12 months since we started racing and we were back at The Ultra 4 Essential 2022! 2021 was probably our favourite race of last season! Our truck had been at Wrecker Fabrication for 2 months getting loads of work done and we had been travelling to Huddersfield to work on it with Karl too. When we got it back to our unit we had a week to get it all checked out for the race.
We turned up and got the camp all set up. The Kirkby Arms was open! Dylan went out on pre running to learn the track then Reece turned up just in time to go out with Dylan on Qualifying. It was a new set up this year where we had 2 hours to get our fastest lap. We didn’t want to put too much stress on the truck so we did a couple of laps and called it a day. We gave the truck a quick check over and noticed the nearside stub axle was loose….long story but we tightened it up and she was ready to go!
Saturday morning up early, start the truck and Dylan and Reece put on their race gear! The race began but as soon as everyone got to the The Gate Keeper play stopped for 20 mins as there was a massive traffic jam! When we finally managed to get up it we only managed to get 2 laps in which led to a disappointing session. We got the truck back and checked it all over and all was ok. Next session truck cut out and had to be recovered. We got straight to work to find out what the problem was but it started straight away. We changed the fuel filter then it wouldn’t start! Then things got a bit chaotic… We ended up checking all the fuel pumps, changing the crank sensor, checked the fuel lines, changed the ECU….nightmare. I thought we was putting the truck back on the trailer never mind missing the next heat! Next minute truck fires up and the lads shot out late to get another 2 laps in! Again, another disappointing heat. So when we gets truck back we try to figure out what the cutting out issue is. We were also going thru an alternator every session! We originally thought the problem was a relay but later decided it was ECU so we fitted an old 10p back up ECU we keep on the van as we had lent our spare 15p ECU to Joe and Jordan. So truck goes out again and after 2 laps I get Reece on the pit radio ” Wheels fell off!” wow! My stub shaft error had caused us another disappointing heat! We got recovered again. Massive thank you to the Mog lads! We had ripped the wheel clean off and snapped the calliper carrier. We changed the swivel no problem with help from Rob Ward, Steve, Mitch and Flip and truck was ready for Sundays Racing.
Cant remember what happened on the first heat on Sunday….:) think we had a good heat! We had to stop for 2 mins as Reece’s door net came open which pushed our average lap time up. This meant that when we came over the line on our 4th lap we were chequered flagged and couldn’t go out on our 5th lap even tho we had time to possibly do it! So Ty was out with front diff issues, Zac was having a few issues including some awesome acrobatics:) and Duncan had had his fair share of issues. The race was anyone’s and it was coming down to the last heat!
This was exciting and we was all super pumped:) Duncan and Dylan flew off the line and Dylan surprisingly managed to keep up with the monster V8 until our truck cut out and rolled to a stop. We was gutted! The lads tried to get it going, Dylan ran back the pits for a fuel pump relay then after 15 mins Reece wiggled the ECU wires and she fired into life! Dylan decided to go for it as we had nothing to loose so he gunned it round the track but the truck was still cutting out every time he hit the limiter but at least it was starting again! We finished the heat and completed the race.
We finished in second place with 12 laps. Disappointed as the cutting out issue caught us off guard but I suppose that’s racing. Well done to Team Hybrid on the win and thanks to all the Ultra 4 staff and organisers inc Paul Bayliss on recovery..thanks! As usual thanks to Karl, Ged and Jack.
