|   October 12, 2006 I’m currently sitting on an airplane ready to depart from Memphis to head home from business. The last two weeks have been a blur, however we have quite a few irons in the fire for next season and I am really excited about the potential to really make it happen. In my last rant I spoke a lot about the mysterious “sound beneath the valve covers.” As you can see from the latest press release we managed to make it to the most recent race last weekend so that pretty much answers the questions regarding the Purple Rocket. Of course that was a good thing considering it was not as serious as I initially thought. I guess you can say it’s good to consider the worst at times that way you can be both prepared if that is the case or surprised to find out it isn’t. However, I was a bit apprehensive at the event after round one due to another unique sound from the engine bay. Upon further investigation we found the bolts which attach the converter to the flywheel found a way to loosen themselves. Seems that happens when the engine is turning 7600 rpm’s thru the big end (racer slang for - finish line). I also mentioned a photo shot as well. I had the pleasure of being interviewed by a fantastic reporter in Raneeka Claxton as a feature in Twist Magazine as, “Guy of the Month.” Twist is a weekly magazine included in the weekend edition of the Detroit News / Free Press. If you are interested you can check out the interview here: http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006610080308. The coolest thing about getting an interview in a non-racing related publication is hearing from old friends and people I don’t get to speak to on the regular. Usually when people see things such as this they drop me an e-mail and it is always good to hear from them. Anyway, the doors on the flight are closing and the last call for electronic devices has been issued so I gotta run. Until next time keep your fingers crossed. Hopefully we will have something to announce soon… Live fast, drive hard!!! Later... September 20, 2006 I know, I know. It’s been awhile. Lately I have been busier than usual with frequent trips out of town for business as well as racing just about every weekend. In addition to all of that it’s that time of year where we are chasing money looking for marketing partners for the 2007 season. The goal is to move up in classification to the Top Alcohol Funny Car category. I have some very good opportunities; however they revolve around finding adequate funding to compete. Keep in mind we are looking at opportunities to compete with a top notch championship caliber team. Having said that my marketing team and I have been beating the bushes and we do have some irons in the fire. This past weekend we were at the Funny Car Nationals at US 131 Motorsports Park. Although, the weather was superb for a late summer weekend things did not go very well with the purple rocket. Unfortunately, after only one pass a quick check under the valve covers revealed a destroyed push rod, broken rocker arm, damaged retainer and a missing lash cap. For those of you in the know the missing lash cap was of great concern considering it could potentially be stuck somewhere in the motor. Due to the parts failure we were forced to load up early despite our intentions to leave with something shinny and a little of that green stuff made for spending. Oh well, that’s racing. However, the fans were great and made the trip itself very much worth it. When we returned home I tore the top of the engine down and there is where I discovered the missing lash cap. This came as somewhat of a relief. I also inspected the lifter which was undamaged meaning the cam lobe was not wiped out. Wheeeew… Fast forward to Tuesday after an all night thrash to get the hot rod ready for a photo shoot and the engine sounded awesome until we attempted to start it for the second time. This is where a unique sound came from beneath the valve covers. Hopefully it isn’t much besides a valve adjustment. We were unable to investigate the root cause because we needed to get the purple rocket ready for a guest appearance with the camera and a highly skilled photog who goes by Kyle Keener. I’ll let you know all about the photo shoot in my next rant. Keep your fingers crossed that the mysterious sound from “beneath the covers” isn’t much more that a minor adjustment. Until next time… Live fast, drive hard! Later… August 20, 2006 Getting excited about the worlds largest one day cruise is never hard to do especially when it’s in your own backyard, The Motor City. Now add in the fact my hot rod was on display as one of the many attractions at this year’s festival of cars and car culture. Last year I was there with the VIPsports Top Alcohol Funny Car team and this year Toyo Tires asked us to represent them to the crowds of adorning gear heads. On behalf of both Toyo Tires and Leadfoot Motorsports the fans