The One lap of America race

[jkrueger]

My Dad and I have run the One Lap of America Race (OLOA) three times now (2009-2011). We took this year off to go pick up our new coupe and start working on it. It was nice to take a year off and spend some time with my Dad and Mom and do it while not driving a car half awake in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere.

Brock Jr just posted the schedule for next years race and it got my Dad and I reminiscing about gas station food and sleep deprivation. The race can be a lot of fun, with the cool tracks you get to drive on, the camaraderie with the other teams, and getting to spend a week with my Dad (even if it is jammed inside a small car. We drove a very modified Mazda RX-7 in our previous races and did well considering what we were up against. We won our class (vintage foreign) the first two years and got second the third year.

So we made a goal of having our FFR Daytona coupe done by next years race. We've got a lot of work to get done, but I think it is doable. I'd like to have the car done by the end of January to give us some time to get some miles on it and the bugs worked out. My job allows me some big chunks of time off at a time so I should have large stretches to work on the car. The hard part is going to be the logistics of getting the parts here in the right order and on time to keep me busy.

We got the ok from our two CFO's (my mom and wife), so we should have the funds to complete the car in time for the race. It should be a fun 7 months. I keep the forums updated of our progress. You can also follow (if you want) on our blogs on our websites listed below.

This is where I am now, with a long list of "to do's".

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg253/jkrueger485/Daytona%20Coupe/IMG_5863-1.jpg

Here is the 2013 OLOA schedule

May 3, Registration and Drivers Meeting--Tire Rack, South Bend, IN
May 4, Wet Skid Pad Challenge at the Tire Rack, Autocross—Grissom AFB, Peru, IN
May 5, Talladega Grand Prix Raceway, Talladega, AL, Drag Race, Alabama International Dragway, Steele, AL
May 6, New Orleans Motorsports Park, Avondale, LA
May 7, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL, Passage Control, GRM Headquarters, Holly Hill, FL
May 8, Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw, SC, BMW Performance Center, Greer, SC
May 9, Virginia International Raceway, Alton, VA
May 10, Pittsburgh Motorsports Complex, Wampum, PA
May 11, Dry Skid Pad Challenge and Finish, Tire Rack, South Bend, IN

[Roy Hewson]

keep us posted. It sounds exciting and making memories with your dad------too cool
Roy

[vnmsss]

Woo! Hoo!! I love it! I am so glad to hear your Competition Coupe will be out on track next year.....This is one of those times when I wish we had a whole lot more emoticons available on this website.....I'd be posting big cheers and beer chugs for you and your Dad (and your CFO's as well!)!!!
I guess these will have to do!! :cool: ;) :cool: ;) :cool: ;) :cool:

Karen

[jkrueger]

I wanted to give everybody an update. It is official! We are entered in the 2013 One Lap of America race. I sent in the entry fee in last week. I talked to Brock about which class to enter, since there are several that the FFR coupe could fit in. We decide on the GT1 Big block class, which is cars that cost over $50K and have an engine larger than 3.8L. This is a tough class. We will be up against Nissan GTR's, Corvette Z06's and ZR1's, and Porsche 911's. And driving these cars are a range of professional and very fast amateurs drivers, including the past 3 year overall champion Leh Keen (Porsche Grand-am driver). I think the car once sorted out could be competitive with some of these cars. My Dad and I are just track day drivers so we will be out gunned in that respect. But our primary goal is to go and have fun and to finish the race and have fun driving this great car that we made on some cool tracks.

We would love to see any other coupe builders out there stop by if we come by a track near you. It doesn't cost anything to come and spectate and you'll get to see some awesome cars and great drivers.

I'll post updates on the two websites in my signature and on here as well.

JC

[Fluge]

Wow! That sounds pretty exciting. Nice to set a goal...

Looking forward to the updates

Marc

[FFRSpec72]

GT1 is a tough class, good luck will be following ...

[tcoon]

Fantastic! Congratulations! I wish I could be there too, maybe next year...

[Jacob McCrea]

I will put the PA event my calendar. If you need a place to stay in Pittsburgh, we are just outside of downtown Pittsburgh and have ample room, and could cook up something better than gas station food. Also, I could probably have whatever you need on hand at the race track with enough advance notice - tools, chairs, an EZ-UP, generator, etc. There is also my shop, which is 2 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh. Shoot me a PM if we can pitch in for the good of the cause.

[jkrueger]

Wow Jacob! That is super generous of you. I hope that we don't need any kind of mechanical support, but will keep you in mind if we do. May take you up on the food stop depending on what time we get out of VIR. We will probably be getting through Pittsburg late though. We would love to see you at the track though if you could make it. It is the moral support we get from friends and family that really gets up through this event.

JC

[jkrueger]

Fantastic! Congratulations! I wish I could be there too, maybe next year...

Wouldn't that be cool having two coupes in this race.

