NORRA 1000 2017

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yikes
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NORRA 1000 2017

Post by yikes »

What a fantastic time we had! It was so difficult to return without following the race all the way down. Thanks for the invite Steve! Want to share a few photos of Steve's epic ride in John Swifts 26 year old, but still absolutely amazing Ford Rough Riders Explorer. They don't make them like this any more. Enjoy...


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Legends...
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yikes
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Re: NORRA 1000 2017

Post by yikes »

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All cleaned up and prep'd for day 2...
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yikes
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Re: NORRA 1000 2017

Post by yikes »

Another legend of the dirt....Rick Bagwell!!
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ChaseTruck754
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Re: NORRA 1000 2017

Post by ChaseTruck754 »

Jealous! Swift's exploder is one of my favorite trucks of all time. What the king is behind the wheel of ain't bad either of course. Looks like a good time as always.
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Re: NORRA 1000 2017

Post by 300 »

Team Autofab had a pretty clean run. Another Second place in class. Didn't get stuck, have any flats or serious mechanical failures. The new Lead Nav stuff on the ipad is an excellent addition. Good thing, the Lowrance took a dump before BOLA. Engine ran strong. Had some trailer issues, typical in Mexico. BOLA was more of a nightmare than last year, with another epic sand storm plus the power went out. Was nice getting there before dark. About half the team's personal gear got stolen in downtown Ensenada the first day. The broken header happened on the last stage of the last day, just before the finish. Rick and John are still on the road in Mexico.
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Re: NORRA 1000 2017

Post by SteveG »

Wow. That header went away in a major way!

It was great to spend some time with all of you in SF... very much looking forward to next year.
Sho nuff,
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Re: NORRA 1000 2017

Post by flyinbronco »

[url][https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8 ... BF814F/url]

I hope this picture posts. Everyone from Team Autofab is home safe and sound. Tons of pictures to post and even more stories to tell. I'll be working on posting in a few days.
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tcm glx
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Re: NORRA 1000 2017

Post by tcm glx »

flyinbronco wrote:https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8 ... e=59BF814F

I hope this picture posts. Everyone from Team Autofab is home safe and sound. Tons of pictures to post and even more stories to tell. I'll be working on posting in a few days.

Cant wait to hear em!
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Re: NORRA 1000 2017

Post by tcm glx »

Fixed the image...

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toddz69
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Re: NORRA 1000 2017

Post by toddz69 »

Awesome shot!

And a ride in the Explorer???? Super envious! That is so cool - one of my favorite rigs of all time too.

We had a good run this year in the Bronco too. First day issues when the other driver hit a big rut and flatted/broke the steering box that we were able to fix fairly quickly. I bent a wheel and had to fix some brake issues on Day 3 but otherwise a clean run.

Autofab guys were running fast and smooth because I never saw them until the party in Cabo. Sucks that gear got stolen!

Todd Z.
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Re: NORRA 1000 2017

Post by SteveG »

toddz69 wrote:Awesome shot!

And a ride in the Explorer???? Super envious! That is so cool - one of my favorite rigs of all time too.

We had a good run this year in the Bronco too. First day issues when the other driver hit a big rut and flatted/broke the steering box that we were able to fix fairly quickly. I bent a wheel and had to fix some brake issues on Day 3 but otherwise a clean run.

Autofab guys were running fast and smooth because I never saw them until the party in Cabo. Sucks that gear got stolen!

Todd Z.
This was an interesting trip. Currently, my life is constant turn and burn. All events and trips, dates, etc., blend together... at any given moment, if you ask me what day it is or where I was a couple weeks ago... pffft! Who knows!? In all that chaos, however, was the 2017 Mexican 1000. The 50'th anniversary, to be exact. I have to say, I have not had an easier weekend in a really long time. Fast, but truly, an enjoyable experience on so many levels. And, the further we got into it, the more I knew it would be hard to leave.

I'll give you guys a little background on this:

Sometime earlier this year: Steve Bechard, our Event Manager and I, decide we ARE going to the first couple days of the 2017 Mexican 1000. We figure we'll take the Relay Truck, tools, test equipment and the essentials to get people fixed up in case of issues. We plan to help anyone we can and, have a damn good time in the process.

