What a weekend, after a good long break after LSPR, we finally got the car prepped for Doo Wops, and what a Doo Wops it was. On the first day we taco’ed the rear beam on the first stage causing a rear tracking issue. We were able to get the beam semi- straight for the next stage, but the beam needed to be replaced. After the first day we were able to track down a new beam and get it installed at a local rallyist’s shop.

On Day two we were at maximum attack after a 3rd place finish overall on the first day. We took stage wins on the first two stages. Unfortunately, on our way out of service just before the stage start, the fuel pump died. we got flat towed back to service, but unfortunately we were unable to get the car back out to the stage start before the rest of the field had finished the stage. After speaking with the Rally organizers we were allowed to run the rest of the rally, minus the one stage that we had missed.

Despite knowing that our day was done, we were dead set on setting great times for the rest of the day, and great times they were. We broke a seven year old record set by Todd Hartmann by six seconds on the first run of the famous Brooklyn Tavern Stage. On the second run of the stage we beat our own record by three seconds. We are second on the record list in a two wheel drive car, behind only Carl Jardevall in his rear drive turbo charged Volvo.

Had we completed the stage we had missed, chances are we would’ve won the rally overall, however, we take concession in our first day results, as well as our obscene stage times on day two. We are looking forward to our second running of the Olympus Rally on all new roads in April.

Just a quick update, since I’m at “work” and still dead tired from the weekend.

Unfortunately, we DNF’ed for the series due to failure of our fuel pump. It is quite possible that we could have taken the overall honors without this mechanical set back. Fortunately, we got towed back to service and got the new fuel pump in for the fun stages of the day. We set 2nd overall fastest time on Brooklyn W, 4th overall fastest time on Smith Creek W, 3rd overall fastest time on Smith Creek E, and 2nd overall fastest time on Brooklyn E. We broke the Gp2 record for the Brooklyn stage by 9 seconds!! So, despite the DNF, we still feel like we achieved victory. More thanks and stories to be posted as soon as we can see straight

Well, day one is over. We did quite well, scaring many of the Open cars with high hopes. We finished on the podium with 3rd overall, 1st 2WD and 1st Gp2. Our experience on the extraordinarily rough stages at LSPR had a lot to do with our winning today. What we learned about the car and driving despite ridiculous potholes was applied to the rough taholah stage today. Only a rub of a chicane marker or a couple missed notes or a couple driver errors kept us from 2nd. 1st was about 40 seconds beyond our reach. However, a brush with a log on the first stage left our rear beam bent and the passenger rear wheel an inch or more towards the middle of the car than it should be. A bit of careful sledghammer application by the trusty crew of Rob, Gus, and Chuck left the car operational enough to do well on the last two stages.

Though day one went well, competitors really come to DooWops for day 2. As such, the boys are out at Gene McCullough’s shop in Elma, WA replacing the rear beam that we bent on the first stage. Otherwise, the car is running well and should put down some good times tomorrow if things keep going this well. Look for an update sometime soon!