NZ Photo

The drivers from USA
Photo credit Alex Mitchell

Eric update

Received a update from Eric early this morning.  Still having the time of his life.  Had 2 race events on Saturday(their 18 hours ahead of us) and finished them both.  That's really good news, he finally has has car dialed in. 
Two more races Sunday and then they start all over next weekend at the same track. 


Photo credit Alex Mitchell



Back home

To make a long story short, we previewed the Saturday auction Friday afternoon and found most of the items misrepresented.  A lot of the furniture was not old, some reproductions and  some junk.  So instead of paying for another night in Bradford, we came home.  Not the plan, but sometimes that happens.
But not all was lost, we did visit the Zippo lighter museum.  Yes, there is a lighter museum in Bradford.

                                                    

A typical winter trip



 Beautiful view from our 5 star hotel



A sign that will soon be in NJ

Not Indiana, some place else.

Indiana was the direction we started out, but halfway across Pennsylvania we decided to head toward Buffalo.  Their was a auction that sounded better than the Indiana one.  So we're spending sometime in Bradford, PA and then to the auction on Saturday.  Found a large antique mall close by.  Purchased a few items for our upcoming show and something for the shop.



Early painted JB sign, never thought I would find this in a antique mall.



Eric Haga update from NZ

Email from Eric;

Hi All,
Just wanted you to know what a wonderful place this is, greatest people and a wonderful track! I'm enjoying the sun and great cars here, over twenty cars here when I left the track this evening and more tomorrow, expecting about 35 for the event.

I can't believe the royal treatment that they are giving me, did a couple of laps behind a camera car for a TV spot, and have a TV interview tomorrow! All because I was there back in the day. Tony (a2z) should be here for this, he really deserves the treatment that they are giving me and he handles it so well.

This is a very tight track, with three second gear turns, and a very deceptive entry into the blind first turn (kind of like turn one at Watkins Glen but with the crest right at turn in). The only shut down marker is about 50 yards after you REALLY need to start breaking from flat out into the blind first turn. It was a real thrill when I came into that turn the first time, almost flat out and not a prayer of making it, made it somehow but it sure wasn't pretty!

The best part of this by far has been the people. Shortly after I at the track yesterday the track manager looked me up, after a short conversation I asked him if there were any way that I could have a look at the circuit, he told me to get in his car and we joined in with a BMW Experience group learning how to drive their new cars quickly!

All that I can say is if you ever get the chance to come down here to race is do it! I met up with a driver who I met in the UK last year, this is a great field full of beautiful fast cars!

Best,

Eric

Eric's on his way

Spoke to Eric last night.  He was at Seattle airport waiting to take his flight to San Fransisco, then from there to New Zealand.  I suppose he's over the pacific on his way at this time.  He still had not heard if his car had arrived.
Here in New Jersey things aren't so exciting, getting ready to leave early tomorrow morning for Indiana.

Eric's helmet painted to match his car.  Looks great!

Back in the shop

The shop really needed a big cleanup after all the work on the truck.  With that finished, it's out to Indiana next week for a little buying for our upcoming antique show in February. 
Speaking of antiques, one of our long time shows has been canceled.  The show was at a old mill along the Delaware river.  When we first started, it was in the fall and was one of our better shows both in attendance and sales.  Then the promoters moved it to Labor day weekend 4 or 5 years ago and it never was the same dropping in both sales and attendence.  But this opens up the race event at Lime Rock that weekend(Labor day).  The only drawback is Watkins Glen is the following weekend.  So Lime Rock ends on Monday and we would leave for WG on Wednesday.  That's just one day to prep car.  It's a option. 

Eric update

I asked Eric yesterday if his car has arrived in NZ yet?  He told me the schedule was for it to get there Jan. 7,  so far he has heard nothing.  Eric will be flying out to NZ Wednesday, I think.  Then the first race is that weekend.  I'm sure he will be hearing from the shipping company soon.

Ready for 2012...maybe?

I've made hotel reservations for all 3 events.  The California race is still up in the air, but easy enough to cancel the hotel if we don't go. 
The truck has been taking all my time lately.  Recently the idler pulleys on the motor went bad which destroyed the serpentine belt.  Before that I needed to replace a rusty rear brake line.  Also was dealing with hard starting in the cold, finally discovered a bad glow plug relay.  Before that the starter motor went bad(second one).  A little earlier, it was contaminated fuel(dirt), which caused the engine to loose power.  The one good is the weather has been warm so far this winter.  Nothing worse than being under the truck in 5 degree weather.
So I'm hoping all these little problems will be ironed out by summer time.