Andy Hollis reduced to "tire tester" overshadows his accomplishments a bit, but I get it LOL. Also very interested in the Sundae Cup group of cars!
!
Miss out on the chance to compete in the 2022 Tire Rack One Lap of America Presented by Grassroots Motorsports Magazine? Good news: You can now be a fly on the wall as our director of marketing and digital Assets, Tom Suddard, joins GRM contributor and tire tester Andy Hollis in competing for the top spot in a 2018 McLaren 720S.
Follow this thread to get live updates from the road–and feel free to ask questions, share a comment or even drop a few words of encouragement.
Andy Hollis reduced to "tire tester" overshadows his accomplishments a bit, but I get it LOL. Also very interested in the Sundae Cup group of cars!
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Greetings from beautiful Indiana! Or at least, greetings from its airspace. I'm about to touch down.
And the McLaren seems to be sticking to old habits. I just received this text from Andy:
Let the fun begin!
Only like 5 miles from airport to hotel.
Maybe the fleet of Sundae Cup cars make Uber runs to supplement their one lap costs
Hmm... so far this is a funny looking McLaren. I guess I should just be thankful I didn't have to ride in the typical Uber like a Honda Fit or something terrible like that.
Success: I'm here in the One Lap parking lot:
And the McLaren's tires are almost done being mounted:
I'd be "Old Home Day" for me, standing on the concrete under the tower at Grissom. My 'home away from home' for a week at a time, every third week, for six years, still stands after a fashion, across the runway from where the autocross course is usually laid out.
305th ARW, Grissom AFB, 1979-1985
Dang shame, Bertie's Tavern has been closed for years. I could use a dart game and a couple cold ones at the old 'Dirty Floor'...
So let's talk about that tire mounting problem.
Choosing tires for One Lap is a tricky proposition: Teams must run something 200tw or higher, and one set of tires has to last the entire event including all those highway miles.
As our own Ultimate Track Tire Guide says, that left two real options for Andy and the McLaren: Michelin's Pilot Sport 4S, which is a fantastic all-around choice, or Yokohama's stickier and pickier Advan A052 that would dominate in good weather.
After much deliberation, Andy decided this morning to go with the A052 and had Tire Rack's mobile installation crew come to the One Lap start parking lot to install the tires. Things were going great until the last tire, which the tech returned unmounted with bad news: The bead was torn and couldn't be installed.
Damn.
A052s in McLaren sizing are unobtainium, so Andy took it as a sign from the universe to switch to Michelins. The McLaren is now wearing a set of Pilot Sports, and the first event starts tomorrow.
Tires mounted, we did a test fit of luggage and confirmed everything we had would fit in the miniature frunk:
My wife and I are spectators. Our son is all prepared to set records for a Kia in the Race. We plan on hovering only in Nashville and Putnam Park at this point. However, our Tahoe took today, Friday, to break a gas tank strap. We hadda track down a replacement (and we live in BFE). Looks like we may make it to Nashville after all. Everybody have a fun and safe time!
Keep your eyes peeled.for the jellybeans at the back! 
Good morning from OLOA!
Next stop: Tire Rack's wet skid pad.
Wet skid pad is complete! Next stop is Grissom for an Autocross.
And we're here! Sorry for the slight time delay; I drove last stint.
We aren't even in line for the skid pad yet. I hate you so much.....
So, where are all the other cars? Everything in OLOA happens according to run order, so we run according to car number for now and then according to qualifying order after the first track day.
We're number two, so we're at the front of the group for now.
And for those of you wondering "wow, doesn't that make OLOA way more difficult for slower cars, who have to stay way later at each track each day before starting their transits?"
I guess there's a reason Andy bought a McLaren for this event....
In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :
I told Andy a few minutes ago "you know I don't really need a house. Maybe I should get a 720S, too!"
Time for course walking:
And it is WINDY.
In reply to Tom Suddard :
In front running cars I hear there are sit down dinners with waitresses and everything.
The back running cars have to pick the gas station at the exit that looks like it might have the "better" bad food.
There's also eating free BBQ in the interior of a $300,000 car.
We've got about two hours until the course opens. There's some seriously cool (and probably radioactive) ruins next to grid:
The rain highlighted a key problem for teams to solve: Stuff.
Support vehicles aren't allowed and cars should be empty while on track, which means there's a ton of packing/unpacking unless you tow a trailer.
What happens when it rains? Yeah, exactly. Some teams have tents, some use tarps, and some just go with the flow.
We're firmly in the latter category. I use water-resistant bags by default since I travel so much, and Andy picked up some oversized zip-locks in case we have a heavy sustained downpour.
And it's Autocross time! Live timing is here:
Second runs are just starting, and sadly Andy coned his away. Currently 3rd in class.
Darn--the next two runs were coned, meaning we had to settle for Andy's original time and roughly 6th overall in the autocross (cars are still running).
After Andy dialed out the tow out, we're back in the car and headed south. Next stop is Lebanon, Tennessee!
Mmmmmm, premium!
There is a Mazda2 sitting in #17 over all right now and that makes me think of old school Andy Hollis. So happy.
So, uh, there's a lot of driving in this event. One hour to go until we get to our stop for the night.
In reply to Tom Suddard :
There's like 60 hours of just hyw driving in the week. The road driving is a full time job in itself and then add in some track time in the mornings.
In reply to Tom Suddard :
It is ALWAYS windy at Grissom, and that building doesn't actually exist. I don't even see anything in your pics, are you sure you are feeling well?
gumby said:In reply to Tom Suddard :
It is ALWAYS windy at Grissom, and that building doesn't actually exist. I don't even see anything in your pics, are you sure you are feeling well?
I was surprised he was allowed that close. Indy scca has a test and tune event there tomorrow that they're supposedly reusing today's course for. It'll be interesting to see how our times compare.
And that's a wrap on day one.
Here's the exceedingly glamorous view from our hotel room:
Next step? Sleep, then wake up early so we can be first to the next track. What about dinner? Dinner was Culver's at 4pm, naturally. Andy has told me that there is one sit-down meal allowed during the week, and it must be at Cracker Barrel. Any other stops are just wasted time that could be spent driving, sleeping, or racing.
Tom Suddard said:We've got about two hours until the course opens. There's some seriously cool (and probably radioactive) ruins next to grid:
Actually the radioactive stuff is still part of the air reserve base from the broken arrow incident involving I believe a b58.
anyway.... coming in the back half we didn't have to deal with the rain except in transit.
Good morning from One Lap!
And we're here at Nashville Super Speedway
Adding oil requires tools, but we're now topped off and ready for the track.
Dirty McLarens are cool.
In reply to Tom Suddard :
This is fun coverage, good luck buddies!
One Lap doesn't have test sessions or anything--it's one recon lap then the stopwatch starts--so we're walking the track now.
Either Andy was just raptured, or he's out on track.
Recon lap time!
While the first run group does their recon lap, the next is lining up.
Tagging each other's cars with funny stickers is allowed/encouraged. Here're a few of my favorites so far:
And I think this one was actually applied by the owner:
And now we watch while the first run group does their flyers. Three laps. Every one counts.
Tom Suddard said:Things were going great until the last tire, which the tech returned unmounted with bad news: The bead was torn and couldn't be installed.
That is nothin'. Slap it on and ship it, it'll be completely fine.
Tire Rack guy would freak if he saw my Hoosiers. The rubber is completely gone from the bead belting in spots.
No times yet, but grip was non-existent and Andy had a minor excursion in the grass. Now we wait until this afternoon for the second (and last) three-lap session.
Another fun fact: Those three laps used about four gallons of gas. #McLaren life.
Good luck today. Keep the updates coming.
Andy just checked the oil by selecting "check oil" on the McLaren's dash.
Other teams are having, uh, different experiences:
It's only three laps, but that's no excuse to not review data. The top teams spend the break between morning and afternoon searching their footage and data for opportunities.
Wings make great tables.
Sundae Cup is rolling out now (I love these silly little cars).
Tire warmers are also fair game.
Seriously cool (and real) E30 M3:
Teams are only allowed one set of tires for the entire event, and the fastest option (Yokohama's Advan A052) is also barely durable enough to last the event. It would take a serious optimist to choose Yokohamas for a big, heavy, high-horsepower car on relatively narrow tires.
Randy Pobst seems optimistic:
Mmmm, lunch!
And the Swiss chocolatiers have just arrived for lunch. Yes, seriously.
And here's the current fastest car of the day:
Let's test your car knowledge. Can anybody guess which one of these is a Sundae Cup Kia, and which is a Porsche 911 GT2RS?
And one team is now doing the emissions delete in an attempt to unclog a catalytic converter.
Headed out with Seth in Bob's Kia for parade laps.
