Fluge Global Adventures

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.