Fireball Day Four – Fried Transmission?

Houston to Oklahoma City

Day Four of the Fireball Rally started out with the Heart Stopper Breakfast, a Denver omelet, pancakes, biscuits and gravy. After chowing down, we headed to the morning briefing and checked in for today’s leg of the event.

We were handed our sealed FexEx express envelope that contained the clues for today’s run, instructed that we were not to open it until we were on the road. We knew that we would be heading up to the Dallas Forth Worth area so we contacted a member of the RadarDetector.net forum “Outrun” who lives in that area and made arrangements for his assistance in deciphering the clues.

Last night our overall team ranking moved to sixteenth place from third, after the track results. However other competitors were still impressed with our showing as Bob and I were both rookies, competing against veteran Cannonballers.

Today was my turn to burn-up the highway with Bob acting as navigator and we chose the Whistler Pro 78 and the Bel STi as the detectors of choice for today’s comparison.

After the morning briefing we lined up our cars and at 8:00 am the green flag was waved. As we were on our way, Bob opened the envelope and today’s first passage control point was the Dallas Lamborghini dealer, with our final destination reading: “Finding a boat house in Oklahoma City is like finding a needle in a haystack nonetheless, your mission is to lose the regatta and find the boat house, Once located find a boat to tow. You’ll then be provided an envelope containing the exact location of the finish line.”

We called “Outrun” and he was able to look up the address of the Lambo dealer and we programmed it into our GPS. Jason then said that he would try to figure out the clue for OK City stop.

Twenty minutes later “Outrun”called, saying that he was sure that it was the Chesapeake boathouse adding that after finding their address and telephone number, he called and they were being very evasive.  

Having what I would consider the best in speed countermeasure equipment at our disposal, we had an edge over the other Fireballers. Therefore Bob and I decided to try our best to take back our ranking on the highway, prior to the next track event in Las Vegas.

Alert One – Ka
Just as I started burning up the I-45 Interstate, we received our first alert on the Beltronics STi on 38.8 Ka, with a second Ka alert on the Pro-78 ten seconds later. I slowed down and about one mile later we observed a Texas DPS unit on the southbound lane performing a traffic stop.

After traveling a safe distance away, I opened up the throttle “North Bound and Down!”

Several other Fireballers learned of our countermeasure equipment and related to us that they would try their best to position themselves a safe distance behind us, while we acted as their “Rabbit.”

False Alert Ka band?
The Whistler Pro-78 did remarkably well in filtering out false alerts when compared to the STi, as the only alert that I would even consider happened at mp 157. The Pro-78 lit up Ka full bar while the STi was silent. The alert lasted for approximately ten seconds.

There were no towers or buildings in the area that were visible, that I felt would cause such an alert. But to be sure I slowed down waiting for some response on the Bel STi but never received one.

Looking in the mirror at this point, I saw ten other Fireballer vehicles in my mirror, all staying behind and chatting on their CB radios.

When I felt that it was again safe from the previous alert and there was a break in traffic, I opened the 540i full throttle to distance myself from the pack.

Ka Alert Two
At mp 184 the Beltronics STi chirped a few 33.8 alerts which is normally an indication of instant on. A minute later the STi and the Whistler then began chirping short bursts in unison. Three miles later, we spotted a trooper on off the parked in the tree line on the south side of the highway.

I had dropped down to a respectable speed at this point and checked my mirrors, no Fireballers were in site.

Ten minutes later, we began receiving text messages on our cell phone from other contestants, warning of the trooper we had just past and of a few others a few miles ahead.

Bob and I discussed if this was a ruse to try to slow us down, or a real warning of impending danger. Taking no chances we stayed with the flow of traffic.

We quickly learned that we fell for their trap as five Fireballers passed us in the slow lane.

As we were now entering a congested area, we allowed them to go while we increased our speed to the 80s level.

The congestion seemed to work in our favor as the other Fireballers got caught up and we were able close the gap.

Just as we were hair of taking back our front position, a vibration started in the engine area and we began hearing a loud grinding noise when I accelerated. I backed down to forty five entering Houston, hoping that we could limp into the Lambo dealer.

Fifteen minutes later we arrived at the Lambo shop while the other four cars that beat us were taking their lunch break. We contacted “Mike” the manager of the dealership and he related that he would call the BMW dealer around the corner and he would explain our situation and see if they could get us in right away.

