F2K Hole(y) Experience(2/1/2004)

Coming home to our home track promised great things since we have and experience edge and the spring heat would be a challenge for the other drivers not used to racing in Phoenix.  Unfortunately, we had the opportunity to work on our rain setup as the heavens did not smile on the Pacific F2000 tour, giving us several wet practice sessions where track knowledge and conditioning mattered not at all.  Fortunately, the weather cleared for both Saturday and Sunday main events giving everyone an opportunity to revert to their dry set up.

The Tiger Karts F2000 ran well for most of Saturday's race, being consistently in the hunt for a cash finish.  Unfortunately, an experimental electric fuel pump could not go the distance and began to starve the engine on the high end with a few laps to go.   This resulted in a lowly finish and many long faces. 

The offending pump was removed and we reverted to the mechanical fuel pump for the Sunday race.  In addition, we thoroughly cleaned and reassembled everything in the fuel system including the carburetor to see if we could eliminate a high end lean condition on the secondary cylinders.  Something seemed to work as during the race, Carl was pulling almost 130 MPH into turn 1 where previously were were lucky to see 125.   However, the top end was at a price since the car was not geared for this speed and was consistently pulling several hundred RPM higher than desirable.  Never the less, Carl worked his way from the back of the pack to run as high as 6th overall and first in Pinto engine.  While running sixth with two laps to go, the pit crew observed a thin wisp of white from the exhaust followed by a huge ball of yellow flame as Carl turned in to turn 1.  This was followed by a giant 360 by the trailing Zetec driver who had sensed an opportunity to gain a spot on a slowing competitor and a call on the radio to exit swiftly.  A post race examination shoed that number 4 had spun a bearing and the rod put a hole in both sides of the block.

Our bad luck(holed block but good head)  was combined with Mat Conrads bad luck (stolen head off new engine) to give us a brand new engine for the upcoming Portland race.