Thank you Marty. I'm planning the same trip for my family as well. Everyone should go to D.C. and visit at least once in their lives.
So it's almost go-time for Team HFC, but first the car has to get to South Bend, IN from Southern California. With the help of Jon Barrett at Kahn Media, we were fortunate to secure a place for the Honor Flight Camaro and the One Lap Camaro with LA Prep, one of the premier automotive transport companies in the world.
http://www.laprepinc.com With their headquarters only an hour from home, it made the choice easy.
When I pulled up on Monday to drop off the car there were some unexpected surprises waiting. The Patron Tequilla ALMS teams were there performing a post-race teardown/reassembly on their cars which finished first and second at the Long Beach Gran Prix last weekend. These cars are phenomenal pieces of engineering, and super reliable. It's pretty cool seeing some very high tech carbon lays right next to a stock-block engine from a Honda Pilot that provides the motivation. The mechanics got a kick out of OLC and HFC as well.
The owner of LA Prep, Jim, is an ex Cannonballer. He last did it in 1979 and made it from Connecticut to Los Angeles in 36 hours. He was in first place until they heard over the CB radio that the road through Flagstaff was closed, and that changed their route. It was a setup by one of their competitors by which the truckers made the CB call on the road closure. Heck, they hired an Italian chef to ride in the back seat and make sandwiches!
Here's the car going on the trailer just over the OLC.
Though the car is gone preparations continue. YouTube is my friend for all of the tracks and IRacing does help some for Daytona and VIR, but it's still not the same. My co-driver Jon is pretty nervous as it's his first time having to deal with something like the OLoA. Though we would likely fare better points/position wise if only one of us drove each track, hence learning from the morning sessions and doing better in the afternoon, if Jon want to drive then he's in. It's a long trip to just ride shotgun when the blood is boiling to drive.
Another thing that has been on my mind is the personal side of the story. Last year James brought a stuffed toy that made the whole journey that he gave to his daughter Eve. For the HFC we're going to reach back in time and borrow some good fortune.
I vivdly remember my Dad telling me that if I ever joined the army he would kill me (figure of speach.) He may not have liked the army, but he was fiercely proud of the 3rd Infantry Division in which he served. He was also the sentimental and superstitious type, and carried around something for good luck every day of his life. So for the HFC these two momentos of his will joining us on the OLoA.
The patch is one of two that he had in a box along with all of his ribbons, pins, stripes, etc. from his time in the army. The rabbits foot he talked about with me only once, but he carried that overseas the whole time he was there. I'm hoping that there some luck still waiting to get out.
On Thursday Jon and I fly to Midway in Chicago to meet with Mary and James and pick up the cars. HFC is in pretty good shape from a graphics standpoint so it should be easier for us. Sticking up a whole car and getting it right takes more time than one would think.
Brian Hobaugh SCCA National Tour June 2014
First Hemi 'Cuda Convertible Ever Built
Short clips: Goodguys Pleasanton autocross and pit videos
It's like a ball of yarn unwinding, that has no end... Author DKz Garage
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