Mike: We did it, we made it through the first stage!
Josh: yeah we did, and that was some pretty good fun too.
Mike: yeah it was, however the car is showing a few issues, were you noticing the valve body leak?
Josh: what’s that?
Mike: never mind, I’ll deal with it.
Josh: can duct tape fix it?
Mike: hopefully, i don’t feel like spending a lot of time or money on this car unless we really have to.
Josh: so lets hope the duct tape can hold whatever this issue is back
Things had not started well. The team barely arrived at the event the night before. Guided only the loud music and lights from the various camps. Then to top things off someone had forgotten to pack enough tents. As punishment for forgetting his tent, Daniel left with no choice but to sleep in the car he so resented.
Thankfully for the others, he chose not to destroy it in the darkness. The night past booze filled towards the first day of actual racing. Still, a little hungover and unacclimatised they had set off without issue.
Mitchell: Bloody hell, Sam you really gunned it down those straights. Y’know this ain’t a video game.
Sam: Mitch come on we’ve just put new rubber on this thing it feels like a whole new car. Besides I don’t want those blokes with the Seishido ute catch up to us.
Daniel: Y’know their driver is a chick right?
Sam: Well Dan that’s all the more reason to push things. I’m not losing to a girl!
Daniel: Well if we’d gotten a JDM car maaaybe you wouldn’t need to push at all.
Sam: Nothing has actually gone wrong with the Maesima you ought to give it some credit.
Daniel: You’re right clearly your just a rubbish driver.
Sam rolls his eyes and sighs
Sam: At least I didn’t forget my tent
Mitchell: Look, I’m just saying take it easy. It’s an old car, there is still plenty of racing to be done. Let’s try and keep it in one piece. I’d rather not be trying to do road repairs out here.
Sam: Yeah, yeah. But come on we f@ckin’ nailed it! We ought to bee looking up and treat ourselves to some beer.
Mitchell: On that, we can agree.
Daniel: How much beer do we actually have?
Mitchell: We got a couple of slabs in the boot. Otherwise, if things get dire we take on those pommy kids in the Erin. They seem to have a healthy supply.
Daniel: Pommy beer? Yuck!
Sam: Well there was another Aussie team here. They’ll sure to have some booze.
Daniel: Those are the DSD blokes, right?
Mitchell: Yeah, I don’t know about that mate. Their camp seems to be brawling already. Besides, I need an early night. My back is killing me, after that stage. These seats weren’t designed for off-road driving.
The team sat around the fire, BBQ’d some snags, drank long into the night. Much later as the fire had turned to embers and Mitch had gone to sleep while Sam had passed out half in his tent.
Dan stumbled towards the NV-993. The empty bottle still in his hand. He rested it on the bonnet.
Then gave the car a look. It’s tired body illuminated in the clear moonlit night. The dented, rusty and now dirt and dust covered. Dan smiled to himself. He lent down and gave the car a reassuring tap. Maybe they weren’t all bad after all.
He then stumbled for the door handle and climbed inside Maesima and went to bed. What shall the morrow bring…
#Team Cunning Stunts: Day 1, Leg 1
S=Stephanie
L=Lawrence
A=Alex
Start of Leg 1
L: Alright, were all packed up.
A: Ive made sure the water cooler is topped up so the engine shouldnt overheat.
S: Lawrence dear, have you go the map ready?
L: Yup, the map and the GPS are set.
A: Oi sis, our numbers been called! Lets go!
S: Alright, alright…jeez…
L: Great lets get going!
S: Lemme just put some music on…
End Of Leg 1
A: That was alright. No major issues.
L: Yeah I think we were on the right track there, so we shouldnt be too far back.
S: As nice as all that was, my legs are aching. Lawrence you drive next.
L: Sure honey. Alex, you’ll be navigating next.
A: Sure thing, you guys take a break. Ill check on the car…
Car Condition: Leg 1
Alex
So today wasn’t too bad. The ride was a bit bumpy, but it looks like the car handled it just fine. Today wasn’t particularly hot, so the inter-cooler didn’t lose much water. The suspension is also in good condition considering the rough terrain, but then again, the ‘Lucky Lady’ was designed to be a rally car, so I’m not surprised. The wheels are also holding out well. Looking at the other cars, they seem to doing fine too. Apparently from what I’ve heard, the Petroskey Enforcer’s been outpacing everyone. Steph ain’t surprised, she still insists that that would have been a better choice…
NOTE:My speech is in bold
Rams’s is in italic
#Team Yokai
Day 0
– Day 1 - 5:30 AM - Ram’s POV –
I pull on my shoes and tug on the laces. Stretching out and inhaling deeply, the crisp Gasmean air shoots up my nose into my lungs. Nothing to freshen you up like a good whiff of that. Not a bad time for a quick jog. I looked down watching my feet place themselves one in front of the other, carrying me up the gentle slope. I could see Evan still sleeping in the van. And there was the guy. What was his name again? Uhhh… I said to myself out loud, broken by pauses to catch my breath. Luke? Seemed like it. Whatever. Look forward and keep going. Ignore the team shouting at him. Ignore his stupid car waking you up. I pressed on.
