RACING THE EPIC MINT 400!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=RjNaXlXVPgE

Super STOKED to have the opportunity of attempting to conquer this All American Race this year in Las Vegas! I race in a little 1967 VW bug that my dad and I built from the ground up. Cool thing is, this is actually the exact same car he raced in and won the Mint 400 before I was born 25 years ago! It has been a challenge but a great journey with my dad. We are excited to finally be able to go get it dirty! Of course with a race this large and publicized, the cost is hefty for a little family race team. Racing is my passion and we are doing all we can to make sure we have all the funds to compete! Any help is appreciated, even the smallest donation would help us out. Help us be apart of history! Plus, who wouldn't want to see a cute young girl take on this monstrous desert race in a cute little stock bug
Here is the link for our fundraiser! When we first started the build

Loooong days working on the bug!






Help out a father daughter Class 11 Team!





Will be using this thread to post updates and progress of the race as well. Can't wait to parade our bug down Las Vegas Blvd. with all the trophy trucks!

 

Yeah people go nuts for the nostalgic beetles! We have an article/photoshoot that is coming out of our team with our bug in the magazine Hot VWs next month. Here are some of the specs of the car from the article:

[FONT=&quot]FAMILY FUN ELEVEN[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Jeff Strait used to race this Class 11 car back in 1989-1990, and recently brought it out of retirement to race with his kids![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]BY BRUCE SIMURDA[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Off-road racing can be challenging, thrilling and, best of, a whole lot of fun. And it often doesn't matter if you're in an Unlimited class car with tons of horsepower, or a spec class with severe limitations on engine and suspension, because the thrill is in the accomplishment of being the best among similar racecar drivers, not necessarily how fast you go. Many years ago, Jeff Strait of Redlands, California found this to be true when he went racing in the stock VW Class 11 from 1998 - 1990, doing quite well until the racecar was parked. It sat at his friend's house for many years, until Jeff traded a Class 9 buggy for it, deciding he wanted to go racing again, this time with his daughter, Kayla, and son, Kyle.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Since the car had been sitting for so many years, and off-road race technology has changed considerably since last time it raced (even in Class 11), major updating was in order. With help from friend Chris Anderson, who loaned them the use of his garage for the project, Jeff and Kayla embarked on a nearly two-year project updating the suspension and rebuilding the car from the ground up. Some of the changes include a custom wing/taillight assembly from Scott Kell of Alloy Studios in El Cajon, California, a body wrap by Get More Wraps in Ontario, powdercoating by C&S powder Coating in Redlands and custom wiring by JFK Racing in Hesperia.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The front suspension, which was built by Doug Silcock in Glendora, consists of a '69 ball-joint front beam that was cut and twisted to raise the front end. All the seams were welded on the beam for strength and hook and claw stops added, the spindles were beefed with the speedo hole filled and gussets added to the steering arms, and the stock trailing arms were strengthened with gussets. Brakes are the stock '69 drums, but Fox shocks were added for better ground control. While front travel remains stock, the rear IRS was increased to 10+ inches with the help of Sway-A-Way 28mm torsion bars and axles, EMPI Type 2 CV-joints, stub axles and axles, and Fox 14-inch travel 2.0 shocks with smooth bodies. The tops of those shocks were mounted to the chassis with 2.0 BumpAir holders from Camburg Engineering, and anti-freeze is circulated into the body of the shocks and a cooler by a BMW water pump. Chris and Jeff handled the rear suspension work.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]While the engine must remain a 1600, Benco Racing in Riverside did their magic to get as much horsepower from it as legally possible. Starting with a magnesium dual-relief case, they added an 8-doweled crank, chromoly H-beam rods with ARP 2000 bolts, forged Mahle 85.5mm piston with Total Seal rings, a "custom ground" camshaft spun with steel straight-cut gears, and Manton chromoly pushrods. Single-port heads were used per class rules, but were upgraded with stock sized stainless steel valves, hi-rev valve springs, and chromoly retainers. With a 10.0:1 compression ratio, a race-prepped Solex 30 PICT carb feeds the limited amount of air and fuel, while a Bosch 009 distributor with Compufire ignition fires NGK plugs via a Bosch blue coil. Besides a 1-3/8-inch header from Al's Headers and Super Trapp muffler, major engine details include full balancing and blueprinting, sand seal pulley, and case shuffle pins. Benco also handled the '79 IRS trans rebuild, which was equipped with a Crown steel side cover, race prepped ring & pinion, Type 2 CV-joints, 091 pinion bearing, chromoly pinion nut and a bushed gear carrier.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The interior is anything but luxurious, with custom flat black aluminum dashboard from Alloy Studios holding Smith Race Wire gauges, Mil-spec switches, Lowrance GPS, PCI intercom, and Kenwood race radio. There are two PRP seats with adjustable lumbar supports for driver and co-driver, who are held in place with a pair of Simpson 5-point harnesses. Steering wheel has a quick release mechanism, but other components like pedal assembly and shifter are stock.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]So after a 25-year hiatus, Jeff is ready to go racing once again in his Class 11 sedan, along with his daughter Kayla, son Kyle and friend Tom. Their "Cheap Thrills Racing" team is ready to hit the desert in 2015, and we wish them all the best in their "Family Fun Eleven".[/FONT]

 

Hell to the Yeah.