Just a quick note from Gary Faules, as he hasn’t been able to post any pics the last couple of days. Team CBR has now picked up two podium finishes! Yesterday on the super fast and dangerous La Buffa stage, they pulled off a 3rd place on the stage. The previous day, on the reverse running of the equally dangerous Mil Cumbres, they scored their first stage win!

Both stages have taken their toll on the field, with many heavy crashes. Yesterday, one car did 5 endos down an embankment. Fortunately the driving crew are fine thanks to their well designed safety equipment and some luck.

Keep it up guys, we’re rooting for you!

Sunday’s stages at La Carrera promised to be the most difficult and have historically been the event’s most dangerous sections. Fortunately our guys are beginning to hit their groove and it is showing on the leader board. As of right now, Team CBR is sitting in 13th overall and 4th in class.

While visiting the new race track section, Gary kicked ass, including some La Carrera vets in some serious iron. The super dangerous Sunday stages seem to be where Gary found his calling. A super fast, super dangerous mountain road were just the combination for Lucky to shine. Well, maybe not quite so shiny after a bit of a hairy incident involving heavy oversteer and a concrete pole. No matter though, apparently the resulting rash looks pretty cool. It’s certainly better than the poor Vette that went over a drop off and burned.

You’ll have to visit Lucky’s blog for more killer images. I can’t wait to see the in car!

It sounds like things are going like clockwork for Team California’s Best in Mexico as they prepare for the start of the 20th Anniversary running of La Carrera Panamerica. These guys are pros and it shows. First through scrutineering, and making it through without a hitch, while other teams are still scrambling to get final details together.

Team CBR has been able to take advantage of their spare time to meet the fans, goof around on a funky pit cart and get some camera time for the local news. It looks like they are having way too much fun! Head on over to the official Team CBR blog to see more great pictures.

Our man on the west coast, Gary Faules and the rest of the Team California’s Best have made it to Laredo, Texas where they’ve rendezvoused for the trip into Mexico en mass. Last night was the first of many La Carrera Panamerica event parties, let’s hope everyone behaved!
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Team California’s Best has loaded Lucky in the trailer and begin the trek to Mexico at 4 am Cali time this morning. Along the way, Gary will try to keep us up to date with a few photos here and there. The really cool thing about this is that we can all keep track of their progress via our phones, using morf mobile. I’ll let Gary tell you how:

Take a few minutes to create your personal mobile site from your computer, you can share it and interact with others - all on your mobile phones.

You also can include other friends in the mobile community by inviting them to join by sending them your mobile site address SMS or your computer?s e-mail. It?s that simple. There is no need to upload software to your phone or pay monthly subscription fees ? it?s free. We recommend that you upgrade to an unlimited data plan from your wireless carrier.

To get started, login on the web at morf mobile

Check it out! If you have questions then go to the HELP information inside the web portal for details on how each feature works. If you have additional questions or comments send them along to: support@morfmobile.com

Thanks for joining!

Gary and Jon

Hot on the heels of this morning’s videos of our west coast contributor, Gary Faules’ GT-350 lapping at Infineon Raceway, now we have some killer in car footage of the break in. Perhaps more important, Gary’s co-driver, Jon Emerson is finally allowed to spill the beans on the team’s big news.

I’m sure Gary will have lots to tell here in The Garage, but for now check out the extreme coolness that is Lucky at Sears Point! Once the car is broken in, don’t think that Spec Miata will sail past quite so easily!

They say that a rib injury never fully heals. A few years ago, I had a pretty unhealthy bout of pneumonia and during that time I coughed so much that I hurt my ribs on the left side. To this day, sometimes I’ll move just the right wrong way that causes me to double over in pain. It’s like someone is sticking a knife through my rib cage. This little bit of nastiness came to light during my recent visit to Pocono Raceway and made me think about the importance of driving position and proper support. In more than a few cars I tested, the side loads the car generated far exceeded the level of support offered by the seats and I found myself using the steering wheel to keep from flying across the car. The result was a searing pain in my left side as I begged the corner to end. It really was that bad.
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There are so many means of transportation… cars, boats, trains, planes, bikes, motorcycles and many more. I have been asked many times why I love racing and cars so much but the truth is it’s easier to explain which means of transportation I hate the most.

Every driver has his or her own unique style of control and there are many variations but when it comes to getting off a toboggan I respectfuly consider myself an expert even though I have only done it once. Since the normal reaction is to stick your foot in the snow trying to stop the ankles are the first thing to go. That is about the time your ankles get shoved up into your pelvis making the overall length of my legs about four inches long. Continue reading →

For the last 6 months or so, west coast contributor to The Garage, Gary Faules has been hard at work preparing his GT-350R clone, Lucky, for the 2007 running of La Carrera Panamerica. Earlier this week, Lucky breathed in some fresh air and fuel and burst to life with a roar and a belch of fire. Team California’s Best was kind enough to catch this on video to share with the world.
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Fresh off yesterday’s sweet e-bay find, Gary Faules has come across another cool Datsun 510. This one is being prepped to run this years La Carrera Panamerica against Gary & his GT-350 clone Lucky by a gentleman by the name of Francisco Ortiz.

You can keep tabs of Franscisco’s progress at his blog. You’ll do better if you can read Spanish, as Google Translator doesn’t really do it justice.