– Day 1 - 7:00 AM - Evan’s POV –
Today, I woke up at around 7 o’clock in order to prepare for the long trip ahead. However, Ram was already awake and everything had been done.
Are you, like, okay? I’m barely able to stay awake and knowing you, you probably got 3 hours of sleep.
Don’t worry, I couldn’t be feeling better replied Ram with real enthusiasm. I woke up from the sound of some jackasses starting up their loud-ass car.
Whatever you say. If we die by falling off a cliff, though, I blame you.
You’re the Asian driver here he joked. I cursed him out under my breath. I could already tell it was going to be a long day. We headed to the briefing in order to secure details about the event.
– Day 1 - 7:30 AM –
When we pulled up to the briefing, we saw some faces with a mixture of expressions which ranged from perplexed to condescending. Nothing like yesterday night. Guess they were all too drunk? I heard murmurs when we walked to our car. I could’ve sworn Team Science Guys were saying something along the lines of “water damage… good luck to them, they’ll need it…” I glanced over at their car. Ram seems to have gotten the message too.
A Nickel 4 Spec? Those things are the definition of a land barge. I’m pretty sure the Arctos makes more power than that… I know a friend who’d thoroughly enjoy that car, but he’s a bit… Ram tapped his finger on the side of his temple, signaling “cuckoo.” Yeah, I know who you’re talking about. No need to hide it I quipped, chuckling.
Still, can’t believe somebody brought a classic Baltazar to an event like this. It really is quite a surprise. I wasn’t expecting somebody to… I wouldn’t say trash, but use a Quark in such a way.
Seems like we’re not the only ones who’re younger as well; their main driver just became the legal drinking age in 'Murica.
– Day 1 - 7:40 AM –
The briefing just ended, and I have to say it seems to be looking good for us. A flat, well-maintained dirt road? This is what the Kimura was made for; soft roading. The ground clearance seemed to be decent, so hopefully, it’ll hold up when obstacles come our way.
– Day 1, Leg 1 - 8:00 AM –
We set off from our journey at around 7:50 since we’re the last ones to leave. Hopefully, the route is as stated; smooth gravel. We’ve, as previously mentioned, stocked up on a bunch of shit, with 2 crates of water and a helluva lot of food. A first aid kit was also on hand along with many spare parts; duct tape, zip ties, and other actual spare parts to name a few. Ram and I decided to alternate driving; we’d switch every 2 hours or so. The Arctos pulled along with intent and determination with Ram and me inside, genuinely excited.
Damn, I’m really surprised how fun this car is.
I know, right? It might just be a van, but it’s really got some go. It was true; the Kimura whizzed around corners like a much smaller car. It’s like a budget WRX! I chortled. Whatever you want to believe, man…
I chuck the Arctos into the next tight corner with a mini Scandinavian flick. The car remains surprisingly flat, and I power out with a skid. Laughing with a sprinkling of terror ensues
I knew you were going to get us killed.
Ahhhh, don’t worry about it. I’m a professional! I jested with a flippant punch to Ram’s shoulder.
I have to say, the interior is actually not too bad. It’s dark and drab and the materials scream 90’s shit box, but everything is exactly where I want it to be and it’s rather smartly packaged as well.
What I like more is the engine. It might be a minivan but damn does it scream!
I responded with a downshift and a jab of the gas, surging the Arctos ahead on the smooth, gravel path. More laughing. Ah, shit, you know what I have to do?
What? Ram replies, deadpan.
Post some stuff on my Insta! Ram looks at me with a repulsed expression.
I didn’t know you’re a basic white bitch. I punched him again, only with a little more intent.
Shut up, I need the followers. I see Ram sigh and roll his eyes. Fine. I stop the car, take a few pictures, and then we continue the ascent.
– Day 1, Leg 1 - 9:36 AM –
A loud rattling noise began emanating from the rear right side of the car.
Oh, crap. I think I screwed up the car. Ram looked at me, at first with a dumbfounded face but quickly transitioning to unbelieving glee.
I told you that you’re going to fuck us up! said Ram, guffawing. I stared at him with a blank expression.
I cannot believe you’re laughing. I said solemnly.
Oh, c’mon, you could see it coming from the other side of the universe even if all you had was binoculars with lenses made of fucking jello. 100% predictable. Being serious, you did flick the car in every other corner. And, well, the route has a lot of fucking corners. I sighed in defeat.
Yeah, it probably was my fault. We have a few extra miscellaneous bolts in the back and a spare wheel so I think if it becomes a major problem we should be fine. In response, I slowed the car down a little, and the vibrations too slowed down.
I guess we’ll have to stay around this pace, then.
No, pull over. 10 minutes check up. Ram instructed me. Once we slowed down, he headed around to the side, pulled out a jack and put it under the car.
Anything broken?
