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| We are Gordon Aram (left) and Jerry Anderson (right). We have the most unique way to advertise your product or service to millions of potential customers across North America. Both Gordon and Jerry are SVRA Pro Drivers. Jerry is an accomplished Commercial Aircraft Pilot. Gordon is an Open Water SCUBA Diver. Gordon has been in the Automotive Industry for over 25 years and has extensive experience including being a recognized SCCA Crew Chief. Jerry also has been in the Automotive Industry for over 10 years. He is in charge of the Marketing Dept. and can write, produce, and implement all of your marketing needs for the roaming billboard. |
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| Click Here for weekly updates and events that we will be attending. Also if we are at a race promoting our advertisers you can see in car camera video using GoProCamera.com Hero Camera and sound. |
Gordon Aram, left, and Jerry Anderson are planning to compete in the One Lap of America race
in early May. The race will pass through upwards of 15 states, and the pair will drive nearly 5,000
miles in a 1986 IROC-Z, pictured behind them.
Racing the U.S.
Bend duo plans to compete in One Lap of America Two drivers from Bend will compete in the
‘One Lap of America’ race in May
Gordon Aram harbors no unrealistic expectations as he prepares to race his 1986 Chevrolet
IROC-Z around the eastern half of the United States.
“I have no hope in hell,” Aram says. “But I’ll try to win. That’s the goal.”
The annual race is called One Lap of America, a slightly tamer version of the Cannonball, which
inspired the movies “Cannonball Run” and “Smoky and the Bandit II” in the early 1980s.
Aram and Jerry Anderson, both of Bend, plan to take turns driving the IROC during One Lap of
America, which is scheduled for May 2-10.
Helping charity
Gordon Aram and Jerry Anderson (the A Team) of Bend plan to compete in One Lap of America in
early May. Aram says 90 percent of funds raised will go to the Relay for Life, a benefit for the
American Cancer Society.
Participants drive from track to track — a total of 5,500 miles — competing in different events at
each racetrack along the way, from May 2-10.
• The Tire Rack (South Bend, Ind.) (START)
• Road America (Elkhart, Wis.)
• Mid America Motorplex (Omaha, Neb.)
• Texas World Speedway (College Station)
• Lonestar Motorsports Park (Sealy, Texas)
• No Problem Raceway (Belle Rose, La.)
• Carolina Motorsports Park (Kershaw, S.C.)
• BMW Performance Center (Spartanburg, S.C.)
• Virginia International Raceway (Danville, Va.)
• BeaveRun (Big Beaver Borough, Pa.)
• The Tire Rack (South Bend, Ind.) (FINISH)
The 2008 race will start and finish in South Bend, Ind., taking drivers counterclockwise through
the nation’s heartland to Texas, across the Deep South and up the Eastern seaboard, then back
to the Midwest. Participants will stop at 10 racetracks along the way to compete in a variety of
races and events. The race covers a total of 5,500 miles and, depending on the precise route —
which won’t be revealed to drivers until just before the start — figures to pass through 15 to 20
states in eight days.
“It’s basically the ‘Amazing Race’ in eight days,” Anderson says. “It would make for some
interesting TV if they filmed us arguing about stuff.”
In the early 1970s, Brock Yates, senior editor of Car and Driver magazine, started the Cannonball
Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash. The flat-out and largely unauthorized race from New
York to California has since been reformatted, legalized, and renamed: One Lap of America.
During One Lap of America, drivers make their way from racetrack to racetrack along routes they
will not learn until May 2. They are penalized for being too early or too late to the tracks.
To discourage drivers from exceeding posted speed limits, participants are disqualified from
the race if they receive two “early” penalties. Also, any traffic violation observed by a race
official results in immediate disqualification.
The race will include about 50 to 70 cars. Speed matters on the tracks, but driving skill to make it
from track to track in the allotted amount of time is crucial on the highways.
Aram and Anderson — who have dubbed themselves the “A Team” — will be racing against
Porsches, Corvettes, Mustangs, GTs and other reputedly fast cars.
“You get guys that are just millionaires,” Aram says.
Aram, who specializes in building customized engines, says he has poured about $35,000 into
the IROC, which features 500 horsepower and a roll cage. The exterior of the car will include the
names of companies that sponsor the team.
