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10 February 2001, Huntly Speedway
Well,
Last night was qualifying night for the NZ A-Grade Stockcar Grand Prix, Huntly's biggest meeting of the season. We had repaired the damage received at the Waikato Ltd Saloon champs and were fair chomping at the bit to get out racing. Immediate goal was to finish a race, and then all three races!!!
There were 15 Limited Saloons on show which was good for a Friday night. I drew grid 12 for the first race. The track had been heavily watered to ensure a good surface for the night and we were duly out in the first race to wheel pack the track and provide a good surface for the stockies.
I lowered the tyre pressures to ensure more tyre was in contact with the track for better grip, 10psi RF, 8psi LF, 6psi RR and 3psi LR.
I got a great start and picked up 3 places when the green flag dropped. The car was handling brilliantly and everything was going fine. Then it happened, or more importantly didn't happen??? The car started revving highly and I thought I had slipped into 1st gear. I checked that, no I hadn't?? I then ran out of drive altogether and had to coast onto the infield. Very frustrating indeed!!!!!
After a tow back to the pits we started toing and froing, starting and stopping the car, trying to find the problem. We finally deduced that the trans fluid was being pumped out of a breather hole at the top of the trans. It looked like a cap had disappeared from the breather tube. We tried, unsuccessfully, to fit a bolt or screw into the hole and eventually shoved a piece of stick into the hole. This appeared to work and upon attempting to start the car for the next race, the battery died.
At that we called it quits, yet again, and winched the car up onto the trailer and went to watch the rest of the nights meeting. (I hate watching!!!) The stockcar action was spectacular and very entertaining. Man those
A-Graders can move!!!!
We aim to be ready for the next meeting at Kihikihi Speedway in a couple of weeks. See ya there ...?
P.S. The car drove off the trailer, this morning, fine. Looks like we will have fixed the problem when I replace the breather tube and cap with a replacement from Barry Tidd. Cheers mate... Yippee!
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