Most of the drivetrain looks intact. I need to check if all the lug nuts are torqued down properly. While I’m working on this, go grab the spare bulbs in the overhead compartment, I just realized we forgot to check if all the lights are working. There might be no tech inspection but I don’t want either you or me or anyone, for that matter, dying.
While I grab the screwdriver and bulbs I had to turn to admire the landscape before us. The scenery was really something else. This was my first time in Gasmea, and the landscape is highly diverse around the country. Where we were, in particular, was sandy and desolate, and we could see around us for miles. Hopefully, we won’t have to leave this country with a bad taste in our mouths.
– Day 1, Leg 1 - At the destination - Ram’s POV –
Everyone alive? Intact? I asked, watching him from the corner of my eye.
Evan had drifted off to sleep in the warm summer heat. Added to his already high fatigue level after not sleeping well last night, though, I couldn’t blame him. He stirs.
Huh? It took him a moment to gather his bearings as he came to the realization that we had come to a stop. I pull off my seatbelt.
The GPS was programmed perfectly. If only that stupid wheel thing hadn’t happened… I trail off.
Oh well, we live and we learn I guess. Evan says, sliding out of his seat. We’re one of the last ones aren’t we?
I nod and shrug. Throw me a snack. I’m gonna go talk to that Luke guy.
Luke who? Evan said turning to rummage through the food box.
The twin turbo V8 lunatics. Sinistra.
Catching the pack midair, I slowly begin to walk away from our Kimura, weaving my way through all the cars and all the rubble left by other teams.
TEAM OUTRIDERS
Worden: Damn, we made some good time.
Levinstein: I’m still pissed that we didn’t catch anything from early on when it seemed to bog down a bit.
Worden: Or that it happened around the start and we haven’t seen it since. Much as I would love to believe it, no problem just simply “fixes itself”.
Levinstein: That aside the car handled like a dream. Definitely rides smoother than the cop version.
Worden: I think tomorrow, we should tone it down a bit. This is a competition of navigation more than speed, besides I am a bit worried that pushing too hard may make the problem worse.
Levinstein: Fine with me, it’s your turn to drive anyway.
Worden: (pops the hood) That being said, it’s dinner time. Today’s special: Burgers a-la 301 Triforce. (pulls foil-wrapped burgers out of the engine compartment.)
Levinstein: I’ve never cooked anything under the hood of a car before.
Worden: I did it a couple times with my old Cortino.
Levinstein: (grabs buns and condiments from the cooler) How’d that work out?
Worden: Tasted awful.
Levinstein: And that’s what we’re eating now?
Worden: Don’t worry, this car doesn’t have an oil leak like my Cortino did. That was the deciding factor.
[corporate]T R I G G G E R E R R E D E R E D ! ! ![/corporate]
Seriously though, I liked the story 
(note to the couple people saying “tomorrow”… reminder, this was just leg 1 of 11 in the first day. 10 more legs left in Day 1. Day 1 Leg 2 data will go up later tonight.)
The car slowly rolled to a stop. Agustus put the automatic in park just a bit before it reached zero miles an hour, causing the car to roll back and fourth. Nicholas leaned forward from the force in his seat, and groaned.
“Thank God it’s over…” He nearly fell out as he stepped out of the car. He slammed the door shut, but it bounced back. The plastic clip that kept the seatbelt in the car was broken. He manually put the seatbelt back in, then slammed the door again.
“Hey, I’m pretty sure we’re on schedule. Can’t blame my driving.” Augustus stepped out calmly, much to Steve and Nicholas’ annoyance. He’d downed three beers the night before, and ridden in their boat of a car. Surely he should be the one who felt seasick…
“It drives surprisingly well for 200 horsepower. I even might thought I caught a glimpse of those hobos in their van from the 40s…”
“You think it drives well? Try reading directions in this thing! It’s like playing darts on a cruise ship! And I think the automatic downshifted once throughout the entire journey!” Nicholas groaned as he stepped out, the ride making him a touch motion sick…
“You don’t think it’s broken?..” Steve leaned forward to examine the steering column where the automatic shiftier was mounted.
“Can it be broken if it was badly designed?” Nicholas remarked with annoyance, slamming his door shut.
“Jesus Nick, calm down. We did good.” Augustus sighed. “No need to throw a hissy fit because you got a little motion sick…”
Steve wormed his way over the center console and out the driver’s door.
“Yeah! Feels cool from the backseat!” He smiled, obnoxiously, like only a little brother can.
“…Well since you’re so energetic, you can look it over before the next round.” Agustus pulled the hood release lever. “Just let it get some air before the next leg. I’m going to see if they have any snacks around this checkpoint.”
“Oh… Not too bad of an idea.” Nicholas nodded, walking along with him, leaving poor Steve to glance over the engine bay.
#Team Parklands, Day 1
####That Morning, pre-breifing
“So, Mark’s still asleep? How did those fools with the Luxo-barge not wake him?” James said to Nicole, as they walked over to the breifing tent.
"Eh, Fucker will sleep through anything. We could probably tear our tent down, and he wouldn’t notice.
