Sixth Gear

Traveling down to the Lime Rock Grand Am race on Thursday, the 3 D Guardian Angel race team got a chance

Maynard Fueling Up

to bond as only a trailer haul can create. The team took two 40′trailers. That’s what it takes to haul all the gear and the car to a Grand Am race . The preparation and equipment needed to support a single car team can make you do a double take.

The two trailer’s required two trucks and the team split up to fill the seats in each. Interestingly, the trucks divvied up by age and musical taste. The Young truck with speed metal spilling out of the windows. The Senior Race team members (40 plus) old men in this game. I am proud to be a member of the old guys in racing. I am 41 and I do feel it. Dan Maynard is the glue on the team. This guy is incredible. I was having trouble diagnosing a trailer break problem and had spent the early part of Thursday pulling fuses and relay’s attempting to fix the lack of trailer breaks. I had driven back from Ohio in this state.

Hauling a race car can be and in most cases is the most dangerous activity of a race weekend. Dan had Londonderry Ford on the phone and arraigned for a service tech to take a look at the mystery. Twenty five minutes latter we have trailer breaks. Dan shakes a few hands. Londonderry Ford thanks us for stopping by and sends us down the road with trailer breaks.

See it pays to have experience. The young bulls run/ the old bulls walk. Young gets maybe one. Old get them all.(reference the movie colors)

Back to the bonding. Both Trucks and trailers arrive at Lime Rock ready to be unloaded and the race weekend is set to commence. Being a new team is great it’s all raw it’s all fresh. I can sense the anticipation. The team sets up camp the car is unloaded and teched. A few items don’t pass scrutiny minor stuff, some roll bar padding and a new trunk latch and we are the proud 3D racing/ Guardian Angel Motor Sports BMW #82  ST race car. Ready for battle

Time for Bed, the team all settles in to the sleeping quarters. Both trailer are equipped with bathrooms and showers and bunk areas. Its close quarters, camping on asphalt.  This is where the personalities and the ticks start to rear there heads. Our Data Guy  Is ready willing and excited about sleeping on the top of the trailer, on the observation deck. We all wish him luck. Dan is a veteran and claims the rear quarter of the F450. I have my forward goose neck birth set up. The rest of the crew take up the cots and the air mattresses arraigned haphazardly through out the rear floor spaces of the two trailers.

3D Old Guy Breakfast - Note Metamucil ;)

Being in the senior group (over Forty) I have a set of ear plugs and insert them before I take up my nights rest. Back to the old bull / Young bull thing. One old bull( who shall remain nameless to protect the sanctity of the team) kept all the young bulls at bay denying them a nights rest. Only the data guy got some rest on the roof of the observation deck. The rest succumb to an old bull cutting wood with a two stroke  HuskVarna. I was saved by the ear plugs, unscathed I slept, resting up for the busy day pending.

Day two Old bulls 2. Young bulls tired. Stay tuned…………

Regards

Tom