Aram has been on a frantic fundraising mission, hoping to have enough money for the car and
fuel and to still be able to give 90 percent of funds raised to the American Cancer Society.
“We want to raise at least $25,000 — but we’re not in this to make money,” he says.
Aram competed in the One Lap of America in the mid 1990s, and he has experience racing in the
National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) and the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA).
The 39-year-old recently spent three years in Iraq, two stints from 2003 to 2007, working in
rescue recovery for the U.S. Department of Defense. His job was to recover American property
— and sometimes the bodies of fallen soldiers — from battle sites.
While in Iraq in 2005, Aram was riding in a sport utility vehicle that was struck by a roadside
bomb. His back was seriously injured and he came home to Bend to recover. Six months later,
he returned to Iraq.
“You can’t describe what it was like,” Aram says of Iraq. “Part of me died in Iraq and I’ll never get
it back.”
Aram’s interest in the American Cancer Society is personal: they recently lost a family friend to
lung cancer.
“The money I made overseas (in Iraq) is being poured into this car, and it can be put to good
use,” Aram says. “It’s a chance for me to get out there and do something, and raise the money to
help my friends out.”
Long hours behind the wheel await in One Lap of America. The stretch from Omaha, Neb., to
College Station, Texas, is expected to take 19 hours.
Anderson will be taking part in One Lap of America for the first time.
“I’m real excited,” he says, “but at the same time, a little apprehensive about not knowing what
to expect.”
| One Lap of America Race Completed Sixth Overall in Class Picture in Car & Driver Magazine September 2008 Issue |
The A Team
One lap of America 2008
Drivers: Gordon Aram, Jerry Anderson
Bend, Oregon
Written by: Jerry Anderson
Our journey to one lap started as an offhanded comment, a joke. Gordon had been back from Iraq
for just a few months. He was building an ‘86 Z-28 Camaro in his tiny garage. One day in late
February I was over at his place shooting the breeze. Gordon was telling me all about how great
this monster Camaro was going to be. Now at this time, this monster Camaro was just a pile of
parts. It was a wreck, basically it was completely stripped down and there was nothing but a new
383 block sitting in the frame. I simply asked, “What are you going to do with it?” “Drive it of
course,” he responded. This seemed like a waste to me, after all if it was to be so big and bad
why not do something with it? So I voiced this opinion and made the offhanded comment, “Why
don’t we enter it in that race you’re always talking about? That America lap thing?” Gordon
looked up One Lap on the computer and found that the event was to take place in May. “Well
maybe next year,” I said and left Gordon to his project. Two days later Gordon calls me and says
he had entered One Lap and wanted me to be his co-driver. He assured me that there was plenty
of time to finish the car and that it would be no problem.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008. We are scheduled to leave for South Bend at noon. The car is at the
exhaust shop. It is basically done; however, it has yet to be started or driven. After several
successes and failures with parts acquisition, money raising and car building it is D-day. At 5:00
pm we are at the exhaust shop and the owner is telling us that the car won’t be done till noon
tomorrow. After some pleading he agrees to stay late and finish. I head for home to try to get
some sleep before we leave.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008. We spend most of the day putting the finishing touches on the car. It
is fired for the first time at 2:30 pm. I have pretty much given up any hope of us being able to
make the two thousand mile trip in time. Gordon is still telling me that it will be fine. At 9:00 pm
the car is run around the block - literally around the block - and loaded on a trailer. 10:00 pm we
head out for South Bend. Gordon has now been awake for just over thirty six hours. He will not
be of much use for the drive to South Bend, but we are on our way.
Friday, May 2, 2008. We have covered the 2030 miles to South Bend, Indiana, in a mere 38 hours.
Registration starts at 3:00 pm. We pull onto the Tire Rack grounds at 2:45 pm. After getting the
Camaro off the trailer all we have to do is take it through inspection and we have made it. What
could possibly go wrong? Ever hear of Murphy’s Law? Well, old man Murphy has never left our
side since the beginning of this adventure, and he is certainly not going to leave now. The car
has to be pushed off the trailer because for whatever reason the battery is dead. We manage to
jump it and get it going only to find that we have multiple fuel leaks coming from just about every
part of the fuel injection system. Of course they are calling us for inspection now. We manage to
slow the leaks and somehow get through inspection. We will spend the better part of the night
trying to fabricate parts to seal the leaks. However, we are here and registered and tomorrow we
will be part of one of the greatest adventures in motor sports.