####Start of Leg One
“Mark, you have everything ready, right?” Nicole yelled over the noise of everyone else. She had barely slept, everything was getting on her nerves.
“Yes, Yes. Just hop in the back, and hope to hell James can get us through this.”
“Hey, I’m right here!” James said, “Cut your couple’s bickering. We have a long day ahead of us. 11 legs. This is what I’m here for…” James puts on the power, and sets off, the Parklands chugging along.
####End of Leg One
“Holy Fuck! We did it! No Damage, nothing!” James was ecstatic.
“I’d say it was luck, honestly. I mean, we broke down 4 or 5 times just getting to camp.” Mark was happy, but annoyed. Nicole had drifted off to sleep in the back seat.
“Hey, look. That Kimura… Wait… How did we not see they’re kids…”
“Huh, I’m surprised they’re even allowed to drive. What ever, We need to beat those fools in that bright blue convertable.”
“Oh, Nice goal.”
#Team Electric Space Wizards
“Whoa! Look out!” Aiden shouted as the Grandcab skirted a roadside hazard, in the form of a large tree.
Lynn was trying to powerslide the truck through the corners as if it was Rod Millen’s Tacoma, except that is a Pikes Peak monster machine, and her truck was a 27 year old Seishido.
“Huh, didn’t expect a tree to be so close to the road, that was scary, really scary.”
The old Seishido, despite it being a body on frame truck, was still relatively “lightweight”, and that allowed the questionably mantained 3.0 to give it adequate straight-line performance.
Joseph was desperately trying to take a selfie in the back seat, but his phone kept falling out of his hands. “Oh, come on! I have to post this! Please slow down a little!” he yelled.
“Maybe your phone wouldn’t fall off your hands if you wiped the sweat off them!” Connor replied, while trying to locate the phone in the grey sea that is the Grandcab’s interior.
“Got it!” Joseph triumphantly exclaimed as he retrieved his phone.
He managed to snap a single selfie, and it was later found out to be very blurry.
“Alright, we’re almost at the parking lot, i think i can see the other cars” Lynn said, with a hint of disappointment, as hooning the Grandcab was surprisingly fun, for a 160hp V6 truck.
“Looks like we made it in one piece, thank goodness.” Aiden said, letting out a sigh of relief. “I’m seriously worried about this car’s reliability, i think it only has 242000 miles for a reason, and we’re about to find out why.”
“Come on Aiden, i know you’re used to seeing cars owned by absolute idiots all day long, but it doesn’t look like it’s about to fall apart to me, let’s just enjoy this adventure while it works.” Connor replied.
“Hey look, the Kimura made it as well! And the huge van, and that Maesima, well everyone’s here.” Lynn said.
And so our heroes prepare for the next leg, hoping their car keeps performing as well as it did now.
##Team Cignale
Day 1 Leg 1
Car & Team
Day 0
-What is this noise?
-What time is it?
-6:50
-[censored] Who on earth get up this early? Are they mad?
-I think i’ll give up, i can get up, hangover is bad, really bad.
-I will never ever follow you again Giacomo, stupid idea, i want to sleep…
[this converation continued for several minutes]
3…2…1…Start
-This road don’t look so bad, and hee we can listen to the radio,this morning they run the first F1 race. FORZA FERRARI
Only 10 minutes later -Can you hear me? Can you hear me Major Tom?
-I can’t hear anything
-F**k, Vettel come into the pitlane, but now i can’t hear anymore, can you stop please? It’s important
The van stops…
-We need to gain some time in the flat sections, go Giacomino, Pedal to the metal.
-Look there, I think it’s the finish line, we did it. Time for a break.
Just after the finishline the guys stop the van and take the table out for breakfast, a big poster on the side: “FREE ITALIAN ESPRESSO” someone want to join them?
I promise you, before the end will also come the mafia, mandolin and pizza
#Team Clockwork Orange
Car and team details
Last post
Dawn broke and in the enlarged tent, two out of the three participants were already awake. Not that they could have any sleep. On the other sleeping bag, Pete slept soundly. Rather too soundly. The racket was more like a misfiring beetle than anything a person could muster. The two friends looked at each other and a shared thought came to their minds “At least, he will fix it if anything goes wrong”.
At 6, all three were up. Strong coffee was required to keep the guys running. Knowing how much of a hot head Damon could be, Packie calmed him down and explained time and time again how slow and steady would win the race - or at least allow them to finish it.
Race time, all supplies were loaded in the car, all three climbed aboard. And the little car looked punished by the effort. The already sporty and low ride height was made even worse by the added weight. “Take it easy, man”, Pete and Packie urged.
During the actual first section, the car, surprisingly, behaved flawlessly, not scraping even worse and it was even able to cope with a steep hill, despite the FWD (lack of) traction and just 100 hp. Therefore, the car was slow, as it would be, with all the attention required to get it actually going and the lack of offroad capabilities.
Things were shaping better than expected previously, but it was still going to be a long day.
Start of Leg 1
Mid Leg:
Aaron : “You sure this is the right way ?”