And I just realized I should be posting the route book, too:
NASHVILLE SUPERSPEEDWAY
4847-F McCrary Road
Lebanon, TN 37090
866-722-3849
Day Two, Sunday, May 1st, 2022
This is our first visit here and I really don't know much about the track other than
they seem delighted to have us. There will be an SCCA autocross in another lot
in the infield so there may be some extra spectators wandering around.
The track does not use the high-banks of the oval but instead the lower apron as
the transition between is too abrupt for most cars at speed.
For those new to One Lap, and all others as a reminder, this is our first
roadcourse event. Please line up more or less by assigned number, or where
you need to be, and make adjustments with the cars around you to make this
initial event as safe as possible. Read the Route Book instructions if there are
any questions to our format and expectations.
Remember too, this is not a sprint race, but a week-long event. You have to
finish to win.
When you set off for Carolina at the end of the day, the transit should be quite
pretty along the way but there are two points you may want to keep in mind:
there will be deer on the two-lane roads (ask me how I know) and depending
where your hotel is, the routes might be quite different than the route book. The
route I have used is the best way to the track, not to Camden where most are
staying.
Race Fuel: NO
Concessions: open
Showers: No
Spectators: Yes
Okay, time for the afternoon session. This is scored as a second event (separate from the morning session) so hopefully Andy can pick up a few places here.
And just like that, we're headed out. Andy beat his morning times and is pretty happy with his results.
Next stop: Carolina Motorsports Park! We've got a 400-mile drive tonight.
Tom Suddard said:
And one team is now doing the emissions delete in an attempt to unclog a catalytic converter.
That's like a thousand dollars worth of dust on the ground lol!
adam525i said:Tom Suddard said:
And one team is now doing the emissions delete in an attempt to unclog a catalytic converter.
That's like a thousand dollars worth of dust on the ground lol!
If the S2000, its not a factory cat. Looks like a Berk, those are known to fail and cause problems. $230.
Tom Suddard said:Teams are only allowed one set of tires for the entire event, and the fastest option (Yokohama's Advan A052) is also barely durable enough to last the event. It would take a serious optimist to choose Yokohamas for a big, heavy, high-horsepower car on relatively narrow tires.
Randy Pobst seems optimistic:
The "Trans X3M" sticker is awesome.
In reply to Aaron_King :
You can see also see the matching hood emblem in the first picture of the X3M!
Can you explain a little bit about how this is scored? Total time of the three laps is your time for that session? Is there an outlap or is it a standing start? What's the total amount of track mileage over the course of One Lap? It seems like it would be equivalent to or less than a single typical track day, which if true makes it surprising that tire wear and reliability are such an issue. Maybe my math is off?
In reply to Tom Suddard :
I could guess which car is the Kia, but it wouldn't be fair since I have inside information.
CrashDummy said:Can you explain a little bit about how this is scored? Total time of the three laps is your time for that session? Is there an outlap or is it a standing start?
5 cars go out at a time. The cars are launched from pit-road a few moments apart, to give reasonable separation. The cars then come to the track Start/Finish line and stop. That lap that happened (pit-road to Start Line) is called the recon-lap. Your chance to see the track. The starter will now launch the cars, standing start, one car at a time. Again a reasonable distance between cars. Three timed laps. Your time is the total time of all 3 laps. Not just your fastest lap. Every lap counts.
What's the total amount of track mileage over the course of One Lap?
Morning 3 counted laps. Afternoon 3 counted laps. So, 6 counted laps per day. If a lap is 1.5 miles then 9 miles of track per day.
It seems like it would be equivalent to or less than a single typical track day, which if true makes it surprising that tire wear and reliability are such an issue.
After your track laps then those tires need to drive 6-10 hours per day on real roads or about 3,500 miles in one week . That's real hard on super soft tires.
Maybe my math is off?
Looking at the results page there's 13 track sessions at four laps (out lap plus three timed laps), plus the two skid pads, autocross, and drag race event. Plus 3k street miles. And you probably want to have some amount of tread left in case there's some rain at the end of the week.
In reply to Tom Suddard :
A 4000 quattro is a sunday cup car?
docwyte said:In reply to Tom Suddard :
A 4000 quattro is a sunday cup car?
The Audi 4000 is not a true Sundae Cup (SC) car but it would seem logical that the Audi 4000 might be sent on the track about the time the SC cars are sent out given their likely similar capabilities.
And TIME. We just made it to our hotel about 45 min from CMP for the night.
Sorry for the gap in posts--I was driving.
Today I got in my very first traffic jam in a McLaren!
I was also teased with the prospect of a luxurious 20 minute dinner with table service. We pulled off to eat at a Cracker Barrel, and on the way Andy was filling me in on what I was allowed to order based on what is already cooked and scooped out of a vat vs. what is cooked to order.
Then we walked inside and there was a 20-minute wait. Nope! We left and ate Wendy's instead. Total time lost: 15 min.
Being in one of the fast cars at One Lap is almost cheating in itself, they get a multi hour head start over "all remaining cars". One day you need to swap with someone in the Sundae Cup class to see how the other half lives. That will be a interesting part of the article.
In reply to Sonic :
We are back of the pack and have been at the hotel 20 minutes. Granted we stopped to help a broken one lapper at the side of the interstate for 40 minutes but then cannonballed (see what I did there) to the hotel in a 4.5 hour straight nonstop drive. Here in time to shotgun a couple adult beverages, talk with friends and head to bed to start all over.
Tom already mentioned to me today he'd love to try a cool car like the Rio for this. (Paraphrased for my own benefit!)
Lunchtime Laps with Tom were a highlight of the day. Lovely company.
Good morning from One Lap!
So far the highlight of my day is this fancy pancake maker.
In reply to mazdeuce:
Thanks for taking me out! I had a great time.
Almost to CMP:
Let the unloading begin!
Now it's time to walk the track. Andy doesn't need to because he pre-ran this (and every other) track, but many of the other competitors are out walking now.
It's pretty cool/eerie to have so much track and so few people on it.
And here's today's route book entry:
CAROLINA MOTORSPORTS PARK
3662 Kershaw Highway
Kershaw, SC 29067
803-475-2448
Day 3, Monday, May 2nd, 2022
Gates will open at 7:00, please park in the paddock and unload the car and be ready for
to start as close to 8:00 as possible. This day will have an event later in Lanier Raceplex
in Braselton, GA so we'd like to get our events done as early as we can so we have
plenty of time later.
CMP is Alan Wilson track so there is lots of run-off but there are some places that need
special attention. The kink is one of those places to gather up the car prior to the corner
and stay on track or a lurid off may occur as the car may be unsettled by the bump at the
apex. For drivers new to this track, unless your car is really, really slow, do not drive the
kink flat out even if another competitor says so. On one occasion here, a driver was told
he could do it and it led to one of the most spectacular spins I've ever witnessed,
deflating two tires and traumatizing the driver. Another area to watch is the exit of Turn
3 where dropping a wheel could be trouble. The track is relatively flat and featureless
with few landmarks so there may be a tendency to be lost for those folks new to the
facility. We will be running both long course configurations using the old way through
Turns 12 and 13 in the morning and the new in the afternoon.
Some folks may want to watch your oil pressure in the series of hard fast right-hand
corners, 5, 6 and 7. I have been told that oil-starvation can be an issue for some cars.
The line for concessions tends to be quite long. Some may want to eat a bit early to
avoid the rush.
After your second run, hurry off to Lanier.
Race Fuel: available
Concessions: open
Showers: available
Spectators: donation
Cars are about to go out, and gridded by fastest time in yesterday's first session. That means the Tesla is in front today.
Andy's performance in yesterday's first session was actually advantageous. A fifth place finish means he's first in the second run group, which means he should have a cleaner track than our competition and not have to worry about traffic.
Currently sitting in fourth place.
Over in the SuperK garage, they're dealing with a minor tire problem.
They'll be searching for a tire plug soon.
And the Camaro had an unfortunate incident with a tire wall. Driver is fine and gave me permission to share the photos.
OOOF. Never good to see a long crow bar and a dead blow mallet as your track tools of choice!
Shade is a hot commodity at CMP. Getting here early means we grabbed one of the few garages, but not all teams were that lucky.
Interestingly, half of CMP's kitchen seems to be a tent. Still made a decent burger.
I feel sorry for the track concession stand. "Hey, all 200 of us would like lunch right now. Thanks."
Here's the Sundae Cup crowd discussing how they can manage to bump draft each other. 
Remember me mentioning that the goal is to always be eating, sleeping, transiting or racing?
With three of the four not currently possible, that made the choice easy. Andy is asleep.
Its called The One Nap of America for a reason. Sleep when you can.