Mint 400, evening before race day: The crew is spent. It's 9pm, we haven't eaten since breakfast at 6am and the hotel restaurant says it's gonna be a couple hours before they can seat us... no bueno but our options are limited. The boss and I put our name in and sit at the restaurant bar. After 15 minutes and no help, we get a text that a couple of our guys are having drinks at a bar down the hall so we head over. We kill a double Jack and Coke and B.S. A customer of ours, Scott, walks up and we start talking. he says he's here with John Swift and his wife, etc., etc. Post John Swift mention, I hear pretty much nothing as I'm fixated on the fact that the guy that drives the coolest freakin' Explorer of all time is seated just a few feet from me. I make a a B-line to John and his wife and proceed to tell them all about my mom's old Explorer turned Autofab sleeper and... all kinds of other Explorer and GFB nonsense. So what does John do? Invites me to ride in the Explorer. Ummmm...... OKAY!!!!

A few weeks before: Staffing issues and WAY TOO MANY commitments to list, make the above a really hard push. We decide to bow out of attending the race as a work function but I, simply, cannot let this go. Come on... NORRA 1000, 50'th anniversary, the coolest damn Ford Explorer EVER!

So I start trying to figure out how to make this happen... not easy, considering I have too much shite to do at work on Friday and I have to be at work on Tuesday... not good!

And here comes Yikes... who the hell agrees that driving to Ensenada Friday night at 10PM and going home Monday morning is a god idea? Well, he does! by 1:45AM, Saturday before race day, he and I are partaking in tacos a block away from Estero Beach.

It's a little bit of a blur from there but, shit, that was a damn good, relaxing, fulfilling and EPIC weekend. One of those weekends were, on the way home, you process what the hell actually happened and realize... that was the shit good, good memories are made of... did we really just do that!!!???

I seriously cannot thank Brian and the Swift Motorsports crew enough... all such great people that provided us with nothing but hospitality for no good reason other than, we were there. In every way, all involved embodied everything I love about desert racing.

In the end I will tell you this: I am HOOKED. Brian and I both agreed, we are in it to the end next year. Whether it's racing, chasing or even just spectating... leaving before it's over SUCKED and will not happen again if we can help it!

Oh, oh, oh! AND, on top of all that, we got to spend some time with our beloved Autofab crew in San Felipe. John, Rick, Kelly, Don, Richard, Ricky... who know's who's kid that really was!-KIDDING! Seriously, good...GREAT times with even better people... can't wait till next year, my friends.
Sho nuff,
SteveG
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Re: NORRA 1000 2017

Post by SteveG »

toddz69 wrote:And a ride in the Explorer???? Super envious! That is so cool - one of my favorite rigs of all time too.
I kind of went off on a tangent there... The Explorer. So most of us here are beamed Ford guys... this Explorer is just that. A bitchin' beamed truck that does everything you would expect it to do. it handles great, takes hits in stride and is just a brute through all kinds of nasty stuff. Yeah, I'm sure a new A-Arm TT is much faster, but to an old-school Ford beam guy, it feels just right! And, that 550hp NASCAR v6 is not too shabby!

Here's the crazy thing. The Swift Explorer with, I don't know how much, wheel travel, and 35" tires, sits at least an inch lower than my mostly-stock Explorer with 33" inch tires! To say that photos do not do it justice is, well, an injustice... such a cool experience that I'm so grateful for... to so many people
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Re: NORRA 1000 2017

Post by toddz69 »

Thanks for that great report, Steve! You can just feel the passion and emotions emanating from the words in your posts! I agree that is an E-ticket ride for us old school guys and I'm thrilled to heard the back story on how it all started.

Very cool of John Swift to give you that opportunity to ride along with him!

Someday I'd like to take the glass off the front of that truck and figure out exactly how that front suspension works. I've looked at it many times but still have a lot of questions.

Todd Z.
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Re: NORRA 1000 2017

Post by Pickuptrucker »

Great story thanks for sharing!
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