Saturday, May 3, 2008. Somewhere north of Chicago en route to Road America: The skid pad
event has gone well; Gordon is in his element, behind the wheel of the monster he conceived.
Out of all the great experiences that One Lap has to offer this has to be the best. Driving an
average car cleverly disguised as a race car is just amazing. Sitting in traffic or flying past other
cars on the freeway is just the coolest feeling. Watching every head turn to look and wonder
what the hell is going on here.
The Camaro ran well at Road America. A few problems are still plaguing us, but we are getting
ahead of them. Gordon is like a little kid on Christmas; he knows the car will do better but is still
pleased with its showing. It’s now off to Mid America Iowa. Gordon is behind the wheel again. He
has driven the skid pad event, the transition to Road America, the racing at Road America, and
now is driving us toward Iowa. I might get to drive this thing eventually. Somewhere in Illinois my
cell phone rings; it is my fiancée Tammy back home. She has been checking the One Lap website
and has seen a posting about a speed trap at mile post 131. We are at mile post 135. Old man
Murphy has been denied by modern technology. He will not be denied long though.
Sunday, May 4, 2008. 3:15 am. Gordon wakes me up somewhere in Iowa, says he can’t stay awake
anymore, and that I need to drive. Now keep in mind I have never driven this car, the only time I
have behind the wheel was installing the driver’s seat. Now it is after 3:00 in the morning
somewhere in Iowa, it is pouring rain, and I am half asleep. Not the best time to learn a new
vehicle. The car is fantastic, though; it almost drives itself. The biggest problem I have with it is
overdriving it, and the fact that, because of the massive hood scoop, you can’t see the right side
of the car at all. I am finally behind the wheel of this monster, blazing through the night; I could do
this forever. The miles click by and each one is a blast. Twenty eight miles gone and we arrive at
Mid America raceway. That’s right: 28 whole miles. Gordon got us that close; however, in his tired
state he had no idea.
We sleep in the car at Mid America for the two and a half hours until it opens. This was not a good
decision. I get very little sleep, Gordon gets none at all. However, racing at Mid America goes
great. We are definitely starting to get the car dialed in. We are starting to get to know some of
our competitors; the cross section of people that enter this event is just amazing. At the end of a
successful day of racing, we are loaded up and ready to head out for Texas. Brock Yates, Jr. pulls
up next to us and says to follow him, he knows a shortcut back to the freeway. This shortcut is
hardly a road; it is some goat path out across the fields. Brock leaves us in his dust. I guess when
you are in a brand new loaner BMW you don’t need to be as concerned about the road condition.
Or maybe the suspension on a new beamer is just that good, I wouldn’t know.
I am driving this leg down through Iowa and Kansas. It is nice to be driving during daylight hours
and actually get some serious road time under my belt. Making the transition through Topeka
gets a little confusing; even the GPS is not sure where we should go. Flying down the Kansas
turnpike towards Oklahoma is just fantastic. The scenery, or lack thereof, is still quite beautiful.
Nothing but deep green rolling hills as far as you can see, and I do mean nothing. Stopping
several times at the travel plazas along the turnpike, the locals are quick to inform us that we are
far behind the rest of the pack. Gordon takes back the driving duties just after dark. Just over
the Oklahoma border we see the Mongoose alongside the freeway. It has no one around and
looks very sad there in the dark with the flashers on. Gordon comments that we at least aren’t
last anymore. We both feel bad that they broke down but also get a small chuckle that even with
that kind of race budget you are not immune to breakdowns. Old man Murphy is starting to stir in
the non-existent back seat.
Suddenly I am awakened by a grinding noise. At first I think that it is just a change in the
pavement. Gordon and I swap ideas of what it could be: wheel bearing, pulley, power steering
pump? Gordon finds that if he speeds up it goes away. Anytime he lets off the accelerator it
comes back. For a while this works, but soon the noise is there all the time and getting louder.
We decide to take the next exit that has a gas station. This turns out to be in Blackwell,
Oklahoma. Murphy is wide awake and up to his mischief.