I saw people with inflatables like this. Also can double as rainproof storage shed for gear if needed.
I, on the other hand, spent my lunch break doing something far more productive. I jumped behind the wheel of Bobzilla's Kia with Space Cadet and Mike Casino for a few parade laps. It was a blast--there might be something to this Sundae Cup class.
And it's time for the second session. Andy's goal here is to beat Tom O'Gorman in a ZR1 Corvette. Tom had him by two tenths of a second last group.
Darn, not quite--Andy finished P5.
We're back in the car and headed to our next stop now; we'll be at Lanier speedway in a few hours.
First, though, some gas. We waited until 45 min before the track and filled up. Now the gauge looks like this:
Is that 20 miles beside the fuel gauge the projected range? :D
In reply to Keith Tanner :
It sure is!
Good news! We've made it three whole days before our first fault code.
The car's dash just flashed "Transmission Fault, go to McLaren service center."
Andy puts foam blocks in front of the transmission coolers for transits in order to prevent a repeat of last year's pebble-through-a-radiator incident. The car might be angry that we didn't let it properly cool down and replaced the foam right after going on track, so we just removed the foam and are back on the road.
I now wonder if $12 Amazon bluetooth code readers and free software read McLaren codes...HA.
In reply to John Welsh :
They can! We're hoping to not need to resort to wasting time pulling codes, though.
Here's our transit:
And here's what the highway looks like when One Lap is in town.
While on the road, we're trying to beat the system and reserve garages at tracks we expect will have rain when we arrive. A dry place to park for the day will make rain way less draining.
Oh cool, look what I just found in my pocket:
Oops! Sorry Bob!
Fortunately they have a spare key, but that almost cost us an hour.
In reply to Tom Suddard :
Oh God. Talk about a freak out moment!
The wife and I are pretty paranoid about bringing two keys on every road trip for just this reason. Good to know it also applies to one lap.
If you want a Kia just say so. Don't have to take it.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
At 3.2 MPG showing, the car is a bit confused about remaining fuel and range
In reply to glueguy (Forum Supporter) :
Is it? It's at roughly 1/3 tank, and 20 miles at 3.2 mpg is 6.25 gallons. Apparently the 720 has a fuel tank capacity of 19 US gallons, and 1/3 of that is 6.3 gallons.
Assuming $5/gallon for fuel, that's just over $1.50/mile in running costs. Plus tires.
Keith Tanner said:
Assuming $5/gallon for fuel, that's just over $1.50/mile in running costs. Plus tires.
fun fact: That was the rate for which BJ McKay would haul any load, anywhere, any time, no questions asked. Andy is one chimp sidekick away from being an honest to God American hero.
In reply to JG Pasterjak :
That's the funniest thing I read (and the related visual) today. Thanks, I needed that on a Monday afternoon.
Just made it to Lanier Speedway! It's time to do three laps on the oval, then head out for Barber.
Keith Tanner said:In reply to glueguy (Forum Supporter) :
Is it? It's at roughly 1/3 tank, and 20 miles at 3.2 mpg is 6.25 gallons. Apparently the 720 has a fuel tank capacity of 19 US gallons, and 1/3 of that is 6.3 gallons.
Assuming $5/gallon for fuel, that's just over $1.50/mile in running costs. Plus tires.
All correct. I was rationalizing the fuel gauge at 1/3 and 20 miles to go. That's not a level I would expect for 20 miles to go. Then again, I'm not driving a McLaren in OLOA.
My last time at Lanier, circa 1995. Opel Manta mini-stock. Funny that the parking above the track is essentially the same in Tom's photo
Good news: one of the tracks I won't name just called back and rented us a garage for $75. That could mean the difference between Andy getting into a dry car in a dry suit vs. getting into a wet car in a wet suit. And that could mean the difference between winning and not.
One cool part of One Lap is visiting so many tracks when they are (mostly) empty.
And done! We're back on the road for Barber. 
A shot of Andy and TomO on track at Lanier:
glueguy (Forum Supporter) said:Keith Tanner said:In reply to glueguy (Forum Supporter) :
Is it? It's at roughly 1/3 tank, and 20 miles at 3.2 mpg is 6.25 gallons. Apparently the 720 has a fuel tank capacity of 19 US gallons, and 1/3 of that is 6.3 gallons.
Assuming $5/gallon for fuel, that's just over $1.50/mile in running costs. Plus tires.
All correct. I was rationalizing the fuel gauge at 1/3 and 20 miles to go. That's not a level I would expect for 20 miles to go. Then again, I'm not driving a McLaren in OLOA.
Those doodads usually base the DTE calculation on the previous ten miles or so. I was able to spike a car with a roughly 10-12 gallon tank to read 640 miles remaining, that way.
It's a bigger window than that on the Dodge diesel, but I've never tried working it hard enough to cause such catastrophic fuel consumption :)
Bad news: We're stuck in Atlanta traffic.
Good news: We're stuck in Atlanta traffic in a McLaren.
We're thinking that the later run groups will have the advantage of having traffic cleared by the time we roll through. We will be testing that theory. 30 minutes out from the oval.
What was the event at Lanier???? Donut Fest 2022??? Oh and that venue just across hwy53 was not having any OLOA shenanigans this time?
Great stuff! Keep it up. I feel like I am there, but am not stuck in traffic and I can take a hot shower any time I want.
In reply to 759NRNG :
Just a simple three lap race around the oval. It's interesting watching the cars/drivers stay flexible across such different types of racing.
And we're now through the traffic and out of Atlanta. ETA at Barber is 8:30 pm.
Tom Suddard said:In reply to 759NRNG :
Just a simple three lap race around the oval. It's interesting watching the cars/drivers stay flexible across such different types of racing.
Was there any tire smoke......wink?
And we're at the hotel. Time to start the sleep/eat/race/transit cycle over again.
In reply to 759NRNG :
Zero. When every lap counts, there's no time for shenanigans. 
mazdeuce - Seth said:We're thinking that the later run groups will have the advantage of having traffic cleared by the time we roll through. We will be testing that theory. 30 minutes out from the oval.
This proved to be accurate. Out of Lanier at 6:57 and through Atlanta with minimal delays.
Good morning from One Lap! It's 4:53 AM, but we've been getting in so early we just can't sleep any later.
In reply to Tom Suddard :
Just wait. Tonight's Barber to Hallett is like 700 miles or 10+ hours!
There won't be table service for tonight's dinner!
And we're now in line for the gate at Barber. 
We're in!
Thanks for capturing the event for those of us following along from home. Someday... 
Most drivers just heard some bad news: track walks are not allowed. That means anybody who hasn't run here before will be going in completely blind.
Good thing Andy already pre-ran this track to prepare for One Lap. 
Barber is a track Tom knows well. We have raced Lemons events several times there.
absolutely, this event is on my bucket list some day, thank you so much for the pics/updates!
More photos from the morning:
Not only has Andy driven this track before, he's brought his in-car video and notes along, too. He's currently refreshing his brain to get ready for the first session.
It's nearly time for the first session. Teams are making final preparations, including Toyota. They seem to have a setup book with specific adjustments for every track we visit.
In reply to Tom Suddard :
We called those Air Assault tents, fairly easy to set up.
We have a 700-mile transit tonight, so co-drivers are already trying to sleep as much as possible.
Cars are headed out in seven minutes.
Looks like you guys are getting into the hotel at 8:45pm on the "regular" transits. It's just me, but I'd be getting a real sit down dinner on those nights. That's totally worth it to me to then roll into the hotel at 9:45pm...
Andy has the green flag.
In reply to docwyte :
I totally agree. However, I've never won One Lap before--Andy has. I'm purposely along for the ride and documenting his methods. That means we follow his strategy and his time table.
I do see some logic in his methods. It's extremely warm and sunny, and we're one of maybe 8 teams that are spending today in a shady garage. That's because we were here 45 min. before the track opened to line up.
The other teams will be baking in the sun all day before their 700-mile transit. We have a better chance of having a fresher driver for tomorrow's event.
Aaaaand SuperK is broken. Apparently their DCT is stuck in 5th gear. They're trying to figure out what happened now.
Andy is P6 so far in the first session.
I hope the super k guys can get it figured out, I'm a huge fan of that car
Time for lunch!
Lunch is over and we met the beaver. Time to go back to the track for a nap until it's time for afternoon session.
And here's a better perspective to show the dedication to napping Andy seems to have.
Let's play "Will! Those! A052s! Last!"
Randy's X3M might have some difficulty in the rain we're expecting for the next three days.
Good news from the SuperK paddock: They reset the computer and now have all their DCT gears again. Hooray!
