Things just happen..

As I'd mentioned in one of last weeks posts, TePapa are currently running an exhibition on the history, evolution, technology and people of Formula 1. They had asked local motorsport people if they could display their cars out the front of the museum to help promote the exhibit for fathers day weekend.

One really cool spin off was the use of the large "Green Room" attached to the theatre up on the fourth floor. We were treated to an endless supply of food and tea and coffee, plus somewhere to unwind and relax. The very best thing about all this was that we shared the use of the room with Greg Murphy, Chris Amon, Bob McMurray (ex McLaren F1) and several other motorsport identities.


I got to have a short chat with the great Kiwi Formula 1 legend Chris Amon in which we talked about setting up the suspension on the first front wheel drive Corollas brought into NZ. He would advise Toyota on what suspension settings to use after testing at Manfield race circuit and then the car would be brought to my workshop where I would set the wheel alignment to Chris's specs. This was a relationship I had with Toyota all through the late 80's into mid 1990's and yet I never got to meet the man in person.





Fellow Rusty-Racer team member Murray O'Neil was thoroughly enjoying a chat with V8 Super Car racer and four times Bathurst winner Greg Murphy about the subtleties of single seater racing. Something I know nothing about, having never driven a single seater race car in my life.
However I was content to just stand in the group and nod occasionally, basking in the reflected glory. ;)





It's been a great week for fundraising towards Targa. The tally towards the Cancer Society has grown significantly with a large donation from Craig Sheppard of Harbour City Security.
Graeme Gaskin and the team at "Gaskin Ford and Mazda" have come on board and made a significant donation towards running costs for Targa as well as supplying us with the use of a service vehicle during the event.


One man that has really blown us away is local motorsport competitor Brendan Cantwell who challenged his workmates to get behind the Targa Life Challenge team. Brendan and his workmates at Provoke have raised over $1500 towards the running costs of the race car.
(That's nearly 10% of the total expected campaign costs raised due to the efforts of just one man!)
A huge "thank you" goes out to Brendan and his Motorsport mad workmates!

But weight there's more!

I emailed the Targa organisers earlier in the week to inform them of the correct weight of the race car. I had advised them previously that the factory weight was 1240kg but further research showed that to be wrong and it's actually 1170kg for the lighter rally version I own.

Targa regulations state that they calculate the race weight of an entered car as being the factory curb weight plus 160kg for the driver and co-driver. I was pleased that they accepted my new weight figure as it meant we would not have to carry any ballast to bring us up to minimum weight.

However I got a phone call from Targa HQ in the morning asking if my car ran a restricted turbo charger, which is doesn't. Later that day I got an email from the officials stating that because my car was un-restricted they were adding a 100kg weight penalty to my car. Bugger!

I'll need to bolt in either some lead blocks or some weight lifting bar-bells to the floor of the car. I'll also need to change my spring rates and shock settings to compensate.
Oh well, I do like a challenge. :)

On a more positive note.. I attended the AGM of the Hutt Valley Motorsport Club last night and was pleasantly surprised to be awarded Life Membership in recognition of my 25 years of contribution to the club.

Still lots happening with the Targa preparations. We are in negotiations with sponsors on several fronts. Still waiting for that big sponsor to come on board, but from the ground swell of interest we have generated so far I have a feeling it can't be too far away.

Mid week round up. Priorities?

Things are moving forward at a good clip. It's amazing how much work is involved in putting together websites, sponsor proposals, Targa entries, spares lists, accommodation, I would say that it would be a full time job if I didn't have the support of so many good people. People like Miles Udy.

I was woken yesterday morning by a phone call, the voice on the other end was Miles. Miles has been around the motorsport scene since I was a school boy. He's competed in Targa and in his work as a Gearbox specialist has had a hand in hundreds if not thousands of competition cars over the years.

He asked me what the race tyres for Targa were worth and I replied that I wasn't quite sure yet but they aren't cheap. Miles then offered to pay for one of the eight tyres needed to complete the event. The proviso being that I "went like hell" on that tyre. Rest assured it will be labelled with his name and given the treatment he has requested. :-)

Tatiana Massey has done a fantastic job of designing our website http://www.targalifechallenge.co.nz/ and I can't thank her enough for the great job she has done in such a short period of time.
There's still a bit more info to be put up over the coming days, but check it out, I think it's great!

This weekend we will have the race car on display at TePapa as part of their Formula 1 fathers day exhibition . TePapa have asked the local car clubs for cars to display out the front of the building over the weekend, so we thought it was a perfect opportunity to hand out some flyers promoting our fundraising for the cancer society.

