Yanque Tanque Racing
The "Story" continued... Page 4
Mechanical Updates
During the '04 season I redesigned the braking system for the Tanque. The GCR for SCCA in 1970 stated brakes are "free", which means you could use any type brakes you wanted. The Titus cars used a hydro-boost system. It worked great until you lifted off the gas and the rpm's dropped. Since hydro-boost is dependant on the power steeing pump to produce it's boost you don't get anything when there's no rpm. I felt like I could do better.
By using an old 12" rotor, a Wilwood 6 piston Winston Cup caliper, a wheel with no tire mounted and an airline I was able to mock up a front brake hub/hat/rotor that fit into a 15" wheel.
I put the caliper on the rotor, shot in a little air and it clamped itself in place. I was able to bolt the hub to the wheel. From there I was able to measure and calculate where the brackets for the spindle needed to be. I used stock spindles and wacked off the mounting ears for the stock caliper.
Once I decided where the bracket needed to be, I marked the area and welded the bracket in place using a high nickel alloy filler rod. I also had to turn down the inside of the Vette Brakes hub to get the right spacing for the new "hat".
I sent the drawings to Coleman Rotors and within a few weeks I had brand spankin' new hats/rotors of 12" diameter x 1.25 thick, all inside a 15" wheel.
The neatest trick was the air adapter for shooting air into the caliper. Everybody should have one!
The rears are next. We plan to put some 4 piston Wilwoods out back in place of the Corvette calipers we are using now.
The front change has made an enormous difference. I can now go from the amatuer markers to the pro markers in the braking zones! I improved over 3 seconds a lap running a 1:42:9 at RA in '07! Later that year we ran a 1:23:6 chasing a Pantera and a Trans Am Buick at Roebling Road. I beat the Pantera!
Race History
Date Event Finish
Class/Overall
11/07 Hilton Head Savannah Historics 3rd Overall
4/07 30th Annual Walter Mitty 19th Overall
Road Atlanta
3/30-4/2/06 Savannah Historics 1st/10th
Anglo_American Challenge 6th Overall
4/1-3/05 Barber Motorsports Historics
Anglo American Challenge 6th Overall
Dash Race 2nd in Class
7/19-21/04 VIR Danville, VA. DNF
7/20-24/03 VIR/Danville, VA.
American Muscle Car Challenge 5th Overall
Index of Performance Race 2nd Overall
Dash Race 5th in Class
9/26-29/02 Roebling Road, Savannah GA. 3rd in Class
Roebling Rd. Handicapped Race 3rd Overall
4/26-29/02 25th Walter Mitty Challenge 2nd in Class
Road Atlanta
11/2-4/01 Savannah Historics 1st in Class
Roebling Road
7/6-8/01 VIR Danville, VA. 1st in Class
4/27-30/00 Walter Mitty Challenge 1st in Class
Road Atlanta
4/23-25/99 Walter Mitty Challenge 2nd in Class
Road Altanta
10/23-25/98 Savannah Historics 2nd in Class
Roebling Road
9/25-27/98 Atlanta Historics 1st in Class
Road Atlanta
4/24-26/98 Walter Mitty Challenge 4th in Class
Road Atlanta
10/31-11/2/97 Savannah Historics 2nd in Class
Roebling Road
4/25-27/97 Walter Mitty Challenge DNF
Road Atlanta
4/26-28/96 Walter Mitty Challenge 4th in Class
Road Atlanta
6/9-11/95 AMS Dixie Challenge 4th in Class
Atlanta Motor Speedway
4/21-23/95 Walter Mitty Challenge 2nd in Class
Road Atlanta
4/29-5/1/94 Walter Mitty Challenge 2nd in Class
Road Atlanta
4/23-25/93 Walter Mitty Challenge DNF
Road Atlanta
Team Finishing Order
In the years following the first motor explosion in 1993 we finished third in class in 1994 running a 1:50:5 and second in 1995 running 1:50:7 at Road Atlanta. We finished fourth in June of 1995 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, running 1:50:4. The walls there were very intimidating at 145 plus mph. The track was very rough where it transitioned to the infield. Unfortunately that road circuit does not exist there any longer. At the 1996 Mitty we ran a personal best of1:46:9 finishing third in class and 22nd overall out of 44 cars. At the 1997 Mitty we blew a head gasket which then sucked out the rear mail seal resulting in a DNF. During the fall of 1997 we finished second at Roebling Road in Savannah running a 1:26:8. In 1998 we finished fourth at the Mitty on the “new” configuration (they removed the infamous dip at the end of the back straight) running a 1:49:5. At the Atlanta Historic Races in September 1998 we came in first (our first win incidentally) going 1:50:5 and second at the Savannah Historic Races at Roebling Road clocking a 1:27:68. That was the first time we made three races in one year. That was a tough accomplishment on our budget! In 1999 we finished second at the Mitty and in 2000 we ran first in class with a personal best of 1:46:9 at Road Atlanta. In 2001 we traveled to Virginia International Raceway where we finished first in class. This 3.2 mile eighteen turn road course is as dramatic as it is beautiful. If you enjoy road racing you should plan to attend a race there. We also attended the Savannah Historics finishing first in class running right on our personal best. During 2002 we attended the 25th Walter Mitty Challenge finishing 2nd in class. At the Savannah Historics that year we finished 3rd in class in our first outing in group five. That weekend HSR also ran a handicap race, very similar to a handicapped drag race. The slower cars start first. A formula is used to set the amount of head start time. If the chief steward has figured it right, all the cars should arrive at the starting line about the same time. We started second in this race (Doesn’t say much about our lap speed does it)? The car in front of us was much slower. It took forever for the starter to let me go. As hard as I was driving I couldn’t see this guy. After several laps I could see the faster cars were catching me pretty quickly.. I knew they would pass me soon. I was forced to let two cars by. When they went by I thought “well, no podium finish for us”. I was able to hold off several other cars. After the cool down lap the grid marshal waved me into victory lane. I thought she must be nuts! What I didn’t realize was the car that started first had pitted. I couldn’t see it because of the height of the pit wall. He actually finished last! We were third overall. I couldn’t believe it. That was our first podium finish ever. Standing on a podium after a race is really cool. No champagne, but cool none the less!
Racing Updates
In the years since that first podium finish we have managed to do pretty respectably. At least for us. After running 19th in the highly competitive group 5 at the '07 Mitty, turning a personal best of 1:42:9
Jeff and I managed to go to Roebling in late '07 for the Hilton Head Historics (go figure)? With just me and him at the track, I finished third in both feature races. Two podiums in one day. That was a first for us!
Sherry was totally bent when she found out we did so well and she wasn't there to see it.