Tom Suddard said:Good news from the SuperK paddock: They reset the computer and now have all their DCT gears again. Hooray!
awesome, was hoping they'd get it back together. Sounds like the same issue they had last year, sans the traffic!
Sundae Cup just got back from their first session. They get WAY more track time than Andy.
Their cars may be slow, but they're taking it seriously. One Lap rewards teams with more information, so morning drivers are sharing notes with afternoon drivers.
One Nap of America.
Just got this text from Andy's wife, Ann:
It definitely takes a team to do this event, and she has over a decade of experience as part of Andy's. He'll get some caffeine pills once he's finished with his second nap of the day.
Brawndo, the thirst mutilater. It's got what plants crave!
We just did a trailer tour for TomO's daily vlog. Here's all the tools we carry with us:
And here's where TomO is posting if you need more OLOA content:
And lunch is now over. Cars are lining up to go back on track in a few minutes.
If you're wondering what a track-prepped Tesla Model S Plaid sounds like, the answer isn't actually "silence." They sound like cooling fans, since they spend every moment in track mode evacuating as much heat as possible from the battery. It's like a giant Dustbuster just parked on grid.
Andy's out on track now--hopefully he'll be faster than he was this morning.
And I'm getting things organized to pack up the car and head west. Here's this afternoon's project:
And done. P6 for now, car is packed, we're headed to Oklahoma.
In reply to John Welsh :
Absolutely!
Welcome to Arkansas! Even with a fuel stop we've been making great time.
Oh no! Trapped in a sit-down dinner.
In reply to Tom Suddard :
When I get into my not stopping, eat on the road, I find that Pizzeria Combos hit the spot. I've had them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the same day.
But... cow on sign says worth it.
Margie
In reply to Marjorie Suddard :
And the "hot" pies!
I'm gonna say the number of trucks in that parking lot is a good sign.
Keith Tanner said:In reply to Marjorie Suddard :
And the "hot" pies!
I'm gonna say the number of trucks in that parking lot is a good sign.
For not getting "served" in a timely manner as one Andy H would have dearly loved.
Aaaaand... TIME. Hello from Tulsa, Oklahoma. 
If my math is correct, we did 650 miles in 9 hours including three gas stops and dinner. That's an average speed of about 72 mph including all stops.
In reply to Tom Suddard :
Man it has to be hard up there! We'll come knock on your door in about.... 3 hours
Tom Suddard said:And lunch is now over. Cars are lining up to go back on track in a few minutes.
If you're wondering what a track-prepped Tesla Model S Plaid sounds like, the answer isn't actually "silence." They sound like cooling fans, since they spend every moment in track mode evacuating as much heat as possible from the battery. It's like a giant Dustbuster just parked on grid.
How does the Tesla handle the long drives to the next stop? Do they drive fast, then have a 2-hour leisurely dinner while it charges again? Or do they ride Roadkill style with a generator strapped to the trunk lid? 
Good morning from One Lap! Time for our first rainy day, which should seriously shake up the field.
In reply to edwardh80 :
They've definitely affected range with the tires and aero--they told me it will only go 200-250 miles on a charge. So we've got about 25 miles more range than they do.
Charging stops take 15-20 min assuming a fast charger, but Tesla's network has great coverage on major highways and that's what we're all driving on anyway. With multiple drivers that need to eat/use the bathroom/etc., I doubt charging is significantly slowing them down. Even on "slow" chargers I doubt they stop anywhere longer than an hour.
The Tesla has also been plugging into free RV outlets at every track, not because it has to but because that's free electricity delivered between sessions. We have to leave the track and find a separate operation called a gas station when the McLaren runs out. So they're leaving every track with more range in their car than we are.
In reply to Tom Suddard :
Do you guys always stay at the recommended hotels, or is there some additional pro-level planning that goes into the lodging choices for each night?
In reply to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ :
So... kind of.
First up, yes: there's a spreadsheet. Andy plans everything out ahead of time, and we call every hotel 12 hours in advance just to eliminate surprises. That's why we were asleep at a La Quinta by the time all the other teams arrived at a Holiday Inn Express that we had reserved, but lost/canceled/oversold our reservation. Other drivers were forced into a last-minute hotel change. Andy was asleep. All those extra opportunities for rest add up.
So how does Andy pick hotels? Usually we just stay at the OLOA recommended option. But he'll also choose hotels that cut transit distance even if it means stopping an hour away from a track. There's no reason to spend 10 miles driving out of the way to the closest town to a track when we could just do that transit in the morning. This strategy saves time and tire wear, which would have been critical on the A052s.
Hey look it's Tulsa.
keep the updates coming today!
Welcome to Hallet. It's a cold, rainy day, but fortunately we reserved a garage ahead of time with the other front-runners.
Tom Suddard said:In reply to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ :
So... kind of.
First up, yes: there's a spreadsheet. Andy plans everything out ahead of time, and we call every hotel 12 hours in advance just to eliminate surprises.
I used to think the meek would inherit the earth, but now I know it's the excel users. Behind every success I swear there is a well-made spreadsheet.
The skies have opened up, so Andy is airing up the tires in an attempt to reduce hydroplaning.
And it's now hailing.
Today might be difficult for the Tesla. 
Doesn't sound like today is going to be a cakewalk for anyone. Stay safe/stay warm.
Margie
In reply to Tom Suddard :
Is this the day where the Michelin's on the McLaren will outshine what would have likely been 1/2 tread Yoko AO52's?
Time to race. First group goes out in 10 minutes.
Looks like the rain may be done for the day? Mostly? But the first run groups are headed out on a drenched track with some standing water. Those of us at the back are quite excited.
Tom Suddard said:Today might be difficult for the Tesla.
Wear rubber gloves...and rubber boots...and a helmet?
If the Tesla can actually charge and drive at the same time, a utility trailer with a generator hidden below the floorboards would be a great accessory for OLOA!
Andy did well his first session. Still waiting on official times.
mazdeuce - Seth said:Looks like the rain may be done for the day? Mostly? But the first run groups are headed out on a drenched track with some standing water. Those of us at the back are quite excited.
don't say that too loud, they're shut down for lightning right now!
I was wrong about the rain. First group ran and now we're shut down for lightning as another cell moves through.
Got here to spectate just before 9:00. Had some heavy rain on the way through Tulsa.
Track is going hot soon!
Aaaaaand we're delayed for lightning.
Tom Suddard said:Aaaaaand we're delayed for lightning.
Admittedly, lightning is usually the wrong kind of "hot".
Expect more of the same tonight and tomorrow, although the morning session might be ok.
Be aware of flooding on the Interstate transit later, it happens fairly often. Should be an easy drive though, and enjoy the Flint Hills of Kansas!
Drive fast, stay safe
Tom Suddard said:Aaaaaand we're delayed for lightning.
It's nice to now that when it is lightening that you can go stand in your metal tent.
Track is still cold, and now every single One Lap competitor seems to be hanging out in the snack bar.
CrustyRedXpress said:Tom Suddard said:In reply to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ :
So... kind of.
First up, yes: there's a spreadsheet. Andy plans everything out ahead of time, and we call every hotel 12 hours in advance just to eliminate surprises.
I used to think the meek would inherit the earth, but now I know it's the excel users. Behind every success I swear there is a well-made spreadsheet.
My Champcar team hates me because I do everything in spreadsheets. From logistics, to food, to driver schedules and pit times. I print them out on excessively large pieces of paper, laminate them, and reference them anytime they have questions. I've been lazy lately because this divorce is beating me down and just getting to the track is 100x more imporant but that's typically my MO and it works well.
A few shots from the 9:55 run. At one point I realized I was standing at the high end of metal bleachers in a thunderstorm....
Andy just declared it time for nap. Local time 11:13 am.
Tom Suddard said:In reply to edwardh80 :
They've definitely affected range with the tires and aero--they told me it will only go 200-250 miles on a charge. So we've got about 25 miles more range than they do.
Charging stops take 15-20 min assuming a fast charger, but Tesla's network has great coverage on major highways and that's what we're all driving on anyway. With multiple drivers that need to eat/use the bathroom/etc., I doubt charging is significantly slowing them down. Even on "slow" chargers I doubt they stop anywhere longer than an hour.
The Tesla has also been plugging into free RV outlets at every track, not because it has to but because that's free electricity delivered between sessions. We have to leave the track and find a separate operation called a gas station when the McLaren runs out. So they're leaving every track with more range in their car than we are.
They're probably picking up about 30 miles of (highway) range for every hour they're plugged into those 50A RV outlets. Well, assuming normal aero :) That's useful for sure. Clever.
Track is still wet but cars are gingerly making their way around it. We're nearly finished with the first run group.
