Desert Dingo Racing

Category: Diabetes

  • Prepping for the World Diabetes Congress

    The videoconference was a bust (my fault), and so was using our fancy teleconferencing unit (my fault again), but I did connect with the folks at the International Diabetes Federation in Brussels to map out what we’ll likely be doing for the World Diabetes Congress in Montreal in mid-October.

    The Congress draws researchers and industry reps from all over the world and attendance this year is estimated at 12,000 to 15,000. We’ve tentatively identified a spot for 1107 near the entrance to the Montreal Convention Center where all attendees will pass on the way to registration and the seminars. In other words, high traffic.

    We’ll be painting the car and adding all new sponsor logos before it begins the 10 day trip East. I’ll meet it at the loading dock and put the display together. One of our tame racing drivers will fly in and handle autograph and fan appreciation duties.

    We’ll be printing several thousand new hero cards in English, French and Spanish using our new favorite photo along with the IDF’s new key messages on the back. I expect they’ll be a big hit.

    A lot of work to do between now and then to get everything ready. Creech, Crusty, Skid, Seth and A.J. head out tonight with the car for the Black Rock Desert for some driver training as part of the annual Fourth of JuPlaya gathering. Should be a good time.

  • International Diabetes Federation announces 2009 World Diabetes Day theme

    We’ve been working with the great people at the International Diabetes Federation in Brussels, Belgium since before our first attempt on the Baja 1000 back in 2007. We’re the official World Diabetes Day race car and take every opportunity at races to distribute information (like our hero cards) to race fans. We also do a drive-a-thon fundraiser to support the IDF’s education and awareness programs.

    They’ve just announced their new campaign for 2009-2013 and we’re looking forward to helping them spread the word. The key messages are:

    • Know the diabetes risks and know the warning signs
    • Know how to respond to diabetes and who to turn to
    • Know how to manage diabetes and take control

    They’ve done some great graphic design work and I’m hoping I can convince them to send us some of the posters to distribute at the Baja 1000 this coming November.

  • Ok, we’ve had better weekends

    The engine is mocking Bob

    Bob vs. the engine

    This weekend belonged to Bob, Creech, and Shawn. The whole weekend.

    They installed the rebuilt transmission from Bradford Racing in Prunedale. On Saturday they drove nearly two hours to Hollister Hills SVRA for a shakedown test. The video says it all. Drive a couple hundred yards, stop. Check the transmission. Drive another couple hundred yards. Stop. Repeat. It kept popping out of second gear.

    They packed it up after just one run and headed back to Bradford’s place. He drove it. It still popped out. The team trailered the car back to Creech’s and Bob dropped the engine and tranny in a record 75 minutes. They drove it back to Bradford’s and he committed to rebuilding it overnight.

    Creech picked it up this morning and Bob worked his magic to get it re-installed. The engine, coaxed into place by Bob, Creech and me (while Shawn made a rocket run for transmission fluid), went in like buttah. (Bob had his own description for how smoothly it went).

    Creech and Bob took it for a test drive just as it started to sprinkle. No joy. Still popping out of second gear. It really started to rain as we loaded 1102 onto the trailer. An hour drive to Prunedale. Steve says he’ll deliver us a working transmission, whatever it takes.

    The team starts heading out for Vegas and the Battle at Primm on Thursday. A handful of photos here…

  • Mikeapalooza! Dec. 29 in San Jose

    Skid taking charge of something like he always does

    This is a benefit concert will be held @ Britannia Arms, Almaden, to assist Mike “Skid” Aquino with his medical expenses. With your help we can continue Skid’s COBRA payments, so he can continue to receive the medical attention his so urgently needs.

    Here is Mike’s story in his own words.

    “Magic Wanda” will hit the stage at about 9:15 with The Public Reunion of “3 Dicks and a Jane” to follow. We will ask a $10 donation @ the door. This is a bar so nobody under 21 please! The Britt is also a great place to eat so come early and keep your table for the show!

    Jill & Tom have set up a ‘Mike Aquino COBRA’ fund (The MAC Fund) to collect other donations, For PayPal: Send money to; mikeapalooza@gmail.com as Services/Other. To send a check, Contact Tom at 408-828-2133 .

    Click here for all the details.

    Britannia Arms, Almaden
    5027 Almaden Expressway
    San Jose, CA 95118 US

  • If it weren’t for the last minute, nothing would get done

    We did our team briefing this morning with Seth, our logistics guy taking the lead. He mapped out fuel stops, who’s riding with whom, and a bajillion other details that only a guy like he could conceive, remember and then articulate to the rest of us sitting in plastic chairs in the barnyard.

    Genas fabbed a new light bar for us and welded the mounts in place last night. Mike Taylor painted it this morning and a whole bunch of folks pitched in to install and rewire the lights after we got to our base of operations in Ensenada this afternoon.

    We breezed through team registration this evening but encountered a hiccup with fuel distribution afterward. Terri with Sunoco has been great, and we’re meeting with Carlos of Baja Pits to iron out the rest of the details tomorrow morning. Richard and Cary get in line for roll cage inspection at oh dark early tomorrow, even though it only opens at 10 a.m.

    Tomorrow we have our booth on Contingency Row with Norma Angelica Ramirez of the Asociacion Mexicana de Diabetes en Baja California, AC. We’ll be handing out the crayons and hero cards with the warning signs of diabetes printed on the back and literature provided by Norma.

    Here’s a gallery of photos from last night’s work and this morning’s preparations. And, lastly, here’s a quick video of everyone hangout out at / working at Eric’s Tijuana workshop.

    PS: Note to families and friends: Feel free to contact me, Roxanne Graham, at info@desertdingo.com, with your messages for the team or for anything when the race starts. I’ll post updates to the blog as I receive them once the Desert Dingos are on the road.