Paul : “OF COURSE”
Aaron stares at Paul
Paul : “Maybe ? But i got an idea”
Aaron " Which is ?"
Paul " MOAR POWAH"
Paul gives the van more gas
A few minutes and a lot of bumps later :
Aaron : “Isn’t that team POD (@conan) ?”
Paul : “Look like it. Hey give me the mic”
Aaron hands over the mic
Aaron : “What is your plan?”
Paul switches the siren on and starts speaking through the megaphone:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIcGlwdpbu0
Paul : "Here speaks the police ! Please stop your car and show us your white flag! "
Later :
Paul “Look who we got here ! Team Mountain Pass (@HighOctaneLove) !”
Aaron " uuh uhh can i now use the siren"
Paul “Its all yours”
Aaron switches the siren on and starts speaking through the megaphone:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIcGlwdpbu0
“Get your groceries shopper on the side and let the LAW through”
Aaron “Fixing this first was totally worth it”
End of Leg 1:
Paul : “Damage Report”
Aaron : “Van runs and we where able to pass two teams”
Paul : “Sounds like a good run to me”
Paul and Aaron high-five each other.
Blackjack Pass to Canyon Rock via Forest Road 2710
The road on the far side of Blackjack Pass is not as heavily traveled, and difficult to maintain. The initial descent is very steep and heavily switchbacked, rutted, washboarded, with random rocks. Once it descends into the canyon it levels out for a bit, before turning to a steady, moderate descent. Potholes and washboarding pock the entire section.
Length 13; Avg Grade 7; Max Grade 20; grade is a decline (yes, you should be shitting bricks on this one)
Suzume Kaminari
LAE- DNF; MRL -5; Notes: CRITICAL FAILURE (Rusted rear shock towers have failed)
@cpufreak101
LAE Medium (fast); MRL -1; Notes: No issues with the car. Morale is a bonus due to overcoming big obstacle, but a negative for watching the Kaminari self-destruct.
@Madrias
LAE Medium (fast); MRL -3; Notes: Dangerous first section as the brakes couldn’t keep up with the descent. Diminished braking power, even after coming off the switchbacks.
@Fayeding_Spray
LAE Medium (slow); MRL 0; Notes: Had to stop briefly after the switchbacks (when it was safe) to remove a rock from RF caliper
@F17Francesco
LAE Medium (fast); MRL 0; Notes: Control going down the switchbacks could have been better, but held up otherwise.
@HighOctaneLove
LAE Exact; MRL +2; Notes: Driver really hit rhythm with the car on this section, despite its challenges
@conan
LAE High (fast); MRL 0; Notes: Confident about performance this leg, but the car smells of burning trans fluid
@DeusExMackia
LAE Medium (slow); MRL +1; Notes: None
@szafirowy01
LAE Medium (slow); MRL +1; Notes: None
@Mikonp7
LAE Medium (slow); MRL -2; Notes: There is a loud banging from the general undercarriage area, and the right front seems to be sitting about an inch low (tires OK, spring still attached)
@JohnWaldock
LAE High (fast); MRL +2; Notes: None
@8bs
LAE Low (slow); MRL +1; Notes: Prudence won out this leg. Intentionally slowed to keep on road and intact.
@DoctorNarfy
LAE Medium (slow); MRL +1; Notes: None
@BobLoblaw
LAE Exact (by pure accident); MRL -1; After a nasty washboard section in the switchbacks, the Enforcer immediately started misfiring and this time threw a CEL (or SES, your choice of verbage). On getting down to the “flats” and pulling over, your OBDII scanner reveals codes P0202 and P0208. You are able to continue on, but at diminished power, comfort, and reliability.
@stm316
LAE Low (slow); MRL 0; Notes: babying the clutch on the way down this hill cost significant time.
@Dorifto_Dorito
LAE - High (fast); MRL +1; Notes: None
@Leonardo9613
LAE - Medium (fast); MRL +1; Notes: None
@Darkshine5
LAE - Low (fast); MRL 0; Notes; Driver wasn’t paying attention to speed on the flats and went way too fast
@Rk38
LAE Low (slow); MRL -1; Notes: Slowed down on this section due to tire compound. It was still a VERY rough ride, bottomed out a couple times
@EnryGT5
LAE High (fast); MRL +1; Notes: This is what the Seishido was built for.
@titleguy1 / @ramthecowy
LAE Exact; MRL +2; Notes: Not bad, for two kids!
“Christ, Fuzz. How did you stand this on the way up the mountain?” Rick grunted.
The Suzume Kaminari rattled and jolted over another section of washboard road. Rick could feel each bump jarring his skull.
“I think this is a little worse,” the rookie cop replied, a hint of panic in his voice. “I think I’d rather be a sardine again. It feels safer than… WHOA! JEN!”
Jen swiftly arced the wheel to the right and tapped the throttle, bringing the hatchback around a blind corner spitting rocks and dirt.
“Jeez! Are you trying to kill us? Dad will be pissed.”