JC

[jkrueger]

I'm all packed up and ready to go. Tomorrow I head to South Bend, IN for Friday's sign in and sticker day. My Dad is already on the road heading down from NY to meet up with me tomorrow north of Memphis. Then we will load the car onto the trailer and haul it the rest of the way. Hopefully I got everything I'll need (probably too much stuff).

I had a small issue with the car the last couple of days. A spark plug wire came off and melted after touching a header. I noticed it because I had a miss at high rpm. I replaced it but still had the miss. I bought a coil and replaced that and that fixed the problem. The coils are pretty much the only untouched thing left on the engine. My Dad decided to stop at Summit Racing (since he was driving by) and picked up a new set of Accel coils. We will put them on Friday.

Stayed tuned to KruegerTunedRacing.com and 25Tires.com for daily updates.

You will also be able to get lots of updates and the daily race results for all the cars at onelapofamerica.com

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg253/jkrueger485/2013promocard_theboys_-scr_zps44bb5638.jpeg (http://s250.photobucket.com/user/jkrueger485/media/2013promocard_theboys_-scr_zps44bb5638.jpeg.html)

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg253/jkrueger485/tach-OLOA-scr_zpsf240fa3c.jpeg (http://s250.photobucket.com/user/jkrueger485/media/tach-OLOA-scr_zpsf240fa3c.jpeg.html)

[tcoon]

Best of luck! And most of all have a great time! Life 's about the journey..we all start and finish the same!

[Fluge]

Good luck JC. Have fun!

Marc

[CobraKai]

Good luck!!!

[WIS89]

JC-

Good luck, stay safe, and have a blast with your Dad! A great finish would be an added bonus. Can't wait to hear how the race progresses.

Regards,

Steve

[CraigS]

You and your Dad are sure to have a great time. Don't worry about where you finish, just concentrate on finishing!

[jkrueger]

You and your Dad are sure to have a great time. Don't worry about where you finish, just concentrate on finishing!

Exactly our plan. If we had more time on the car I'd be more worried about driving hard, but this year is about enjoying the car and the tracks.

JC

[jkrueger]

We made it to South Bend. Day one is tomorrow.

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg253/jkrueger485/One%20Lap%20of%20America/IMG_6368_zps49b1c86f.jpg (http://s250.photobucket.com/user/jkrueger485/media/One%20Lap%20of%20America/IMG_6368_zps49b1c86f.jpg.html)

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg253/jkrueger485/One%20Lap%20of%20America/IMG_6377_zps2d60006a.jpg (http://s250.photobucket.com/user/jkrueger485/media/One%20Lap%20of%20America/IMG_6377_zps2d60006a.jpg.html)

[jkrueger]

27th overall in the wet skid pad .73G average
18th overall in the autocross
20th overall after day 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxHgpLWBlnM&feature=youtu.be

[smithtlw]

Great job so far. I have been following your blog, thanks for updating! Your coupe looks like a real race car all stickered up.
17519

Todd

[jkrueger]

Quick update from NOLA since they have wifi here. I finished 33rd overall in the morning run. Consistent at least. I hit 140-145 mph on the front straight here. Way faster than I thought we would be. The car felt stable at that speed. My dad runs in the afternoon. Daytona tomorrow.

[Garry Bopp]

Glad you're having fun and staying safe! Best of luck to you both.

Garry

[FFRSpec72]

Looking good, make sure you keep the fun up !

[jkrueger]

Here is a quick cut video of me at NOLA. I think the car sounds goooooood!

Made it to Daytona at 1:45 am. Two roadkills, no damage to the car.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-01u05MC3Ik&feature=youtu.be

[smithtlw]

JC - you should submit this picture for POM:

17577

-Todd

[jkrueger]

JC - you should submit this picture for POM:

17577

-Todd

good idea.

[jkrueger]

Here is a quick video of my Dad and I on the track at Daytona.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC8l0JT5dKo&feature=youtu.be

You can see our full daily updates at:

www.KruegerTunedRacing.com
www.25Tires.com

JC

[crossle45f33cf]

JC
Thanks for the videos!
I love the view from the left rear fender.
The car is definitely a lean, mean race machine!
What did your GPS have you clocked at on the Daytona banking?
You and the car are looking good and it sounds even better.
I really like the patina that the side pipes are developing.
Keep the posts coming and stay safe!

[jkrueger]

JC
Thanks for the videos!
I love the view from the left rear fender.
The car is definitely a lean, mean race machine!
What did your GPS have you clocked at on the Daytona banking?
You and the car are looking good and it sounds even better.

I really like the patina that the side pipes are developing.
Keep the posts coming and stay safe!

155mph. It would go faster with a different 5th gear, but it doesn't pull much now in that gear.

JC

[CraigS]

You guys are doing great. I sure could notice that tall 5th gear. As you go up through 2,3,4 the car sounds great. Then you hit 5th and the first time, I thought for a second or two, that the engine had shut off. OTOH, I am sure it's nice for the road dashes between tracks.

