2017BIG BEND OPEN ROAD RACE


texas mongrel

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
May 3, 2009
1,661
Houston Texas
Just got back from my fourth BBORR, the most successful to-date. This race has been held annually for the last twenty years in West Texas, where they close down a 59-mile stretch of public Highway (Rte 285) between Fort Stockton and Sanderson. The race runs a total of 160 cars down and back in groups. Unfortunately we could only run one-way this year because a Porsche crashed into a utility pole and took out power for the whole area. Obviously it took a long time to repair all this, so we only got to run down, and not back.
This year my run group was the 150 class, meaning that I had to average 150mph for the entire course. If you go above 168mph or below 120mph you are disqualified. The person with the closest-to-perfect time wins. My target time was 23 minutes and 36 seconds. I got second place for a time error of 0.79 seconds and speed error of 0.038mph. The winning C7 Corvette was a little closer, but it was loaded with ghosting software, multiple Garmins, and GPS with electronic timing, whereas I stuck to my trusty old $3 Walmart oven timer.
I ran most of the course between 160 and 170 to build up some allowance for the final section of twisties, where I slowed to 125-135. Running so fast for so long is pretty brutal on cars but the GT never missed a beat. In addition to the race, the week is filled with parades, shows, and school visits. It's a vital part of the area's economy because the region is so desperately poor. As you can see from the pictures. the radiator outlet is a pretty good place to stow all your racing junk when driving up to the start line.
I had a blast, driving about 1700 miles round-trip from Houston. In the "small world" department Ed Sims' daughter spotted me one day on the streets of Fort Stockton!
Can't wait to do it all again next year in the New GT!
 

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GKW05GT

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
May 28, 2011
2,755
Fayetteville, Ga.
Wow Dave that sounds like a great time,way to go.
 

Specracer

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Nov 28, 2005
7,081
MA
Great job! Congrats!
 

texas mongrel

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
May 3, 2009
1,661
Houston Texas
[video]https://youtu.be/E72vxEPmbzw[/video]here's a link to a short video of me leaving the line. We were supposed to start around 08:00 but because of the wreck, I didn't get away until 14:30
 

GTJack

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Oct 1, 2006
1,728
Saddlebrooke, MO
Way to go Dave! Your engineering brain seems to work well doing averages at high speeds.....speed error of .038 mph! Faster or slower than 150?
 

Apollo

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Aug 5, 2006
2,499
Pahrump, NV
Sounds like so much fun. Congratulations on the 2nd place finish!
 

Simon

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Feb 19, 2013
1,230
Houston
Right on!!

(Your youtube link is dead.)
 

Spirit

Heritage GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Well done Dave!!


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Spaceman

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Sep 1, 2012
287
Central Texas
Great job Dave and congratulations.
 

STORMCAT

GT
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
May 25, 2006
7,549
Ft. Lauderdale
awesome job !! Sounds like a fun time,, !!
 

rsstopper

GT Owner
Oct 9, 2006
196
Arizona
Just got back from my fourth BBORR, the most successful to-date. This race has been held annually for the last twenty years in West Texas, where they close down a 59-mile stretch of public Highway (Rte 285) between Fort Stockton and Sanderson. The race runs a total of 160 cars down and back in groups. Unfortunately we could only run one-way this year because a Porsche crashed into a utility pole and took out power for the whole area. Obviously it took a long time to repair all this, so we only got to run down, and not back.
This year my run group was the 150 class, meaning that I had to average 150mph for the entire course. If you go above 168mph or below 120mph you are disqualified. The person with the closest-to-perfect time wins. My target time was 23 minutes and 36 seconds. I got second place for a time error of 0.79 seconds and speed error of 0.038mph. The winning C7 Corvette was a little closer, but it was loaded with ghosting software, multiple Garmins, and GPS with electronic timing, whereas I stuck to my trusty old $3 Walmart oven timer.
I ran most of the course between 160 and 170 to build up some allowance for the final section of twisties, where I slowed to 125-135. Running so fast for so long is pretty brutal on cars but the GT never missed a beat. In addition to the race, the week is filled with parades, shows, and school visits. It's a vital part of the area's economy because the region is so desperately poor. As you can see from the pictures. the radiator outlet is a pretty good place to stow all your racing junk when driving up to the start line.
I had a blast, driving about 1700 miles round-trip from Houston. In the "small world" department Ed Sims' daughter spotted me one day on the streets of Fort Stockton!
Can't wait to do it all again next year in the New GT!

Well done!
What happened to the guy in the Porsche? Details?


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texas mongrel

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
May 3, 2009
1,661
Houston Texas
Jack, I was slow by 0.038mph.

Rstopper, the Porsche was totaled, but driver and navigator got out okay. When it hit the pole the car caught fire, which in turn set fire to the pole and burnt it to the ground. Weird thing was, they were in the 125 class yet lost it on the final sweeper into the finishe line, a curve I took at 165. I'm guessing the driver got distracted.
 

soroush

Ford Gt Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Aug 8, 2007
5,256
very cool seems like a blast.
 

rsstopper

GT Owner
Oct 9, 2006
196
Arizona
Jack, I was slow by 0.038mph.

Rstopper, the Porsche was totaled, but driver and navigator got out okay. When it hit the pole the car caught fire, which in turn set fire to the pole and burnt it to the ground. Weird thing was, they were in the 125 class yet lost it on the final sweeper into the finishe line, a curve I took at 165. I'm guessing the driver got distracted.

Thanks!


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Magic

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Mar 13, 2010
742
Fredericksburg, TX
Glad to hear you had fun, came thru safe and got second place! Way to go Dave.

One of these years I'll make it there either as a participant or as a spectator!
 

junior

GT Owner
Mar 9, 2007
1,151
So Cal
"...I ran most of the course between 160 and 170 to build up some allowance for the final section of twisties, where I slowed to 125-135." Very impressive, congrats !