In 2007, Nick Fluge and Bill Lowblad drove one of 25 limited production “Bad Boy Saleen’s” across the United States in the Great American Run (aka Cannonball Run). Leaving Central Park in New York they battled with other exotic cars over many states and thousands of miles finishing several days later in Los Angeles. Their 8th place finish was relished given the international and oddball group that took part in the event. The event was featured in National Lampoon’s “Great American Run” documentary. Little did they know then that a short two years later their 160 mph plus driving on public highways would turn into 5 mph creeping on a dirt speedway in farm country. In 2008, Fluge and Lowblad played in the World Series of Poker while plotting their next great battle of machines. In 2009, their planning took the form of participation in the Great “Combine Demolition Derby”. That’s right…Farm Equipment…Big Farm Equipment!

The first task was to find two John Deere combines – ready to be tortured by other agricultural behemoths. That occurred earlier this summer. The next job was to secure Steve Gatrell and the ProFab team to craft roll cages and other magic demolition ‘tricks of the trade’. The final effort would occur in late August when Fluge and Lowblad arrived at the Sunset Speedway, armed with nothing more than Red Bull and a pile of bravado. The pit crew of Spence Gatrell, Patrick Hinkle and James Marlow was lead by Steve Gatrell – whose job it was to keep the combines on the track through as many heats as possible.

The FGA team quickly found that the other competitors were farmers, welders, and people who didn’t find the poker playing, race car driving, mountain climbing FGA, triathlon, and bike riding squad all that threatening. In the first heat Lowblad was able to keep his machine in play (although his small rear tires were quickly trashed by the more experienced farmers). Fluge’s first run was shaping up to be a good one. (Fluge had the turbo John Deere with the huge front tires – weighing in at just over 32,000 pounds). With that said, at the ‘starting horn’ the local farm contingent immediately swooped in for the kill and dismantled Fluge’s rear (turning) wheels and suspension. He was left flailing being forced to take full on smashes from the other demons of the farms.

Lowblad kept the FGA spirts up however with cagey driving that put him in the final events’ top five. The wise and experienced combine veterans finally took out Bill as well leaving him and Nick with little more than a cold beer and 65,000 pounds or so of scrap metal. Our thanks do go to the many FGA fans who came out in significant numbers and who were sporting rather outstanding FGA “Sieve of Destruction” TShirts – (Good job Randy and Instant Imprints!)!

The future, as usual, remains unclear – but with the growing contingent of FGA supporters we’re sure we’ll have another adventure in the works soon.

The Great American Run Concludes, Next Stop: Mount Kilimanjaro

Looking back at this once in a lifetime 3000 mile cross country experience, it may have been the initial glamour of NYC that eventually caught up to the #18 team keeping them from a podium finish.

We pulled onto the wide open Avenue of the Americas in NYC with all 5 lanes completely traffic free due to the Sunday start. What better way to salute the fans lining the streets below flashing billboards and massive skyscrapers than to do a number of burn outs on our way to Central Park and Tavern on the Green.

Caught up in the moment, neither Fluge nor Lowblad remembered to turn off the traction control of the Ultimate Bad Boy as it made for bigger burn outs.

Arriving at the Tavern on the Green, the clutch was smoking and backing into our spot, we found reverse was non-existent.

Thankfully our factory Saleen pit crew were on hand and did a quick examination, turned off the traction control and cooled down the clutch/transmission assembly which brought back reverse.

After the cool down, all gears were back, but we did notice the Bad Boy much harder to shift.

Things were fine flying through New Jersey on our way to the Catskills until we caught up to a Ford GT and other Cannonballers and this early in the race who could blame us from testing one another’s driving skills and horsepower, This high speed run was tough on the recently red hot, glowing and smoking clutch as we would have to downshift through traffic from 5th to 2nd and back up through the gears to play with our friends in Turnpike traffic. This constant back and forth through the gears, redline to redline was so hard on our gas mileage (108 miles on the first tank); we reasoned it was also very difficult on the clutch and transmission.