“Trying to stay out of the center,” she snapped. “It’s worse there.”
“Look!” Rick exclaimed, pointing just down the hill to the left. “It’s about to flatten out. Should make things easier.”
“One more turn until we’re clear, Jen,” Fuzz pipped. “C’mon!”
The lithe fitness instructor downshifted and wheeled to the left. The car complied, though with a loud creak. Ahead the grade flattened considerably.
Fuzz grinned. “Whew. Nice job Je…”
BANG
“SON OF A BITCH” Rick screamed. The Suzume immediately jerked right and lost speed, slamming all of the occupants into the myriad interior pieces that were in front of them. Jen recovered quickly and pulled the car left, skidding in a panic stop.
Rick’s heart raced. He clutched at his chest, unsure if he was still alive. “What was that?”
“I dunno,” Fuzz replied cautiously. They exchanged glances. Fuzz slammed his body into the sticky passenger door to open it. He stood up and looked back. “Uh, guys?”
Rick looked back as well. From his vantage point in the back seat, he could see the road. Through the rear shock towers. Or at least what was left of them. Jagged bits of corroded steel curled inward. The shocks themselves were prodtruding at least four inches into the interior.
Jen sighed heavily. “Guess we’re not going to make it.” She picked up the FRS radio and clicked the transmit button. “Sid? You there?”
*** — *** — *** —
The undercarriage of the Kaminari made a sick screech as Sid’s winch pulled it onto the flatbed trailer. Rick sighed and looked at his right hand at the bottle of 12 year old Scotch that he clutched.
“C’mon, dude,” Fuzz pled. “I know you wanted to open that and celebrate at the end. I know this isn’t the end you wanted, but crack it open.”
“No,” he muttered, shaking his head. “Nothing to celebrate.”
Jen sidled up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Yes there is, love. You took the plunge and bought the car. You helped us fix it up. You came out here. YOU did it. We know this isn’t your kind of thing, and that you’ve had anxiety the whole time. But you know what? You did it. And it wasn’t so bad, was it?”
Rick paused to think for a minute. “I did have fun fixing up the car, I guess.”
Fuzz joined in. "And the way you handled that first leg was awesome. I know I bitched a lot from the back seat, but I had a lot of fun. And you know what? You were too. You were smiling the whole way.
After a moment, Rick cracked a slight smile. “You’re right. I guess this is a win, even if we’re the first ones out.” He peeled the seal off of the bottle and slipped the cork out. With one more sigh, he raised the bottle to the dead Suzume. “To Roulette. To fun and life. Thank you for your service, my friend, however brief.” He took a sip of the smooth whiskey, then handed the bottle to his brother in law. The sentiment was repeated again, and once more when Jen took possession of the spirits.
“Come on, guys. Let’s go home.”
Mike: phew, that was challenging
Josh: Yeah, saw you struggling a bit in the steep descents, carrying a bit much speed.
Mike: Yeah man, surprised myself that the brakes held up well throughout all that… and it was also a bit fast for comfort.
Josh: I’m guessing you were trying to do some engine braking to spare the lives of the brakes?
Mike: mhm, though we were also going faster than i should have…
Josh: no matter though, we did make it. Also you see that car that died?
Mike: Yeah, heard something in the rear suspension failed, i thought the tires looked a bit off when we saw it.
Josh: It really puts into perspective just how punishing this course really is.
Mike: well, at least we have a Communitasia you know, the brick that was built as tough as one
Josh: but don’t forget, even bricks crumble with age…
Mike: …
Day One: Leg 2
Andrew
For the next leg I got the driving gig. Officially Pierre is stating that it’s the egalitarian thing to do, but I suspect it’s the politics of fear! This leg is to be run on a poorly maintained gravel descent which will test both man and machine. Pierre and I work out what average speed we need to run and I put on my driving gloves and dark glasses and strap myself into the diminutive Bogliq’s cabin. The run proves to be every bit as nerve-wracking as we anticipated, with nasty bumps, off-camber sections and washboards all conspiring to make life difficult and finding the best line damn near impossible! Our calculations proved correct and we managed to reach the finish on time and in one piece. I’m just glad that those Bogliq engineers designed the Kitten Ralleye for off-road as well as tarmac rallies…
Pierre
I’d already looked over the likely routes from Blackjack Pass and the pickings sure were slim. Steep descents, poor road maintenance and looong drop-offs if it all went pear shaped. Luckily, since I’m team captain, I mumbled something about being of the people and for the people and let Andrew drive. I dunno where he got those Top Gun knock-off sunnies or those hokey driving gloves from, but when he put 'em on it made him squish his face up like he needed to do no. 2’s or something! But one thing’s for sure; Andrew’s a deft hand behind the wheel! I felt like I was the fuel station owner in Initial D, holding on for dear life, as Bunta drifted like a man possessed… But I digress. Andrew managed to nail the run spot-on and we had managed to survive another leg of this crazy endeavour! Oh and the Bogliq was turning out to be a reliable part of the team, taking all that was thrown at it without complaint.
