Desert Dingo Racing

Category: USA 500

  • Bug Invasion 3 at the USA 500

    Bug Invasion 3 at the USA 500


    This, my friends, is the new Bug Invasion trophy. Pretty much the Stanley Cup of Class 11 racing.

    We started the Bug Invasion back in 2010 when Class 11 Stock Bugs made their triumphant return to the Valley Off Road Racing Association. We were all too broke to throw in big money, so I grabbed one of my dad’s old bowling trophies, picked up a 12 pack of PBR and promised the winner “Twenty dollars cash money” from my wallet.

    You’d never seen racers fight so hard.

    Thankfully, they've retired from Class 11 racing, so we might have a shot at winning the trophy this year

    Messer Motorsports claimed its second Bug Invasion win at Prairie City in 2011.

    So then I cross paths with Geoff Curtis, a fixture on the TV show “Overhaulin’“, a world-class fabber with Five Axis (check out the Lexus) and a guy building a Class 11 to race the Baja 1000. Granted, when he starts work on a VW pan, it comes out looking better than when it rolled off the factory floor in Wolfsburg 40 years ago.

    They didn't look this good coming off the line at Wolfsburg

    I hate him.

    Anyway, I am helping him out with some stuff and in return he fabbed this most amazing trophy, which includes a brake drum, brake pads, stub axle, piston, valves and valve springs and those long skinny things that I forget what they’re called. Best of all this thing weighs a good 15 pounds.

    The thing has its own gravity field.

    No, really.

    Ok, so we’re calling the third Bug Invasion for VORRA’s USA 500 July 15-18 in Sparks. Class 11 winner gets the trophy (at least until we call the next Bug Invasion), the 12 pack of PBR and $20 cash money. We’ve already got four 11s committed.

     

  • Countdown to “The 24” begins

    Our new deck lid, replacing our old deck lid, which was crushed by 775 at VORRA’s USA 500.

    Crusty and I wrenched on the car on Saturday. Mostly Crusty. With the engine installed, Crusty filled it with oil provided by our new sponsor Motul. In addition to the engine, we have to add enough oil to fill the engine, 1.5 quart oil accumumulator and all the hoses and filters. The new front skid plate (we sort of lost the last one at the USA 500) is in from State Steel in Watsonville.

    I focused on everything comm, getting the radio and comm re-plugged in and going through all of 1107’s wiring to streamline wiring routing to ensure that nothing was exposed if it didn’t have to be, nothing was hanging where it could be snagged by anyone climbing in or out of the car or grabbing a tool or somesuch. Also picked up new Nylocks to make sure the air pumper doesn’t fall off during the race and a few bits and bobs at Home Depot.

    Buttoning up continues today. I’ll learn how to drive the rat rod hauler. We’ll fuel 1107 (so we can bring additional fuel in the speed jugs). We’ll go through a ton of zip ties. I’ll be duct taping a handheld mic in a zip lock baggie with a handheld mic somewhere in the car. Naturally I’ll test the ability to plug my old skool iPod shuffle into the Rugged Radios intercom. The new deck lid will go on and I’ll attach and wire the TrailGlow rear number panel. Everything is a process.

    That new model VW Beetle is still parked on the hauler in Felton. I’m this close to taking a blow torch to it.

  • Hot pit at the USA 500

    INCOMING!

    Richard and Emme Hall coming in hot to Pro Pits at the USA 500.

    Jason Baden of Reno Off Road Motorsports and I have have been emailing for months. We finally got to meet at Pit One at the USA 500 where Pro Pits was taking care of 1107 each time it completed one of the 155-mile loops. Jason sent over a set of shots from one of the remarkable fast pit stops.

    Bob and Don work on 1107’s engine on Saturday. Crusty takes the day off to attend the Gilroy Garlic Festival. Sunday I go through the electronics. One month to VORRA’s 24 hour race.

  • Teardown commences

    Bob Russell, Desert Dingo hero of the USA 500, back at work on 1107.

    Bob, who drove the piss out of 1107 to get us across the finish line before we timed out last week, was back at it Saturday, jacking up the car as part of our standard disassembly after each race. We’re doing a complete engine rebuild. The nose will be cut off and replaced with a junkyard donor. We’re working on an change to the interior code named “Hartl Bend.” I figured out how to get my iPod Shuffle to work with the Rugged Radios comm system and had a nice chat with the dispatcher at the Soquel Conference Center down the road while doing a radio check.

    A gallery of photos here.

  • Last USA 500 post, I swear

    Clayton Scudder prepping his Class 1 for the USA 500

    Clayton Scudder and his Class 1 are somewhat faster than we are.

    Finally, a photo gallery from the USA 500 (though I’ve used most of them in posts this week).