were absolutely awesome. In spite of persistent rain much of the day, people came out to the event and stopped by our display non-stop. One of my favorite things to do besides wheeling some fuel burning beast down the 1320 is interacting with the fans as well as answering questions pertaining to our many marketing partners. In this case Toyo tires was the star of the show for obvious reasons, however our numerous other partners received ample support as well. If you have never been to the dream cruise I would advise you to make it one of those things you do to complete you fan resume. This event is one that can’t be summed into words. For one the sheer magnitude of the event itself and the million plus people that attend make it a very special place to be. Detroit definitely earned its right to use the “Motor City” moniker this weekend. Even Rob from Toyo tires could not believe so many people turned out to the event knowing hard rain was in the forecast for much of the day. In addition to representing Toyo tires, we were also pleased to have the addition of Jamie who is one of the lovely ladies competing for the title of Ms. Von Dutch / Leadfoot Motorsports. Jamie did an excellent job in representing herself, Leadfoot, Toyo and all of our other marketing partners. I think she has a bright future in modeling as well as anything else she decides to be involved with. Now that the show is over our next focus is to get the purple rocket ready for the biggest race on the IHRA’s schedule. The IHRA World Finals in Norwalk, OH at Norwalk Raceway Park will be our next event. The event begins this week August 24 – August 27th. Wish us luck as we look to capture our first Ironman! Until next time… live fast, drive hard!!! August 8, 2006 I knew this weekend would be a success as soon as I saw my engine builder James “J” roll up with that Hot Box (Nitrous Bottle Heating System). My team and I have been waiting on this for a few weeks and finally having it in my possession took the race day stress off a little bit. My crew and I got to Milan in the early afternoon and made two passes before the night was over. The engine and car overall felt and sounded really strong and we were able to put up some good numbers. Of course as a racer I am never satisfied. You can check out the results page for the details. My crew chief will be working from now until the next race to make the purple rocket fly ever faster with what's in that Hot Box—N2O! We’re finally getting a handle on the new combination and I can't wait! Even though all of my family wasn't at this Skinny kid's race, I got all the love and support I needed from the fans coming over to the Leadfoot pit to check out the car and get an autographed hero card. But I can't say that I was the only reason the male fans came over...the third set of models came out for the race and had guys making consistent stops to our pit early and often. These models were probably our most talented set yet...I hope some of you got the chance to see their modeling portfolios when you stopped by the pit. I must admit that the judges had a really tough job on their hands when deciding who would advance but congratulations to both Melissa and Scherry for making it to the next round! These ladies really impressed the judges...they will be interviewed for my website in a few days so bookmark the website and check back for their interviews. I love doing things for other people which is why I agreed to be the main attraction of a car show in Detroit on Saturday. It was the 1st Annual Youth Empowerment car show and the main focus were the youth of Detroit. I'm all about the kids and whenever I have the chance, I'll do all I can to help improve their days and hopefully enrich their lives. For the entire day I talked to young adults and young children who love cars and just wanted to see someone like them making it in this crazy business. I was elated that I could be that person. Before the night was over countless kids had made their way over to the Leadfoot pit for a coloring contest. There were some really serious contenders, however in the end 3-year old Jaiden proved too much to handle as she beat out everyone and was declared the winner! The kids also had the chance to sit in my hot rod and feel what it's like to be in the hot seat. The most talented future racer had to be 2 and 1/2 year old Antoine...he touched all the right levels and even shifted his whole body to get down and touch the pedals. After much begging and pleading, he even convinced me to close the driver's door so he could feel like a real racer. His mother couldn't get the smile off of his face for the rest of the night. Seeing the promise and joy in his and the eyes of all the other children I met made all the trials and tribulations my crew and I have been through this season worth it. Overall things are going well. From a guy chasing his dream and also living