Monthly Archive for January, 2009

Vernon’s Really Excellent Daytona Rolex24hr Adventure

Published
by
Bruce
on January 31, 2009
in Guardian Angel Motorsports
. 7 Comments

Guardian Angel Car 63 Rolex24hr 2009

Guardian Angel Car 63 Rolex24hr 2009

Wednesday, January 21

The big day is almost here.  After last year’s race RJ Valentine told me I must do a Daytona race at least once in my life, so when Bruce Ledoux offered me the opportunity to be a part of his team I jumped at the chance.  Not only do I get to experience a Daytona 24hr from the inside, I get to do it with a team that is raising money for Children’s Hospital Boston, one of my favorite charities.  To get the team some more exposure, I connected Bruce with Ed Harding, a local news anchor, who found the story compelling enough to spend 45 minutes with the drivers and put together a story. Inauguration day will no doubt keep the segment off the air for a while, but I hope it does run and generate some donations to Children’s.
Continue reading ‘Vernon’s Really Excellent Daytona Rolex24hr Adventure’

Glynn Family Gives to Guardian Angel Motorsports

Published
by
Bruce
on January 31, 2009
in Guardian Angel Motorsports
. 1 Comment

If this doesn’t say it all, I’m not sure what would.  Joe & Michele Glynn

Glynn Family at Rolex24 2009

Glynn Family at Rolex24 2009

stop by the Guardian Angel Garage on Saturday to have their 6 month old make his first donation.  They are Daytona residents after fleeing the brutual Massachusetts winters 14 years ago.  Hailing originally from Norwood area, Joe & Michele run a company called Sponsor Services and cater to the Motorsports industry.

Along with their fantastic financial donation, they also gave us TWO NASCAR Chase Pitcaps signed by Dale Jr and Kasey Kane to be auctioned off at the soon to be announced Guardian Angel Motorsports charity auction.

Joe called today to congratulate us on finishing the race.  It was a funny moment as he wanted to say Continue reading ‘Glynn Family Gives to Guardian Angel Motorsports’

Some In-Car Video

Published
by
Bruce
on January 28, 2009
in Guardian Angel Motorsports
. 1 Comment

Bruce qualifies the #63 for the 2009 Daytona 24 hour race.

Bruce starts the 47th running of the Daytona 24 hour race. After passing a few GT competitors, he settles into a comfortable pace.

Another few sets of eyes?

Published
by
Bruce
on January 27, 2009
in Guardian Angel Motorsports
. 1 Comment

Hi All - your notes, calls and emails have been a huge support - I can’t thank you enough for it all.   I’d like to ask for more help if I can.   My last minute efforts to schedule DVR recordings came up short.

I missed the:

We finished!!!

Published
by
Bruce
on January 25, 2009
in Guardian Angel Motorsports and Sixth Gear
. 9 Comments

24 hours. 572 laps. New radiator, engine mount, water pump and half-shaft. Lots of tires. Not much sleep. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

We finished

We finished

Thanks to everyone for their support!

Running race commentary

Published
by
Bruce
on January 24, 2009
in Guardian Angel Motorsports
. 0 Comments

There is no Internet access in the pits, so the goal of a running blog during the race will have to be amended. If folks have been watching the live timing available on the Grand-Am Racing Series website, you can follow what the #63 Guardian Angel Motorsports car is doing on the track, but any other details are, uh, lacking. So here’s a quick rundown…We’ll try and keep this somewhat updated, but the information is only coming in by quick text message or telephone as time permits from on the track. These notes will be in chronological order with the most recent at the botton to make things easier to read…

Bruce ready to go

Bruce ready to go

3:51 PM: Bruce starts the race and does well until Lap 21, when he has to pit. Turns out there’s a radiator issue.

~4:30 PM: Steve takes over after replacement of the radiator, which seems to have just been a bad part.

Pit stop

Pit stop

 

Pit stop

Pit stop

 

Pit stop

Pit stop

5:59 PM: Steve spins out. Luckily, he only hits a tire wall. The car seems okay, and Dan takes the car back out onto the racetrack at Lap 61.

~7:00 PM: Dave takes over after Dan. The #63 Guardian Angel Motorsports Porsche GT3 is cruising, lights on in the darkness at Daytona.

8:28 PM: Bruce takes back over for Dave at Lap 116.

8:30 PM: Bruce has to bring the car back in due to overheating. The car is now being checked in the pits while we are under full course yellow due to the #6 being stuck on the track. Nose is coming off the front of the car.

8:51 PM: Bruce is back in the repaired car and on the track. Turns out that Dave ran through grass at the busstop chicane, causing some damage that led to the overheating.

In the garage

In the garage

9:00 PM: Car comes in for oil on Lap 122.

9:35 PM: The #63 now being shown in 23rd place at Lap 136. Steve will be getting back in the car at Lap 146.

10:00 PM: SPEED has signed off for the night. It will resume coverage at 7 AM ET on Sunday. We’ll try to keep folks updated as best as we can.

