With my move to my new house behind me, the focus has turned to the X again. I have been working with Cobb tuning on all the programing issues, and feel that those problems are behind us now.

Cobb says that it will still be awhile before the ECU for Xterra's come out. They plan to finish the Titan ECU first then do the Xterra. Drop them a line and express your interest, if you want them to focus on the Xterra one. Show them there is the demand for the Xterra ECU.

I found that the front diff had blown apart at speed, destroying everything inside, even the housing was trash. A new one is in route as I write.

BitD has ruled that the new tubular arm is and will remain illegal for class 3100. I will have no choice but to go back to the stock arm again. After their ruling and me talking to Nissan we decided to stay in class 3100 and go for the title for '07, but move to class 3000 for '08.

This is the first race that I have really got the test time in that is needed to hammer out the bugs that come with a new vehicle. Reflecting on this last year, I realize where we made our mistake, costing the Xterra to not finish the first 2 races. What we did wrong, was trying to do away with all the extra computor controled items. With Nissan's new electronics you must keep everything in place and intregated together for the system to work. The "keep it simple" method does not work here. The first races have to be chaulked up as just test time.

For the most part the Xteeraracer has the suspension dialed in now, the over heating is gone now, we have tire testing results now, we know what the weak links are in the front end, so now we can go to the race knowing exactly what to expect from the Xterra. I have logged 500 miles of seat time and know it will react to most terrain now. All of this is good!

The race is Oct.14 just 15 miles south of Vegas. It is a multi-lap event, which is good for watching and for pitting. Again I could use help, if anyone wants to help just drop me a line.

Wish me luck, and thanks for your support!

WOW. Class 3000.

Aren't you guys able to gusset and reinforce the OE a-arms to provide enough strength and support? Or are they just too weak by design?

Once you guys go to the more open 3000 are you going to still keep the 4wd system? That is a huge move. 15 inches of front travel, unlimited rear end travel, 2in. of added wheelbase, built engines and fiberglass. That's going to be a huge transition. That's going to be one hell of an X.

I look forward to seeing it. I wish I'd have the time in the schedule to join you guys out there for a race but one of these days I'd love to tag along with you guys for a prerun.

That is good news---the seat time and testing time, not the blown diff issue....
My only question, and it relates to Socal's question is how do you plan to avoid the issue with the weak front arms?? Socal--you are NOT allowed to reinforce the arms in class 3100, at least that is what I believe Dave has been told by Casey Folks and other BITD management...

Great news Dave...can't wait to see how things turn out...

I would love to help out with the race on the 14th but unfortunately I will be out of town on business during that weekend...

No we can not do any rewelding, gusseting, beefing of any sort. This class is "stone stock" showroom floor stock! You may build new shock mounts, but they may not strengthen the part in any way. You are allowed 2 shocks per wheel, they can not protrude through the hood or floor. You can change the spring rates, but must retain stock concept and mounting points.
What we had tried to do was build a Nismo catalog - tubular arm and install them. Factory offered part option. this in therory was able to be done, but Ford protested and Casey Folks sided with them.

Originally posted by spalind:

My only question, and it relates to Socal's question is how do you plan to avoid the issue with the weak front arms??

Remember I have my spring rate dialed in now, I won't bottom out on every little hole I hit now.
We already know the X has more motor than the Fords. We will just have to dust the roads for them!!!

I can do what Casey told me to do, slow down, this is a stock class. On the other hand maybe he needs to remember this is a race too!

corrected

Dave, very glad to hear you have most of the testing taken care of! I have to agree with you (and Nissan) that taking the title from Ford in '07 and then move on to bigger and better things in '08.

As for the Vegas 300 I can't make it, just bought myself a used pickup (to replace my Ranger as it was going to cost too much to fix and it went from 20 MPG to 8 MPG) and the cost of another flight out to and from Vegas isn't in the cards (no pun intended). At the very least for the '07 year I'll be planning well in advance to help ya out again!

Well, if slowing down is what you have to do to finish then thats what you have to do...just use the motor to pick up time on the smoother sections....Can't wait for this race...I'm still checking the airline sites every day to see if I can snag a ticket for around $300 to make it feasible...

But that's the beauty of BITD! I guess that's what happens when you run a Nissan when Ford is putting up the big bucks and more than half the trucks in the field are Fords.

But then again: "To finish first, first you must finish." and "Sometimes slower IS faster."

Good luck with things.

Anyone else headed to Vegas to watch the race? We (the wife and I) will be hooking up with XterraRacer for the event - I will be riding shotgun for the first lap too!!! (Thank you Dave!)

Post up if you are thinking about meeting up with us there.

4 days and counting!

Bastard!! You lucky bastard you!! Wish I was gonna be there...you better get some prime pics and video!! I am planning on trying to be there for the December race but couldn't make this one!! Give Dave my best and give 'em hell!!

You, sir, are a whore.

Best of luck to Dave and Co

Yeah, you suck. I would die to do that lol

Ok guys, you can tar and feather him later. It was just his lucky day, my brother nor son could make it. There are lots of races to come, stay in touch, come to the races and be ready for it to be your turn!

Keep smiling Dave Blakely

LOL it's all in good fun, Dave, I know for a fact that I'll be back out for the Vegas to Reno next year, and I'll be looking forward to any other races I can make it to

Dave...did you ever give back the IRC tracking thing or is it still gonna be on and running for this race?

Sorry, been real busy. In answer to your question I did send the unit back after the V2R race. The Irtrack device company has in place a $100 per day fee for not returning it right after the race.
This race I will not use one, due to the fact I will be running in the safari prerunner class. I plan do this just to get more hours on the X. I am not in the run for points this year. Entry fee for pro class at this race is $875, safari class $375. Same race coarse,same speed, same miles, just not in class 3100 going for points. We will start 15 minutes or so behind class 3100 and from what we have seen from the X when it runs we will catch and pass the class. If anyone wants to see how we did verses the Fords or Hummer in class 3100, just check lap times after the race. I will post the times after the race on this site.

does anyone have any video of the X racing?? Also Im looking for poster to decorate my office, would you happen to have any??

I don't know of any video of Xterraracer in action...posters though, there are a # of pics available for purchase as a poster....
links to a couple...
High Rev photo
or on this page...
trackside photo
or on this page from a race earlier in the year...
trackside photo, earlier in the year....
Contingency at the Terrible\'s Town 250
and at event photo digital from the V2R contingency... Event Photo Digital...

Though you may want to wait till after this weekend...there "should" be some new photos of Xterraracer from the BITD Vegas 300 which goes off this Saturday...I will be posting in this section any info and pics I can get my hands on...