Start Your Engines...

 
For Steve's 50th birthday, which is tomorrow, I really wanted to do something special. In early June while we were out having dinner one evening, I casually started questioning him about his upcoming BIG birthday:

Me: "Honey, what would you like to do for your birthday this year?"

Steve: "Nothing special...absolutely NO party!!"

Me: "OK, no party, but how about something a little extreme?"

Steve: "Like what?"

Me: "Skydiving?"

Steve: "No Way!"

Me: "Bungee jumping?"

Steve: "Absolutely not!"

Me: "I know, how about matching tattoos?"

Steve: "Not a chance. Are you crazy?"

Me: "OK then, what is something out of the ordinary that you have always dreamed of doing?"

Steve: (without hesitating) "Drive a race car."

Me: "Sure, like that could happen. I don't think anyone would be willing to let a total stranger drive their race car."

I stored the info in my mind and casually changed the subject.

The next day I started searching online for race tracks that offer amateur racing. I was striking out when Kyle happened to call. I told him what I was doing and he remembered hearing about one of our local tracks offering something called "Spectator" racing. I immediately checked it out and signed Steve up. The track is a 1/3 mile asphalt oval track and the cars are modifieds that can go over 100 mph, but usually only get up to about 70 because of the turns. He would be allowed 10 practice laps, then 2 laps to qualify for position in the main event, and then race a 15 lap main event...and all in front of the usual race night crowd since it would be during regular Saturday night races on Sept. 27th!

Warm up laps. Steve is driving the #15 car.

First lap of qualifying went well.

Second lap of qualifying resulted in spinning out and stalling the engine!

Push vehicle was called to help, but unfortunately it got hooked up with car, sooo...

they had to call out the BIG truck!

All lined up for the main event. Steve qualified for sixth place out of thirteen cars, which was great considering he only completed one qualifying lap.

Main event action!

Notice how close the #17 car is to Steve!

They ended up making contact and Steve spun out, but didn't stall his engine, so he got right back in the race.

And crossed the finish line!

All in all it was a great evening. Kyle took all the photos while I took videos with Steve's camera and Sam was there to cheer! I am not sure what place Steve finished, but it was somewhere in the middle of the pack. He did really well considering he got passed by several cars when he spun out.

Happy 50th Honey! Just wait 'til you see what I have planned for your 60th!!

A rocket...in my garage?

Excuse me, did you say you want to build a ROCKET in MY garage?

Casting tubes

A few months ago, my son, the mechanical engineering student, informed me that for a senior project his group decided to build a rocket!! Not just any rocket...this rocket would have to be launched in the desert of Nevada because it would shoot 40,000 feet into the air! It didn't matter that nobody at his school had ever attempted such a feat, or that his group had to plead their case to the "high ranking officials" of the school to get permission to dabble with rocket propellant, or that professors and mentors warned them that their time frame and the scope of their project would be practically impossible to complete, these guys were determined and driven. They jumped through all necessary hoops to get permission, they acquired funding and sponsors (including a nice check from NASA), and they went full steam ahead with all the optimism and excitement of youth.

Motor case insulation

Motor case

Sam assured me that all the dangerous elements would be done in the garage of their mentor, a wonderful man who works with rocket propellant for a living and volunteered to help, and our garage would just be used for storage and a work space for manufacturing parts. OK, no problem there, but he failed to mention that they would leave big messes and use all of his dad's tools! He even had me out there helping him cut wood early one morning so, I suggested writing "sponsored by Mom and Dad" on the side of his rocket, but he said for that we would have to fork over some real dough!!

Propellant grains before firing

Small motor after firing

After working for a couple of months and running into one problem after another... receiving damaged parts that had to be returned, instructors halting development until safety issues could be resolved, machinists at school that, as Sam put it, "Yell at me every single day about one thing or another," the group was hit with their biggest hurdle...they wouldn't be allowed to launch in December as planned; the latest the launch site would permit a launch would be the end of September, which meant losing almost 3 months of valuable time.

Nozzle

After much discussion and some disappointment, the group realized that they wouldn't be able to complete the entire rocket in the time given, so they have scaled it back to a "static test", which is a test of the engine, thrust, nozzles, and other things I don't understand. Although there will be nothing going up into the air, the test still has to be done in Nevada because of the size of the engine. The group was disappointed to cancel the launch, but the instructors and their mentor have all assured them that the amount of work involved in just the static test alone is way over the top for a senior project. The school has been closely monitoring this project and is considering using it as a catalyst to develop an aerospace engineering department, which will make it much easier for the next group that decides to build a rocket (Sam has already been approached by other students asking for permission to use his plans as their guide for a senior project next year). Pretty cool, huh? He is a pioneer!

Fiberglass lay-up on foam: nose cone experiment

I am proud of Sam because he has taken such a leadership role in this project. He has worked hard and he has learned how to deal with difficult people, how to be more assertive, and how to make wise decisions. That alone makes the project a big success for him as he will be a great asset to his future employer. Now, if only I could get him and his friends to clean the garage!