PeteRock
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I have not posted on here for some time, but now due to lost password and being too busy, so I have created a new account to get caught up on all things racing.
This is my point of view as a part of the Racing 905 truck 704, and truck 72 2017 Baja 1000 race effort.
I don’t normally do long race recaps, but this time things are different. Our/my 2017 Baja 1000 race story started back in May. It was in May that most of the race team was busy prepping for the Baja 500, and I had started to layout the build and assembly of our new trophy truck frame we had taken delivery from the one and only Maniak. At this point the team was split and at any random time people were working on the 704 truck and others on 72.
The simple idea of being able to drive a TROPHY TRUCK at the 50th anniversary of the Baja 1000 was intoxicating to say the least. We all pulled every resource that we could as a team, and individuals to finish the build and have a two truck team for the 1000. A build that was way over our heads, and beyond our areas of expertise and experience. But as I mentioned the simple idea, shear the fantasy of driving a TROPHY TRUCK was too good to pass on. Even though we all were at our physical, emotional, mental, and especially financial breaking points months before the race even happened.
After a few months, it was clear that the final build and assembly of a trophy truck was more than we ever bargained for. We as a team have designed, built, and raced multiple race vehicles successfully over the past 20 years. But we quickly found out that there is nothing easy about building a trophy truck.
We knew the clock was ticking as far as the #72 truck was concerned, and as luck and fate would have it, the #704 truck would have a bad crash at the Baja 500 and would need extensive surgery to be Powder Puff ready, let alone Baja 1000 ready. So now with a half-built trophy truck, and a banged up 7 truck the team was pushed even closer to the edge, and thought of just throwing in the towel was on everone’s mind. We all joked about getting a golf membership, and simplifying all of our lives with no racing to worry about. At this point (mid-September) we all started to pace ourselves, knowing that there was so much work to do, every second would count. But the dreaded late-night shop nights started to creep up on us no matter how much we tried to stay on schedule.
Having sponsorship commitments (Procomp), the #704 truck raced the Powder Puff race, and then went on to the Off Road Expo. The B-team as they became to be known as did an amazing job of getting the 704 truck back together and getting it race ready once again.
Now mid-October, the trophy truck build seemed to be coming along with the usual unexpected 1 step forward 15 steps back scenario. Every little detail that could go wrong did: wrong length axles, incompatible engine parts, delayed shocks prep, missing fittings, incompatible electrical components, engine oil leaks, and the list went on and on.
I know we are not even to race day, and I am exhausted LOL. I will follow up the next part of the report soon, the team has tons of photo's and video to gather. We even have a 5 month long time laps from the shop, and a 32 hour long gopro footage from inside the TT.
More race report to come.......
This is my point of view as a part of the Racing 905 truck 704, and truck 72 2017 Baja 1000 race effort.
I don’t normally do long race recaps, but this time things are different. Our/my 2017 Baja 1000 race story started back in May. It was in May that most of the race team was busy prepping for the Baja 500, and I had started to layout the build and assembly of our new trophy truck frame we had taken delivery from the one and only Maniak. At this point the team was split and at any random time people were working on the 704 truck and others on 72.
The simple idea of being able to drive a TROPHY TRUCK at the 50th anniversary of the Baja 1000 was intoxicating to say the least. We all pulled every resource that we could as a team, and individuals to finish the build and have a two truck team for the 1000. A build that was way over our heads, and beyond our areas of expertise and experience. But as I mentioned the simple idea, shear the fantasy of driving a TROPHY TRUCK was too good to pass on. Even though we all were at our physical, emotional, mental, and especially financial breaking points months before the race even happened.
After a few months, it was clear that the final build and assembly of a trophy truck was more than we ever bargained for. We as a team have designed, built, and raced multiple race vehicles successfully over the past 20 years. But we quickly found out that there is nothing easy about building a trophy truck.
We knew the clock was ticking as far as the #72 truck was concerned, and as luck and fate would have it, the #704 truck would have a bad crash at the Baja 500 and would need extensive surgery to be Powder Puff ready, let alone Baja 1000 ready. So now with a half-built trophy truck, and a banged up 7 truck the team was pushed even closer to the edge, and thought of just throwing in the towel was on everone’s mind. We all joked about getting a golf membership, and simplifying all of our lives with no racing to worry about. At this point (mid-September) we all started to pace ourselves, knowing that there was so much work to do, every second would count. But the dreaded late-night shop nights started to creep up on us no matter how much we tried to stay on schedule.
Having sponsorship commitments (Procomp), the #704 truck raced the Powder Puff race, and then went on to the Off Road Expo. The B-team as they became to be known as did an amazing job of getting the 704 truck back together and getting it race ready once again.
Now mid-October, the trophy truck build seemed to be coming along with the usual unexpected 1 step forward 15 steps back scenario. Every little detail that could go wrong did: wrong length axles, incompatible engine parts, delayed shocks prep, missing fittings, incompatible electrical components, engine oil leaks, and the list went on and on.
I know we are not even to race day, and I am exhausted LOL. I will follow up the next part of the report soon, the team has tons of photo's and video to gather. We even have a 5 month long time laps from the shop, and a 32 hour long gopro footage from inside the TT.
More race report to come.......