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SUCCESS! 3rd over-all
We started Saturday, 2/8 with some poor weather. My '74 200 2wd Travelette was having a hard time of it around town with 2wd and pulling the loaded car trailer, but we still managed to pick up Mark Korsten and meet the Comers for breakfast.After breakfast and a little fuel, we made the normally-one-hour trek to Cascade in about 2 hours, worrying from time to time about the road conditions and our ability to climb hills.
Once we got to Cascade there was even more fun, as my pickup and trailer got strapped up the hill into the race site by Dennis LaTulip's K5 Blazer - which had a rough time of it.
John Comer arrived some time later, having to go much slower with his loaded 30' trailer, and losing a trailer tire/wheel/studs on the way up, too.
Finally we got the rigs unloaded, warmed up, the course set up, and everything ready to go.
Jennifer Comer ran her first ever Baja, and finished the race in Banshee.
Then I had to run Little Devil against John Comer in Banshee.
I managed to get around Banshee once when John had to stop to put his seat belts back on. Later in the race, I crested the "U-turn" section of the course and saw Banshee on the side of the course refueling.. until I popped up the hill which coincided with Mr.C standing on the throttle - and me trying hard not to T-bone Banshee!
For payback, I waited until we were aiming back up towards the spectators and "made my move" and went around Mr.C. That was a high point.
I managed to finish 2nd, and Mr.C came in 3/4th, depending on your interpretation of the rules.
Mark Korsten then ran the second head. Mr.C. and I had to run to Mark's rescue with a spare tire, jack, and 4-way, and Mark still managed to Pilot Pit to a 2nd or 3rd place finish.
Which put all three of us, along with another Scout 80, and one Bronco qualifying for the "run-off" at the end.
We had a 3-abreast passing session at one point - and I managed to get around Mark, which was another high point (I was getting tired of Mark always out driving me in his "stock" SII while my "modified for this stuff" Scout barely stays in front of him, or breaks).
Mark grenaded a locking hub, and Mr.C broke a front axle shaft, so they were both hobbled for much of the run-off, but we all finished.
I then ran AGAIN in the "Jackpot" race, taking Brandon Madden for a ride. Things went well until we lost the rear shock mount, and then had to drive MUCH more conservatively to keep the axle from slamming the frame.
And at the end of the day, we strapped my pickup out of it's parking spot and gingerly made our way down the icy hill on the road in, THEN loaded Devil and made the return trip to Helena.
Minimal carnage all around. The rebuilt race motor held together and ran pretty well. The front driveshaft didn't poke the transfer case apart.. all in all, a good day!
There are some pictures already on the M4x4A Image Gallery and a few hiding in my own. I'll update my own when more pictures come in and I get some video of at least Jenn's race MPEG'd.
Thanks again to my sponsors, Gryphin Racing, Super Scout Specialists, Mike's Offroad, and The BinderBulletin, and thanks to my great friends and supporters, and a Thanks to my club, the Frontier 4-Wheelers, for spearheading a successful race weekend.