David Marcus and Mike King are disconnecting their Supra's rear bar in hopes of faster wet laps after lunch. Fun fact: this same operation resulted in a broken sway bar, cut brake lines, and a last-minute thrash just before OLOA started.
Tom Suddard said:Andy just declared it time for nap. Local time 11:13 am.
Man I'm not even on the One Lap and I can do that.
Track goes hot in 10 minutes. Andy likes being early for stuff.
Tom Suddard said:
Track goes hot in 10 minutes. Andy likes being early for stuff.
Ten minutes early is still five minutes late at the race track...
In reply to stafford1500 :
He's not in the first run group.
waiting for the live feed to start on facebook
And done! We're back on the road. Next stop Topeka, Kansas!
If anyone is interested in some background on the Tesla Model S Plaid Speed Academy did a couple of videos with Mountain Pass Performance (Sasha Anis who has done some really cool projects) who set the car up.
Spoiler Alert, they had some interesting brake issues when they started disabling things that Tesla was using to prevent people from killing themselves!
In reply to Tom Suddard :
Is there an advantage / disadvantage to when you ran today based on weather? Did your run end up wet / dry and it is going to get better or worse for others?
In reply to NY Nick :
Yeah, we got sort of screwed. Wettest session in the morning, then again in the afternoon. Oh well.
We're currently 10th in the afternoon session, and will likely drop more as the track continues to dry.
Hey look, a long straight empty road. Welcome to Oklahoma!
In reply to Tom Suddard :
That stinks, hopefully all your closest competitors were equally hosed so it all works out.
Darn. All the way down in 29th after the track continued drying.
And this is one more reason A052s are a gamble: Transits. This drive is hard enough on Michelins. It would be pretty miserable on the Yokohamas.
We're planning a sit down dinner tonight. Need to see if the weather cooperates, but it's the first time we've dared to plan for that.
Yeah, it's been a brutal drive so far. 50-55 mph the whole way.
What happens to the teams that DNS/DNF a session. How is that scored? Do they end up behind every team that completes all the sessions in the final standings?
Really enjoying following along by the way.
Our clearly superior Sundae Cup train is rolling comfortably at 73. Skinny tires for the win!
mazdeuce - Seth said:Our clearly superior Sundae Cup train is rolling comfortably at 73. Skinny tires for the win!
We swapped drivers and I finished the transit. Checked in and waiting for our second sit-down dinner of the trip!
I'll post a separate thread tomorrow after I sort through my hundreds of 'spectator at Hallett' pics. Here's a few.
How's it going Sundae Cup? We've got steak!
Tom Suddard said:How's it going Sundae Cup? We've got steak!
We had awesome burgers and beer.
All I see is a lot of red meat and beer being consumed by a bunch of people that are going to be floating some mad air biscuits all the way to Topeka. Y'all better crack a window.
Its another rainy morning on the One Lap of America! Next stop is Heartland Park.
Hope things dry up for you guys today.
Andy has again rented a garage in advance, so we'll be warm and dry all day.
The weather forecast is... not great.
Sundae Cup is here in force. We're still earlier than most of the other competitors, though.
I love this event.
Interesting of the late arrival of most the fleet.
Late in the week, the fatigue battle is real!
Yeah, yesterday's transit was pretty sketchy for most of the competitors. Randy Pobst, in the X3M on well-worn A052s, said they followed just a few car lengths back from a competitor on Michelins in order to drive on slightly drier asphalt...
...for 300 miles straight.
Today's route book entry:
HEARTLAND MOTORSPORTS PARK
7530 SW Topeka Blvd
Topeka, KS 66619
Phone: 785-861-7896
Day Six, Thursday, May 5th, 2022
It's been many years since our last visit here. In the early days of One Lap, Heartland
Park was one of the few tracks in the Midwest and a normal stop as we transited across
the country. Built for the NASCAR Truck series in the early 90's, it has had a interesting
history. In the early years the road course used the drag strip as the front straight
rendering the surface nearly unusable when wet. In the mid 2000's, another straight
was built parallel to the strip so both could run at the same time, allowing safe rain
racing. The first iteration had a kink at the top of the hill on the main straight--really not
ideal. It appears that the kink has been removed making the track safer as I see it.
There is nothing inherently difficult about this track, no real technical corners--all pretty
straightforward curves and straights. I would however suggest a bit of prudence if we
have rain. In past years the outfields would bogs and removing cars was a challenge.
The last time it took a tow truck tied to a tractor to pull out a Corvette. Depending how
far a car goes off, we may have to wait for a dry Summer to get it out.
We will be running four events, weather permitting, two roadcourse, the Low ET and
bracket drag races. Below is a short primer on bracket racing for those that have never
done it. Bracket racing is about consistency, not speed, but finding the right dial-in time
might be a significant challenge.
The first event will be a one-run Low ET pass. Red lights and reaction time will not be
part of the scoring, just the elapsed time of the pass. The second event will be a Bracket
Elimination. This can be quite confusing for those that have never done it before.
With the previous Low ET pass in mind, a competitor will paint a "dial in" time on the
window of the car. This time is based on the expected ET of the car that should not be
exceeded. The car in the other lane will have their own "dial in" and has no relationship
to yours. In a perfect world, though the cars will leave the line at very different times,
with ideal reaction times and predicted ET's, they will arrive at the finish line at precisely
the same instant. However, since this is not a perfect world, there is always a winner,
one that has a better reaction time and is better able to predict the ET of the car. Going
faster than the "dial in" causes a "break out", which is an automatic loss if the other car
stays within the "dial in". If both cars "break out', the one that breaks out the least wins.
To stage for a drag race, pull up to the starter and the lights. As you near the Christmas
Tree notice two yellow lights at the top. As you enter the staging area, you will trigger
one of the lights. This is pre-staging. As the second one lights, staging is complete and
you are ready to start. Do not go any further. As soon as both cars are staged, the
process begins, often before you are ready. The tree consists of three yellow lights, a
green and a red. The sequence is familiar, yellow, yellow, yellow, green at ½ second
intervals. By the time the green lights, you should have started, but not much before or
the red will light indicating an early start and disqualification. Reaction time is the actual
time it takes for the car to cross the start line after the green light. ET is the elapsed time of the run. A drag race is a combination of the two. Consistency and reaction time are
key to the bracket elimination. Competitors can change the "dial in" at any time before
entering the staging area to adjust for changing conditions. In the Bracket Elimination,
there will always be a winner, "two go down, one comes back". There should be plenty
of staff, both One Lap and Heartland Park, on hand to answer any questions.
Once the Bracket Elimination has begun, the Low ET event is closed.
Race Fuel: yes
Concessions: open
Showers: yes
Spectators: free
I borrowed a scooter from the Sundae Cup guys to go check out the track.
8:15 has arrived. Time to head to grid.
And some charging info from the Tesla. They use about 10% of the battery per lap, and charge at roughly 8kw from a standard 50A RV outlet. Assuming 95 kWh of usable energy in the battery (pretty sure that's accurate), each One Lap session requires about 3.5 hours of RV outlet charging to refuel the car. That means they're usually leaving the tracks at about 70% full--no reason to sit around waiting on slow RV outlets when there are Superchargers on the highway. 
If you're curious what your day looks like without a garage rental, well, it looks like this.
Track goes hot in six minutes!
First group is out now, and the Supras have pulled up to the line. These things seem to be more than the sum of their parts, and are running with much more expensive cars.
And the checker just went out for group one. SuperK passed the Tesla, and TomO caught both of them in the Corvette.
Live video on FB, or rewatch it later
Andy's group just went out. These standing starts, especially when wet, are why launch control is a necessity to run at the front of One Lap.
love it!
what is the plan for the drag race this afternoon?
Results from the first two groups are in. Andy currently in P5, but the track is drying quickly.
One of the Corvette's lost a wheel after their brake caliper fell off, and had to patch it up with stock parts. Here's left vs. right.
The caliper fell off? That must've taken some skill.
It's pretty cool to see the wet/dirty car proving McLaren did their homework. Airflow seems clean and attached.
Dirty race cars are cool.
I'm a huge McLaren fan. That said, I'm surprised their engineers designed an exhaust that would damage the rear paint and that deflector.
Do competitors carry stuff for each other? I'm currently daydreaming about the possibility of the One Lap equivalent of a Dakar support truck running at the back of the pack.
Tom Suddard said:And some charging info from the Tesla. They use about 10% of the battery per lap, and charge at roughly 8kw from a standard 50A RV outlet. Assuming 95 kWh of usable energy in the battery (pretty sure that's accurate), each One Lap session requires about 3.5 hours of RV outlet charging to refuel the car. That means they're usually leaving the tracks at about 70% full--no reason to sit around waiting on slow RV outlets when there are Superchargers on the highway.