When we finally arrived at the Westin in Indianapolis after a long 900 plus mile night run, we were over 3 hours ahead of schedule building time in our bank for future slower sections. As the Fluge was checking in Lowblad was turning the car around behind the hotel in preparation for heading to the actual checkpoint at the Memorial Monument Circle in downtown Indy only to find no reverse again. As both UPS and Fed Ex drivers were giving the evil eye to this Black Bad Boy Saleen that was blocking the entire delivery lane Lowblad was frantically trying to get the car in reverse to complete the turn around. Finally the only way to find reverse was to turn off the car, jam it in gear and start it in reverse and let the clutch out. I’m sure the delivery guys were OK with the tire smoke in their faces as long as they were back on the road.

But this was only the first leg and troubles are brewing!

It seems that if we can just cruise at 120 plus, we have no problems with the clutch/tranny as we just stay in high gear. When we go fast and hard dicing it up with competitors or slow and easy in traffic the clutch gets hot.

We had both those extremes on the Indy to Tulsa Leg. When Lowblad was flying into St. Louis, the radar detector immediately screeched its K Band warning with enough time for Lowblad’s fast reflexes to bring it down to the speed limit. As soon as that threat was gone and the pedal was back to the metal, we were hit with a laser. Our blockers worked great and we got it down in speed again. After passing the trooper we were ready to get it on again only to immediately here the X Band warning chirp and I look in my mirror and we have an unmarked car on our tail. For the entire trip through the St. Louis metro area our radar/laser detector never stopped. I wonder how much radiation we picked up in that 15 minute period. Trouble was, having to drive that slow and in a high lugging gear to keep away from the power when being followed, I’m sure was tough on the our weak link clutch/transmission.

Tulsa to Denver started out great, we woke to the clutch/transmission actually feeling fine, so the Fluge put the hammer down and did the 1st gas run averaging over 120. After the quick (or not so quick) pit stop for a new phone (remember the champagne bucket incident) Lowblad took his turn behind the wheel only to find the supercharger intercooler temperature light pegged at 200 in the red. Calling our pit crew traveling over an hour and a half behind us, we made the decision to put the car on cruise at 75 and limp in to Denver where they could look at it.

That night during the wonderful dinner (Every Hotel, Dinner and Party was incredible) Ryan from Saleen came up and said good news/bad news. We’ve fixed the supercharger intercooler but you’ve have NO CLUTCH left.

Knowing that there was little if any clutch left, we decided, WHY not “use it till we lose it.”

Denver to Vegas was a beautiful drive. What incredible scenery traveling through the Rockies. But those hills meant having to use the gears. I can just about guarantee that NO ONE on this trip could pull off the “steer with the knees and TWO hands on the shifter forcing it into a gear at over 100 mph” like the Fluge.

The real test was in the city of Las Vegas itself with all the traffic. Every time we hit a stop light, we would have to turn off the car, put it in gear and start by popping what was left of the clutch. Wouldn’t you know right as we were taking off one time, we did a burn out just in front of a police car. Karma must have finally been with us as we were not pulled over.

Vegas to Willow Springs was a short run, but we were now starting in 2nd gear and 4th and 5th could not be found no matter how hard we would try and grind it in! When we finally arrived at the Track and our final checkpoint, we were ahead of schedule (We may not have had many gears, but we WERE FAST) so we shut her down and waited for last quarter mile drive down to the checkpoint. We couldn’t idle as once the engine was going, we couldn’t get it into gear from a stopped position, so we just sat there in the blistering 106 degree Mojave Desert heat. With 30 seconds to go we tried to find 2nd, but found no forward gears at all! The heat hadn’t fried our brains completely so we looked at each other and said “What about Reverse” Amazingly, we started it in reverse and blasted to the finish line tail first.

By the time we crossed, we were 10 seconds late after over 3000 miles. Was this enough to keep us off the podium? Only time will tell.

The car was incredible on power and handling but maybe we’ll beef up the clutch and transmission in order to handle the punishment that only Fluge and Lowblad can dish out.

As for the Queens of Cool, the Perlinger sisters, they made the finish line with zero problems in the lap of luxury in the 2nd FGA car. I think we may need to have the massage unit in the seats lubed after 3000 miles of magic fingers action though.

The girls not only were fast and cool, but got the most shopping in along the run. While Fluge/Lowblad have pics with the hood up or pulling off the splitter, the girls have pictures from Vail and numerous interesting places. I even hear they had many fans along the route come up and ask to have their pictures taken with them.