Summary
Day 1.2
Car: No damage to report, very blue in colour
Crew: We just went through the Danger Zone, feelin’ fine MRL +2 (+4 in total, maybe…)
##Team Cignale
Day 1 Leg 2
Day 1 Leg 1
Day 0
Car & Team
-Still alive?
-Yes
-Now?
-I’m ok, but you will be dead in a minute if you continue!
-This hairpins scare me, i can’t look!
-Can you please slow down? This van lean too much, we are going to roll over! And we are ahead of schedule.
-Ok, ok… but please shut up.
#Team ‘Southend Or Bust’
Original Post - Previous Post
The story so far: Three uni students in a somewhat battered saloon in the middle of nowhere driving as boisterously as they themselves are and playing loud music to the discontent of everyone else within a 5 mile radius.
“Oh will you put something else on guys, I don’t understand your damn music!” - Seb was not happy about James’s choice of Interpol for driving music, though the other two were loving it.
“Mate, if you think we’re putting any of your Spanish Europop shit on then you’re very wrong” said Martin in a cocky attitude, gunning the Berlose round another bend.
Seb sighed and went back to the map. “Take it easy” he instructed, “couple of really sharp bends coming up”. A stark left-handed turn with a very steep incline came up, and Martin managed took the corner hard. The car understeered badly. Martin slammed on the brakes.
“Jesus, dude!” cried James - his sunglasses had almost come off in how quickly they’d stopped.
There was silence in the car. “At least the brakes work” he said. The guys all looked around, and then burst out laughing.
.
The team made it to Canyon Rock and parked up. James leaned against the car while Seb sat on the bonnet, as the two of them watched the myriad of vehicles coming in off the descent. “They look seriously shaken” said James, chuckling to himself as a distinctive bright blue hatchback drove by. It was followed by the Galt Communitasia.
“I’m amazed they’ve brought that along” said Seb. “My grandma used to own one back when España was nationalist.”
Martin appeared from behind the car. “I think the exhaust managed to survive that beating. It’s still making that weird noise” he said, still confused by why it only appeared to be blowing on occasion and not constantly.
Still, the car was still here and working, meaning that problem was one for another time.
EDIT 27/3/17: Holy shitballs! My greatest apologies to any Spanish users here or anyone interested in Spanish history, I meant to refer to Francoist Spain which most certainly wasn’t communist…corrected now though!
Before Departing
Luke looked over to see Ram from Team Yokai approaching the car. He also heard the announcer call up Team Greasy Lightning, followed three minutes later by Team Arstotska.
“Sorry, but we’ve gotta run. We’re next! Maybe at the next checkpoint we can chat.” Luke called, firing up the V8 beast and sending it screaming across the parking lot.
Amy, Linda, and Scott looked confident going in as they lined up on the starting line, and the flag dropped.
The Stage
Luke floored it in first again, hoping to make the most of the brutal power and keep their score low, close to that mystic zero. Linda shouted rally-style driving instructions to Luke over the rising racket inside the car, and Amy helped keep a close eye on the car’s many gauges. Scott took the opportunity to vomit over the side of the car on a particularly sharp corner, using inertia to keep it away from the car.
“Can you drive, you know, like a normal person on this shit, please?” Scott said. “I just threw up my quick snack, and you’re still throwing me around the back seat like a rag doll given to a puppy.”
“I would, except, there’s a bit of a problem.” Luke said.
“Meaning?” Amy asked, looking worried.
Luke stepped on the brakes, and the car hissed angrily as the brakes engaged, though their speed still kept constant.
“We’ve got no brakes!?” Linda yelled. “Oh, we’re so fuckin’ dead!”
“Relax, I’ve got it covered. We’re still in control.” Luke said, grabbing the column shifter to override the automatic. “We’ve got 662 cubic inches of goes-damn-fast under the hood. If we drop it down a gear or two, then starve it of fuel…”
“It’s 662 cubic inches of mechanical brake.” Amy finished. “Simple physics.”
Luke dropped it down into third, hearing the revs climb dangerously close to redline, though they started slowing down as the revs dropped, the car getting no additional fuel from the higher rate of rotation. As the engine slowed enough to be safe, Luke pulled it down into second, again bringing the big beast of an engine up to 4300 RPM, slowing enough to be safe.
“We’ll just leave her in second, she’ll be fine.” Luke said.
“Look out! Shitbox!” Scott yelled, as they swerved wildly around the little blue broken-down hatchback.
Luke fiddled with the controls on the dash, still wrenching the wheel around with his left hand. He turned the lights on, the air conditioning on, the heat on full blast, the blower fan on high, the radio on, playing Iron Maiden’s Aces High at full volume as they screamed down the hills.
“The hell are you doing, Luke?!” Linda yelled over the racket.
Amy and Scott answered about the same time.
“Increasing the electrical load, so the engine has to work harder.” from Scott and “Increasing the physical load on the engine so it has more friction to work against.” from Amy.
“What?”
“I’m dragging the engine down with higher load, so we slow down faster.” Luke said.
