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Well the reputation of Rim is that of a nasty, rough, car breaking rally challenge? ahhhh? the long and short of it is I was not disappointed! In any way!!
I encountered enough issues to write a full novel, but I?ll try to keep it a short novel -
Friday night went relatively smoothly for me as I took it easy on the stages trying to get to know the terrain I was dealing with and attempting to discover exactly what a ?water bar? looks like? (More on this later) ?
The issues we had on Friday were nothing major. Nothing that couldn?t be dealt with quickly or with some firm determination? First off - mere minutes before the drivers meeting that evening, we discovered ?that whining noise? we?ve been hearing was my alternator going ?puuuke, I?m done?? that was an easy fix ? (thank you Dave Clark ? I?d be lost without you!!!)
The only other difficulties we had that evening revolved around my poor navigator, John Reed. This timing system was new (to us both) and we ended up incurring time penalties that dropped us 2 places overall and 1 place in class?. (yuk!!) ? Also, John was not feeling too good - as was the case with most navigators out there?. he also had a really hard time following the stage notes? so I was running most stages on the fly. The big grin factor from Fri evening was that all tarmac stage! Under-powered and welded front diff aside, I still had a blast on that one? that sucker was fun!!! Grin factor 4!!! On to Saturday?.
Ahhh yes? finally I?ll get to see this ?Del Sur? stage everyone is babbling about? and apparently there are some ?real water bars? out there? um? ok... But before I could get to any of that good stuff? I had to put on my brand spankin new tires?. ahhh? easier said than done as the wheel on the drivers side seemed to be cross-threaded on? ahhhh? yep? cross threaded!!! Time for more thank you?s? w/30 mins before my check in time, Dave Clark provided the labor, while Cascade Autosport and AV Autosport provided me with spare wheel studs? I LOVE YOU GUYS ? boy do I owe them a beer or 3... Ok ? now I?ve got my new tires and I?m ready to go find me some water bars... and did I ever!!
Del Sur? I was not sure what to expect and just went for it! Again, 1-2miles into the stage my poor navvie screams at me ?#[email protected]#@! I?m lost again!? and I say? ok then? let?s have some fun ? and I just start winging it! Water bars are cool! I took most of them at a fair rate of speed and caught some nice air? got a feel for the roads? and was grinning ear to ear when I came upon? THE YUMP!!
You guys that have done Rim before, you know the one?
erm? ahhh? I guess I have to be honest? It didn?t LOOK much bigger than the others? it didn?t SEEM to be too intimidating?. and there were all of these photographers around? and spectators around?. ah?. I didn?t lift? mistake? I don?t know? but when everything around me went completely silent, I knew we were in trouble ? gulp!
The photographer that was there snapping pictures on my side, not sure who he was, but SORRY DUDE? the look on his face will forever be implanted in my memory banks as a rally moment to be remembered? dude was SCARED TO DEATH! I seriously doubt he got off a shot - he looked terrified, with good reason! As I descended from the (rumored/spectator estimated) height of 5.5 feet, the car came down at a ?funny angle? (here it comes?) BAM!!! We landed on the drivers side nose? HARD? I thought, oh hell, there goes my front end? of course the crowd loved it? (glad I could entertain)
Damage assessment? My new skidplate from Primitive Racing ? 3 times thicker than my old one ? and less than 24 hours old - bent all to hell? right near the tow hook?. I would say it bent itself back about 10-13? or so? oops!! did I do that??? (*insert grin here*) Bumper skin is now wrapped around the tow hook and my fog light is toast?. suspension and all else are fine? apparently I got lucky again (will I do it again next year? likely!)
Now the fun begins?. On the turn around stage, near the latter ½ of it? I could have sworn we had a flat? car would not turn right? but soon? it would not turn left? and I knew that once again, I?d been plagued by the Power Steering (#[email protected]#@%#@$) issues I?ve been having all season long. I finished the stage with an ?ok? time ? relieved? but soon realized that the next stage was the tightest, sandiest of the event ? NOT short either.
I believe it was over 8 miles. In transit we discovered there was very, very little power steering fluid left? ended up that the fitting had come loose. So even if I had spare fluid, I was still um? ahhh? erm? heck, there?s no better word for it - I was screwed. I roll up to the start on my minute and look at John and said ?this, is going to suck, I?m scared to death?? Remember that I not only have the 2wd to deal with, but I have a welded front diff?can you say ouch!?!? I can tell you that I certainly can - and to anyone that has ever driven in a situation such as this, my GOD - my hat?s off to you - it?s murder.
So anyway, off we go? and I?m trying to keep moving, not get caught immediately by the car behind me. I?m pushing fairly hard for the first 2-3 miles, and then I started getting really, really hot and really, really tired. 1? 2? 3? times I lost the wheel and we nearly went cliff side. I had to actually stop and reverse in order to continue on.