I mentioned on Monday that I had a terrible night's sleep with running a fever and sweating.
Monday night I had the best nights sleep I've had in weeks, and then Tuesday night I was locked in frozen rigor all night as I burned up running another fever. The weird thing is during the day I feel 100% and feel perfectly well. I can't wait to start taking those steroids again to knock back my immune system from overdrive to something a little less full-on.!

I'm a little worried that the hospital will be too efficient once the CT scan results are back in, and there could be some big decisions to be made.
A biopsy to my neck would mean I was unable to wear a racing harness or Hans device, and if they schedule me for chemo prior to Targa I would have blood counts too low to race safely.

I may actually have to ask the doctors to schedule treatment to fit in with my motorsport! They are going to think I'm nuts, but I really feel that this Targa Life Challenge is just that: A life Challenge. Live for today as tomorrow may never come.

Rainy Monday Morning

It's bucketing down outside, it's been like it all night. Not exactly a great day for doing anything much more than paperwork.

If I had my way I'd spend the day in bed watching videos, but that little voice inside my head won't let me. (One day I'll find out who he is and give him a darn good talking to!) ;)

Last night as I went to bed I checked my temperature and it was a feverish 38.4, I'd already taken one Nurofen so who knows how high it was before that. I took another. In hindsight I probably should not have. I absolutely soaked the sheets in sweat for the next eight hours. A totally miserable experience on a cold night.

It's still another week before my CT scan, and until I've had it I can't start on the steroids which will reduce my fevers. The small lump on my neck is steadily growing, it's still small, but now it has been joined by several other small nodes. It kinda feels like "tic-tacs" under the skin on my collarbone. There's certainly no doubt that I have relapsed now. I've emailed Dr D'Souza today and suggested that we extend the CT scan to include my neck, he emailed me back and agreed.

I had asked Dr D'Souza when I saw him last, what would be the expected treatment if I had relapsed.
He replied that he would have to take a look at the drugs I've had so far and find a mix that I have not had yet. I'd say that would be something like BEACOPP but then again it contains a couple of the drugs I've already had, so possibly not. Ultimately it means another summer spent with no energy, constant hospital visits and no hair! It's taken me six months to regrow what I have now! ;)

Arrangements for Targa are progressing well, we are still hoping for one or two large corporate sponsors of the race car itself. Donations to the Cancer Society are rolling in and we have been pleasantly surprised at the level of support shown by friends, family and even total strangers.

If you feel that you can help and would like to donate to our cause, 100% of which goes to the Cancer Society, click on the following link.

http://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/TargaLifeChallenge/

I can't tell you how much your suppport means to me. To achieve a life goal and at the same time raise money for the cancer society is just awesome.

I picked my Evo race car up from Motorsport House on Friday. It's been on display there for the last couple of months. I was like a little boy on Christmas morning as I sat behind the wheel again and turned the key. It really is an awesome car. I can't wait to let it have it's head and open it up to the maximum 200kph (as limited by Targa regulations) on some of the best roads in the country. (Closed to the public while we are on them)

Victor got his first taste of what he is in for when I picked him up from his place in the Evo on Saturday morning for our photo-shoot. Although when you drive a race car on public roads you almost have to drive slower than the speed limit just to prove you aren't a hoon.
People stare and not everyone loves race cars. Some are just waiting for you to do something that would give them cause to complain.

We met up with Tatiana and her husband Nick and we discussed the new website design over lunch at a cafe in Mana. Tatiana will be designing the site and we needed some pics of the car and Victor and I. To that end we headed out to Greys Road in Pahatanui for the photo-shoot.

I'm not the worlds most photogenic person but we managed to fluke a couple of good shots, and after a bit of touching up in Photoshop I almost look human. :)

Targa Life Challenge: Please help

Things are now on the move for our Targa campaign. Victor Yuen (Team manager and Co-driver) is a virtual steam roller when it comes to getting thing done. Once started there's no stopping this man!

We have set up a website that enables people to show their support for both myself and the Cancer Society. If you would like to help out then click on the following link to go to our fundraising webpage. http://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/TargaLifeChallenge/
There you can find details of our campaign and a means to donate directly to the Cancer Society.

By showing your support for the Cancer Society you are directly helping me achieve my goal of racing in the Dunlop Targa 2009. Sponsors like to back winners and the more we raise for charity the more attractive the team looks to sponsors. Plus you are directly helping the fantastic work of the Cancer Society. It's a win/win situation.

Thanks for helping ....Ron