it, live fast, drive hard!!! Later... July 6, 2006 I've been waiting all season for the IHRA Motor City Nationals at Milan Dragway and here they are this weekend. The season is going by so fast and I'm loving every minute of it! I also love being able to do what I love, drag race, so close to Detroit, where I grew up. There should be many famous faces appearing in the stands as well as behind the wheel and I can't wait to amaze them all! The crew and I have been working around the clock to get the purple rocket running and looking its best. We'll be prepared for all the challenges we might face over the three day event. Thank you to my fans, who are sending words of loyalty and encouragement through the Leadfoot Motorsports website! The purple rocket is ready to fly; this weekend 'rock city' is going to be blown away! Live fast, drive hard!!! Later… June 27, 2006 Well I'm sitting writing to you from Cleveland, MS where I'm here on business. I miss the car and my home so I can't wait to get back on Wednesday. Even with my limited access to technology while here, I, along with everyone at Leadfoot has been working overtime to make this Friday's race the best yet of the season. The "Purple rocket" is ready to launch, gorgeous models are on stand-by and I'm anxious to get in my fire suit and behind the wheel. Check back for results on July 1st. Live fast...drive hard!!! June 8, 2006 I guess it doesn’t take long for a month to come and go when 16-20 hour days are the norm. Since the last update much hard work and preparation by my crew and I almost have us in a position for the grueling part of our schedule. It has also rained here in southeast Michigan for much of the month of May which didn’t provide many opportunities for testing. However, we have weathered the storm and the performance of both the team and the car is coming around. Because of our great supporters such as Lucas Oil, Splitfire Spark Plugs and Jeg’s with their racer discount program we are looking forward to the continuous schedule which lay ahead. If you have not checked in on our lovely lady model search be sure to drop in and take a peak. In addition to Michelle both Jane and Amber were winners from the past two legs of our contest. Soon we will have interviews from each of the winners as well as constant updates on my team and I. Check back soon and don’t miss a beat. Until next time… Live fast, drive hard!!! May 13, 2006 Another week has come and gone and we are yet another day closer to the next event. During this past week we have firmed things up with Show and Go Customs which is the paint shop that will be applying our awesome scheme. We are also anxiously anticipating the arrival of our new trailer custom built to our specs from Vintage Trailers. In the mean time we have also repaired a few odds and ins on the race car. These include the rerouting and rewiring of both the trans brake and line loc buttons. By the way our team crew shirts have arrived and I was going after a more unique and less traditional look and I feel these new shirts will do just that. By the way be sure to check out the model search area because we have added some eye candy from the first event as well as the winner of the first leg of the contest, Michelle Woolcott. I'll be the first to congratulate Michelle because she truly represented both Leadfoot Motorsports and Von Dutch well. Until next time, catch you later. Thanks! May 8, 2006 The battle scars from the first race of the season consist of a two day trash and one qualifying pass that left a broken throttle cable and no usable data. However, we do know the engine is and will work great for us from the rumble and quick throttle response on my John Force style burnout. Overall the first race was a success because we really did not break anything and the fans reactions to our teams' presence in the pit area were all well received. We had many on lookers and just to think our "WOW" paint scheme hasn't been applied. By the next heads-up event at Milan Dragway on June 2 nd the performance and appearance of the Leadfoot Motorsports clan will be in tip top shape. Just as the first race has wrapped up it's time to continue the grind and get ready for the next event scheduled for May 27 th. Check back soon and I'll let you know how things are comin' or goin' for that matter. Later! May 3, 2006 Well, you all the count down has officially begun. It is currently HELL WEEK. I don’t mean that in a negative way, however it’s time to dot the I’s and cross the T’s. My team and I are working in fifty different directions, although all going towards the same goal. I am working to get the hero cards printed, team crew shirts produced and most importantly awaiting the engine in the 25th hour from my engine builder for our up coming event this Friday, May 5th. I should have the engine in my possession today. Yes, that’s right two days before the event. I know what you’re