MADD MAXX Loses an Engine at the Hands of a Rookie

[Tom@OneDirt]

Alright boys and girls, it’s been a little while since MADD MAXX was out on the track and we still haven’t gotten this blog up. Well, the wounds have healed and I’m finally finding the time to sit down and write about it. I'm ready to bare my soul. Tell my story. Tell Maxx's story. It's true. We blew her up. Our first girl. Exploded.



As most of you know, we brought our Street Stock car up to Victorville a few weeks back for what was set to be a full weekend of racing. Open practice on Friday, race on Saturday, and if we felt up to it, another race on Sunday. Given that the practice was technically on an office day, normally we wouldn’t have taken the car out. But I’m no dirt track veteran, in fact this was my first time out on the track, and the first time I drove the car outside of around the block once or twice checking the brakes. So we wanted to get me in the seat as much as possible.

We loaded up the tools and made the long drive up the hill and got to the track with plenty of time to spare. We set up our pits and unloaded the car. BJ talked me through a few things I should do and try when I get out on the track. I was a little nervous when I first started strapping myself in the car, but as soon as I fired up the engine, the adrenaline kicked in and I felt like Rip Williams - ready to take on the world!

Mud Packing:



Mud packing went fine I thought. I spent most of the time trying to slid the car sideways to get a feel for the car and the track. After the short time on there I was feeling good about things. Soon mud packing was over and we were scrapping mud of the car getting ready for the first session.

1st Session:

Any one who has been following our trials and troubles out on the track that Madd MAXX isn’t exactly been running great. A series of overheating and electrical problems have held us back from making the main more than one time.



After a quick couple of warm up laps, the green flag was quickly waving into the air. I got the green right when I crossed the start-finish line and sailed off into turn one just a hair higher than caution speed. Coming out of turn two I decided to go for it and mashed the pedal to the floor. The RPM quickly came up as the car shot off toward turn three - a little too quickly. I was seeing in excess of 6 grand on the tach. It was odd to me but I decided to give it one more lap to shake it down. Coming back around again water started puffing front under the hood at the end of the front stretch. I quickly pulled it high through the corners and off the track.

Upon returning to the pits BJ was already there, curious as to what had happened. I thought I had solved our overheating problems, I explained that the car was running out of gear it seemed and that the engine had turned pretty high - causing it to over heat. With a almost deja vu look on his face he asked me what gear I was in. Puzzled I said “High - what gear should it be in?” He responded, “What position is high gear?” The answer was bad. I was in low gear.

I had the car in the wrong gear. I never though twice about it in mud packing when the RPM shot way up cause I assumed that it was just spinning the tires in the mud - another rookie mistake. We walked over to the car to check out the recall on the tach.

8,000 RPM. 8,000 RPM? Oh no.

How the engine didn’t blow then is a mystery to me. Trying not to get discouraged, we prepped the car for the next round.

2nd Session:



I pulled the car into the lanes, and we were sent out in a matter of minutes. After shifting it into high gear, the green flag was out again and I heard the cars take off behind me. Again, coming out of turn two, I mashed the gas and the car squatted down and pulled what seemed like twice as much. Then it happened.

BOOM!

The noise was quick, and painful. The bang was replaced by silence and I knew what had happened. Carnage. Big manly, engine carnage.

Maxx was dead.


Yeah, it is as bad as it looks.

Turns out that old MADD MAXX had finally had enough. The poor beaten boy went and threw what looks like 3 rods out the bottom on the oil pan, and most likely damaged the bottom of the block. Not that it would matter because as you know, when a motor lets go that bad, usually the heads become an innocent bystander that take quite a punishment as well.


The passenger side isn't much better.

We were already in the process of building a new engine for our street stock. Now that plan has been pushed up a little, but the plan remains. Only time will tell if the heads will be good enough to save. James and BJ have the feeling that they are nothing but paper weights with the block looking like it would make a nice boat anchor.

Stay tuned as we build another motor for MADD MAXX and get her out to the track as soon as we can. I hear there is a race next month that we should have no problem making. Don’t expect to see me in the car, looks like I’m going back to setting tire pressures and strapping down the car! That being said - I took a borrowed car and left the rods in the pan. I'll be lucky if I even get a free ticket in as a crew guy next time!

Oh well. Dirt track racing is a blast. Even though I never really got a good run on the car, I have been inching to get back out on the track ever sense. I might just have to build a car of my own to get back out there. I just need to buy the car, get a trailer, a truck to tow it, and find a place to store all of them!

[Dietzsch_Racing25]

8000 RPM! AAAHHHH! I don't think mine would turn that even if i gave it the chance. Hopefully, I will never find out.

[Bobby Kimbrough]

Have no fear, a new bullet is on the way. Tommy boy blew up the old muscle but we searched around and found enough pieces to put another one together.

Right now the old block is sitting in several feet of water at the end of the jetty in Carlsbad, just off Tamarack Ave. Maybe the salt water will do it good. At least the fish will use the cylinders as living space, something like those japanese tubes at the train stations.

Tom's driving privileges have been temporarily suspended until he takes a demonstration test to show he knows what position is high gear and what is low.

James Lawrence, (J-Law, the law west of the pecos), is on vacation so the next race is not an issue.

Me? As for my part in this horrible situation, I am washing my hands of it.

[JnE Photography]

WOW, Hope to see Madd Maxx get back out there soon.

[Bobby Kimbrough]

Hey JnE, Do you get out to Victorville? Hunt me down and say Hi! It would be a pleasure to meet you.

[JnE Photography]

I wish I did. I live in Casper, Wyoming now. So, I am up here roaming around the tracks.

PhotoReflect - J&E Photography & Race Graphics

[Bobby Kimbrough]

They didn't run you out of town or anything like that, did they?
You're always welcome here!

[Nerd49]

Originally Posted by Bobby Kbro

Me? As for my part in this horrible situation, I am washing my hands of it.

IDK the car got to the track somehow....

[Bobby Kimbrough]

Nerd,
Alright Mrs. Earnhardt. I'm glad I don't have to drive for you.

[fifty9fordman]

hey bobby does tommy, (your tommy) have his own suit? i hear its bad juju to borrow a suit, i mean its ok to sub for someone or borrow someones elses car if your in it for points, but you never dirty someone elses suit, and if he has a suit or can get one and my mr2 is runnin on the 11th ill let him mud pac in mine, well test the theory of, ''its in the name'', lol