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Sportin' Wood
10-14-2007, 07:20 PM
The girls on the race team took the 1706 Banks Power Wrangler out to the MORE powder puff race this weekend and cleaned house. 1st place in class.
Way to go girls.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_qd--v8e-c

mrsjeepinscott
10-14-2007, 07:23 PM
After spending this week full of anxiety, nightmares, dreams and sleepless nights, the Powderpuff weekend arrived. I have spent many months waiting for this weekend for my chance to race the Banks Power 1706 Jeepspeed Wrangler. It felt like any other weekend arriving in the desert. It never hit me how anxious I would become until Machelle and I were driving to tech/contingency! We passed tech with flying colors, thanks to all the people who have put many hard working hours into making the DJR Jeep into what it is!
I woke up before sunrise on Saturday morning still not feeling like it was real. I was going to race, unbelievable. It was time to go to the drivers meeting and Kris, Machelle, Tina and Marcie all went with the husbands not far behind us. After the drivers meeting, Kris and I took the jeep to the staging area to line up. I was really going to race! That's when it hit. I started to get nervous, my heart skipped a few beats. There is no way to describe driving up to the start with spectators everywhere. And, I think being that the women were all driving/co-driving, the spectators were extra curious. One of the highlights for me at the start line was driving up to the start seeing Jack from RVMD with a huge smile hootin and hollerin for the DJR girls. Thanks Jack and Leslie!!
We took off and I very quickly got comfortable and I knew I was going to be able to do this race. Just before mile 2, there was a car broke already, right on the course. There were drivers scattering everywhere to avoid colliding with the broke car. We all came to a stop and then the girls were all getting stuck, as it was extremely sandy. Guess what? I've got the 4WD and brand new TrXus M/T tires from Interco and I got her into first gear and just hammered our way out of the wash, and around all those that were stuck and off we went!! I heard later that several girls had to wait for a tow out of the sand before they could move on. Not the DJR girls!!
Kris and I were so excited to pass the first car, we had to call it in to main pit. I am sure everyone in main pit was laughing at us. But, we were so proud of ourselves, ha ha.
We did the first lap in just under 40 minutes (I think). We called into main pit that we were at mile marker 20 and we were going to come in to main pit for a co-driver change. So Kris got out and Machelle got in. Everything was running good on the Jeep and a visual of the car was all good. So we took off for our second lap.
The time on the course was pretty consistent, but I found the more I drove, the more familiar the course became to me. So I knew when I could go faster and I knew when it was rough, or silty, etc. Machelle and I made it around the course and we told main pit that we were all good and we decided not to do a driver/co-driver change until after the third lap. So Machelle and I were going to drive by main pit. There are some pretty good sections in front of main pit and LJ, the crew chief said to go to the far right, as it was the smoothest section. I tried to go all the way right, but couldn't make it as far as he wanted and I hit a whoop and jumped the Jeep a bit, but when I landed, I landed on another one and that just threw the front end of the Jeep in the air about 8 feet, even though it felt like we were going to the moon! We went up to the start/finish and we heard a clunk. I just knew it was broke, and that is exactly what I did not want to happen! Machelle called in to main pit and they said to pull off, they were on their way. The whole DJR crew arrived and I told them it was in the back, but they found nothing but a few loose bolts. We were told to go on our way. We drove about 300 yards and it felt like the rear end was going to roll away from the Jeep. We called back to the DJR crew and explained that the Jeep was not right. We pulled off the course again and some spectators came to our rescue and quickly found that the rear shock bolt had broke off. The DJR crew arrived and within minutes, a new bolt was put in and we were off again.
Because we had a 3 hour limit on the course and you have to leave start/finish no later than 11:45 to complete another lap. Main pit advised us that we would do a remote driver/co-driver change after the start/finish line in order for the other DJR girls to get a lap in. We did the third lap very consistent with the previous laps and made it just past the start/finish where Machelle and I got out. Tina and Marcie got in with several of the DJR crew assisting them to get them back on course. We did 4 20-mile laps in 3 1/4 hours.
Many thanks to all those that came out to support us girls. It's a nice feeling to know that there are so many who are out there just to help us and do anything that needs to be done!
Many thanks to all of our sponsors. Without all the sponsors, the DJR Jeep could not be what it is today.