The RV chargers are just opportunity charging when there's downtime at the track. But yeah, if all the downtime is pre-session and you immediately scamper off into the sunset as soon as you've laid down times, they're not too useful. It's my understanding you get the best performance with a totally full battery so they're probably rolling up to the track entrance pretty close to that already.
Still, any chance for charging when you're not otherwise busy is the car equivalent of taking a nap to catch up on sleep :) This is really interesting. Looks like they're sitting 3rd overall, which is pretty impressive for a 4700 lb four door sedan. That's quite a variety of equipment in the top 3 - a ZR1, a thing that only looks like an S2000, and the big leather lined golf cart.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ said:Do competitors carry stuff for each other? I'm currently daydreaming about the possibility of the One Lap equivalent of a Dakar support truck running at the back of the pack.
The idea of a support vehicle is against the spirit of the event. Self contained travel is the goal. But, trailers are allowed. This can be anything from a Harbor Freight 4"x4" or as in 2019 some Canadians with a Durango SRT8 brought a 20 ft Toy Hauler style camper (since a Durango is rated to tow something like 9,000 lbs.)
As an example, in 2018, Pros Pastrano and Bilco had a Media Team that followed their Subaru in a Dodge Minivan but sticking with the spirit of the event, the van was not shuttling spares, tools, or other gear.
Now, Dakar style where what were just support vehicles became their own class of competitors....I'm not sure that rule has been "pushed" as hard as it could be.
Sundae Cup is headed out!
In reply to John Welsh :
But in the same concept as Dakar, what about a race vehicle that happens to be carrying a whole bunch of stuff?
In reply to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ :
Envisioning a whole class of vehicles like the Tire Rack van taking high speed turns! And, a tire balancer!
This trailer is being pulled by the black Mazda2. Its the same trailer he previously pulled behind his One Lap Miata. I suspect all could fit in the Mazda2 but since he has it... Saves the chore of having to take everything out of the race car every day. A trailer becomes risky though since it also gives you another possible failure point over the course of 3500 road miles. I've seen this trailer and it has genuine car ( high speed intended) wheel bearing not just the Chinese bearings of a HF trailer.
Track just went cold for lunch, so we're walking it to try and find missed opportunities.
I'm curious to hear about the drag strip strategy this year also, when I ran it the general thought from the top teams was that it wasn't worth the lack of sleep to try to stay and scrape out a few extra points in the bracket. But with how close it is at the top now I wonder if that thought process has changed?
In reply to John Welsh :
The bearings in my HF trailer are significantly larger than the bearings that were in the rear of my Golf. Possibly even the front of the RX-7s, certainly larger than the outers. By recollection they are roughly 54mm OD and 30mm ID.
Track is hot and Andy is headed out. We'll see what happens.
Heartland Park morning results should surprise exactly no-one, but year after year I continue to astounded at the outirght pace Tomo and SuperK can generate. Tomo clear of Pobst (3rd) by almost 20 seconds in worse conditions. I'm also ignoring that Tomo is in a ZR1 and Pobst in a X3M
P10 so far.
Just got the news: drag racing is canceled due to rain. We'll start our 518 mile transit now.
Andy Hollis: "What are they doing?! Tires shouldn't be kept in cages! Tires should be free!"
In reply to Tom Suddard :
Maybe the cage is there to protect the tires from Andy.
Welcome to Kansas City!
Thanks to the awesomeness that is the GRM forum family we got to crawl around a helicopter. It was rad. 
Tom Suddard said:Andy Hollis: "What are they doing?! Tires shouldn't be kept in cages! Tires should be free!"
The alternative is free-range tires and trust me, you do not want that.
In reply to hobiercr :
One of my favorite movies. Ever.
We just made it to the hotel, officially finishing our last big transit of One Lap.
Here are a few photos from the drive:
I'm seeing too few gas station dinners. I thought you guys were hard core. Betcha the Sundae Cup guys are doing gas station dinners.
Stampie said:I'm seeing too few gas station dinners. I thought you guys were hard core. Betcha the Sundae Cup guys are doing gas station dinners.
They're really more like "Gas Station Second Dinners". Or was that "Elevensies"?
I'll bet the Tesla drivers are disappointed the drags got cancelled. That was probably an ace in the hole shot :)
So are we. We weren't going to beat many cars in the drags, but we should have beat the rest of our crew.
In honor of Stampie... my Second Dinner tonight:
Andy couldn't get a garage with money today, so he booked one with time instead. We're the first ones at the track.
Gate boops for the McClaren?
Sundae Cup (and a few other cars) have arrived.
The McClaren had assumed a defensive position to keep us from trying to cut in line.
Following along, this is one of the few things on my bucket list. In my bucket list.
Now I almost want to run a Sundae cup car.
Time to walk the track. 
We're at Putnam Park today. The dry line is SLICK in the rain.
Toyota may not have the fastest car in the mid-price sedan class (they're competing against a Hellcat and a WRX among other things) but they're still taking it extremely seriously and prepping for each track based on their own data. I was asked to delete this photo until they realized I wasn't a fellow competitor looking for an edge.
Now that Andy has walked the track, he's reviewing a friend's in-car video from a wet lap. Andy also took a reconnaissance trip here a few weeks ago. 
And here's today's route book entry:
PUTNAM PARK
5251 S CR-550 E
Greencastle, IN 46135
317-559-1500
Day Seven, Friday, May 6th, 2022
Another track we haven't visited for many years. Like Heartland, Putnam Park was a
repeated stop during the 1990's. We were last here before the last repaving and the
track needed help and the racing surface was slicker than any other in the country.
Since then the track has undergone massive improvements with upgrading, garages and
other infrastructure, and of course, new pavement.
There is nothing extraordinary about the track other than flowing lines and a beautiful
setting. The only issue I remember from so long ago is the last turn onto the front
straight--there is a large pit-wall on driver's left. You may want to avoid it.
Depending on time and interest, we may open the track for lapping when the event is
done. As in past years, there will be a driver's meeting, passing zones and everyone will
be well-behaved or we shut it down. Helmets required, passengers allowed, normal
track day stuff.
We're not staying long as the bar is open at South Bend.
Race Fuel: available
Concessions: open
Showers: available
Spectators: free
Tire warmers are allowed, so Goodyear is taking every advantage they can.
We are Track Walking. 
mazdeuce - Seth said:The McClaren had assumed a defensive position to keep us from trying to cut in line.
I just wanted to give it a little love boop.
Tom Suddard said:
Tire warmers are allowed, so Goodyear is taking every advantage they can.
Their tires aren't allowed are they?
In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :
That would be a great name for a podcast
Grid just got its 2-minute warning.
In reply to chandler :
Their 200tw is. IIRC it's the Supercar 3, not the 3R or something like that.
Car 38 went into "the swamp" on the out lap.
It is super cool to see Toyota so heavily involved and being so precise.
This thread has me planning to do this next year. Dad and I are debating using the S2000 with a tow rig (with a rooftop tent and space below for tools, spares, and a Grom) which is under the knife getting boost at the moment or finding a Honda Fit since it has built in storage capacity.
Andy is P4 after the first run group.
And the spinning Porsche is now recovered and ready to go out.
SuperK's differential bolts fell out. Fortunately they have tools and spares.
In reply to DirtyBird222 :
Cool that they're involved and have a set up book etc. Kinda uncool that they're acting like this is a professional series and being so crazy about it that they asked Tom to delete a picture. Competitive edge, for an event that just doesn't really matter other than a plaque and some bragging rights....
After pirating some trailer hardware they are building a new diff mount.
In reply to docwyte :
Ehh, that's just how serious teams are. That's one reason to always know the rules of your press pass. At OLOA and most other events everything you can see is fair game. They can ask and even try to force a deletion, but you don't have to do anything in response. Most teams want the coverage and will be accommodating to outlets like us.
SuperK's differential is reattached. They made a new mount from trailer spare tire mounting hardware and jack handle pieces.
For those following along at home, Super K is sitting at 2nd overall for results as of yesterday.
Tom Suddard said:And the spinning Porsche is now recovered and ready to go out.
Is #66, Cayman S 'Mid-Engine Crisis' still in it? I see they were DNS yesterday. They had a slide into the tire wall at Hallett, but got it put back together enough it looked like they were okay.
They're here, but I don't think they are competing. Pretty cool they patched it up for the transit, though.
Screen shot of the live feed. #66 is going out but placed at the end of the grid (behind Sundae Cup'ers)
Where are yall getting the info? The oloa website is only showing me 2019 results. Maybe it's just a Mobil issue.
In reply to wvumtnbkr :
Try this link for 2022 Results
Be sure to turn your handset sideways if looking on your phone
They have a headlight on #66
In reply to John Welsh :
Awesome! waiting for the closed 'live video' to re-post so I can review.