As we pulled into the BMW Dallas service center, service writer Sue came out to great us with a small army of mechanics. Bob worked out the service details while the shops master mechanic pulled the 540i onto a lift and began plugging in computers. Another tech began checking fluid levels, and another began inspecting hoses! Bob and I looked at each other in amazement, as their entire shop became our very own pit crew.

The service manager Peter then came into the shop, offering us water or snacks!

The lead mechanic Phillip instructed his crew to check and replace several sensors and check various hoses and fittings. In forty five minutes, Peter had the BMW off the lift saying that the car was road ready and repaired. Sue had our address and credit card information and said that she would send us a bill after they figured out what to charge.

Peter commented, “We want our cars to lead the pack, so get out, drive safe and have fun.” We were back on the road.

We checked in with the Blinder Xtreme team for updates and he related that we were only twenty cars behind the lead car that were thirty five miles ahead.

We knew that these drivers would still need to get today’s Oklahoma newspaper for the state welcome sign photograph and to also find a Oklahoma State Trooper to photograph to gain bonus points for today’s leg. If we could figure out a way to accomplish these tasks in a timely manner, we would catch up and take the lead.

Alert Three – Ka
Just after leaving the Houston area, we received our next Ka alert on 34.7 on the Bel STi and a few seconds later the Whistler alerted Ka band. Approximately a mile later, we observed a Sheriff’s Office patrol car driving south.

Leon from the Blinder Xtreme team called us saying that they got today’s Oklahoma newspaper. They also related that the Oklahoma welcome sign was just past the state line, after a bridge and was difficult to see because an exit sign was posted right in front. Leon also related that there was a brick wall with “Oklahoma” text just past the sign and that other Fireballers were stopping at that for their photograph. Leon related that he would hide his paper in the area for our use.

We arrived at the state line to first recover the newspaper. As we did a Fireballer pulled up, snapped their photo at the wall and began running back to their car. I commented “That’s not a sign, that is a wall, the sign is back down the road.” The driver replied “You’re just trying to trick us and drove off.”

Fireballer rules state that the state signs must include a photo of the car, today’s state newpaper, and the driver. So we positioned ourselves in the proper position and snapped our photo. Just as we were walking back to our car another Fireballer pulled up asking to use our newspaper. Feeling charitable, I gave the co-driver the paper and the driver photographed his navigator without their car in frame. Knowing that their photo would not qualify, I asked for the paper back and we quickly drove off.

At mp 45 we were closing in behind a semi in the left lane. During the rally, we used the cover of other vehicles ahead to our advantage. As I was preparing to merge into the passing lane, the semi turned on its left turn signal and turned left. There in front of him was an Oklahoma State Trooper vehicle exiting the freeway.

I pulled behind the trooper, following him into a Shell gas station. As he exited his car I greeted him with badge in hand, asking him if he would mind posing for a photograph. Bob positioned our car next to the troopers, we shook hands and I thanked him and we drove away as he began gassing his car.

With the two bonus point details under our belt, we made a beeline for Oklahoma City.

At MP 85 we caught up with one of the Fireballers that passed us in Houston. We fell behind them a quarter of a mile. A few miles later the STi and the Whistler alerted at approximately the same time and the brake lights of the Fireballer ahead lit up.

I quickly decelerated and as the Fireballer went under an overpass. Behind a bridge pillar I saw a black and white. As I passed he was in the process of backing up and positioning his vehicle for chase. However when I looked back in my mirror, I noticed that he was pulling back into his “speed trap position.”

Nine miles south of Oklahoma City we checked our watches, 3:45. Our assignment sheet said that we could not check into our first stop until 4:30 or face disqualification. So we mapped out a strategic location where we could wait. At 3:39 we swooped into the Chesapeake boathouse with five other Fireballers.

Bob ran out to get our boat and the location of the finish line while I positioned our car for a quick get away. Bob tore open the packet removing a sheet with driving instructions for a location called the Brick House on Mickey Mantel Drive. While following the directions, something just didn’t seem right. So Bob plugged in the street name into the GPS and discovered that the instructions led us in the opposite direction. Just as I was trying to figure out a location to make a safe u-turn, a Fireballer in a blue Corvette in front made a reverse power turn and was going the same direction that our GPS indicated. I made my safe u-turn and caught up to the Vet at a traffic light.

There on the corner we saw a baseball stadium “The Brick House.” The light changed and we followed the Vet onto Mikey Mantel Drive. Looking in the mirror I saw another BMW closing down.

I stopped as Bob ran to the check point tent. A few feet away from the finish line Bob dropped our “wooden boat” and the navigator of the BMW ran past.