Sorry I didn't post last night. I was very exhausted when the day was over. Plus, I don't have my connection to download the pictures since it's in my car. I appologize, and I'll be sure to post pictures later today.

Right now we're in the hotel to relax and get ready for the 2AM stint of the 24. I thought it might be cool to go there in the middle of the night to see what it's like. I'm glad our room is on the other side of the hotel from the track. It is loud as hell on that side.

The race was so freakin' exciting. The adrenaline goes through you so much that you don't know how tired you are until it is all over. I had no recollection of time at all. The morning practice went well and the car was set up good. BTW, here's a picture of the battery relocation we did on the fly. It was very sturdy even though it is ugly as hell.


We nut and bolted the car again (I realize how important this is so I'll have to take time to do it with my own car before track events from now on) and got everythigng set. Practice went well. The cars were well set up and the drivers were very happy. We reviewed a few things between practice and the race and then we were set. Only thing we changed was the front sway setting from Chip's input. Everything was set and it was time to grid for the race. Unfortunately, when it was time to fire up the #62 and take it to grid, we couldn't get main power on. Then, when we did get it, it wouldn't turn over the car to start. CRAP!!! Terrible timing. Chris quickly tracked down a connection issue with the main power switch and we had to charge the battery in order to crank the car. Crisis averted.

The race was great for the 63 until the end. They were in the top 10 for a time and were in 11th place when Andy was booted from behind with only about 15 minutes left in the race! The VW went off track and came back on hitting him in the passenger side rear quarter and then the miata behind him finished the job. We heard on the radio that he was coming in. when he pulled up, the rear bumper was off and the exhaust was draggin the ground. We jumped over the wall and got to work. We used the jack to force the exhaust up and then latched it back to the hangers. The passenger rear suspension was also beat to hell and the tire was WAY out of toe. Also, we had to use the jack handle to bend that half of the exhaust in place in order to secure it. Lots of excitement and I may also be on TV because of it. I got a chance to jump across the wall 3 times during the race. Very exciting for race virgin like me! We then got back on track were about to finish 20th. BTW, there were 8 full course Yellow's during the 3 hour race.

Here's a pic of what the 63 looked like after the race.



You can see the exhaust hanging and the bad wheel alignment.

The #62 also had some drama. About 10 minutes into the race, we noticed a small peice of the rear bumper flapping. More than likely from an "incident" with another car. It was the trim around the exhaust. No big deal. Unfortunately, Grand Am had other thoughts. They made the team bring her in to remove it. Total crap, but you have to listen to the boss, wherever you are. Then, about 40 minutes in, we saw smoke foming from the car. Grand Am also saw it and brought the car in. The inner CV boot on the passenger 1/2 shaft was leaking grase and it was smoking on the hot exhaust. We had to jack the car, inspect for damage and then wipe it clean. Grand Am gave us the ok to continue (after about a 5 minute pit stop) and the car was back on track. We cleaned it a second time and it was time to go!

Here's Kurt and me discussing stuff in the pits.

He's Kurtbob on the forum.

Here's Rob (Roar Team Owner), Chris (Roar Tech Director), Chip (one of the 62 drivers), and me discussing driver/pit strategy.


Chip is a hell of a guy and I learned a ton from him. He's a long time Spec Miata racer and is very well connected so he connected me with a team strategist who has won Le Mans and several DP races before and he coached me on strategies and was very wellcome to all of my questions. Most everyone I met really embraced us new folks with open arms and were a big help. Also, Chip let me talk to one of this "suspension expert" buddies and we went over a lot of stuff. I hope to continue to work with Chip so I can continue to learn.

The team cars after the race:


Here is a not so lucky competitor:


A couple cool pictures I think you all will like.




I had an amazing time with the ROAR team and hope to continue to work with them throught this season. They are really a top notch team! Please make sure to watch us on March 9th on SPEED.

Here's a couple from earlier today. The start of the Daytona 24 hr.

#70 getting gas and tires. They did this about every hour. One car came in, then the other. Like clockwork, about every hour.


Here's the Goldwin Bro's. They had to go back to the garage for transmission issues later on. But, they came back.


#70 at the first horseshoe:


More later, I need a nap before going back out there again. BTW, I've got a cool 10 sec video of the 3 rotor idling and then revving up high if someone can give me some server space to upload and link from. The 3-rotors sound so good out there. They are louder and higher pitched than the other GT cars. You can always tell when they go by. They also blow more flames when downshifting.