Got it at 1:41:50 and running with the Sundaes at about 2:00:00 https://www.facebook.com/OneLapOfAmerica/videos/1261078560966818
Nice on the road repair. Left radiator frame was cracked, but radiator was good. There were some concerns about the tire rubbing in a full turn.
Lunch time!
Who's a good boy?! You're a good boy!!
The rain has moved back in; this could get interesting.
Track is wetter than this morning, but the active rain seems stopped as cars grid to go out in 5 minutes. Sundae Cup cars got to drive in the hardest rain. So lucky.
Track goes hot in five minutes. TomO and SuperK are real close, so they'll be fighting hard for fastest time.
docwyte said:In reply to DirtyBird222 :
Cool that they're involved and have a set up book etc. Kinda uncool that they're acting like this is a professional series and being so crazy about it that they asked Tom to delete a picture. Competitive edge, for an event that just doesn't really matter other than a plaque and some bragging rights....
True but engineers aren't always extroverts or people persons. I do love HART and how they'll tell you exactly everything they are running on a car.
In my experience on One Lap the Toyota guys are also a completely open book on what they've done and tried and what has and hasn't worked. I like talking to them quite a lot.
After the morning session SuperK and Tomo are 55 points apart. You gain 5 points for every car you beat and this is the last track session of OLOA.....but, last year SuperK gained 105 points over the ZR1 during the final event of OLOA during the dry skidpad. I don't know anything about how last years Skidpad went, perhaps Tomo treated it as a drifty tire smoking victory lap but you've gotta think both teams have those results from last year in the back of their mind as they're heading out for this session.
Putnam Park AM times have been posted.
TomO kept his lead and 5 point over SuperK who came in 2nd in that running
Randy Probst danced that SUV in the rain up to a 4th place for just that 3 laps
Big showing from Golf R with 6th and Acura TLX with 7th also in those 3 laps
Super K had a minor off during the afternoon. It will be interesting to see how that 10ish seconds affects things.
mazdeuce - Seth said:Track is wetter than this morning, but the active rain seems stopped as cars grid to go out in 5 minutes. Sundae Cup cars got to drive in the hardest rain because real race cars crush it in the rain. So lucky.
FTFY.
John Welsh said:Big showing from Golf R with 6th and Acura TLX with 7th also in those 3 laps
Those two finished fourth and fifth (in the opposite order) in the wet heartland park morning session.
In reply to dps214 :
That Acura has Clifton Ching as a driver. When I started autox'ing in Toledo, OH in 1994 (in my '90 Miata), he was a hot shoe in a CRX SI. Now he works (and drives) for HART.
Looks like the off for SuperK was fairly costly, they're sitting 7th in the afternoon results thus far. edit: conditions must be drying, slipped down to 20th now
My buddy is in one of the golf r.. Schaut speed.
I believe they put it in the top 10 a few times this week.
Ben Schaut is a great driver and he and his dad seemed to like the Golf. Fun connection, he lived in the same college house as my wife (cross country house) when I met her.
And... TIME. Back in South Bend safe and sound.
Tonight is bar night, where every single OLOA competitor visits the hotel bar. Tomorrow might be a later start.
mazdeuce - Seth said:Ben Schaut is a great driver and he and his dad seemed to like the Golf. Fun connection, he lived in the same college house as my wife (cross country house) when I met her.
No way! Ben is a close friend and we race together!
6 degrees and all that.
Oh man, the Tire Rack Skidpad is going to decide 3rd. There are only 20...scoring units....between 3rd and 4th in the results. I'll bet the Tesla crew is really regretting that drag strip cancellation, because I'm not sure a big fat Plaid can stay ahead of a good 911 on the skidpad.
In reply to Tom Suddard :
And that's bogus. This is an event that has no bearing at all, just a plaque and bragging rights. You're not racing on Sunday and selling on Monday. There's basically no media coverage, everyone does it for fun. I get being competitive cause you want to do the best you can but it seems like people/teams take it to an extreme. I don't like to hang out with people like that.
Does having all wheel drive give any advantage in the wet/rainy weather on the track?
Hey all, owner of the #66 Cayman here. Yup, we got patched up got back on track today for some mostly ceremonious laps to finish off the road courses. HUGE thanks to Scott Donahue (https://lateentrymotorsports.com) and Karl Wilen (https://www.rennsportkc.com) for getting us back up and running. We're definitely feeling the OLOA magic!
any updates on super k and their off? everybody ok? car ok?
In reply to Cheeks :
Car is fine, it was a minor off into the wet grass and they drove back on and continued. But look at their time and imagine how many fewer places they would have lost if they didn't lose 10 sec there. Also look at what Tomo accomplished in the wet at the front of that group.
Cheeks said:any updates on super k and their off? everybody ok? car ok?
afaik, drove back from Putnam to South Bend. Splitter looked a little tweaked, dandelioned...
In reply to docwyte :
Here's 1011 words on how wrong and out of place you are:
Good morning from the final day of One Lap! We need to be at Tire Rack for the dry skidpad competition in three hours.
Sadly, traveling with Andy has ruined my sleep schedule. I'm awake before the hotel coffee is out.
Fair warning Tom, reentry to proper society after One Lap is a rough process.
docwyte said:In reply to Tom Suddard :
And that's bogus. This is an event that has no bearing at all, just a plaque and bragging rights. You're not racing on Sunday and selling on Monday. There's basically no media coverage, everyone does it for fun. I get being competitive cause you want to do the best you can but it seems like people/teams take it to an extreme. I don't like to hang out with people like that.
Then please leave this "useless" event to professional fun lovers like us. We are obviously too much for you.
I really love when people talk out of their ass about something they know nothing about.
mazdeuce - Seth said:Fair warning Tom, reentry to proper society after One Lap is a rough process.
The track hangover on this is pretty brutal.
Welcome to Tire Rack! The last event of OLOA starts in an hour or so.
Just got to watch Tom fall out of the McClaren. After a week he still can't figure out how to look cool rolling up in a $300k car.
We're out walking the course now.
The Sundae Cup cars are finally here early enough for a group photo with decent light.
Those are some sexy racecars!
bobzilla said:mazdeuce - Seth said:Fair warning Tom, reentry to proper society after One Lap is a rough process.
The track hangover on this is pretty brutal.
Wait until your next casual family car travel. Try not to take it out on the others why they just don't understand the need to be pulling away from the gas station in as few as 5 minutes.
Just finished the group photo. Now competitors are making final preparations for the skidpad.
Hopefully this link will work. A video taken from the Corolla Team's FB page. It shows the "group effort thrash" to help the Corolla secure "last place"
In OLoA there is an award titled "All Remaining Cars". This is the award to the last place finished who genuinely completed all events. The Corolla team has had this award firmly in their sights much of the week.
https://www.facebook.com/100080615724624/videos/572620997383758/
SuperK had a surprise this morning: Tire warmers. We'll see if they are enough to win overall.
Goodyear has been using tire warmers all week, and are the only other car with the advantage today.
man, this thread has saved me this week but also hurt, I need to do this event at some point
In reply to sleepyhead the buffalo :
Totally disagree with you. I've run One Lap before, I'm not talking out of my butt. Teams that are so serious that they're worried that a picture is going to be used by their competitors to gain an edge aren't in the right mind set for an event that's just for fun.
In reply to bobzilla :
And following all this and knowing the story in GRM will be epic seems like pretty good media coverage.
In reply to bobzilla :
I love when people talk out of their ass about people they have no idea about. You've never met me. You've never talked to me. You have NO idea what experience I have. I've done One Lap. I've done NASA Nationals. I've done Time Trials. I've done track events for 25+ years. I've done plenty of things where people get all crazy about the event and being competitive, which leads to the event being far less pleasant and fun.
Why don't you take a chill pill and maybe try to talk to me about why I feel the way I do and my experiences instead of trying to patronize me and be a jerk?
Every pro driver has their favorite sports drink. Tom's must be off-brand pedialyte.
Such a fantastic positive vibe going on at the skidpad right now. Tons of cheering for great numbers. Cheering at a skidpad? Yea, that's what we do.
Andy is headed out to the skid pad now. This will determine whether he can stay ahead of Randy Pobst overall.
The third place podium position is a close fight too. Can the Tesla hold or will 911 best them?
Cheeks said:man, this thread has saved me this week but also hurt, I need to do this event at some point
Me too, but I trust my on track skills as far as I can throw them, so I would best be served as transit driver for someone who knows what they are doing.
Andy did it--6th overall if my math is right.
SuperK won the skidpad, but couldn't make up lost points earlier. TomO won overall.