In the parking lot of a Shell station in Blackwell, we find that our transmission has completely
failed. It has gotten so hot that it has melted the shift cable in half and melted the drain plug out.
After she cools down we have no gears at all. I am waiting for Gordon to completely freak out.
Part of me is relieved to some extent; just down the street is the comforting glow of a Best
Western sign, and the promise of a decent night’s sleep in a real bed. We have a hard decision to
make: do we throw in the towel and go home or do we try to fix this somehow? As much as I want
to just call it a day and go home, I don’t want Gordon to lose his dream. In the moment, I want
nothing more than to go get the trailer in South Bend and just head for home. However, in the
light of morning I want to finish what we started. How much would it suck to have to say, “yeah,
we did part of one of the greatest events in Motor sports, then when it got tough we just packed
it in and went home.” So we decide that we will fix the problem, catch up with the others and
finish this thing.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008. It has been three days since the transmission failure. After finding a
shop and getting one of our sponsors to Fed Ex a new transmission, we have made three trips
back and forth to Tulsa in a rental truck for parts. We are finally ready to go and catch up to the
others. If we really push we can get to Beaver Run in Pennsylvania in time to compete there on
Friday. Finally at 9:30 pm, we leave Ponca City, Oklahoma, thanking Gary at Bob’s Transmission for
all his hard work and head out for Beaver Run. It is pouring rain; we hope we will out run the
storm soon.
Thursday, May 8, 2008. Still raining, quite possibly the worst thunder storm I have ever been in.
We decide that since we have never been to St. Louis we should stop and see the arch. We have
a great picture of the race car parked on the steps of the Gateway arch – yes, on the steps.
Friday, May 9, 2008. It is 1:30 am; we have arrived at Beaver Run. I think we find the last motel
room to be had. It is still raining. It is nice to see all the other race cars again; we have been
driving a lone race car across the country for quite some time. On the trip from Oklahoma to
Beaver Run we only had one minor problem; the alternator died but was repaired in less than an
hour. Old man Murphy must have finally found someone else to ride with.
Racing at Beaver Run went flawlessly; the car is running great. We have actually been able to get
some respectable times. We have caught up with all of our new friends and had a fantastic day of
racing. Now it’s time to head out for Lake Avon, Ohio.
We have made great time getting to Lake Avon so we decide to wash the car before the media
stop at passing control. The rain has finally decided to break. When we arrive at the media stop,
we find that we are one of the few that stopped to wash their car. As a result, our vehicle looks
really good sitting there with all these other filthy cars. Several of our new friends comment on
the fact that our car is shiny and theirs are a little dingy. Showing the car to the public and talking
with the press is really a cool feeling. Getting to be sort of celebrities was a whole lot of fun. We
were able to get Brock Yates to sign the car and take some great photos with the legend.
Heading out on the final leg back to South Bend, we were on top of the world. Just a few hundred
miles to go and it would be complete. What could possibly go wrong? Murphy was back sleeping
behind us, but we had no idea.
I am flying down the freeway in Ohio only a couple of hundred miles from the finish, feeling pretty
good about the whole thing, when there is a sound like the pavement has changed, only it hasn’t.
There is an all too familiar grinding sound coming from below and just to my right. Murphy is wide
awake and laughing. We pull into a travel plaza and convince ourselves that it is not the tranny
but the rear end is low on fluid. Another participant gives us some rear end oil and we are back
on our way; however, the noise is getting worse. Shortly we lose fourth gear and overdrive.
Gordon decides that we should just limp it on in to South Bend. We make the last two hundred
miles at between 45 and 50 miles per hour. At the motel in South Bend, we are not too concerned;
after all, we only have the skid pad left to do to complete the event. We have three gears -- it will
be fine.
Saturday, May 10, 2008. We get up and head the three miles back to the Tire Rack facility. Brock
Yates, Jr. is there at the entrance congratulating everyone as they enter the gate. Quite literally
as Gordon pulls up to shake hands with Brock we lose the rest of the transmission. For the group
photo we have to push the car into position. After the photo we find that we still have reverse,
but just barely. Gordon approaches Brock and explains our situation. Gordon tells him that we
don’t want another “did not start” penalty and that we would like to do the skid pad in reverse.