[Presto51]

This is great, following during the week is great release from the everyday world

Thanks for sharing and good luck

Ron

[Jacob McCrea]

I had an enjoyable visit with JC, his father Walt, his mother and his cousin at the Pittsburgh-area track today. I'm pleased to report that his Coupe was running strong and drawing a steady stream of visitors in the pits. I greatly appreciated the chance to go for a ride out on the public roads.

Well done gentlemen! Good luck with the last event and safe travels; I'll be following along.

[jkrueger]

I had an enjoyable visit with JC, his father Walt, his mother and his cousin at the Pittsburgh-area track today. I'm pleased to report that his Coupe was running strong and drawing a steady stream of visitors in the pits. I greatly appreciated the chance to go for a ride out on the public roads.

Well done gentlemen! Good luck with the last event and safe travels; I'll be following along.

Jacob

It was great meeting with you, and it was my pleasure to take you for a ride. It is too bad you couldn't stay to the end of the day when we did fun runs.

JC

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg253/jkrueger485/2013%20OLOA/IMG_0157_zpse6cfc21f.jpg (http://s250.photobucket.com/user/jkrueger485/media/2013%20OLOA/IMG_0157_zpse6cfc21f.jpg.html)

[jkrueger]

Well, we finished the race, all 3407 road miles plus all the track events. We ended up 27th overall out of 61 (the best we have finished in the four years we have run the race), and 15th in the GT1 big bore class out of 23 cars.

I have to say that I knew the car would gather some attention, but it was unbelievable the amount of attention the car got. At every track we had several people come up and ask question with lots more taking pictures. Every gas stop (no matter where we were) got a least one and most of the time two or three people asking about the car. Several times a day on the road we would see people taking pictures from their cars (yes, steering with their knees) or yelling across to ask what kind of car it was. We certainly do own special cars.

I am especially amazed by the performance of the car. Factory Five definitely got it right. My data logging showed consistent 1.0g+ in turns on street tires, our top speed was 155mph and it got there in a hurry. In the hands of a good driver (which I am not yet) this car could easily finish in the top 20 of this race.

The car was fairly comfortable on the road transits. We threw some extra foam into the seats and they were ok to sit in for 6 - 10 hours at a time. The car was roomy enough for the kind of car it is and it towed our little trailer with ease.

I want to thank all of our sponsors and everybody who sent an email or stopped by to visit with us. You are the primary reason we are able to endure this kind of event.

Here is a link to an album I put together:
http://s250.photobucket.com/user/jkrueger485/library/2013%20OLOA?sort=3&page=1

and here are some pictures.

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg253/jkrueger485/2013%20OLOA/IMG_0281_zps9cf02005.jpg (http://s250.photobucket.com/user/jkrueger485/media/2013%20OLOA/IMG_0281_zps9cf02005.jpg.html)

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg253/jkrueger485/2013%20OLOA/IMG_2425_zps93e2a43f.jpg (http://s250.photobucket.com/user/jkrueger485/media/2013%20OLOA/IMG_2425_zps93e2a43f.jpg.html)

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg253/jkrueger485/2013%20OLOA/IMG_6527_zps6d1fc81e.jpg (http://s250.photobucket.com/user/jkrueger485/media/2013%20OLOA/IMG_6527_zps6d1fc81e.jpg.html)

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg253/jkrueger485/2013%20OLOA/IMG_6411_zpsd9ef8fd6.jpg (http://s250.photobucket.com/user/jkrueger485/media/2013%20OLOA/IMG_6411_zpsd9ef8fd6.jpg.html)

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg253/jkrueger485/2013%20OLOA/IMG_6392_zps08137eec.jpg (http://s250.photobucket.com/user/jkrueger485/media/2013%20OLOA/IMG_6392_zps08137eec.jpg.html)

[tcoon]

Awesome job JC! You did us all proud! And by the way don't knock your driving skills...from my view in the video driver's seat you rocked it out just fine!

-T

[smithtlw]

Great pictures, thanks for sharing. So, what kind of gas mileage did you get on the highway while "towing"?

-Todd

[jkrueger]

Great pictures, thanks for sharing. So, what kind of gas mileage did you get on the highway while "towing"?

-Todd

19.5 mpg at 80 mph towing

[John Dol]

JC

That's a great accomplishment given the short time frame you build it in, and the trouble you had with the engine. What a ride....

John

[jkrueger]

Here is a video I made documenting our One Lap race this year. It has incar video from all the events and commentary as well. It is not a professional video, just something I put together on imovie. It is 48mins long.

JC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3jraIc98gE&feature=c4-overview&list=UUzURbtg9hOo6Zocs7reed2Q


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3jraIc98gE&feature=c4-overview&list=UUzURbtg9hOo6Zocs7reed2Q

[thestigwins]

Awesome video. Very well put together. The coupe looks beautiful and watching the car cruise on the banked turn was incredible. To say I am jealous would be the understatement of the century. Congrats

[John Dol]

JC,

Guess those RX7 wipers came in handy!!
Great video, you guys must have had a ball.
thanks for sharing.

John