Journal Entry Eleven
At the Track
Portland International Raceway held a reopening ribbon cutting ceremony last weekend. Several hundred people attended. The track has been repaved and slightly redesigned. Brian Connolly made arrangements for us to get VIP treatment at the track. Jason Steele went too.
After watching the ceremonies we took four laps around the 1.9 mile track.
On the first lap I was going so fast down the front straight that I couldn't turn at the chicane and went on through. I bounced off rumble strips at the turns, trying for a late apex to get maximum speed down the track. I hit fifth gear on the back straight before heading for the pits at Turn 9.
After driving that hot lap in my wheelchair, I waited for Jason and Brian and we took the next three laps in the van.
Brian found the event organizer, who put us behind the pace car and in front of the several hundred other cars already lined up to take parade laps. As usual, I rode shotgun, which left Jason bouncing around in back while Brian drove like Mario Andretti around the track. Our average speed for the three laps was at least 40 mph!
Then, on to Li'l Cooperstown to debrief.
