We just got the newest update of Team Darkcyd, about the 5th at the Bullrun:
Yesterday was quite the fun day. We started out leaving the hotel in Savannah at about 10:00 and heading north to what was technically a race track on Hutchinsonn Island, but in reality looked like an abandoned development before the contruction started on thbe houses. It had dust everywhere as I started off powersliding the Darkcyd Murci around the first corner with Joaquim in the car, who was Claus’s friend from Mexico, I realized a needed to be very careful before I would smash this thing into a wall. The traction control was useless because it kicks in way way to early, and the car has haracteristics that I don’t understand yet making it difficult to really push the car around a corner at high speed without the steeringfeeling smooth, but rather abrupt contrantly fighting it to keep it in line.
Anyway it was fun none the less, and we were gone shortly after in a chase for the border. This was the only planned time I was going to drive as Georgia is the only state with no reciprocity with other staes relating to points. So Joaquim and I headed out for the destination checkpoint which was about 200 miles in Orlando. I knew everybody would be heading I95 South but since the police would be waiting I had a contingeny plan to take I -10 west and then 121 south to I -75 and then the turnpike on down to Orlando. While I called my office and had them confirm it was indeed about an addditional 50 miles, I felt the time loss could be made up by running solo. As soon as we heading out, I realized there were Georgia police everywhere waiting for us. Tara who was riding in the Porsche Cayenne Turbo with Claus called and told me a group of 10 people were pulled and they were hiding in a cemetary in the bushes. Not the typical image I have of my wife considering she has never had a speeding ticket, but funny none the less. Apparently the cops were so mad because a Dodge Challenger cutoff a truck at high speed and was weaving in and out of cars almost causing an accident. This is where I reiterate that people can be on these rallys and enjoy themselves and go a little fast but there is always idiots who do not understaand how to drive Safe. you need to stay in the left lane, lights on, flash way ahead of time, and avoid right lane passing at almost all costs. anything else freaks people out they are not sure which way to go in order to get out of your way, and the call 911 bringing unwanted attention to the rally. I am not sure who was in that car but thay basically caused 10 people to get arrested just before the florida border. Way uncool.
Because of this I pulled over right away and switched with Joaquim. He got in a was drving at exactly the speed limit, when we were pulled. we did not even have rally decals on the car except for Darkcyd Racing. her then harrassed him for about 5 minutes and freaked out because Joaquim had a Mexican licence. He told him, he could not even read it which is pretty funny because last time I checked they used the same alphabet as english. anyway he asked my if I had a valid liscence and said he could not drive in the startes which is Bs but I was not going to argue with his ignorance.
So I drove away and after about 15 minutes, we switrch again. As we heading down to I-10 I called ahead to my friends at IMV films and coordinated a convoy to meet us at 75 and help us make up time. While I was working on that, we saw 3 Police cars running in a pack with a tow truck behind, and I was certain we made the right call too take the longer route even though it was 50 extra miles. The next problem we had is were for some reason had to stop for gas even though I filled up the car in the morning. This I learned was a fault of the Murci because the pump clicks off way way too early even though it is not full. so we jumped into the gas station, threw the doors up and did a indy 500 pitstop. The problem was the credit card machine would not take my card (the first time tin the rally I had abn issue and I had to run in). This lady who is in a town with a poulatioin looked at us like we were either aliens or fugitives, or both, I texplained were were just in a big hurry but get that damn pump on NOW and threw a 100 at her, and said keep the change. she was beside herself. I always quickly ran back for some peanut M and M’s and a diet coke (I did not eat breakfast-give me a break).
We bolted out of there like an champ car and were off. 121 was a beautiful two lane road with no traffic and we were making up great time. all of a sudden we see two M3 ‘s flying the other way at a very high rate of speed in tandam and pulled 180’s as soon as they passes us for the cahse. Joaquim did not know who the hell they were and got spooked and I reiterated this was Sav and his crew that was goiong to give us some team support. we ran in a convey through Gaineville, hit 75 and I then instructed them to put on in front and one in back , stay in the left lane, and lets go.
Meanwhile, I get a call from Tara saying they atre no longer hiding on the cemetary and are almost in florida. They had too much time to make up, but were going to try. Since Claus in German he only knows one speed-FAST and we learned that they blew by a cop at 120 in a little town that ran parallel to 1-10, got pulled and the cop said Claus was nuts, but going to give him a break and let them go on the promise to Chill out. They had forest fires to deal with, not silly Germans who think they are on the Autobahn. Les, who was in the back of the Cayenne ,was beside himself as Tara did the proper job of working Navigation, answering calls, sending text messages, and doing the true job of a Navigator. People think the Navigator just sits there but that is entirely untrue. He laughed because he said how would never do all that work, and just layed back taking some occasional photos since he was doing this write up for European Car- a well known magazine in Europe.
