RACE: Mid-Ohio Runoffs Thursday notes #3

Runoffs Notes - 13 - Thursday copyright 1996 John P. M. Dillon

The SoPac tranny change team for Richard Crites included Todd Rappaport, Eric Morehouse, Jeannie Ross, Art Bowen, Diana Crites, Shelly Crites, Larry Cress, and Sue Mashiko. They all pulled together to get the tranny installed in only 2 hours and 40 minutes. At the end of yesterday's qualifying, the car unfortunately came in on the hook. It turned out to be an overheating problem. Fortunately, the engine wasn't hurt. Apparently the radiator has two caps; one is strictly a seal, and the other is a pressure relief. The caps had been installed in reverse order, thus causing the overheating. "If I wanted to have any more fun, I'd pull out my knuckles one by one with a pair of pliers, then slit my throat with a dirty razor blade," complained Crites. "Everybody's working hard, but it's been a battle." Things were so desperate for a while that he considered loading the car on the trailer and heading home. Right now he's working on a clutch problem, but we think he'll mush on regardless.

Larry Cress was alledgedly elected "Mayor of the Mazda Tent" but had to decline because he's already the "Grand Pubah of the Honda Tent." Sources hint that Cress will run for president (U.S.) in four years.

Pete Sendroy, a CRX driver racing in GT5, is here by himself. "My car is a solo project from Colorado. I'm just here to have fun." He doesn't enjoy the rain, however, so his secret is to just keep it on the road. "I've already changed the motor once--I broke a crank." He thinks the Hondas will be competitive in the future. "They've got a good horsepower advantage, with cross flow heads. They'll run like a Mini once we get 'em developed."

John Dillon Mostly SoPac (Hawaii, Las Vegas, San Diego, Cal Club)