UNLIMITED 

THREE 

(Team Rusty Old Datsun)

EMI Racing Designs, LLC

"The modern racing car is a sophisticated and almost infinitely adjustable device. Properly adjusted and set up, it should exhibit no vices and very few deficiencies (except, of course, for every driver's age old lament about lack of power). However, if the car's set up on any given day does not closely approach the ideal, no man on earth can win races with it." - Carroll Smith from Drive to Win

Absolutely the best place to get your car looking great! From daily drivers to multi-million dollar Pebble Beach winners, Jeff and the crew can make it shine. (714) 891-3733 or jeff@classycars.com

by BP

We'll start out with an easy question. What made you and Bryan decide to do OTC?

Beer. Uuummmm, beeeer.

Better OTC Teammate: OJ Simpson or Tanya Harding?

OJ. He gets things done. We can just point him at some competitor with a blonde girlfriend and OJ will do the rest. Tanya just gets other people to do her dirty work. Bryan and I have enough stuff do to without a whiney ice skater sending us out to bash people in the legs with a torque wrench. 

Ok, we've got you down for competing in Unlimited Three. A majority of your competition will come from well-prepped S2000's and WRX's. What kind of 70's-era Secret Sauce does the Datsun bring to the table for these guys?

SU carburetors, thin sheet metal, and cheap parts.

So, what's the training regimen like over at Team Rusty Old Datsun these days?

Training? For a time trial? You've been spending way too much time with male model wannabe Hayashi. Since he left MSFT he's been trying to build a career on the catwalk but he keeps facing rejection because he's not "cut" enough and he can't yank his shorts up through his butt crack. Dagmar said he's been practicing that last part, with Mello's help, and is getting better at it. 

You've had a month or so to begin thinking about your team's strategy for OTC. Instead of having you open up the Rusty Old Playbook for everyone, why don't you comment on what you think the most difficult aspect of our event is and how you plan to overcome it.

John: "It's 643 miles to Las Vegas. We've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark and we're wearing sunglasses."

Bryan: "Hit it."

In terms of dollar value, what is the second biggest export to the United States from Colombia?

Do we include direct or indirect exports from Columbia to the US?

Since the The Group of Three (G-3) free trade agreement between Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela (which was modeled after NAFTA) direct trade with Columbia and the US has declined. It is more advantageous for a Columbian exporter to ship product to Mexico (under G-3) and then have a Mexican subsidiary ship to the US under NAFTA. Since G-3 took effect on January 1, 1995, bilateral trade between Mexico and Colombia has increased by 41%, from US$ 427 million in 1994 to US$ 600 million in 1998. During 1999, Mexican imports of Colombian goods rose 80%, while Columbian exports to Mexico augmented by 30%. 

To come up with a correct answer to your question we need to identify those Mexican exports to the US that have Columbian origins. That information is not available in a consistent, accurate form.

As you know, we look to Formula One in most instances for guidance on the spirit of competition and its format. Maybe you can help me out on one thing, though. Why aren't there any Americans driving in Formula One?

Its never what you know, its always who you know. If you haven't learned that by now (and Rahal seems to have forgotten that)…

It's the same good old boy thing that NASCAR is accused of. An American driver has to be absolutely fantastic, have buckets of money, and be blessed by one of the "powers that be" to get a seat in F1 because the Good 'Ol Boys would have to exclude one of their own and justify that action to their peers.

Let's turn the question around. BP, why aren't there any European drivers driving in NASCAR? 

What's the deal with NASCAR? Maybe you can explain this phenomenon to me.

Racing, beer, baseball caps, beer, halter-tops, and beer. NASCAR racing and NASCAR drivers are more like "us" than Formula 1. The whole "gentleman racer" image never caught on here in the US. We prefer Dukes of Hazard to The Avengers.

Oh, and NASCAR short track racing is better than anything on TV!

What superlative award do you think your team is favored to win?

Most debris left on track. 

Well, that's it. Why don't you wrap it up by acknowledging your sponsors and any others who support your habit.

Erik Messley at EMI Racing Designs for stoking the habit and engineering the "special" parts.

Jeff Jeppesen at Classy Cars for keeping the car, the trailer, and the truck looking good. Remember, it's not whether you win or loose, it's how good you looked while on the track.

Jim Thompson at Sunbelt Performance Engines for the horsepower.

Dara and Lynn for putting up with Bryan and I during this adventure.

And all the "little people" that make this possible.