This picture I took of me made me laugh. I feel like a real redneck now! A 24 oz at the 24 hr. Can't get any better than that!

 

Lego, you rock dude! Can't wait to sit around at CMP & RA and talk about the adventure.

 

yea,

am confused... seems like you got the pit stragity right and got screwed...

beers

 

hey dont drink and drive at the rolex 24!
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Pattaya Heights

 

Awesome you lucky guy. Nice pictures! I have been watching this on TV but they dont seem to cover the GT class that much let alone the rotary. I saw a few stints where they focuesed on Haskel #70 but not enough for my liking. I remember when that car came out at Sevenstock, wow its sounds like such a beast!! They will finish the race tomorrow so i have to hurry home to catch it or stay up most of the night.

 

wow you took a lot of great pics LEGO what is your role in all this to be able to get so close?

 

I can shed a little history on how he got there as part of the Georgia Gang. Last year Kurtbob and I drove with the Mustang Club at Carolina Motorsport Park. Our instructor was Rob Whitener owner of ROAR Racing. We developed a great relationship. Kurt worked an event with the ROAR team. LEGO joined in for the ROLEX 24 with Kurt and they are getting the opportunity of a lifetime. The ROAR organization is an awesome group of people.

Cool, #70 in 3rd place at 7:30AM, one lap behind the GT leader and and 15th overall!

 

someone host the videos lego took!
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Harmed by avandia

 

The sound of the 3-rotors were so distinctive. You could tell they were coming by. Let's try this and see if it works. I have more.

Here's a short clip of the the Speedsource cars going by. I hope it works. it should bring up another window.

 

^^^^^^

nice job

beers

 

Awsome photo's!! thank you

 

wow awesome videos. i love the one by the chain link fence, it really makes the car sound differences stand out. it reminds me of star wars and the pod races and then the rx8 comes by and it sounds more like a f1 car. SWEET!

 

Awesome Videos!!! My wife is looking at me funny cause I keep playing them over and over again. I think that will end up on my myspace page...

I watched every minute of the race that I could from the couch!

 

Here's another. This is one of the 3 rotors leaving the pits. They were definitely the loudest cars there. The "Pit Speed" setting was used so they wouldn't exceed the 45mph limit. When they were in the pits, they would constantly shoot flames out the exhaust.

 

Thanks for telling our story Lego! I got home late last night and watched the end of the race on TV.

I will relate one little tidbit that you left out (and I thought was interesting): Before and after the race, Francesco Ianetti came by the garage to make sure the apex seals were helping to make good power. For those who don't know, Mr. Ianetti is the inventor of the famous Ianetti Apex Seals - those tiny little parts that cost about $2,000 per engine set in the Mazdaspeed catalog. And ... it just so happens that Lego, myself and Mr. Ianetti all went to school at N.C. State.

Anyway, I thought that was cool!

 

HOLY SH#T!!! not ONE BUT TWO ROTARIES!!! thanks a lot lego!
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MARIJUANA CARD

 

hey how do u download them?
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MFLB BATTERY RECHARGING

 

I'll have to get them on a server to store them on somewhere besides photobucket.

Anybody???

 

Youtube?

 

are there any programs that let u download what your browser downloads? coz technically its already downloaded into the computers.. i think
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ROLL A JOINT

 

And what a great race that was. Unfortunately the farnbacher cars had some problems, but it was a great race.

-Drew-

 

I have this great little add-on from Firefox called VideoDownloader.

Thanks Lego for the pics and vids!!! The cars sound beyond great!

 

awesome, i was thinking that! i have firefox as well.
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Live Sex

 

The few times they showed the #70 fom inside the car (on TV), the sound was sooooo sweet! Makes me very proud to be an 8 owner. I hope they run at Barber this year.

 

Lego, any video you have, if you want to capture it at a high rez, bring it to CMP, I will host it on my website for you, and I can provide links back to this thread for everyone to be able to download them. Make them as long and as nice as you want, I have lots of space.

i just love the sound of the 3-rotor. the orange car, the #63 Roger mandeville car, came to the Walter Mitty Challenge at Road Atlanta last year, and outside of the other rotaries, the only other car that sounded that cool was the old F1 Mild Seven car that was there.