Brock seems to think that is definitely in the spirit of One Lap of America and gives his blessing.
So Gordon does the skid pad event in reverse and sets a record for the fastest reverse skid pad
time ever, maybe the only reverse skid pad time. The video on You Tube is quite entertaining. At
least we finished with style.
Experiencing our first One Lap of America was one of those things that, while it is happening, you
don’t realize what a great time you are having. While it was going on I was tired, frustrated, and
couldn’t wait for it to be over. However, as soon as it was over I realized it was one of the best
things I have ever experienced. Now that we have shed our lap puppy status, we can’t wait to
get off the porch and run again with the big dogs. Maybe next year old man Murphy will find
another place to spend his time; however, I doubt it. See you all next year.
One lap of America 2008
Drivers: Gordon Aram, Jerry Anderson
Bend, Oregon
Written by: Jerry Anderson
Our journey to one lap started as an offhanded comment, a joke. Gordon had been back from Iraq
for just a few months. He was building an ‘86 Z-28 Camaro in his tiny garage. One day in late
February I was over at his place shooting the breeze. Gordon was telling me all about how great
this monster Camaro was going to be. Now at this time, this monster Camaro was just a pile of
parts. It was a wreck, basically it was completely stripped down and there was nothing but a new
383 block sitting in the frame. I simply asked, “What are you going to do with it?” “Drive it of
course,” he responded. This seemed like a waste to me, after all if it was to be so big and bad
why not do something with it? So I voiced this opinion and made the offhanded comment, “Why
don’t we enter it in that race you’re always talking about? That America lap thing?” Gordon
looked up One Lap on the computer and found that the event was to take place in May. “Well
maybe next year,” I said and left Gordon to his project. Two days later Gordon calls me and says
he had entered One Lap and wanted me to be his co-driver. He assured me that there was plenty
of time to finish the car and that it would be no problem.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008. We are scheduled to leave for South Bend at noon. The car is at the
exhaust shop. It is basically done; however, it has yet to be started or driven. After several
successes and failures with parts acquisition, money raising and car building it is D-day. At 5:00
pm we are at the exhaust shop and the owner is telling us that the car won’t be done till noon
tomorrow. After some pleading he agrees to stay late and finish. I head for home to try to get
some sleep before we leave.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008. We spend most of the day putting the finishing touches on the car. It
is fired for the first time at 2:30 pm. I have pretty much given up any hope of us being able to
make the two thousand mile trip in time. Gordon is still telling me that it will be fine. At 9:00 pm
the car is run around the block - literally around the block - and loaded on a trailer. 10:00 pm we
head out for South Bend. Gordon has now been awake for just over thirty six hours. He will not
be of much use for the drive to South Bend, but we are on our way.
Friday, May 2, 2008. We have covered the 2030 miles to South Bend, Indiana, in a mere 38 hours.
Registration starts at 3:00 pm. We pull onto the Tire Rack grounds at 2:45 pm. After getting the
Camaro off the trailer all we have to do is take it through inspection and we have made it. What
could possibly go wrong? Ever hear of Murphy’s Law? Well, old man Murphy has never left our
side since the beginning of this adventure, and he is certainly not going to leave now. The car
has to be pushed off the trailer because for whatever reason the battery is dead. We manage to
jump it and get it going only to find that we have multiple fuel leaks coming from just about every
part of the fuel injection system. Of course they are calling us for inspection now. We manage to
slow the leaks and somehow get through inspection. We will spend the better part of the night
trying to fabricate parts to seal the leaks. However, we are here and registered and tomorrow we
will be part of one of the greatest adventures in motor sports.
Saturday, May 3, 2008. Somewhere north of Chicago en route to Road America: The skid pad
event has gone well; Gordon is in his element, behind the wheel of the monster he conceived.
Out of all the great experiences that One Lap has to offer this has to be the best. Driving an
average car cleverly disguised as a race car is just amazing. Sitting in traffic or flying past other
cars on the freeway is just the coolest feeling. Watching every head turn to look and wonder
what the hell is going on here.
