Motor Authority and the White Lightning crew are gearing up for another 24-hour race, this time at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit. Nestled in the undulating hills of northeastern Oklahoma, Hallett is a challenging, engaging 1.8-mile course, and an excellent chance for our team to finally escape our second-place curse and take victory.
Or, at least as good a chance as any a 90-odd wheel-horsepower 20-year old $500 sedan can have at winning anything other than a trip to the junkyard.
Today has already been an adventure, with the tow rig's air conditioner compressor locking up at speed, sending the pulley and clutch out the bottom to roll alongside at 60 mph before settling in the 90-degree dust in the center median. A smaller serpentine belt and some timely help from a team member's father just behind us on the road to and we were back on our way.
Though more than 30 teams signed up for the event, many have backed out at the last minute, leaving a field something around 20-strong. That'll still offer a lot of competition on the relatively short road course, and at any rate, all of the contenders for the win are among those that showed.
Weather looks set to be near-perfect: not too hot, sunny, and best of all, no rain. Now the only thing we have to conquer is fatigue, the track, and, of course, the other teams.
The race kicks off at noon today and runs through noon Sunday. For updates as the race unfolds, be sure to check out Motor Authority's Facebook page, follow along on Twitter, and don't forget the official Chumpcar site and forum.