Mount and pump

Mount and pump

2:20 AM: The #63 is back onto the track after a one-and-a-half hour stint in the garage to fix the engine mount and water pump. It appears the earlier hit against the tire wall broke both, which was causing overheating.

9:00 AM: The Guardian Angel Motorsports car going strong in P19.

9:37 AM: On Lap 432, Dave takes the #63 for a spin off-track. He makes it back around the rest of the track with a cut tire. After seven minutes in the pits for a tire change and checkup, the car is back out on the track.

10:48 AM: Kurt takes over for Dave at Lap 457. The #63 Guardian Angel Motorsports Porsche GT3 is in P18.

2:00 PM: Transmission trouble brings the #63 into the paddock…

2:24 PM: And it’s a half-shaft that needs fixing — luckily, nothing that would put an end to the race. The car will be back on the track for the last hour or so of the race!

3:30 PM: The Guardian Angel Motorsports #63 Porsche GT3, with Bruce driving, finishes the 24 Hours of Daytona in P18 in the GT class with 572 laps complete!

A great race for TRG! Congratulations to fellow TRG teams #67, winners of the GT class (P9 overall), #66, second place in the GT class (P10 overall and #68, P14 in class. The #65 TRG Porsche GT3 was forced to retire after 379 laps, finishing P21 in class.

Guardian Angel Motorsports on 7News Boston

Published
by
Bruce
on January 24, 2009
in Guardian Angel Motorsports
. 2 Comments

Larry Ridley of 7News Boston (WHDH) learns about the Guardian Angel Motorsports mission in this sports feature that aired during Channel 7’s 6 PM newscast on Thursday, January 22… Check it out! (QuickTime required)

I drove the qualifying of my life…

Published
by
Bruce
on January 24, 2009
in Guardian Angel Motorsports
. 1 Comment

It was my best qualifying performance ever. I went from total emotional knot and a below my average time to my 2nd fastest lap EVER under the pressure of 4 minutes remaining

I left the grid thinking that I’d likely fall somewhere between 18 and 22 on the grid. Not bad considering I was probably one of 3 -5 ‘gentlemen’ drivers in the field, the remaining 27 drivers were all pros.

So while my printed time of 1.53.36 would have place me 2nd of 41 in this past PCA Club Racing Oktoberfest at Daytona. It was good for DEAD FREAKIN’ LAST (DFL) at the 47th Annual Rolex24hr qualifying. Regardless - I’m proud I was able to reset my emotions and click a fast one.

The sting was when the local newspaper came to interview the last car on the grid. LOL! Talk about a shot in the shorts!

Some video for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7_afAP_t3I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_oapfAEpgU

Guardian Angel Dan Watkins gets a shout out on Grand-Am web page

Published
by
Bruce
on January 22, 2009
in Guardian Angel Motorsports
. 1 Comment

Drivers From 26 Countries Represented in This Weekend’s 47th Rolex 24 At Daytona

Guardian Angel Dan Watkins

Guardian Angel Dan Watkins

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 20, 2009) - The Rolex 24 At Daytona may be the opening event on the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 schedule each season, but is also the unofficial start to the international racing calendar.

With drivers coming from across the globe, the Rolex 24 may also boast the biggest international flavor in all of racing. For the 2009 race, 26 countries - from the largest countries to the small principalities in land size - and two special regions from six continents are represented.

The U.S. has an overwhelming advantage in terms of drivers calling a certain country home, but that is to be expected as the majority of teams and drivers are based within the continental 48 states. However, the United Kingdom is second on the list, with 15 drivers either born in the U.K. or calling the U.K. home. Dario Franchitti (Edinburgh, Scotland) and Nick Ham (Yorkshire, England), who earned Daytona Prototype and GT victories, respectively, in the 2008 Rolex 24, were both Continue reading ‘Guardian Angel Dan Watkins gets a shout out on Grand-Am web page’

Guardian Angel Steve Zadig finishes 2nd Overall at ThunderHill 25hr

Published
by
Bruce
on January 21, 2009
in Guardian Angel Motorsports
. 0 Comments

Guardian Angel Steve Zadig

Guardian Angel Steve Zadig

Thursday 12/4:

Car arrived race ready as prepared by Eric Purcell’s shop, Earthbound Flying Machines but ominously, the track was shutdown due to fog until 11:00 am.  We were also scheduled for a photo shoot with Google Street View for laps around the track at noon.  That turned out to be a bit of a bust as the plan was to run the cars at 40 mph around the track but it turned out they wanted to run about 5 mph and our car just won’t cooperate at that speed.
Fuel (Cellulosic Ethanol) arrived from Ottawa, Canada at 12:30 pm, right on time!  Great work by Iogen and JSI to supply and transport the fuel. Continue reading ‘Guardian Angel Steve Zadig finishes 2nd Overall at ThunderHill 25hr’