As the end of 2018 approaches, think back over the year, remember all of the things that you have accomplished and the goals that you have achieved.

Think about the way you spoke to others and the way it affected them.

Think of the loved ones that you spent time with and all the memories that you have to cherish in your thoughts and heart for the rest of your life.

Remember your loved ones that you lost and the ones you still have that are in your life.

For some, 2018 was an outstanding year while others struggled through difficult times.

As the 2019 year approaches, set your goals, reach out to your family and friends, let them know that they are in your thoughts. Repair those broken relationships with family and friends so that the New Year can bring you happiness and success.

Have a great holiday season and a safe New Year full of life and happiness.

Charlie

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/dxt33u2u0wymhve/AACnw92VzqyLz8bTYSw9OalLa?dl=0

December 8, 2018 Race Day in Plant City dawned bright and sunny with a slight chill in the air. The parking lot at the new 1st Baptist Church was very smooth and fast.

We want to thank Pastor Steven Morris and the entire congregation at 1st Baptist Church of Plant City for allowing us to use their beautiful facility.

The Advanced Battery Class had all kinds of drama. Before the first race the USF team tried to destroy their 132 car. While they were getting the car ready there was a loud pop and a flash of light along with much smoke when they had a main power wire get pinched and ground out on the frame. After changing the lithium battery pack they were ready to go, until late in the 2nd race when their right front wheel developed a major alignment problem when the camber adjustment all of a sudden went to 45 degrees. They say it had something to do with a welding job done on that part of the car.

It was good to see Drew and Pony of the Electrocutioners and the 72 car back on the track. Drew drove both races while Pony waited to be on call as pit crew. She was very bored during the races until late in the 2nd race when the 72 car started to have body panel problems and she jumped into action with the indispensable roll of duct tape.

Cliff and James with Pro EV showed up with the longest trailer I have seen not towed by a semi. They brought a generator and a fancy set of computer operated scales for teams to use to do weight and balance studies on their cars. This is very important information to have to make the cars perform at their best.

During the races it was Pro EV car 39 and USF car 48 trading 1st and 2nd places in the two races for identical lap totals of 150. USF car 48 took the overall based on time differentials: USF 2.00.38 / Pro EV 2.00.57.

In the Open Class Tiger Racing took both races.

In the High School Class it was Mulberry High School car 38 taking both races with Simmons in the 53 car not far behind.

Simmons had problems with the 35 car and was not able to start the 2nd race.

Brooks-DeBartolo, now with the second largest trailer, had problems with their 55 car and spent a lot of time in the pits. They were still able to get it on the track for both races.

Teams helping teams is on display again: Brooks-DeBartolo did some welding on the ETO loaner assigned to Mulberry High, in turn, Mulberry High will be transferring it over to George Jenkins High School so their team can be ready for the January 19, 2019 race at Wharton High School. Mulberry will be taking the ETO loaner currently assigned to George Jenkins back to their location to put it together for another team, possibly in Polk County Schools.

One of the less glamorous parts of Electrathon racing is the track set up and tear down. Charlie and Debbie spent over 3 hours setting it up but with the help of ALL the teams it was taken down and put away in 35 minutes.

FINISH
Advanced Battery Class 1st USF #48, 2nd Pro EV #39, 3rd Electrocutioners #72, 4th USF #132

Open Class Tiger Racing #4

High School Class 1st Mulberry #38, 2nd Simmons #53, 3rd Simmons #35, 4th Brooks DeBartolo #55

Some GOOD NEWS\SAD NEWS.
Good News for Fredi Beck, our Mrs. Everything at Electrathon Of Tampa Bay is retiring from the Hillsborough County School System. She will be unemployed starting the New Year.
SAD NEWS She and Tom will be moving, sometime in the future, to Indiana where they have bought a house on a lake near family. WHO retires and moves back up North? She is not gone yet and we wish her the best. We will sure miss her when she does go.

Our next race is January 19, 2019 at Wharton High School.

WE HAD A GREAT TIME THIS YEAR AT THE LONGWOOD CHRISTMAS PARADE. OUR HOST, ANDREW AND PONY PROVIDED A SNACK FOR US BEFORE WE HEADED TO THE PARADE AND THEN HAD A COOKOUT WHEN WE RETURNED TO THEIR HOME. THANK YOU BOTH FOR EVERYHTING YOU DID FOR OUR TEAMS AND MEMBERS.
THE ELECTROCUTIONERS HAD THEIR TWO CARS AT THE PARADE ALONG WITH THE USF TEAM WITH BOTH CARS. USF’S NEW CAR HAD THE SPECTATORS SAYING “LOOK AT THAT ONE”.