OverKill
10-14-2007, 07:25 PM
After spending this week full of anxiety, nightmares, dreams and sleepless nights, the Powderpuff weekend arrived. I have spent many months waiting for this weekend for my chance to race the Banks Power 1706 Jeepspeed Wrangler. It felt like any other weekend arriving in the desert. It never hit me how anxious I would become until Machelle and I were driving to tech/contingency! We passed tech with flying colors, thanks to all the people who have put many hard working hours into making the DJR Jeep into what it is!
I woke up before sunrise on Saturday morning still not feeling like it was real. I was going to race, unbelievable. It was time to go to the drivers meeting and Kris, Machelle, Tina and Marcie all went with the husbands not far behind us. After the drivers meeting, Kris and I took the jeep to the staging area to line up. I was really going to race! That's when it hit. I started to get nervous, my heart skipped a few beats. There is no way to describe driving up to the start with spectators everywhere. And, I think being that the women were all driving/co-driving, the spectators were extra curious. One of the highlights for me at the start line was driving up to the start seeing Jack from RVMD with a huge smile hootin and hollerin for the DJR girls. Thanks Jack and Leslie!!
We took off and I very quickly got comfortable and I knew I was going to be able to do this race. Just before mile 2, there was a car broke already, right on the course. There were drivers scattering everywhere to avoid colliding with the broke car. We all came to a stop and then the girls were all getting stuck, as it was extremely sandy. Guess what? I've got the 4WD and brand new TrXus M/T tires from Interco and I got her into first gear and just hammered our way out of the wash, and around all those that were stuck and off we went!! I heard later that several girls had to wait for a tow out of the sand before they could move on. Not the DJR girls!!
Kris and I were so excited to pass the first car, we had to call it in to main pit. I am sure everyone in main pit was laughing at us. But, we were so proud of ourselves, ha ha.
We did the first lap in just under 40 minutes (I think). We called into main pit that we were at mile marker 20 and we were going to come in to main pit for a co-driver change. So Kris got out and Machelle got in. Everything was running good on the Jeep and a visual of the car was all good. So we took off for our second lap.
The time on the course was pretty consistent, but I found the more I drove, the more familiar the course became to me. So I knew when I could go faster and I knew when it was rough, or silty, etc. Machelle and I made it around the course and we told main pit that we were all good and we decided not to do a driver/co-driver change until after the third lap. So Machelle and I were going to drive by main pit. There are some pretty good sections in front of main pit and LJ, the crew chief said to go to the far right, as it was the smoothest section. I tried to go all the way right, but couldn't make it as far as he wanted and I hit a whoop and jumped the Jeep a bit, but when I landed, I landed on another one and that just threw the front end of the Jeep in the air about 8 feet, even though it felt like we were going to the moon! We went up to the start/finish and we heard a clunk. I just knew it was broke, and that is exactly what I did not want to happen! Machelle called in to main pit and they said to pull off, they were on their way. The whole DJR crew arrived and I told them it was in the back, but they found nothing but a few loose bolts. We were told to go on our way. We drove about 300 yards and it felt like the rear end was going to roll away from the Jeep. We called back to the DJR crew and explained that the Jeep was not right. We pulled off the course again and some spectators came to our rescue and quickly found that the rear shock bolt had broke off. The DJR crew arrived and within minutes, a new bolt was put in and we were off again.
Because we had a 3 hour limit on the course and you have to leave start/finish no later than 11:45 to complete another lap. Main pit advised us that we would do a remote driver/co-driver change after the start/finish line in order for the other DJR girls to get a lap in. We did the third lap very consistent with the previous laps and made it just past the start/finish where Machelle and I got out. Tina and Marcie got in with several of the DJR crew assisting them to get them back on course. We did 4 20-mile laps in 3 1/4 hours.
Many thanks to all those that came out to support us girls. It's a nice feeling to know that there are so many who are out there just to help us and do anything that needs to be done!
Many thanks to all of our sponsors. Without all the sponsors, the DJR Jeep could not be what it is today.
WOW!!! that is one hell of a 3rd post, GGEEEEEEZZZ :)

mrsjeepinscott
10-14-2007, 07:28 PM
WOW!!! that is one hell of a 3rd post, GGEEEEEEZZZ
I am one of those "lurkers". I have been here for a few years. :D

Ivan Dan
10-14-2007, 08:25 PM
Congrats to all you girls sounds like you had a great time and an excellent finish.
Now you can see how rewarding it is for all the hardwork prepping the race car the guys put in week after week before races huh?!?! :D Its a ton of work but well worth it for the enjoyment once race day comes.

SoCal Power
10-15-2007, 08:54 AM
My sister (driver) and wife (nav) drove to a 2nd place in class in this car. My brother builds these cars in Elsinore. Girls had a great time and the car worked awesome............
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/1269Powder_Puff.jpg
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/1269Powder_Puff_II.jpg

ChumpChange
10-15-2007, 09:01 AM
My sister (driver) and wife (nav) drove to a 2nd place in class in this car. My brother builds these cars in Elsinore. Girls had a great time and the car worked awesome............
Your brother builds these? I've been in that shop a few times. I know Clint over at PWR pretty well.

SoCal Power
10-15-2007, 10:58 AM
Yep, Fusion Offroad, Brian Shaleen. I've met Clint a few times there and at the river.......... he's good people.
Car is getting prepped for the 1000 now:eek:

sigepmock
10-15-2007, 11:45 AM
Congrats on a great race and great recap:D