Official NICOclub Pikes Peak car...or should I say, Cars?

[kenno470]

Most of you know about our unfortunate luck at the 2011 running of the Pikes Peak Hill Climb. A wasted head gasket left us just a mile from the summit. I sat on the side of the highway and just out my window and up to the left, there was Olympic hairpin. The last turn before the finish line. It hovered over me like a black cloud of failure. Whatever...it took me all of ten seconds to get over it and start thinking in my head about what we're going to do in 2012, and beyond.
So, my good and happy NICOclub friends, you all are going to be the very first ones to hear my plan for 2012 and 2013. Here goes...

The engine and trans will be rebuilt. Dent Sport Garage, home of Bill Washburns 240RS Maxi E2, will be assembling the new bullet. Parts will be sourced through our sponsor, Alamo Autosports. The configuration will stay the same this year so we can get the car to it's new driver ASAP.
New Driver!? Yup. NICO's own Anthony Perez (PEZi) will drive the Pink car at the 90th running of the Pikes Peak Hill Climb in 2012. He's been doing really well in SCCA Solo and he's a true student of the science of making a car handle. True Story: After our day one practice, he looked at the tires and gave me the full rundown on what the car was doing and what we needed to do to go faster. The next day we met our tire sponsor, a thrity year tire engineering veteran and he proceeded to tell me exactly what Anthony had told me the day before. Yeah...Anthony just gets it.
We'll be on the hunt for a crew chief that speaks Nissan race-car (cough, cough, Ian, cough cough) in order to let Anthony focus on the enormous task at hand.

OK, in the title of the post you probably noticed the word "Cars". Here's the other big news:
On Sunday morning I pick up the new Pink Car. A 1997 240SX. Dubbed 240LSP2. "LS?" I'll give you one guess what the P2 power-plant is going to be. Lets break down the name real quick: 240=it's still a 240, LS=the LS2 power-plant, P2=Pink Car 2. 240LSP2. Kinda corny, but I like it.
This will be a two year project that I hope to be testing by March 2013 and ready to compete in the 2013 running of the Hill Climb. It will compete in the Pikes Peak Open class (not Unlimited, just Open...some get confused), or, if the Time attack rules are modified to allow engine swaps, we'll run it there. We'll see.
I can already hear the Nissan purists condemning me for my choice of motor. Don't even bother. My goal is to have fast and go fun (I know what I said). Criss-crossing brand names don't mean all that much to me (unless you throw a name at me like Yugo...then I vomit a bit). I love, love, love the 240 body style and I love the feel and sound of American muscle. The first motor I ever built was a small block Chevy, and I stuck it in a 85 S-10 pickup. So, I'm essentially going back where I started by sticking a motor somewhere it doesn't belong.
There is another major component to this project that I'll talk about later if the feasibility study currently underway comes back with some positive results. I'll let you all in on that once we get more data.

Well, there it is. In 2013 Fatman Racing will be a double barreled Pink shotgun aimed right at the summit of Pikes Peak. I sincerely hope all of you will follow along as we make our way through these concurrent projects. I'll be posting here, as usual, and you will also be able to get more in depth details and photos at the all new Fatman Racing website, http://www.fatmanracing.com.

I want to express my most sincere thanks to Greg, Becky, and the entire NICOclub community for your support over the past three years. It has meant allot to me and I don't think I could have made it without the help and advice I've gotten right here.

Ken

[nissangirl74]

You're very welcome! I can't wait to hear the updates, Pezi is already in my ear about making plans to come up to the race next summer. Good luck and let us know what you need.

Subscribed.

[Razi]

Very very cool.
And even cooler that Pezi gets to drive!

[PEZi]

A great article has been posted for your enjoyment thanks to Ken and the awesome people at My Life @ Speed! Link here.

Hope you all enjoy, and I hope to see some of you cheer us on at next years' race and beyond!

[Razi]

Congrats Pez!

[krash]

Pezi is all famous and what not now. Congrats to all!

[IanS]

Hmmm, we'll be in touch.

[PEZi]

Ian, I'd love to see you up on the Peak with us next year. I know that its a bit different than your rally car, but between Cory and I (pavement setup specialists) and you being able to dig into the car in every way shape and form, I think we'd have a hell of a team and give the Red Bull guys a real run for their money.

[simmode1]

This is why I love NICO...

[kenno470]

Ian, I'd love to see you up on the Peak with us next year. I know that its a bit different than your rally car, but between Cory and I (pavement setup specialists) and you being able to dig into the car in every way shape and form, I think we'd have a hell of a team and give the Red Bull guys a real run for their money.

Agreed. I think that core of young talent would be a great thing to see up there and could make us a real contender. It would certainly make it a true "Team NICOclub". Maybe we can even con Greg and Becky into coming up to wrench (did I say wrench? I meant "watch") for the week!

Yes...let's talk.

Volunteers are always welcome. Anyone have some serious photography or video skills they wanna show off?

OH, I almost forgot!! Check out the MOTUL video! We made the final cut, twice! Brief blast-by's, but we're in there! The host of the video is top shelf Rally and all around race driver, Stephan Verdier (who I happened to have diner with last night). So, check it out!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMIUwHpn8MY[/youtube]

ken

[PEZi]

Steph is one of the coolest guys I met this past year. Met him at the Global RallyCross as he sent his crew off to go get lunch while he wrenched on his own car getting ready for the X-Games... true badass!

[PEZi]

I have made a new twitter account to update people of the P1 project as we progress towards the 90th running of the Pike's Peak International Hill Climb... if you're on twitter, be sure to follow along! Check it out here

[IanS]

I have made a new twitter account to update people of the P1 project as we progress towards the 90th running of the Pike's Peak International Hill Climb... if you're on twitter, be sure to follow along! Check it out here

NO, dont do it.

I have made it this far in life without twitter. why must you taunt me as such.

[PEZi]

Because Race Car. You have been taunted.