At around 5 miles in, I knew I was in trouble. I was very, very hot and working very, very hard. I kept asking John, how much further? (This is something I never do, as typically I am having way too much fun!) Sometimes he would reply, sometimes he would just keep reading the notes... I think it was at about 7 miles in, I became severly nauseated and increasingly dizzy. Soon after that, my arms, hands, legs started tingling. I was near exhaustion and I swear I wanted to stop so many times, but kept pushing on for god-only-knows what reason? Near the finish I saw the car 2 cars back just starting to catch me? Not sure what happened to the car directly behind me, but I?m thankful that I didn?t hold them up. I lost what I think was at least 2 minutes on the stage due to the power steering issues??
The diagnosis?
The transit was sketchy. I was not ?all there? I was not coherent and couldn?t function.
John had to scream at me 3 or 4 times the directions I was to take to get to service, even something as simple as a T-stop could not be negotiated. All I knew is I was hot and I wanted out of the car. We pull in to service, I get out of the car and nearly fall to the ground. Arms, legs, face red as can possibly be, I get that drivers suit off and start shaking uncontrollably? I had no idea what was going on. My body just wouldn?t function and it scared the holy heck outta me? I started mumbling about ?quitting, not going to keep going on? don?t want to do this ? too cold, t-t-t-too c-c-cold?" ahhh.. it was like 90 degrees out...
(don?t worry, I was out of it, completely? I would never, ever give up!!!!)
The next thing I know Doc is checking my pulse and asking all of these questions? I got a wet towel on my head and started sucking down the aqua like there was no tomorrow. Apparently, I'd been a victim of heat stroke... crazy! They held me in service a bit later than I wanted to be there (my ideal time out had passed?) but eventually I convinced everyone I was ok and I was going to drive?.
So out I went? shivering still, not feeling quite ready, but after running the next stage (and passing 2 competitors?) I was all grins and myself again. For the remainder of the evening I continued to leap cars trying to find some breathing room and a dust-free chance at running a stage. Unfortunately for me, I only managed one stage that night where I did not catch another competitor and eat major dust ? I had fallen too far back in the pack with the delay regarding my health conditions? And the one stage that I really got moving on, claimed my entire exhaust set up? it?s out there - somewhere? At this point I resolved just to finish as well as I could and bring the car home, which I did, and I?m damn proud of it too!!
Rim didn?t completely defeat me this year, but I didn?t exactly get a fair shot at ?IT? either? I would call it a draw!!
I am well pleased with my stage time on Del Sur (on the way out) and I know the whole day Saturday would have likely gone just like that if it were not for the power steering issues?.. & I want a chance to prove it? sooooo? Paula, Mike, & all of the workers? I thank you so much for the fantastic event & I ?warn? you?
:7 I?LL BE BACK :7
Jamie
www.subiegalracing.com
www.subiegal.com
I encountered enough issues to write a full novel, but I?ll try to keep it a short novel -
Friday night went relatively smoothly for me as I took it easy on the stages trying to get to know the terrain I was dealing with and attempting to discover exactly what a ?water bar? looks like? (More on this later) ?
The issues we had on Friday were nothing major. Nothing that couldn?t be dealt with quickly or with some firm determination? First off - mere minutes before the drivers meeting that evening, we discovered ?that whining noise? we?ve been hearing was my alternator going ?puuuke, I?m done?? that was an easy fix ? (thank you Dave Clark ? I?d be lost without you!!!)
The only other difficulties we had that evening revolved around my poor navigator, John Reed. This timing system was new (to us both) and we ended up incurring time penalties that dropped us 2 places overall and 1 place in class?. (yuk!!) ? Also, John was not feeling too good - as was the case with most navigators out there?. he also had a really hard time following the stage notes? so I was running most stages on the fly. The big grin factor from Fri evening was that all tarmac stage! Under-powered and welded front diff aside, I still had a blast on that one? that sucker was fun!!! Grin factor 4!!! On to Saturday?.
Ahhh yes? finally I?ll get to see this ?Del Sur? stage everyone is babbling about? and apparently there are some ?real water bars? out there? um? ok... But before I could get to any of that good stuff? I had to put on my brand spankin new tires?. ahhh? easier said than done as the wheel on the drivers side seemed to be cross-threaded on? ahhhh? yep? cross threaded!!! Time for more thank you?s? w/30 mins before my check in time, Dave Clark provided the labor, while Cascade Autosport and AV Autosport provided me with spare wheel studs? I LOVE YOU GUYS ? boy do I owe them a beer or 3... Ok ? now I?ve got my new tires and I?m ready to go find me some water bars... and did I ever!!
Del Sur? I was not sure what to expect and just went for it! Again, 1-2miles into the stage my poor navvie screams at me ?#[email protected]#@! I?m lost again!? and I say? ok then? let?s have some fun ? and I just start winging it! Water bars are cool! I took most of them at a fair rate of speed and caught some nice air? got a feel for the roads? and was grinning ear to ear when I came upon? THE YUMP!!
You guys that have done Rim before, you know the one?
erm? ahhh? I guess I have to be honest? It didn?t LOOK much bigger than the others? it didn?t SEEM to be too intimidating?. and there were all of these photographers around? and spectators around?. ah?. I didn?t lift? mistake? I don?t know? but when everything around me went completely silent, I knew we were in trouble ? gulp!