The Camaro ran well at Road America. A few problems are still plaguing us, but we are getting
ahead of them. Gordon is like a little kid on Christmas; he knows the car will do better but is still
pleased with its showing. It’s now off to Mid America Iowa. Gordon is behind the wheel again. He
has driven the skid pad event, the transition to Road America, the racing at Road America, and
now is driving us toward Iowa. I might get to drive this thing eventually. Somewhere in Illinois my
cell phone rings; it is my fiancée Tammy back home. She has been checking the One Lap website
and has seen a posting about a speed trap at mile post 131. We are at mile post 135. Old man
Murphy has been denied by modern technology. He will not be denied long though.
Sunday, May 4, 2008. 3:15 am. Gordon wakes me up somewhere in Iowa, says he can’t stay awake
anymore, and that I need to drive. Now keep in mind I have never driven this car, the only time I
have behind the wheel was installing the driver’s seat. Now it is after 3:00 in the morning
somewhere in Iowa, it is pouring rain, and I am half asleep. Not the best time to learn a new
vehicle. The car is fantastic, though; it almost drives itself. The biggest problem I have with it is
overdriving it, and the fact that, because of the massive hood scoop, you can’t see the right side
of the car at all. I am finally behind the wheel of this monster, blazing through the night; I could do
this forever. The miles click by and each one is a blast. Twenty eight miles gone and we arrive at
Mid America raceway. That’s right: 28 whole miles. Gordon got us that close; however, in his tired
state he had no idea.
We sleep in the car at Mid America for the two and a half hours until it opens. This was not a good
decision. I get very little sleep, Gordon gets none at all. However, racing at Mid America goes
great. We are definitely starting to get the car dialed in. We are starting to get to know some of
our competitors; the cross section of people that enter this event is just amazing. At the end of a
successful day of racing, we are loaded up and ready to head out for Texas. Brock Yates, Jr. pulls
up next to us and says to follow him, he knows a shortcut back to the freeway. This shortcut is
hardly a road; it is some goat path out across the fields. Brock leaves us in his dust. I guess when
you are in a brand new loaner BMW you don’t need to be as concerned about the road condition.
Or maybe the suspension on a new beamer is just that good, I wouldn’t know.
I am driving this leg down through Iowa and Kansas. It is nice to be driving during daylight hours
and actually get some serious road time under my belt. Making the transition through Topeka
gets a little confusing; even the GPS is not sure where we should go. Flying down the Kansas
turnpike towards Oklahoma is just fantastic. The scenery, or lack thereof, is still quite beautiful.
Nothing but deep green rolling hills as far as you can see, and I do mean nothing. Stopping
several times at the travel plazas along the turnpike, the locals are quick to inform us that we are
far behind the rest of the pack. Gordon takes back the driving duties just after dark. Just over
the Oklahoma border we see the Mongoose alongside the freeway. It has no one around and
looks very sad there in the dark with the flashers on. Gordon comments that we at least aren’t
last anymore. We both feel bad that they broke down but also get a small chuckle that even with
that kind of race budget you are not immune to breakdowns. Old man Murphy is starting to stir in
the non-existent back seat.
Suddenly I am awakened by a grinding noise. At first I think that it is just a change in the
pavement. Gordon and I swap ideas of what it could be: wheel bearing, pulley, power steering
pump? Gordon finds that if he speeds up it goes away. Anytime he lets off the accelerator it
comes back. For a while this works, but soon the noise is there all the time and getting louder.
We decide to take the next exit that has a gas station. This turns out to be in Blackwell,
Oklahoma. Murphy is wide awake and up to his mischief.
In the parking lot of a Shell station in Blackwell, we find that our transmission has completely
failed. It has gotten so hot that it has melted the shift cable in half and melted the drain plug out.
After she cools down we have no gears at all. I am waiting for Gordon to completely freak out.