In reply to Tom Suddard :
Cool. The wife and I made it in the pictures....... if you squint reeeeaaaallll hard. :-)
John Welsh said:The third place podium position is a close fight too. Can the Tesla hold or will 911 best them?
Tesla held onto 3rd place.
It's time for trophies, and we're getting a rare treat: Lunch INSIDE Tire Rack.
Food!
I was lucky enough to go for a ride and then drive in SuperK a few minutes ago. A full feature is coming, but here's two quick thoughts:
Tom Suddard said:I was lucky enough to go for a ride and then drive in SuperK a few minutes ago. A full feature is coming, but here's two quick thoughts:
- SuperK is AWESOME
- Andy and Alex are insane for driving it for 3500 street miles.
How many cupholders does it have, though?
Can't wait for the feature!
Time for awards!
Time for awards!
Brock just declared Sundae Cup "my favorite group." Nicely done everybody!
And just like that, One Lap is over and I'm off to the airport.
Tom should come back for One Lap every year. Or at least next year, but with a car that lets him sleep less.
Finally got ahead of Andy on a transit.
Walking through the Atlanta airport, I just found myself thinking "Why is everybody waiting to get on a plane to St. Louis? You can drive there in an evening..."
Landed in Houston. Does that mean it's over?
Tom Suddard said:Tires mounted, we did a test fit of luggage and confirmed everything we had would fit in the miniature frunk:
You actually found a car with a smaller trunk than a Miata?
Does McLaren give you a second trunk behind the engine like a 914, or is that it.
In reply to Snowdoggie (Forum Supporter) :
Nope--what you see is all you get. We got pretty good at packing everything in after a week.
Tom Suddard said:In reply to Snowdoggie (Forum Supporter) :
Nope--what you see is all you get. We got pretty good at packing everything in after a week.
I mean, how hard is it to pack 2 t shirts and 3 pair of underwear? I saw you carrying your toothbrush all week with you. I figured there wasn't room in the frunk for it.
it was a great week and I really hope you enjoyed it as much as your face said you did. I can't remember a time all week you weren't smiling! Let's get you in a slow car next year.
Just wanted to jump in here and say what a fantastic teammate Tom was.
We drove lots of miles, told lots of stories and ate lots of burgers. Never got bored, rarely turned on the tunes. Tom was an ace behind the wheel, carving up the road at a brisk pace even in the rain. And he kept things organized and on point at each track.
Can't wait until next year....
PS: Since the car didn't break, the trailer volunteered that duty. When I got home last night, one of the fenders was barely hanging on. Mounting brackets got worked on the crappy roads and snapped.
"Mounting brackets got worked on the crappy roads and snapped. "
But home and safe.......yeah pleasure to briefly chat wit you at Barber.....you do this every year?
In reply to Andy Hollis :
D'awww, you were a great teammate too! Thanks for an awesome week and I'm excited to spend next year in a much worse car!
I thought we ought to celebrate some of the lesser-well-known awards given out at OneLap...
Firstly, the "Diamond Jim Brady Award for Wretched Excess"... given to the person/team who has spent the most for no material gain. This year won by Josh Paashaus, Bill Cho, and Ed Bolian for spending any time/money/energy on a 1985 Audi 4000:
Then there's the award that I've become synonymous for, the "All Remaining Cars Award" named after the call a particular OneLap Grid worker used to call to get the final 3 run groups up to grid, given out to the team that has the fewest points for having completed all the events; i.e. "The Team that has done the Most, and has the Least to Show for it." This year one by the "DadBod CarMod" team that drove a Corolla in place of a Mustang...
and which the DadBod CarMod team only managed to win in through the efforts (as cataloged in the SundaeCup thread) of the winners of the next award..
That being the "Mike Hedin Award for Sportsmanship", for the Team that has gone out of its way to help other teams during OneLap. An award that Brock described as "The Most Important Award" OneLap gives out, an award he got visibly choked up about describing because of the memory of the example set by Mike Hedin; which was given out to the whole Toyota PE Motorsports Team, and is at least the 3rd... if not 4th time they've won this award (apologies for the bad cellphone pic... they're team is too big to fit on the DSLR I had running):
You can go back and read through the last 16 pages of this thread, or you take my word for it; but the most important currency that is OneLap is: TIME
It's something Andy hammered on; it's something Mazdeuce has discussed at length, basically anyone who's done OneLap at least once should understand implicitly and explicity: That above all else... money, skill, tires, modifications... time spent resting, sleeping, eating, preparing can be the single biggest contributor to success at OneLap. And day after day, despite running (at the latest) in the mid-pack, the Toyota Team was one of the last to leave the track, and they were always the one pulled over to the side for abandoned vehicles. They gave away the most precisous commidity to anyone who needed help, and they provided it at slightest hint of needing it.
OneLap is unique (afaik) in celebrating these kinds of victories; as some of them may-or-may-not be. And, this being the internet, I'm sure this won't change anyone's mind. But, having now participated 8 times at OneLap, and just beginning to feel like I understand it... I thought it was valuable to highlight these teams and their accomplishments, so the everyone here can get a better idea of how the Culture of OneLap is different from most other motorsports I've experienced. ymmv.
In reply to sleepyhead the buffalo :
To go along with that, it's really a competition against the event more than your competitors. When you spot another One Lapper on the side of the road, you stop. You do what you can to help them get back in the game, or make other arrangements. Even if that means you don't get to the hotel for another hour and change and instead of 5 hours of sleep you get 4. The sportsmanship and "no man(woman or child) left behind atmosphere makes some of those long late nights more managable knowing there are others out there ready and willing to assist.
It's just so different. Apparently some think it's for naught, or "too serious" but coming from my seat its the greatest show on earth and you get to participate. I'm risking divorce or late nights on the couch to make next year happen. It just has too. 4 years between events is too damn long.
docwyte said:In reply to bobzilla :
I love when people talk out of their ass about people they have no idea about. You've never met me. You've never talked to me. You have NO idea what experience I have. I've done One Lap. I've done NASA Nationals. I've done Time Trials. I've done track events for 25+ years. I've done plenty of things where people get all crazy about the event and being competitive, which leads to the event being far less pleasant and fun.
Stop and think hard about those words I bolded, you chose to make assumptions about people who you know nothing about. The team who embodies the spirit of OLOA, and literally fixes any car in the paddock that needs their help.
In reply to spacecadet (Forum Supporter) :
Don't waste your time. People like this have an agenda and no amount of facts will change that
In reply to bobzilla :
Don't miss next year's event! If you stay home, you might tell yourself, "I'll get so much done.". Instead, you'll be glued to the computer for any and all updates and get no real work done for the week anyway.
Ask me how I know!
In reply to John Welsh :
Plans are in the works.
bobzilla said:In reply to John Welsh :
Plans are in the works.
wait... I'm not the only one secretly scheming to SundaeCup-ify a Gen2 Prius (or maybe a CT200h?) and figuring out how to get John and JG to do OneLap in it next year?
crazy
sleepyhead the buffalo said:bobzilla said:In reply to John Welsh :
Plans are in the works.
wait... I'm not the only one secretly scheming to SundaeCup-ify a Gen2 Prius (or maybe a CT200h?) and figuring out how to get John and JG to do OneLap in it next year?
crazy
What is wrong with you? No. Just... good god no.
In reply to bobzilla :
I'm hoping your, "good go, no" protest is against having a Prius join and not a protest against having me (and or JG) join.
In reply to John Welsh :
You and JG, awesomesauce in a bottle. In a Prius just seems a step too far on the masochist scale. Like..
cushy cadillac->sporty mustang/camaro->sundae cup car with cruise->gutted sc car->burning in a lake of fire-> One Lap in a Prius.
In reply to John Welsh :
Just here to enable:
https://www.iaai.com/VehicleDetail/33484244~US
In reply to bobzilla :
Put me down for one of those factory backed Korean Cars that Tom should be lining up.
Hyundai N-Series would be nice but I'm also wondering about a Kia Ioniq 5 EV with dual motor and awd. Anything from Genisis welcome too.
I hope Kia is watching my thread on this..... I am expecting a call any day now with an offer to run one of their factory backed cars.
In reply to bobzilla :
You should have written it in Press Release Style and then put it out to all the outlets.
See if Tom or David will ghost write it for you.
Really! It is afteral, The Tire Rack One Lap of America presented by Grassroots Motorsports so there could be some win-win to a press release.
John Welsh said:In reply to bobzilla :
Put me down for one of those factory backed Korean Cars that Tom should be lining up.
My understanding was sekret discussions of D-series double-wishbone honda shenanigans.
Good too...
In reply to John Welsh :
I have no idea how to write things in Press Release style. But I'd give Tom, David or JG a huge hug and adult beverage if they did.
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