Date: February 24, 2002
Venue: S. Plains Fairgrounds - Lubbock, TX
Results: Didn't even make it to the event.

I was so excited about running at the first event for 2002. I barely got the car put back together and running (running quite well too), and on the day before the event the weather was unseasonably warm which was perfect for getting the car and truck washed and everything loaded up for the race (the weather was even warmer on Sunday in Lubbock... low 80s!). I was also excited because I knew my biggest competition (Steve Sucsy - '00 Honda S2000) wouldn't be running at the first event, so that would give me a major head start on the points chase.

On Sunday morning, I headed out for Lubbock at 7:30am. As I got out on the highway, I noticed that my truck was struggling to get to 60mph, but thought that it was due to the wind and the hills on the outside of town. But once I got out on some flat area, the truck still wouldn't run any faster than 55mph even with the gas pedal all the way to the floor. There was also a noticable buzzing/whinning sound coming up from the passenger side floorboard when the RPMs were climbing and at their highest point, so I imagine that something is wrong with the transmission. I made it about 60 miles out of town before I decided to turn around and go home while I still could. Once I got home, I just parked the truck/trailer/car out in front of my house and went inside and went back to bed for another six hours.

Missing this first event is pretty much going to ruin my potential for winning the 2002 Championship because it was a necessary points event for me, since I was already planning on missing the two events at Canyon, TX (horrible venue surface). Depending on what is actually wrong with the truck and how much the repair costs will be, I might not even be able to attend the Houston National Tour or the Regional event in April (also a necessary points event) or the National Championships.

I'm really disappointed, because I spent so much time and money getting the car ready for this season, and it's the tow vehicle that ends up causing problems. Oh well, I guess that this season will just have to be more relaxed than usual for me, and I'll just plan on a come-back attack in 2003.

UPDATE: The problem with the truck ended up being a clogged catalytic converter in the exhaust system. That's why the truck had no power, and it's mounted directly under the passenger side floorboard, so that's where the buzzing sound was coming from. It's only going to cost $160 to replace that whole section of the exhaust (instead of $1500 for a new transmission), so I'm still going to plan on attending the Houston National Tour. Jay Messenger offered to let me co-drive his 125cc shifter kart at the club's next event at Canyon, TX (didn't plan on attending), so I might be able to get enough points to be a contender in the 2002 Championship points!!!