Part of me is relieved to some extent; just down the street is the comforting glow of a Best
Western sign, and the promise of a decent night’s sleep in a real bed. We have a hard decision to
make: do we throw in the towel and go home or do we try to fix this somehow? As much as I want
to just call it a day and go home, I don’t want Gordon to lose his dream. In the moment, I want
nothing more than to go get the trailer in South Bend and just head for home. However, in the
light of morning I want to finish what we started. How much would it suck to have to say, “yeah,
we did part of one of the greatest events in Motor sports, then when it got tough we just packed
it in and went home.” So we decide that we will fix the problem, catch up with the others and
finish this thing.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008. It has been three days since the transmission failure. After finding a
shop and getting one of our sponsors to Fed Ex a new transmission, we have made three trips
back and forth to Tulsa in a rental truck for parts. We are finally ready to go and catch up to the
others. If we really push we can get to Beaver Run in Pennsylvania in time to compete there on
Friday. Finally at 9:30 pm, we leave Ponca City, Oklahoma, thanking Gary at Bob’s Transmission for
all his hard work and head out for Beaver Run. It is pouring rain; we hope we will out run the
storm soon.
Thursday, May 8, 2008. Still raining, quite possibly the worst thunder storm I have ever been in.
We decide that since we have never been to St. Louis we should stop and see the arch. We have
a great picture of the race car parked on the steps of the Gateway arch – yes, on the steps.
Friday, May 9, 2008. It is 1:30 am; we have arrived at Beaver Run. I think we find the last motel
room to be had. It is still raining. It is nice to see all the other race cars again; we have been
driving a lone race car across the country for quite some time. On the trip from Oklahoma to
Beaver Run we only had one minor problem; the alternator died but was repaired in less than an
hour. Old man Murphy must have finally found someone else to ride with.
Racing at Beaver Run went flawlessly; the car is running great. We have actually been able to get
some respectable times. We have caught up with all of our new friends and had a fantastic day of
racing. Now it’s time to head out for Lake Avon, Ohio.
We have made great time getting to Lake Avon so we decide to wash the car before the media
stop at passing control. The rain has finally decided to break. When we arrive at the media stop,
we find that we are one of the few that stopped to wash their car. As a result, our vehicle looks
really good sitting there with all these other filthy cars. Several of our new friends comment on
the fact that our car is shiny and theirs are a little dingy. Showing the car to the public and talking
with the press is really a cool feeling. Getting to be sort of celebrities was a whole lot of fun. We
were able to get Brock Yates to sign the car and take some great photos with the legend.
Heading out on the final leg back to South Bend, we were on top of the world. Just a few hundred
miles to go and it would be complete. What could possibly go wrong? Murphy was back sleeping
behind us, but we had no idea.
I am flying down the freeway in Ohio only a couple of hundred miles from the finish, feeling pretty
good about the whole thing, when there is a sound like the pavement has changed, only it hasn’t.
There is an all too familiar grinding sound coming from below and just to my right. Murphy is wide
awake and laughing. We pull into a travel plaza and convince ourselves that it is not the tranny
but the rear end is low on fluid. Another participant gives us some rear end oil and we are back
on our way; however, the noise is getting worse. Shortly we lose fourth gear and overdrive.
Gordon decides that we should just limp it on in to South Bend. We make the last two hundred
miles at between 45 and 50 miles per hour. At the motel in South Bend, we are not too concerned;
after all, we only have the skid pad left to do to complete the event. We have three gears -- it will
be fine.
Saturday, May 10, 2008. We get up and head the three miles back to the Tire Rack facility. Brock
Yates, Jr. is there at the entrance congratulating everyone as they enter the gate. Quite literally
as Gordon pulls up to shake hands with Brock we lose the rest of the transmission. For the group
photo we have to push the car into position. After the photo we find that we still have reverse,
but just barely. Gordon approaches Brock and explains our situation. Gordon tells him that we
don’t want another “did not start” penalty and that we would like to do the skid pad in reverse.
Brock seems to think that is definitely in the spirit of One Lap of America and gives his blessing.
So Gordon does the skid pad event in reverse and sets a record for the fastest reverse skid pad
time ever, maybe the only reverse skid pad time. The video on You Tube is quite entertaining. At
least we finished with style.
Experiencing our first One Lap of America was one of those things that, while it is happening, you
don’t realize what a great time you are having. While it was going on I was tired, frustrated, and
couldn’t wait for it to be over. However, as soon as it was over I realized it was one of the best
things I have ever experienced. Now that we have shed our lap puppy status, we can’t wait to
get off the porch and run again with the big dogs. Maybe next year old man Murphy will find
another place to spend his time; however, I doubt it. See you all next year.
| ARTICLE FROM: THE BEND BULLETIN |