The first ever Electrathon race in Polk County went off without a hitch. Almost, our Team Sponsor at George Jenkins (James Heuslein) got VERY sick the week of the race and was not able to host/attend, causing a situation, because a School Employee/ Sponsor had to be on campus. The race was cancelled until Charlie and Rodney visited the school on the Friday before the race. The great staff at George Jenkins (Brad Hiers, AP, Erin Crosby, Dean, and Antwan Carter, Custodian) worked with them and got the race back on track. A great BIG THANK YOU to all three of the George Jenkins Staff Members that made our first race in Polk County a success.

The track was in great shape with two LONG straights and two 180s. The campus is huge, it was a trick finding the track. I thought I was going to run out of campus before I got there. George Jenkins is a large campus and very impressive.

Our good friend from LOWES (Sponsor Rob Nolen) and Polk County School Board Member (Billy Townsend) shared the starting duties for the first race.

In the High School Class it was a battle between Mulberry High and Simmons Career Center with both schools trading First place finishes in the first and second race. Mulberry had the fastest high school lap at 45.104 second.

The Simmons #53 car took the overall in High School followed close behind by the Mulberry #38 car and Simmons #353 came in 3rd. Mulberry’s 2nd overall was outstanding considering they had a bad first race with only half the laps of the Simmons #53 car.

In the Open Class Tiger Racing (Rodney) and Silver Bullet Racing (Robinson) teamed up. Since Silver Bullet Racing seems to always be out of cars, he sells them almost as fast as he builds them, Rodney brought his old Erector Set car, the original #4 and drove it and Robinson drove Rodney’s new car #4. Robinson won the first race beating Rodney with his own car but Rodney came back the second race beating his own car driven by Robinson. Robinson took 1st Place overall and Rodney took 2nd followed by HCC in 3rd place.

In the Advance Battery Class it was the usual suspect. USF car #48 and Pro EV car #39 battling it out. Both cars were turning laps in the mid 30second range with Pro EV turning in the fastest lap of the day at 34.277seconds.

Pro EV took the first race buy 1 lap. In the second race Pro EV “drove the wheels off of that car” bit him again. Pro EV took second in the second race after having blown a drive wheel late in the race. USF #132 car was cautious the first race but came out strong in the second race beating Pro EV by 1 lap.

When the race day ended, the standing for the day were:

High School – 1st Simmons # 53 – 101 laps, 2nd Mulberry #38 – 89 laps and 3rd Simmons #353 – 87 laps.

Open – 1st Robinson Racing #94 – 137 laps, 2nd Tiger Racing #4 – 122 laps and 3rd HCC #30 – 36 laps.

Advance Battery – 1st USF #48 – 181 laps, 2nd Pro EV #39 – 168 laps and 3rd USF #132 – 131 laps.

From The Pits: Overall the cars are looking better with fewer problems during inspection. We only had one team blow up a tire in the pits. It makes a large bang when you over inflate a tire and it blows.

USF has some really good info on Advance Battery Management and Safety Protocols. If teams check the Electrathon America Handbook they list the Advance Battery options. Looks like you can equip an Electrathon race car for about HALF the cost of Yellow Tops and you only need ONE battery and a special charger, a compatible motor controller, safe securing in car and a battery management system.. You can recharge it between races and it doesn’t have to come out of the car.

The track layout for the December 8, 2018 race looks like another fast track with “strong left” / “strong right turnsas shown in red.

See you then
VIC

On December 8, 2018, we will hold our last race in 2018 before looking forward to a bigger and better 2019 with more teams and sponsors.

The Simmons Team will be our host for this race giving them the home team advantage.

The First Baptist Church of Plant City is located at 3309 James L. Redman Pkwy, Plant City, FL 33566.

Our first race will start at 10:00am/end at 11:00 am. Our second race will start at 1:00 pm/end at 2:00 pm. Awards ceremony will follow after all of the course has been cleared.

There will be a porta-potty delivered for our use while we are on site as indicated on the map. There will not be electric available for teams to charge their batteries, generators will be required, only team transport vehicle permitted in the pits, all others will park in the overflow pit parking.

The track is 1757′ long, please review the information indicated on the map as there will be one entrance into our race area for teams and spectators.

RED – COURSE

PINK – TIRES AND TAPE

BLACK – TOWER

YELLOW – TRACK BARRIOR TAPE

GREEN – REGISTRATION/SCORING

WHITE – SPECTATOR PARKING/VIEWING

BLUE – PITS

ORANGE – PORTA-POTTY

BURGUNDY/BROWN – OVERFLOW PIT PARKING

We are in a parade again this year, on December 1, 2018 Electrathon of Tampa Bay will attend the Longwood Florida Christmas Parade. If you plan to attend, please contact Fredi to obtain all of the information.

ETO will transport at least 4 cars from the Tampa area to the race as long as teams have contacted and arranged it with Fredi, cars will be returned to the school on Monday or Tuesday after the parade.