Jeff's enormous salami ....

[Simon]

Here ya go Rich, here's your opening to get you started on your race report. Have at it !

[RichH]

Henceforth the Shasta Kart Club race held on 8/23/14 shall be known as Jeff's Big Salami Memorial Race

Would like once again thank the Shasta Kart Club for their hospitality and for putting on another night race that we were able to participate in. We were again met at the end of the final race right outside of the scale house with adult slurpes and beverages. With the kart count being so low I felt like the race was being put on just for us. This is a great night of racing and should be supported.

Jeff's Big Salami Memorial Race report

I arrived late Friday afternoon, hung out, had some great BBQ from a place down the street. Later that evening with the light finally starting to fade we all ventured out to set up and get the lights all aimed correctly. Then the great debates started about the lights. I have seen young couples argue less about whole kitchen remodels than difference of opinions out there! At one point Jeff refused to come down from a light stand and kept yelling " I am President and the Big Salami around here and this lighting makes my kart look fat" or something to that effect. After removing Brad's crecent wrench from Dan's hand, Kent and I managed to talk him down. Jeff and I were the first karts to try the Track#6 backwards that night. Other than some lights hitting you straight in the eyes at the exit of the straight and into one of the fastest turns the lights were good to go.

On race day the NFRA members arrived exactly opposite of expected order. Ron was first there(!!!!!), followed by Simon ( glad to see him), with Paul arriving a short time later. With exception of Paul the NFRA racers did NOT impress anybody with their race preparation. Ron stated that he had not touched his kart since May! Simon claims to not have opened his trailer since the last PC race. I had not even touched my kart since the last SKC race. So gas, oil, and air was added and practice began.

The Track#6 backwards is a completely different track than what we ran forwards last time. Hard, violent, and with no rest it was going to be a physically demanding track to drive.

Ron did his usual 50-60 laps all afternoon. Until he discovered that his front end had enough different angles in it to make a mathematician go "What the #%^&@(*&&" All he was doing was grinding down his front tires to some really weird profiles. This was unknown damage from the multiple clone incidents at the Reno night race. With no adjustment pills in the front end we could not even try and take out some of the weirdness. He then just decided to go extreme off the reservation opposite of the norm in regards to kart chassis tuning. He made it work . Some how his front tires survived the night.

Simon arrived and got right out there for practice. However with in a short time he had spun out by the Oak Tree turn and was doing his best Austin Powers impression of trying to turn the kart around on the track. The same thing happened on the track exit onto the scale house. Went over to him with his kart stand and between heaving breathes and his hands on his knees manage to gasp out " The DAM thing won't turn" He then returned to the pits and proceeded to try and keep up with Jeff for the number of changes made to a kart in a day. I believe Simon got his second and third wind and was seen smiling by the end of the racing evening

Paul arrived with his usual Army camp cleanliness and organization. However once out practicing he was soon cleaning out the weeds and dirt from the nooks and crannies of his kart. Have had never run this track backwards before he was struggling with some corners. Paul subscribes to the Brad Wunder school of prequalifying mind games. Having no Micron, so hence having no times to join in the prerace mind games. He put in a very good P2 qualifying time. His race in the main was cut short by a thrown chain at the oak tree turn.

I put in several laps the night before so I was not in any big hurry to practice much on Saturday afternoon. Made one gear change that in hindsight should have left alone but no changes to the kart. After much debate and with some consultation with Dan I decided that 5 races on my tires was enough and put on my new set of MG reds. Added a 1/2" of width to each end and took it out on the track. After three laps returned to the pits. Sat in my kart and left my helmet on for while because I did not want anybody to see the huge grin on my face. Put a bag over my Micron and walked away from my kart. Over all a good weekend for me. Thank you Dan for all your help. Once again you answer my questions but put at least five more in my head.

Jeff " the enormous salami" Havens

Where do we star with Jeff? How many kart changes can we make in a race weekend? How many times can we be late to the starting grid? Really, a shower in the middle of the race day? Why did we keep having to adjust our kart seat position. How come so many references to our rear axle as being hard or a stiff ? What is the deal with one of your best friends running off and refusing to spend the night ? By the end he ended up right in with the rest of the pack with a respectable finish at the end. That was a lot of work to get to that result.

The Animals had some of the best racing of the night. Leads were being swapped back and forth. Willy stayed right behind the two lead Animal lights the whole main.

A great night of racing

[jeff14]

You boys sure enjoyed the big salami at 2:00 am.

[Dan Pell]

Aug 25, 2014 23:11:32 GMT -5 jeff14 said:

You boys sure enjoyed the big salami at 2:00 am.

Jeff's officially been initiated to the Yellow Shirts club! Impressive report Rich, hilariously put together, and seemingly void of only one ingredient...Haven's chrome bags of balls he's been know to share.

Great to see you guys, hands down the best WF group in the whole US!

[Simon]

Nice report Rich !

I only have to add that Rich was off the charts quick. He started out quick and seemed to get quicker every time he went out onto the track.

Apologies for some excessive grumpiness after qualifying, I got caught in the spiral of frustration where the harder you try the worse things get.

Salty meaty snacks anyone ?

[ron90]

Aug 25, 2014 21:48:16 GMT -5 RichH said:

Ron did his usual 50-60 laps all afternoon. Until he discovered that his front end had enough different angles in it to make a mathematician go "What the #%^&@(*&&" All he was doing was grinding down his front tires to some really weird profiles. This was unknown damage from the multiple clone incidents at the Reno night race. With no adjustment pills in the front end we could not even try and take out some of the weirdness. He then just decided to go extreme off the reservation opposite of the norm in regards to kart chassis tuning. He made it work . Some how his front tires survived the night.

By the time the race was ready to start, I was done.  All the laps, and a leaking engine when I JUST finished my practice.

For kart tuning, and for those that may want specifics I had horrible kart turn-in.   I was told to go wide, wider, and wider, in the front. Because I had old spindles on the kart due to a prior accident with clones, I could not go any wider. I was also told to go wider, wider, and wider, in the back. Nothing helped. I heard Dan say to someone else, "sometimes you have to do what works for YOU" or words to that effect.

I said what the ^&%$&%. I narrowed the front, while Rich was scratching his head wondering what the &%^& I was doing. We were nervous as I went out. I came back in with thumbs up.   I narrowed MORE.   More thumbs up. I narrowed it completely in, and was able to survive the night.  It looked like I was a trike with the front so narrow.

I think sometimes when things just don't wortk, try an extreme one way or another and find out what it does. You may be surprised.

It was an awesome day of racing. By the time I got home at 2:30am I was exhausted, but complete satisfied. Thanks again to the Shasta Kart Club.