Not only cool, the Perlinger sisters were incredible with calculations, as they never got lost and finished within minutes if not seconds of a perfect time to crack the top 10 while having the time of their lives.

Congrats to our Bud’s Steve and Don in the #13 Saleen who took 1st place. They were true champs in our book.

Fluge/Lowblad “Coast” into Vegas

The #18 Saleen team were off to an early start leaving Denver at 7am in route to Las Vegas.

The first pit stop of the day was taken at Loveland Pass as the team also took a “Pre-Kilimanjaro” test hike at over 10,000 feet.

Back on the road, the smooth, desolate straight-a-ways of Utah gave the team a good chance to put the hammer down and cruised at 164mph!

Those same desolate roads that produced blistering cruising speeds also produced plummeting gas mileage.
Fluge/Lowblad blew through Green River, Utah, so fast they didn’t realize the next gas station was over 100 miles away. Never ones to turn around and run from adversity, the team decided to push on to Salina, Utah.

After a difficult but rapid calculation, they found themselves to be coming up 7 miles (of gasoline) short to reach Salina.

Not to fear! The team put practices in place to make up the missing gasoline that would make a pit crew chief proud. Slower (75mph) speeds were employed, zero supercharger boost was used, drafting behind 18 wheelers, and yes, most importantly, of all “Coasting” down miles of the Rockies foothills in neutral to reduce rpms.

Finally the team pulling into the gas pumps just as the engine sputtered and died. An edgy risk – a surprising reward.

Even with that slow 100mph average section, the team arrived at the Venetian hotel in Las Vegas over 3 1/2 hours early. Enough time for check-in and a few hours at the poker tables.

Next stop – Willow Springs Raceway in California – then Los Angeles!

Fluge started off first leg flying through Oklahoma averaging over 120 mph, in order to build time advantage for slight detour to get new cell phone. (Yes Fluge dropped his old one into a bucket of champagne the night before).

In route to Verizon in Witchita – Lowblad is calling 411 in every city to locate the special ‘chocolate’ phone. Unfortunately Verizon has bigh curbs and as Fluge entered parking lot the lower spoiler of Saleen was destroyed.

Then it was Lowblad’s turn for 2nd leg of journey. He found the Supercharger Intercooler Air Temp gage pegged in the “Red Zone” – DANGER.

Knowing that their Saleen factory pit team was still hours behind them due to Fluge’s incredible first leg they decided to limp along at 75 mph and minimize supercharger boost when possible. After hours of what seems like incredible pace – and massive heat with no conditioning Fluge and Lowblad decided we might not be first car in – but we would try to win stage by getting correct time down to second.

Voila. Lowblad – Fluge achieved the impossible and after 11 hours, 34 minutes and 28 seconds they speed into the Hyatt Regency Denver parking lot to claim victory from what had appeared to be horrible defeat.

The Perlingers keep in the front group as well and were last seen outside of Denver in a Nordstroms Shopping mall (the Bently in the nearest Nieman Marcus store).

Next stop – Vegas Baby.

Entering the state of Oklahoma at speeds of 150 mph – the state police cars showed patience waiting for the FGA saleen after Fluge stopped to fill-up the ultimate bad boy with high test octane.

Laying in wait further down I-44 the State Police were setting the traps to catch the Ultimate Bad Boys, Nick Fluge and Bill Lowblad. Radar detectors resounded throughout the automobile. Fluge slammed on the brakes and took the speed below 100MPH but wasn’t fully able to escape the ticket.

One of the many Cannonball cars to earn the badge of honor for the day, the Fluge-Lowblad team was still able to get back on the road and was the 4th car to pull into Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The Perlinger girls (2nd FGA Team) had a non eventful run – but did a great job and are postioned strongly going into leg 3.

With Stage Two under their belts the Rocky Mtns and Denver loom ahead. After everyone arrived in Tulsa there were muliple tickets for the 00′s of cars, and a short segment on Fox News showing a helicopter tracking the police catcing a Lamborgini at over 180mph – but unabale to catch Fluge who held a slight lead on the foreign born car. So all in all, the ticket received was far better than it could have been.

Tune in for legs 3, 4 and 5 in the upcoming days.