[DeTomaso] OPTIMA CHALLENGE

[rcbsons1 at aol.com]

Just getting back to the real world today
First I want to thank my buddy Rich for helping
me out with loading the car, keeping track of my keys
and helping with everything and hanging out.  I also want to thank all the 
Pantera owners who came out to support me.  We talked to a bunch 
of cool guys besides that loved the car.. best of all we did not break it!!!

Results... I am officially 28th out of 58 competitors
If you are 20th or more in any part of the event you get ZERO.. lots of Zeros in the results
Almost everyone scored 10 points for the cruise.. one broke
a few must have taken a shortcut in cruising 5 miles one way
down the Strip at 4pm on a Friday night and then 7 miles the other
way.. then a short hop on the freeway to Shelby.. testing cooling..proving its a street car.. etc

I only scored in the stop box event taking 13th overall.. car was slightly
bogging down from the turn around point even after lowering the fuel
bowel and installing a crossover tube..

I had 8 cars score better than me in looks with no performance points
In my book that moves me up to 20th overall.. not bad for a 40 year old car
and many cars with from 800 to over 1000 hp

I made row three of the group photo behind all the vendors and 300k cars.... they took their time picking the order
I had a photo shoot with Popular Hot Rodding after I finished
I had the guy at the start of the Autocross told me he loved the sound of the car
Goldberg talked to me to pump you up and gave me a thumbs up after my run
They put cameras on the car several times.. inside and out
When I pulled up to do the stop box they held me for a bit as the helicopter camera guy really wanted to shoot
the car on my run...they waited and he a tech problem so no shot
On the track run I had the Race car driver behind me in the photo car for two laps- 570hp 4 wheel drive Amg station wagon-fast,fast
I met and talked to Herb Adams of VSE.. cool guy running his 40 year camero
I burned the tires off the car but still had good launches in the autocross and stop box challenge
I did spin the car in the autocross and did not fair too well but beat my mustang buddy by 4 seconds

One of the local autocrossers I have know since he was 16 won the overall event in his Dad's 65 vette
Last year he lost by 1 point 

Great times and when I thanked Jimi Day of Optima he told me everyone loved the Pantera
It will be televised on Mavtv I believe in Februrary.. the Pantera will hopefully have some air time

They just annouced a new series leading up to the Challenge starting in March at Laguna.. it will be a new Mav tv series
I will be there but more than likely with the Firebird knowing I got Zero points in the pretty catagory with the Pantera

I just died and went to heaven.. it was a great ride... best thing I have done in the car so far

Bob Benson still #3 black Pantera 




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