The photographer that was there snapping pictures on my side, not sure who he was, but SORRY DUDE? the look on his face will forever be implanted in my memory banks as a rally moment to be remembered? dude was SCARED TO DEATH! I seriously doubt he got off a shot - he looked terrified, with good reason! As I descended from the (rumored/spectator estimated) height of 5.5 feet, the car came down at a ?funny angle? (here it comes?) BAM!!! We landed on the drivers side nose? HARD? I thought, oh hell, there goes my front end? of course the crowd loved it? (glad I could entertain)
Damage assessment? My new skidplate from Primitive Racing ? 3 times thicker than my old one ? and less than 24 hours old - bent all to hell? right near the tow hook?. I would say it bent itself back about 10-13? or so? oops!! did I do that??? (*insert grin here*) Bumper skin is now wrapped around the tow hook and my fog light is toast?. suspension and all else are fine? apparently I got lucky again (will I do it again next year? likely!)
Now the fun begins?. On the turn around stage, near the latter ½ of it? I could have sworn we had a flat? car would not turn right? but soon? it would not turn left? and I knew that once again, I?d been plagued by the Power Steering (#[email protected]#@%#@$) issues I?ve been having all season long. I finished the stage with an ?ok? time ? relieved? but soon realized that the next stage was the tightest, sandiest of the event ? NOT short either.
I believe it was over 8 miles. In transit we discovered there was very, very little power steering fluid left? ended up that the fitting had come loose. So even if I had spare fluid, I was still um? ahhh? erm? heck, there?s no better word for it - I was screwed. I roll up to the start on my minute and look at John and said ?this, is going to suck, I?m scared to death?? Remember that I not only have the 2wd to deal with, but I have a welded front diff?can you say ouch!?!? I can tell you that I certainly can - and to anyone that has ever driven in a situation such as this, my GOD - my hat?s off to you - it?s murder.
So anyway, off we go? and I?m trying to keep moving, not get caught immediately by the car behind me. I?m pushing fairly hard for the first 2-3 miles, and then I started getting really, really hot and really, really tired. 1? 2? 3? times I lost the wheel and we nearly went cliff side. I had to actually stop and reverse in order to continue on.
At around 5 miles in, I knew I was in trouble. I was very, very hot and working very, very hard. I kept asking John, how much further? (This is something I never do, as typically I am having way too much fun!) Sometimes he would reply, sometimes he would just keep reading the notes... I think it was at about 7 miles in, I became severly nauseated and increasingly dizzy. Soon after that, my arms, hands, legs started tingling. I was near exhaustion and I swear I wanted to stop so many times, but kept pushing on for god-only-knows what reason? Near the finish I saw the car 2 cars back just starting to catch me? Not sure what happened to the car directly behind me, but I?m thankful that I didn?t hold them up. I lost what I think was at least 2 minutes on the stage due to the power steering issues??
The diagnosis?
The transit was sketchy. I was not ?all there? I was not coherent and couldn?t function.
John had to scream at me 3 or 4 times the directions I was to take to get to service, even something as simple as a T-stop could not be negotiated. All I knew is I was hot and I wanted out of the car. We pull in to service, I get out of the car and nearly fall to the ground. Arms, legs, face red as can possibly be, I get that drivers suit off and start shaking uncontrollably? I had no idea what was going on. My body just wouldn?t function and it scared the holy heck outta me? I started mumbling about ?quitting, not going to keep going on? don?t want to do this ? too cold, t-t-t-too c-c-cold?" ahhh.. it was like 90 degrees out...
(don?t worry, I was out of it, completely? I would never, ever give up!!!!)
The next thing I know Doc is checking my pulse and asking all of these questions? I got a wet towel on my head and started sucking down the aqua like there was no tomorrow. Apparently, I'd been a victim of heat stroke... crazy! They held me in service a bit later than I wanted to be there (my ideal time out had passed?) but eventually I convinced everyone I was ok and I was going to drive?.
So out I went? shivering still, not feeling quite ready, but after running the next stage (and passing 2 competitors?) I was all grins and myself again. For the remainder of the evening I continued to leap cars trying to find some breathing room and a dust-free chance at running a stage. Unfortunately for me, I only managed one stage that night where I did not catch another competitor and eat major dust ? I had fallen too far back in the pack with the delay regarding my health conditions? And the one stage that I really got moving on, claimed my entire exhaust set up? it?s out there - somewhere? At this point I resolved just to finish as well as I could and bring the car home, which I did, and I?m damn proud of it too!!
Rim didn?t completely defeat me this year, but I didn?t exactly get a fair shot at ?IT? either? I would call it a draw!!
I am well pleased with my stage time on Del Sur (on the way out) and I know the whole day Saturday would have likely gone just like that if it were not for the power steering issues?.. & I want a chance to prove it? sooooo? Paula, Mike, & all of the workers? I thank you so much for the fantastic event & I ?warn? you?
:7 I?LL BE BACK :7
Jamie
www.subiegalracing.com
www.subiegal.com
i'll definately have to contest this event again! 
