Do you like the idea of being a hands on member of a truck team?

RMN are looking for at least two more people to assist on race days with the running of the No 24 pickup. Ideally, you should have some experience of motor vehicle maintenance or perhaps some mechanical knowledge with an interest in cars, either way this would be an ideal opportunity for you to gain experience in a motorsport environment.

We are not a professional team so cannot pay wages for this position, but a team uniform can be provided along with food and the odd beer or two. We are a very friendly team and really enjoy a good laugh (not adverse to a good party in our awning) but we do take our racing very seriously especially on race days.

RMN are based in Bedford, but the race meetings are countrywide, so somebody from this general area would be preferable (or travelling would be at your own expense).

If you are interested, please e-mail: enquiries@rmnmotorsport.com

Cheers

Richard

Photos of the last Rockingham meeting are now live!

April 2010

2010 sees a change in the marketing strategy for Pickup Truck Racing initially being actioned by changes to the bodywork that had been used for the last thirteen years.  The new styling will follow similar distinguishing features of current production pickup trucks.  This has been introduced to enable teams to source local dealership support of the marques they have chosen.
With a number of teams already taking the opportunity to upgrade their Pickups prior to the amnesty date of 4th July this will see several colour and graphic changes at the first round of the 2010 Championship.
In addition to the body changes a new engine has been introduced to the Pickup Truck Championship to reduce the accelerating costs of the highly tuned GM engine.  Introducing the new controlled Ford Ranger 2.3 Duratec Truck engine will offer new drivers and teams a cost effective alternative when joining the Championship.
The controlled engine package will include core OE engine, uprated connecting rods, pistons, high lift cam shaft with springs and hardware, inlet manifold and throttle bodies, wet sump system and controlled ECU.
The engine is tuned to replicate similar torque and horsepower to the GM unit it is replacing.  The engine package will be cost effective to purchase, easy to service by competent team mechanics and the build components will be supplied as off the shelf items.
The Pickup Management Team recognised the need for change and actioned a plan that will not only assist a number of the teams and existing sponsors and trade support partners to the Championship, but most importantly encourage others to join the adrenalin fuelled gladiatorial theatre motorsport named Pickup Truck Racing.

Updates will be posted as we get them:

10 – 11 April
Rockingham Motor Speedway

17 – 18 April
Brands Hatch

15 – 16 May
Knockhill

30 – 31 May
Rockingham Motor Speedway

13 June
Mallory Park

3 – 4 July
Rockingham Motor Speedway

17 – 18 July
Mondello Park

7 – 8 August
Thruxton

14 – 15 August
Pembrey

4 – 5 September
Donington Park

11- 12 September
Rockingham Motor Speedway

10 October
Snetterton

30 – 31 October
Brands Hatch

That being said the team had a very late night on Friday as all effort was mode to return the truck to the Rockingham setup instead of the circuit. This may have been the reason that in the Saturday morning practice Richard reported that the truck had massive push.

After a slight change and a few more laps the decision was made to return to the pits and try to find the
problem that was making the car so hard to drive. The schedule wasn’t in our favor either as we would be lining up around 4:15pm.

The first race of the weekend happened on Saturday evening and I will admit that the truck not being fully ready was mainly my fault. With the schedule being brought forward I just plan ran out of time trying to get our setup correct and as a result Richard suffered during the race with a car that still pushed. Although the truck was running a good pace at first the tyres soon overheated and Richard ended up having to put full lock through turn 4 just to get round. So bad was the handling that we wore the front right tyre to the canvass! Still least it gave Richard a good work out and a healthy dose of adrenalin!

It became apparent that I would have to spend some time on the truck to find our setup. We were being turfed out our pit garage in the evening for the end of season party so I wheeled the car to Michael Smith’s garage and prepared to miss the celebrations and get the truck right for tomorrow.
As it turns out the setup was found in good time. Thanks to Steve for showing me a useful way of changing castor and camber without having to take things apart. With the correct settings on the front and the wheels properly aligned the corner weights were pretty good. It was decided that a small change in pressures for the race was all that remained and we headed of to join the party.

Sunday arrived and the whole team was pretty up beat apart from Richard who seemed to have been poisoned slightly from Yung’s red wine! Breakfast was had (something we missed yesterday) and the build up to the race was full of minor jobs that needed to be done.