They limped the Sinistra into the canyon, where Luke tried his best to make up time without exceeding the limited capability of the brakes. At the same time, they still had the lights on, the heater on, the air conditioning on, and the radio playing at full blast, so that when they had to slow down, Luke could lift off of the gas, step on the faded brakes, and at the same time, step on the emergency brake pedal.
They did make it to the end, however, and parked the car, knowing repairs would have to be done.
Day 1, Leg 2 Aftermath
Not long after they parked up, turned off all the noise from the radio, the various things Luke had turned on in a moment of hope and panic, and shut the engine down, the car was up on jack stands.
“Luke, you’ll have to do most of the work. Everything’s so hot that none of us can touch it.” Scott said.
“Not a problem. Get some food, some drink, maybe ask one of the other teams for some alcohol if your nerves are that far gone. I’ll do my best to prioritize the fixes for the car.” Luke said.
He worked quickly, removing the wheels and studying the brake rotors. “Warped, gacked, and trashed. Pads are shot, calipers might be okay, but I’ll have to bleed the brakes because I’m fairly sure our fluid was boiling at some point.” he said, more for his own notes than anything else. Luke pulled the caliper off, removed the dead brake pads, then dug through the trunk to find their brake spares.
“Enough to replace the rotors once, and this will put us down to 3 spare sets of pads. ‘Use the engine, not the brakes’, I think, is the lesson learned today.” Luke said, printing a label for the old brake rotor as he removed it.
“Caution: Hot. Warning: Do Not Use.”
It took him a while, but Luke did manage to repair and bleed the brakes. He checked the home-brew voltage regulator, replaced it with a fresh spare, and topped up all the fluids, being careful not to overlook anything.
He packed their supplies into the trunk, tossed the burned up rotors in the box labeled “Broken Shit” and then put the used brake pads in the garbage.
It was going to be a long two days. Luke looked at his team-mates sitting near the car, wondering why he’d chosen the old Sinistra Savage. It wasn’t like there weren’t other perfectly-good options on the market. But then again, he’d felt a connection to this car, like it was meant to be his.
Amy, Linda, and Scott sat near the car, having a couple of burgers while they waited for the next leg of the challenge. Scott had a bottle of beer he’d traded a spare burger for, seeming the most shaken of the four of them.
“I’ve never seen anyone so calm like that. We’ve lost the brakes, and he’s just sitting there like nothing’s wrong, it’s perfectly fine, everything’s under control.” Scott said.
“That’s Luke for ya. He’s built for combat, you know. Somewhere under that Twilight Blue paint and that Storm Automotive jacket, there’s a soldier, a warrior. Someone who keeps his cool when trouble starts. He knew what to do to save everyone.” Amy said.
“Yeah, but what if it didn’t work? What if dropping down a few gears wasn’t enough to slow the car down? We could’ve died.” Scott said.
“There’s a number of things I could have tried, should the brakes have failed completely and the car had become uncontrollable. I could have thrown the car in reverse, burned up the transmission to get the car slowed down enough for you three to make it to safety. I could have switched off the engine, turned the torque converter against the transmission as it’s now trying to spin an engine that refuses to move. I made sure not to burn up the emergency brake, because it could be the last brake we had in the event of trouble. However, we managed without needing to resort to these methods because the methods I chose worked.” Luke said, looking over the side of the car.
“See, he’s got backup plans for the backup plan. Relax, drink your beer, and just keep in mind that Luke’s got it under control.” Linda said. “Believe me, I was scared, too, but we couldn’t be in better hands right now.”
Can’t be bothered to get previous post here. I’ll do it later.
The team felt confident about the car performance. Despite high altitude and rough terrain. The Special Siskin was doing well enough. Jimmy gave the seat to Ivor, who is a much calmer driver.
“I must give it to you, Rory, putting Turbocharger on this car is genius. Even at this altitude the car doesn’t lost much power at all” Jimmy exclaims to Rory while Ivor is sawing away at the wheels to negotiate tight turns.
“But the next section is not about power now, is it? It’s clearly a downhill. Guys, are you ready? Do you have something to hold onto?” Ivor speak while looking at all the passenger.
“Go for it, Ivor. Use all that SCCA experience you ever had.” Trevor shout to give permission for Ivor to drive at 11/10th.
It was at this moment the steep descent arrived. Ivor move the floor mounted shifter into 2nd, and then Low. As to engine brake the car in order to save the brakes. This was the moment when the cabin suddenly filled with strong smell of transmission fluid.
“What in the god’s name is happening!” Trevor shouts while waving hands in front of his nose.
“That’s definitely ATF. Oh man the smell is terrible.” Rory said.
“Will the car make it?” Ivor ask with worrying look.
“How am I supposed to know? What I can tell you is that I have plenty of Dexron-III in the boot for the next time we park.” Rory replied with a look of annoyance in his face.
“Hang on, doesn’t this thing use Dexron-I?”
“Do you want to go whale hunting?. They don’t make them anymore! Dexron-III will do just fine!”
