The Daytona Chronciles
 

April 10, in friendly airspace. Southwest Flight 708 from Islip, Long Island to Orlando has been renamed the Patchogue-Daytona Shuttle today. Part of the Long Island contingent, off to the races.

They look awfully relaxed and spend their time perusing a girlie magazine.


More as it develops.

Manatee HQ, Florida. This is a bad day for the Manatees as the creme de la creme of powerboating descends on Dayotna, FL for the first race of the season. The Manatees, who usually rule the roost down here, have deserted their HQ (pictured below,) destination unknown.

Daytona Shores, 4/10 - The top of thre creme de la creme have made this ritzy residence their home away from home. Less fortunate racers must bunk in the seedier parts of town, such as the Plaza, the Hilton etc.

Daytona, 4/10 -
In expectation of the offshore racing crowd, management of the hotel has removed all valuable and breakable parts from the rooms. Even the safes have been removed. They are for sale, ranging from $20 to $50.

Clearly distressed merchandise.

Randy Schleuss and Glen Murray of Team Typhoon have arrived. Due to inclement weather in Joisey, F1-29 was dewiterized and loaded onto the trailer, untested. The truck was also untested. Last we heard was that it blew two tires somewhere north of South Of The Border.

Detail of the back of Glen's truck. In observance of open container regulations, all cans were meticulously emptied. The cans are temporarily retained, because: We recycle!

Warm-up calistenics for the weekend race: Randy, clearly not in shape, loses against a distant cousin. Randy and Glen brought half the family to Daytona, approximately 15 people, with mofre on the way.

The lifting of fellow racers is a tradition which is faithfully observed.

At a friendly get-together at the Plaza Hotel, Randy explains to a colleague racer: "There is only one place and that's first place!"

Randy shows some muscle ...

Elaine is a licensed Massage Therapist from Birmingham, AL. She will treat sore muscles after the races. John Coen of Superboat checks for a proper heartbeat.

Elaine is very close with the guys from the Dirty Duck.

Bikini contests are very fashionable in Daytona. The most fashionable bikini wins.

... last check: Everything still there?

While a dancer of the Daytona Municipal Ballet performs a tasteful rendition of Swan Lake, our racers retire to their quarters. For the rest of the night, sex and alcohol are strictly off-limits by order of the coach.

More as things develop.

I like your style...The grand entrance into Daytona with style. :D
Have fun, guys! Best of luck this weekend.

..you guys have to lighten -up and have some fun, dammit!!

;) :D :D

pits set-up
 

ok..who was in-charge of bringing the gas for the grill???

Re: pits set-up
 

ROTFLMAO :D :D :D

Daytona, 4-11. This is the pits. The dry pits are a bit liked foreplay: Not quite the real thing. You play around, and wait until it gets wet.

Fuel truck.

Team Typhoon tests new communications and video equipment.

Fastedy's boat: Same hull, new Vortec motor, new sponsor.

Friendly reminder in Fastedy's boat: Turn on that camera thang.

Like father ....

Like son ...

Typhoon Crewchief Glenn fixes a corroded contact. The miracle cure: Coca Cola. Glenn: "I like how it works, but I don't like how it sticks afterwards."

Speedchannel found a new member of Team Typhoon.

Randy and Glenn yacking it up for the camera: "It ain't Candy. It's Mad Dog. I can spell it for you if I have to: M - A - D."

An important part of pit day is to check out the competition. BJ Maher of Activator drops by. Randy on Speedchannel: "BJ stands for - can I say this on TV?"

The Activator boat.

End of the day: Drivers meting. New starting procedures confuse the heck out of drivers. Later in the evening: More partying. Tomorrow: The race.

Day 3: Race day. The water is perfect for Typhoon.


AMZ550-570-121430-
FLAGLER BEACH TO COCOA BEACH OUT TO 60 NM-
430 AM EDT SAT APR 12 2003

TODAY
WIND WEST TO NORTHWEST 10 TO 15 KNOTS...BECOMING NORTHEAST
10 KNOTS NEAR THE COAST LATE. SEAS 2 FEET NEAR SHORE AND 4 FEET
OFFSHORE. INTRACOASTAL WATERS A LIGHT CHOP.

In the dry pits, everybody readies their boats, large and small.

In the dry pits, you can buy boat gadgets, even outfits by "Total Race Babe." Would go nicely with a checkered past.

Creative methods are employed to snag that elusive sponsor

Randy's Kryptonite F1-29 is up for sale to make room for the new one. According to Randy, "trades for a firstborn or a Viper will be considered." Someone already brought the Viper. No one has offered a firstborn - yet.

Mrs. Schleuss, Mrs. Murray and a massive team of Team Typhoon family, friends and supporters make camp at Mc. Cormick's bar by the beach. This is right across the south end of the course, which will turn out to be a very critical spot in the race.

F1-29 quickly takes the lead, with H2O Motorsports, High Energy, and a distant Activator in hot pursuit.

With only two laps to go, F1-29 suddenly slows down. Back on plane, the lead is been lost to H2O Motorsports.

Moments later, the race is stopped and never re-started.

A 38 foot Formula has pitched and crashed.
The driver is injured, Jack Stoerrle, throttles, dies.

All boats return to the pits. Typhoon comes in as number 2 behind F1-90 H20 Motorsports/Propco Propellers. The news makes the national wires.

Back at the pits, APBA makes a fuss about seals on the engine being broken. Has there been illegal porting or grinding?