Meanwhile our stretegy seemed to be working with our 2 bait cars, but we needed to mkae up more time. They needed to be pushed because they were not used to rally mode. I worked Sav and he worked his crew and we had no issues making good safe time in the left lane with nobody freaking out. By the time we got to Orlando, we had a tool which I prepared for by getting a Sun pass, which was a huge time save. we blew through the Sun Pass Lane and they did not have them so we loost our escort who could not make up the time. 5 minutes from the checkpoint, we got popped by a Tropper and pulled over. He also did not know what to do with Joachim’s Mexican Liscence and asked me if I owened the car. He also asked him if this was part of Bull Run, which Joachim responded know , even though he forgot we had the Bullrun shied on the hood of the car.-whoops. He also asked me how I could not resisst drving the car myself, and let my frieds drive this car that was in his opinion a half a million dollars ( he clearly has not been shopping lately) instead. I simply responded, I enjoy it when my friends can experience nice things and that is all the pleasure I need. He then told me it was pretty easy to spot a Lamborghini radar or not and we needed to chill out, I responed we were 5 miles fron our destinationand that was no issue. He was super cool and let us go.
We got to the chekpoint but I already knew the bad news. The two stops and the filling up which combined took about 30 minutes, plus the extra 50 miles were two much and we came in 29th. The Darkcyd DTM, and The new Darkcyd 430 drin by Frankie and Lynn came in 2nd and 3rd making the team proud. Gothem in the 575 who mostly drove over the speed limit, took the direct route, and never and never got pulled over came in first. Technically the Ricci Brabus Merc came first Chase vehicle came in first but they left 30 miinutes early so that did not count.
At dinner we learned our Japenese friends had rejoined us after having the car impunded and rover 40 hours to reach us. They speak no english , and wrote for a Japanse car magazine and they were part of the group that got arrested. so first they have a tire problem after the start of the rally, then they have tyhe car imponded for invalid registration, thenm they get arrested. Yoshi’s main comment know was FUCK AMERICA in broken engish, and for him I have to concur. To make the photographer feel better I took him on the Murci and we raced to the club. He had never been in a Muri and was shooting pictures as a darted in and out of traffic with a grin like you could not imagine. I then keep asking him if I was clear to pass after i took a lane which he did not understand but then learned what I needed. so I would yell CLEAR? and He WOULD YELl is his broken engish CLEAR!. We did this several times ,until I realized ge was just screaming clear, I was clever or not. O boy ! Anyway it was worth it for the expresion on his face, and at the club I kept buying them beers to lighten the rough time they have had so far. Frankie who was behind in the 430 laughed as he said all he could see were white flashed that looked like something blowing up inside an all black car as we ran to the club. It was so fun, and I hope to give our Jap friends more good times today.
The only post script is Alex and Danyell and the Darkcyd Gallardo. Alex was in the process of getting arrested even though they were not speeding. This is patently unfair, when nobody sees you doing anything but assumes you have violated the law none the less because of the car you drive and beacuae you are in a rally. As they were getting ready to put him in the Car Danyell wa scrying and could not dirve the Gallardo in her state of mond. In a last minute reprive, the cop had a change of heart for whatever reason and let them go. Sometimes luck is on your side. This could not be said of the 10 arrested, and it probaly was due to bad karma comming full circle. Mark and Morgan from the Trans-Am were part of that group and the winners on the Bull Run TV show. Morgan supposedly is know for bad mouthing cops, and it was allged that it was this attidude that caused the arrests. one needs to keep in mind the police are doing their job and bad mounthing them without a justfyable reason is unnecessary and wrong. Almost all police we encountred on the trip were professional to us and just doing their job. We have encountred the oppsite as well so just like real life you get the good with the bad. a good example of the good, is after the arrest , Patrick drving the Darkcyd Semi pulled in a favor and got 10 of the Bullrun cars escorted out of the state by a Georgia cop, so you can’t have just a negative attitude about the police.
This morning speculation is about us heading to Moroso the race track than Miami where we will party at the Versaci mansion on south Beach.
Glad the tracking is working on the Murci and we trying to get the Navi going.
I will be riding with Claus this morning, and the two darkcyd women wil be roilling into South Beach in style in the Darkcyd Murci. That works for me because, while everyone is flipping out as these beautiful girls arrive in this car and pop out, I will be walking up to the driver and kissing her.
Cheers,
Robb
