The Hawk Vintage Race - Road America 7/16-7/19, ...I will be 'competing' in Huey! Options

[naro914]

After a few years of wanting to go but not being able to, we decided that this was the year. Papa Smurf was working, we had the time, and I don't know if we will have the chance again in the future...

After spending months negotiating with the event's technical chair, we finally settled on a run group. He originally had me in Group 10, which would be with the current and past World Challenge, IMSA and other pro level cars!!! We settled on Exhibition class (no awards/trophies) in Group 6, which is more my speed considering I've never driven Road America. but I'd have to remove the wing and splitter...

I had just spent a week working on Papa Smurf installing a fuel cell, replacing all the fuel lines, fixing little things here and there, removing wing/splitter and installing the old trunk lid with rear spoiler, etc. Then, a last week while doing final prep, I heard a funny noise in the engine. I thought the noise was spark knock, but how could that be? I went round and round with our dyno engineer, the guy who fixed the crank pulley because our engine builder didn't install it right, and anyone I could think of...then it occurred to me..I've heard this sound before. So I drained the oil and found exactly what I didn't want to see...bearing material on the drain plug!! Yes, for the 5th time in less than 3 years, the engine has spun/destroyed rod bearings... (that's another story for another day)

So THIS PAST WEEKEND, around an Okteenerfest scouting trip, I quickly went about moving everything I could think of over from Papa to Huey..mainly the fuel cell and transponder, and install door bars, window net and fire extinguisher we use on the hillclimbs, installing racing brake pads and flushing the brake fluid, installing a used set of R6's I have and ordering a new set of R7's to be available at the track, etc. Huey is NOT a track race car. Sure, we do hillclimbs and autocrosses, but we never leave 3rd gear, never really go fast, never stand on the brakes, never have to lean on the suspension...but i had already paid for the registration, plane tickets and hotel. If we didn't go, the only thing we would save was the car transportation and crew, so we are going. I dropped off Huey at CRP Racing yesterday (these are the guys that run the Hawk team - Audi R8 that Mike Skeen drives now sponsored by Devilbiss - and who basically run the entire Hawk event)

Here is a video the Hawk Performance team put together from last year's event. We will be paddocked with them and this collection of cars this year.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeOiVrRTKJ8


I will try to post updates here, but most likely on our NaroEscape Motorsports Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/naroescapemotorsports

I have no idea what to expect out of Huey. He's been great, but like I said, never been full out at high speeds, and from what I see/hear, RA is very fast....

Is anyone going and/or competing in this race? If so, stop by and say high...and hope Huey survives the weekend!!