Wednesday, May 6, 2009

May 5 Track Day at Fuji Speedway with SSCT

Well, it rained... hard. So did not get to try out the BFG R1s. Oh well, next time.

My friends Thomas and Alex joined me. Both were in the car during the warm up laps, and Alex took photos (see below) and video:


He then got video of me on my first lap, immediately before my engine suddenly lost power and stalled on the main straight, forcing me to sit out the entire rest of the track session on the grass aligning the main straight.


Luckily for me, after getting towed back (backwards) to the pits (I forgot my tow hook...again!), and with the help of everyone around - thanks SSCT guys - got the car into the covered pit area. The verdict was NOT a blown engine, but only a dislodged Intercooler hose... which the Nissan (ex-race) mechanics fixed for me in about 30 minutes. They took off the left wheel, the undercover, the inner lining, and got in there!
(and yes, it looks like there might be some rust issues in there...yikes!)


Here I am being silly, while the Nissan mechanics do their stuff!


I drove back home in convoy with Thomas and Alex - thanks again guys! - gingerly, I guess... and thinking about which hard piping kit to install at the earliest opportunity...

PS Here is a photo of the engine with its new "cold air intake" system. Note the rivets, it's a new and improved version of the one I had in before...has walls and the lip is longer, reaching to the bottom of the grill. Didn't seem to cause any problems on the track, although I wonder if somehow the increased air intake contributed to the hose coming off.



Next time, I hope Thomas and Alex can join me on the track!

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