As it turns out the calm experienced by the team before the race was to be followed by a storm! When lining up to go onto circuit it became apparent that we had radio problems as Richard and Jamie could hear each other! What was stranger was that I could hear both and they could hear me? As it turned out the antenna cable in the car was broken so a quick fix had to be made as the National Anthem was played. With Red Dog and Blue Leader talking again the trucks rolled out on the warm up laps.

I was particularly nervous that the problems from yesterday would return but as racing got underway Richard began what I believe to be his best race all season. Richard dropped from the front as the fast trucks made their way through. We dropped to 11th place as is the norm and I began to hop that the truck would at least keep working so we could finish in this position. Little did I know that Richard would soon begin a fantastic drive back into the pack that would see the number 24 truck fighting for 7th place for the remainder of the race!

With my nerves climbing every lap that was completed Richard pounded the oval constantly changing places with Phil White, Pete Stevens, Anthony Hawkins and a few other I forget in all the excitement! Although the top 6 trucks were pretty far ahead the tussle for 7th to 12th raged on and I am pleased to say that Richard was never out of 7th place for long.

The final lap began and I lost sight of the trucks heading into turn 1 with Richard being challenged for the 7th place he had fought so hard for all race. When they re-emersed from the blind spot I was gutted to see that Richard had been demoted to 9th! As it turns out all had got pretty scary and a small coming together with Pete Stevens had resulted in a loss of momentum that allowed a few other past. A Thank You here is needed to Anthony Hawkins for pushing Richard straight again. Something that truly did aid in Richard keeping in 9th.

With the chequered flag waved the race was over and although being robbed of the 7th place we thought was in the bag, the team was very happy with the 9th position and the knowledge that the pace was there.

The good news that followed was even better. In the Oval Championship we had finished in 9th place! An amazing achievement for RMN Motorsport and one at which I know the whole team is very proud. The challenge now is to topple the 115 point deficit we have to 10th place in the overall in the last few rounds.

Lets hope lady luck stays with us at Pembrey and Brands Hatch and RMN Motorsport can finish the year 10th or above!

Chris Millett
Crew Chief

P.S apparently developing push as the fuel tank empties happens in NASCAR,
so at least we are not alone in this problem!

Friday testing was on a wet track.  What was worse was that the window wiper motor ceased and approximately a minute before going out on track, it rained.  It was sunny all day except just before testing.  I had to do a “Guido” from Cars changing slick tyres to wets in the rain and guess what happened when the trucks was out, it stopped raining.  Two minor problems were sorted with some help from #93 team after testing, misfiring and the engine was ticking over too high.

Saturday morning practice was sunny and dry.  After 8 laps, the red flags came out and I was trying to find out who went off track.  Unfortunately, it was Richard who brought the red flags out..  He got off track while avoiding pickup truck #14 on a fast bend and ended up in the tyre barriers.  Not a perfect start to the weekend.  After practice, there was only bodywork and suspension damage to the #24 truck and so it was a rush against time to get the truck ready for Race 1.  After some help from Sarge from #69 team and a lot of tape from #2 and #63 teams, the truck was ready for Race 1.  However just before race 1, alternator problems prohibited the truck to start and thanks to Stretch from #9 team, the truck got out on track just in the nick of time and Richard done only 2 laps.  Why?  Because there was only a box of neutrals as the selector broke after further inspection.  Long night ahead as me and Richard changed the gearbox.

Sunday morning practice and completed with the truck pushing a bit.  No major problems which is a good start to Sunday.  Just need a good finish as well and hope nothing else goes wrong.

Race 2 starting last on the grid due to new gearbox and just want the truck to finish in one piece.  Other trucks were dropping out and Richard was surviving.  Finished the race in our first top ten finish of the season with 9th place.  There were more bodywork damage or is that tape damage as Richard bumped #7 truck at the same place as when Richard hit the tyre barriers.

All in all, the start of the weekend wasn’t best but all our efforts paid off for Sunday and we had a happy ending to Mondello race meeting.

A big thanks goes to #93 team and the Grindrod brothers’ team for all their help over the weekend as well as others who I might have forgotten.

What an unforgettable non-stop weekend.

See you at Rockingham!
Yung
Mechanic