Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals

Toby Lang · 07-14-2010, 11:29 PM

Hi there. Well, I finally made it here to the track. I should be in my pit spot by now, but I had a few troubles on the trip. Yesterday about 7 PM in southern Oregon a nice young lady pulled up along side me and told me I have a problem with one of my trailer wheels. I asked her if it was a flat and she said she thought it was. So I thanked her and looked in my side view mirror and sure enough there was smoke coming from the left side of the trailer. I took the next exit and whipped the trailer around so I could get a better look. Hmmm, looks like the tires are still inflated, I sure hope it isn't what I think it is. Luckily there's a Love's truck stop on exit 119 so I pulled in to take a look at it. Sure enough I lost a wheel bearing. So I pulled it into the truck parking area.

I had a wheel bearing go out back in 2003 on the way to Reading. Not surprisingly it was the same wheel. Ever since then I started carrying extra bearings, races, brake shoes etc... I was able to get the crown nut off fairly easily. So I got out my trusty three pound hammer, chisel, file and thread file and went to work. Four hours later I was back on the road again. One thing I didn't have though was a new seal. I'm glad that lady told me about it when she did or it could have been a lot worse. I'm definitely going to need a new drum. The outside race doesn't fit very tight anymore.

I usually stop at the Walmart in Red Bluff, CA, but I stopped at the Walmart in Grants Pass, OR for the night. Then today a little north of Redding, CA, I heard a big boom so I pulled over and sure enough I had blown out a rear dually tire. So I pulled into a parking lot at the next exit and changed the tire. It was a refreshing 100 degrees today in Redding. I forgot how much fun it can be traveling to the races.

Infineon Raceway is probably the most unlevel track on tour for the sportsman racers. Like ex-pit worker Ray used to say, "if you want your rig to be level at Sonoma, you better bring a trees worth of wood with you."

There's going to be a lot of racing going on over the next two weekends. Hopefully I can keep you up to date on what's happening at the track this weekend. Maybe I'll post a few pictures also.

-Toby

Julie Jordan · 07-15-2010, 11:41 AM

Wow, Toby, sounds like you needed a drink by the time you got down there! Hope the weekend goes better for you!

Greg Hill · 07-15-2010, 02:42 PM

Toby, after all that, you'll probably win this weekend.

Toby Lang · 07-15-2010, 03:19 PM

Here's some pictures looking towards the track from where we are pitted:

Toby Lang · 07-15-2010, 03:21 PM

Toby Lang · 07-15-2010, 03:39 PM

My car owner Jim Meador did a bang up job saving us a spot and a half for three cars.

:

Jim has Phil and Tony Mandella over helping with the car so you know it must be serious:

Toby Lang · 07-15-2010, 03:43 PM

The uphill S curve by where we're pitted:

Up the hill from where we're pitted. This is where the pro's park their motorhomes:

alan r caraway · 07-15-2010, 03:46 PM

Grreats pics Toby keep them coming.

Toby Lang · 07-15-2010, 04:14 PM

The line-up for tech is fairly long right now:

A shot towards the starting line and tower:

Don Whitmore · 07-15-2010, 04:37 PM

Toby...really great pics!! Is the grass dead, or is it really dry or there just isn't any grass around??

Also, do you know when this track was built? It looks fairly new!?!

07-14-2010, 11:29 PM	#1
Toby Lang VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Auburn, WA Posts: 2,133 Likes: 2 Liked 2 Times in 1 Post	Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals Hi there. Well, I finally made it here to the track. I should be in my pit spot by now, but I had a few troubles on the trip. Yesterday about 7 PM in southern Oregon a nice young lady pulled up along side me and told me I have a problem with one of my trailer wheels. I asked her if it was a flat and she said she thought it was. So I thanked her and looked in my side view mirror and sure enough there was smoke coming from the left side of the trailer. I took the next exit and whipped the trailer around so I could get a better look. Hmmm, looks like the tires are still inflated, I sure hope it isn't what I think it is. Luckily there's a Love's truck stop on exit 119 so I pulled in to take a look at it. Sure enough I lost a wheel bearing. So I pulled it into the truck parking area. I had a wheel bearing go out back in 2003 on the way to Reading. Not surprisingly it was the same wheel. Ever since then I started carrying extra bearings, races, brake shoes etc... I was able to get the crown nut off fairly easily. So I got out my trusty three pound hammer, chisel, file and thread file and went to work. Four hours later I was back on the road again. One thing I didn't have though was a new seal. I'm glad that lady told me about it when she did or it could have been a lot worse. I'm definitely going to need a new drum. The outside race doesn't fit very tight anymore. I usually stop at the Walmart in Red Bluff, CA, but I stopped at the Walmart in Grants Pass, OR for the night. Then today a little north of Redding, CA, I heard a big boom so I pulled over and sure enough I had blown out a rear dually tire. So I pulled into a parking lot at the next exit and changed the tire. It was a refreshing 100 degrees today in Redding. I forgot how much fun it can be traveling to the races. Infineon Raceway is probably the most unlevel track on tour for the sportsman racers. Like ex-pit worker Ray used to say, "if you want your rig to be level at Sonoma, you better bring a trees worth of wood with you." There's going to be a lot of racing going on over the next two weekends. Hopefully I can keep you up to date on what's happening at the track this weekend. Maybe I'll post a few pictures also. -Toby Last edited by Toby Lang; 07-14-2010 at 11:36 PM.

07-15-2010, 11:41 AM	#2
Julie Jordan Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Modesto, CA Posts: 601 Likes: 68 Liked 326 Times in 65 Posts	Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals Wow, Toby, sounds like you needed a drink by the time you got down there! Hope the weekend goes better for you! __________________ Julie Jordan 7549 STK

07-15-2010, 02:42 PM	#3
Greg Hill VIP Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Louisville , KY Posts: 1,994 Likes: 63 Liked 270 Times in 68 Posts	Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals Toby, after all that, you'll probably win this weekend. __________________ Greg Hill 4171 STK

07-15-2010, 03:19 PM	#4
Toby Lang VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Auburn, WA Posts: 2,133 Likes: 2 Liked 2 Times in 1 Post	Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals Here's some pictures looking towards the track from where we are pitted:

07-15-2010, 03:21 PM	#5
Toby Lang VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Auburn, WA Posts: 2,133 Likes: 2 Liked 2 Times in 1 Post	Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals

07-15-2010, 03:39 PM	#6
Toby Lang VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Auburn, WA Posts: 2,133 Likes: 2 Liked 2 Times in 1 Post	Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals My car owner Jim Meador did a bang up job saving us a spot and a half for three cars. : Jim has Phil and Tony Mandella over helping with the car so you know it must be serious:

07-15-2010, 03:43 PM	#7
Toby Lang VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Auburn, WA Posts: 2,133 Likes: 2 Liked 2 Times in 1 Post	Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals The uphill S curve by where we're pitted: Up the hill from where we're pitted. This is where the pro's park their motorhomes:

07-15-2010, 03:46 PM	#8
alan r caraway Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: athens tn Posts: 82 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals Grreats pics Toby keep them coming. __________________ Alan R. Caraway

07-15-2010, 04:14 PM	#9
Toby Lang VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Auburn, WA Posts: 2,133 Likes: 2 Liked 2 Times in 1 Post	Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals The line-up for tech is fairly long right now: A shot towards the starting line and tower:

07-15-2010, 04:37 PM	#10
Don Whitmore Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 140 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals Toby...really great pics!! Is the grass dead, or is it really dry or there just isn't any grass around?? Also, do you know when this track was built? It looks fairly new!?!