hauled ass.. Between 70-80 mph, after beating on the rig, just waiting on a ball joint or soemthing else to let loose, and all of the sudden, we saw a speed zone sign.. WE thought WTF is that doing here.. and we pushed…
Ha, then the cones, and the finish.. WE MADE IT…
We finished at 12:56 AM I think.. 34min to spare…
We were the last to finish the 2010 Parker 425… Many gave up cause of the flood, or were stranded…. But not us…
If it weren’t for the Pitbull Tires, and the KC lights, we would not have made it….
It’s funny, until we raced with all the Jeepspeeders we didn’t realize how much competition there is in this class.. You guys are freaking awesome and I’m glad to be a part of it…
Great Job Clive on all you’ve done…
Was unbelievable and the feeling to finish is one we had not felt…
But now we have….
Our plan was this… Once we finish, then we can try and compete….
Can’t give enough thanks to Cassie for coming out and bringing the rest of our Crew.. Pop and Wes and Tracy and Weimer, and to John for helping us drive out and back… Funny i say bad wordser…
And to Mike Acton, for his jam up job and the Midway Pit.. and Keith at Pitworks, who we hope to use at every race they are availabe.. Great Outfit… And Tom Thorvick for saving us a spot at the Main PIt.. Thanks to all of you!
And to Mike Barnett.. Always there for his Ga Team…
Now, we make the plan for the Next Race… Not sure wich one, but we have new life about us.. And can’t wait for the next chapter for Peak Empire Racing..