thinking… That’s plenty of time, right... Well we still have to plumb the car for the juice (nitrous) so it’s going to take a little time to make sure it is right. However, I have an awesome team and I am confident we will be locked, loaded and ready to tear down that 1320 on Friday. On another note, I hope you are enjoying the site. Zach my webmaster and Leadfoot Marketing are always pushing the envelope and striving to make the site the very best and I am proud to have them in my corner. By the way we have also added some eye candy in the model search area. Enjoy! Thanks again and check back soon. Later! April 26, 2006 I'm not sure if I should congratulate myself or Kenny at Pro-line trailers for FINALLY closing the deal with the trailer. We should expect to receive a black 28' Vintage Outlaw trailer complete with chrome corners and chrome wheels the week of May 15 th. Considering this task is done the Leadfoot design team has to get back into the lab to concoct another visual desert to make the trailer truly representative of Leadfoot Motorsports, Von Dutch and Planet Color. Speaking of eye candy we have just sent the informal renderings of our new paint scheme to the scientists at Planet Color and North Channel Graphics. Once it is completed it will be like rainfall to a drought… B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L… Stay tuned. We don't want to give it away by releasing the rendering early, therefore you'll have to wait till it's applied. Meanwhile, today was very productive and we have a phenomenal photographer in Davide who will be working with us for the Von Dutch Leadfoot Motorsports model search at Milan Dragway on May 5 th. Davide's creativity can be viewed at www.davidephotography.com. His creativity is sure to provide a great canvas of photographs for your viewing pleasure. With the race car rendering just about wrapped up as well as the confirmation of our new trailer's build the list of things to do before the season kicks into high gear is moving along. Check back soon as I'll have more info to update you with. As always, Thanks! April 25, 2006 The excitement of spring is in the air with constant daily deliveries of race car parts arriving at our race shop. Today we received our new rear slicks and front runners from our sponsor Toyo Tires. Toyo has been working to develop tires for our combination for the past couple of seasons and we are looking forward to the performance we know they will provide. In addition to the tires we also received my helmet shell from Bell racing another of our marketing partners that our shop manager will have sent out to North Channel Graphics for an interesting concept to be applied by our graphics guy. North Channel Graphics is known for their design and application of graphics on the Dodge Viper, Ford GT numerous NASCAR programs such as Mark Martin’s team and now they are part of the Leadfoot Motorsports family. Working with these companies allows me the opportunity to chase the dream because of their immense support. Today I have also been working with my sister Toyin. She is the Charity and Special events coordinator of Leadfoot Motorsports and also an employee of the United Way foundation. We have been discussing ideas on how to develop the Leadfoot Foundation charity program for the upcoming season. Hopefully we can make a little more progress on the approval of our new trailer tomorrow. Check back soon and I’ll keep you posted. Thanks!!! April 24, 2006 Hello everyone and welcome to my site. As you can see from our schedule our first race scheduled May 5th is fast approaching. Each day that passes is more like a week considering I am awaiting the arrival of the engine from the engine builder as well as our new trailer ordered three weeks ago. I’m also working on getting some new crew shirts to represent all of our marketing partners properly. The car has gone through a complete transformation over the last two months. We have a complete new combination (i.e. engine, transmission, converter, rear-end gear, tire size and power adder). We are eagerly approaching the season optimistically with hope that the new combination will produce some awesome performance on the track. In addition to all of these changes with the combination, I am the only drag racer in the country sponsored by Sherwin Williams Automotive Finishes and their new “Planet Color” product line. The fine folks at Sherwin Williams have me beaming with the creation of my very own color – “Purple Olatunji.” If that’s not support then I don’t know what is. The Leadfoot Marketing team led by Vice President Ian Moore and I are currently working on a rendering for a new slammin’ paint scheme for the purple rocket. Hopefully we’ll have something to show you in the not to distant future. Check back soon as I’ll let you know how our progress is coming along. Thanks!!! |
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