05/05/03 - Monday
Road America - Elkhart Lake, WI

Event: 39th place
Overall: 44th place, 6th in class

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I can't think of anything I would rather be doing - BUT - It is really freaking cold and raining solid. But wait there's more - it's actually beginning to get foggy. When we got here, I could see the track tower, now it is shrouded in fog.

All of the drivers are beginning to show up now. It is about 8am. Brock Yates, event organizer, rolls by and declares an impromptu drivers meeting for 8:30. On the way to the meeting we find Phil and Chris in the black firebird. They have replaced their alternator four times in the last two days. Three years ago we had the same problem with alternators - GM is notorious for these issues. Keep it up guys.

At the drivers meeting we were informed that the day would be shortened to one event instead of two. Also, there would be a "stop and go" point placed on the track to prevent people from getting squirrelly at the "kink". The "kink" has a reputation for eating cars and spitting out drivers. The One Lap crew made a good call.

Following the drivers meeting, we were given the opportunity to take two recon laps in centipede fashion with the entire flotilla. This was a great idea. It gave the drivers a feel for the track and how slick it was in the rain. John and I both were allowed in the car for the recon laps. I am glad that he's driving. We were slipping on every corner - even at only 30mph.

After the recon laps we lined up in order to begin the carnage. I was standing on the pit lane watching the cars go past carrying my new umbrella. We didn't bring one, but the concessions stand wasn't using the tabletop units so I just carried it around. It was a little heavy, but it got the job done.

The scene was almost surreal. It's still raining hard, even foggier now, and a bunch of guys are out here driving very expensive cars, very fast. The first car out was Brian Smith in the new red Viper, or at least it was new. I saw him take off into the fog, when he came back around on the next lap, his hood was bent up. He slipped and hit something. I spoke to him later in the paddock and he said he just made a mistake, not a good time for it unfortunately. They tie-wrapped and taped it back together and they are headed to the next track. Paul Gerrard in the Porsche still looked ridiculously fast. He would appear out of the fog, and fly right back into it.

Five or six cars spun out over the next 20 minutes. John was up next and he decided to play it safe and keep the shiny side upright. When he came in, he said that was flat "SCARY". He briefly went off the track on the warm up lap and proceeded to tiptoe around the track for the four timed laps. We did not get a great time. These BFGoodrich G-Force KD tires are great on dry pavement, but they were treacherous in the rain. John said it was like driving on ICE.

We did not hang around to see where we finished. We loaded the car - again - and headed south. We stopped for a leisurely lunch in Milwaukee. We figured that we had plenty of time due to the shortened track events today. We also stopped to pick up a power inverter. John attracts a lot of attention when he wears his red racing boots in public. I swear that guy is not with me.

Back on the road and headed south now. It is getting much warmer and the rain has stopped. We are rolling towards Tulsa Oklahoma. The trip is almost 900 miles. The trip isn't too bad, but John keeps farting and the Vette is just not big enough for that. We are looking forward to getting in around midnight.

Day three is in the books.

Keeping it shiny side up,
Mark and John

• Saturday, May 3^rd: Watkins Glen Raceway, New York- 2 time trials and Summit Racing passage control.
• Sunday, May 4^th: Indianapolis Raceway Park, Indiana- 2 time trials and Tire Rack Skid Pad Shootout.
• Monday, May 5^th: Road America, Wisconsin- 2 time trials.
• Tuesday, May 6^th: Hallet Motor Racing Circuit, Oklahoma- 2 time trials and 2 dirt oval time trials at Tulsa Motor Speedway.
• Wednesday, May 7^th: Memphis Motorsports Park, Tennessee- 2 time trials, drag racing and bracket drags.
• Thursday, May 8^th: Carolina Motorsports Park, South Carolina- 2 time trials.
• Friday, May 9^th: BeaveRun Motorsports Complex, Pennsylvania- 2 time trials and a surprise!
• Saturday, May 10^th: Finish at lodge on The Green

You can also learn more about the Cannonball One lap of America by visiting their website by clicking, http://www.onelapofamerica.com/ where you will find links to the different tracks that the competitors compete at, amongst other useful information.