2010 One Lap of America
…while visions of One Lap, danced in their heads
It is that time of year when we come together with family and friends to talk about One Lap. You thought I was going to say holidays or cheer or something like that didn’t you? Well once you have been infected with the curse of One Lap, I am afraid it never really goes away. In our case it has gotten somewhat infectious and grown to others. The only cure so far is to keep it going.
The Rochester DSM team met tonight for a meeting to discuss our involvement in One Lap 2010. While Mike is away for work, amazingly close to the start line of One Lap, we were able to use our leverage Google Chat to bring him into the the discussion.
While there are quite a few things to figure out, we only have a few key facts to share with the world at the moment.
- Somebody is going.
- They are more of us.
- An 18 year old car is better than the 17 year old car.
Expect some large announcements for the One Lap team of Rochester DSM heading into 2010, but most of them will have to wait until after the first of the year. After all, we don’t want to take the all of the focus out of the holidays.
Tonight, we were able to tie up some loose ends regarding 2009. We took a minute to look 
through the official picture book that Tim is the keeper of, and handed out the team plaques that Curtis (our control arm savior) made up for us. They look absolutely awesome.
We have some really cool items at the printers, which are going out to our sponsors that made it possible for us to even go on the 2009 trip. No we haven’t forgotten those commitments we made. We just didn’t want to send you a measly photo and have supersized our efforts.
Enough innuendos. Keep an ear out for news updates coming out of the group after the first week of January.
0October Update: Track Changes for 2010
There has been an update to the One Lap schedule today. Brock has dropped off Monticello from the route and has added the Lightning track at New Jersey Motorsports Park. There were concerns over the safety that could be obtained with only one recon lap at Monicello.
The distance is pretty much the same, but he has to drop Chemung Speedrome and find another oval. While we all give him the wammy hex to drop NJ and add Waktins Glen, expect to see an oval added to the lineup.
There is the addition of a drag race, which is at the Tulsa Raceway Park after the day at Hallett. Somebody should have a spare transmission waiting for us in the bushes if we need it.
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Friday night, April 30th at Tire Rack in South Bend, IN (248 miles 4:31)
Saturday, Road America -(584 miles 9:10)
http://www.roadamerica.com/
Sunday, Mid America – (425 miles 6:58)
http://www.midamericamotorplex.com
Monday, Hallett
http://www.hallettracing.com/
Tulsa Raceway Park
http://www.tulsaracewaypark.com/
Tuesday, Gateway
http://www.gatewayraceway.com/
Wednesday, Mid Ohio
http://www.midohio.com/
Thursday, NJ Motorsports Park
http://www.njmotorsportspark.com
Friday, Nelson Ledges
http://www.nelsonledges.com/
Saturday, May 8th, finish at the Tire Rack
0Rear Control Arms of Hurcules
Last year we only had a handful of failed actions that kept us out of the rear view mirrors of the front runners. Breaking down on the side of the road with the Ingalls rear control arms was a large one. Through the community support of GalantVR4.org, we had a set of stock ones delivered us a day later, keeping us in the race, and allowing us to finish.
While we had a stable car, we lost the alignment and the ability to turn the car, putting at a disadvantage for the rest of the trip.
While the fan fair may have died down in the rest of the planet, the community on Galant VR4.org isn’t done supporting this race team. Through a fund raising effort of private donations from the Galant VR4 community and the work of Andre over at Pina Motorsports, the One Lap VR4 will be sporting the toughest looking control arms that ever adorned the four door monster.
We received the control arms last week and hope to have them in place before the October trip to Watkins Glen with the Finger Lakes PCA.
It is still a little overwhelming to have this level of support coming from the community, but 
having the right piece on the car will mean a lot to make the trip more survivable in 2010.
Donations continue with new Cam gears
While tuning the car last year, we noted that we only had a set of stock cam gears to work with. While we knew that adding a set of cam gears was a low priority from a financial standpoint, we knew they would have helped us change the power band to something a little more effective for the track.
Through the generous donation of one of the members of the GalantVR4.org community, we now have a set of cam gears to go onto the car. A very generous donation for us to put into the car for 2010.
02010 Early Schedule Leaks and Rumors
There are emails and communications in the One Lap community, revealing some of the early track events that will be up for the 2010 One Lap of America. Here is some of the information we have so far.
Friday, April 30th:Registration, tech, drivers meeting, welcoming party and evening start with the Wet Skid Pad Challenge at the Tire Rack Headquarters in South Bend, Indiana.
Saturday, May 1st: Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI
Sunday, May 2nd: Mid America, Pacific Junction, IA
The report is that the route will be around 3900 miles, a little longer than last year, but questionable if we will have a far reaching west coast event like we have been wondering.
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