Definitely had a great time even though I had issues all day but what can you expect when you wait till last minute to get everything accomplished.
Friday comes along cars feeling great so I get out on the track.
first run on the track, all is well skipped doing the big bank and dropped in late to do the infeild to get used to the car. infield was exactly how I remembered it with how the car wanted to act however with my new power and angle the car could get I was able to control the steering how I wanted with throttle inputs only. Car has a bit much power in the infield for the crap tires I was running so I more or less just roasted them down.
got back in line and checked things over, belts were fine, tires had some life left car was cooling down a few degrees so I just waited in line to go. when it was my turn I went for it. hard in first, second and just waited there, initiated half way in the first bank car started to straighten out so I pulled the hand brake and got the car back sideways and floored it back into the first clip and after that I saw my coolant gauge go blank like there was no reading and the car started to break up low RPM but high RPM was fine, tried to finish off the run easily and got back in line. as I was in line I popped the hood, found the IAT sensor got unplugged so I got that plugged back in and replugged in my serial gauge since it came loose. still didnt have water temp but I planned to leave after this run to change tires again so id look at it then. left the line on my turn and the car was breaking up low RPM first and second gear, initiated the drift, got into the first clip and went to far and spun. called it quits and left the track after that. As i got back to my pit area, I popped the hood and found my serpentine belt through a rib and ripped out my IAT sensor harness, coolant temp sensor was ripped in half and the wiring was laying on the pulley a bit. no coolant temp sensor was why the car was breaking up. no spares so I relied on a buddy to get me one next morning. that was it for my day just gotta relax and watch all the action.
saturday morning gets here, find my buddy and get the sensor replaced and zip tie all the wiring so it wouldn't get in the way any more and take the car for a spin. car feels great no more breaking up so I head out to the track. first and second run the car feels great no issues, got the infield down perfect on all clipping points and enjoyed driving the car.
Third run comes along, time to stop cup caking it and do the big entry. start off first and second giving it all the cars got and get into 3rd and still giving it all its got get to the initiation point clutch kick it in and get into the bank. car starts to shallow out again, give it some more power and the steering starts feeling a bit weird and next thing I know I loose all power steering, same time that happens the front tires grip and the car straightens up and goes head on into the wall. I stand on the brakes, pull the hand brake to get me slowed and try my best to steer away from the wall but there was no avoiding it. wall was coming up to fast and I did what I could to maneuver the car to minimize the damage. I ended up smacking the wall square on the front corner and the back smacked into the wall as well just not hard. used the remaining momentum to get the car off the track as much as possible. as I was waiting on a tow to move I got my gloves off and got outta the car while the whole time Im thinking I really hope I didn't break my headlights. got pushed off the track and pulled back to my pits to servery the damage. fender is done for, bumper got white paint all over it, headlight lense is fine but the housing is cracked. minor structural damage mainly right where it hit. door needs adjusted a bit as its not closing the full amount any more. rear quarter is smashed in about 2 or so inches, trunk is no longer centered and the battery box got ripped off its mounts.
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/2zumeunos/SC300/winter%2009/b1bc1fce.jpg
this is the main damage, and the only picture I got. Lower control arm needs replaced, along with the rotor and serpentine belt. No sense fixing it to get back out because it will keep throwing the serpentine belt and I might not get so lucky next time.
Found out the alternator is supposed to have a spacer on it which was causing the misalignment of the belt.
time for a wide body now I suppose!
