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with Gary Grigsby for this event.  Rene Robichaud out of Cincinnati would take Terry Heath's spot and Terry would concentrate on all other aspects of the team.  In addition to the new driver, the team had been down for about four months since our first event in Daytona and was a tad rusty.  Needless to say, these factors made the very short track time quite precious. 

 

Lime Rock Park is a short, tight, bumpy bull ring that favors a handling car over a high horsepower car.  Because of that, this is a track where the Mustangs do not fair well.  Generally speaking, they tend to hold us up in the turns and motor us down the straights.  When a Mustang is being piloted by someone of limited ability or experience it simply becomes a moving chicane, causing major problems for the rest of us.  Guess which Mustang was fitting that description for this event?  Yep, good old #50, our nemesis from the parking/paddock debacle.  We oh so unaffectionately began referring to this team as "The Wild Kid from Texas".  Because of the 70 extra horses the Ford Factory race engine had over our pure street production unit, we could not get around him on the straights.  Therefore, we wasted most of the session.  But, we did garner some good info, made some adjustments to the car and had it ready to go for Rene in the afternoon session. 

 

Rene turned out to be a pleasure to work with.  He took care of the car, progressed nicely, gave good feedback and took direction very well.  Rene too, would have fits with the #50 Mustang.  At the end of the day we were about 10 spots from where we should have been on the speed chart, mostly due to our friends from Texas.  Day two would allow another practice session followed by qualifying.  The first three practice laps were spent trying to get around the slow poke #50 Mustang.  This would cost us a broken windshield when the "Wild Texan" dropped a wheel at the beginning of "No Name Straight" and sent rocks flying.  Even with the short practice, Gary and Rene were both able