Return to Norwalk, Race for the Championship

OVER ONE MILLION VIEWS

The last image that anyone has of Gidi from last year’s 2015 Buschur Shootout is when, at the 1/8 mile pole, blue smoke started pouring out from his quick blue Nissan GT-R. The issue, an oil line. It had burst spilling the slippery black substance in front of the racer’s tires. What happened next has been played over one million times on YouTube and millions more times in Gidi’s head.

STARTED RIGHT, FINISHED LEFT

The grainy images tell the story. The oil caused the rear tires to lose traction sending the race car into an unrecoverable spin. The announcers voice from the P.A. speaker system could be heard exclaiming “OH NO! NO!” The crowd, gasping in disbelief as the scene played out in front of them, stood frozen in place. When the screeching of the tires, crunching metal, smashing glass, and billowing smoke came to a stop fans could see a twisted hull that started racing in the right lane now smoldering in the left. All that had witnessed the turn of events had only one question, “Where is the driver?”

STEPPING OUT OF ADVERSITY AND INTO A COMEBACK

When the car came to its final resting place on the track fans waited, praying, that the driver was safe. A second gasp rose from the crowd, this time in relief, when they saw the driver’s door slowly open. Gidi climbed out of the wreck physically uninjured to cheers of appreciation from the race’s spectators. As Gidi walked around surveying the scars left by the wall on the outside of the car he could only imagine the scars that would be left on the inside. The true test of a man is not in times of triumph but in times of turmoil. Gidi knew that the moment he reached for that door handle to escape the twisted metal shell that he was stepping out of adversity and into a comeback.

RETURN TO NORWALK

By the time Gidi reached Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio this year the yellowness of day had slipped into the blackness of night. His new car nicknamed “Alpha G” waited patiently in the AMS Alpha Performance pit. This was the first time that he had returned since the events that had transpired the year prior. While the lights from the stands reflected off of the racing surface Gidi had time to reflect on the next day’s qualifying runs. Many questions were racing through his mind. Had he made it all the way back? Had the scars healed from the crash? Would he be quick to lift? Saturday would prove to all in attendance that Gidi was not only back but also faster than ever!

LET’S GO

As the buzz grew in the stands awaiting Alpha G’s first run so too did the Alpha Performance Team’s effort to get the car ready. Dan added gas and ice to their respective tanks. Scott checked the pressures of each tire and adjusted them accordingly. Ricky made the final mechanical tweeks to the engine. The motor’s calibration was analyzed and dialed in by Martin, Boyan, and Jacob. We were ready. Gidi was ready. Alpha G was ready. Then the call went out,”Let’s Go!” Without hesitation the team jumped into action. Gidi jumped into the Alpha G GT-R and headed to the staging lanes to wait for his turn at the tree.

READY TO LAUNCH

“Left lane” the track worker yelled over the sound of speeding cars. He motioned Gidi to the far side of the track. Gidi steered the Diamonds by Wire sponsored Alpha Performance built “Alpha G” Nissan GT-R into the burnout box. The RPM’s roared to life like a lion as Gidi let go of the brakes. The car’s two step sounded like machine gun fire. Pop pop pop pop, the smoke from the rear tires so dense it obfuscated the enormous Summit Motorsports Park billboard that stands at the end of the staging lanes. The rear tires were up to temperature and ready to launch. The entire stadium fell quiet as nervous anticipation gripped every spectator. The next ten seconds would tell the story for the thousands in the stands and the team standing behind their race car.

The rear tires are brought up to temperature.

7.77

The car slowly, quietly, purposely, rolls up and illuminates the pre staging light. Gidi next silently lit the second amber staging light. Then all at once the Alpha G’s machine gun two step again opens fire! Pop pop pop pop, Gidi literally standing on the brake and accelerator simultaneously. The starting lights begin to fall on the tree. Green light. Explosion! The massive rear tires wrinkle and fold on themselves as they rip at the pavement. The front tires become passengers as they lift off of the track spinning through mid air. The Alpha G at full thrust rockets to an astonishing 1.27 60 foot, a 5 second 1/8 mile and everyone awaits for the crimson scoreboard lights to ignite signaling Gidi crossing the finish line. It seems like minutes pass. 7.77! The crowd roars to life with excitement. The team members embrace each other in jubilation. This isn’t the fastest that Alpha G has ever gone. But, in this moment, at this track, with these emotions, Gidi’s and the car’s performance on this first pass is better than any record. Gidi just didn’t outrun the car in the other lane. He outran the fear, the hesitation, and the worry leaving them far behind. Gidi is here to win.

TURN IT UP

When Gidi got back to the pits the team was there waiting for him. Excitement filled the air. Everyone was buzzing about the first pass and the fact that the boost was only at a testing level. There was so much more that the car could handle. There was so much more Gidi could handle. The rally cry for the next run became “TURN IT UP!” When the AMS Engine Calibrators retrieved the file from the car they saw that it was performing perfectly. They heeded Gidi’s and the teams request and turned up the boost. The next quarter mile run would put the Alpha G in AMS’ record books and further illustrate Gidi’s enormous courage.

200

Gidi returned to the staging lanes more focused and excited than ever. The team, the crowd, and the competition could see the confidence pouring out of every panel of Alpha G. This time the track official shouted out “Right Lane” and motioned Gidi into the same lane where he had crashed the year before. This time Gidi was armed with a fantastic race car and was ready for battle. This wasn’t a battle against the GTR in the left lane. This was a battle against a thin strip of pavement 1320 feet in length. The lights on the tree dropped. Alpha G roared to life. Green! Explosion! Gidi like an astronaut was compressed into the back of his seat by the extreme G forces. The car launched to an 1.22 60 foot, a 4.87 second 1/8th mile and a 7.36 quarter mile at 200 MILES PER HOUR!!! This time was good enough to name Gidi, Alpha G, and the AMS Alpha Team the 2016 Shootout Champions! This was the fastest Gidi has ever gone. This was the fastest the AMS Alpha Performance Team has ever gone. This however, was not the fastest a GT-R has ever gone.