Mario Bonfante's Race back to the Podium!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Thank you for your Prayers

Hey everyone how's it going.?

Sorry it's been so long since iv updated this, thing have just been crazy the last couple of weeks...

We finally received the tranny back and all the other bells and whistles to get the car all finished and ready for this weekends race. We have the seat and everything in the car ready & good to go minus the cage. It's been a long time comin but it's really cool to finally see it all come together and actually get to hit the track again!

Like i said & Most of you know I was suppose to be racing this weekend on the 10-11th at Infineon raceway but do to some severely unfortunate circumstances I'm not going to be able to make it this weekend.

A couple weeks ago My Grandfather slipped and fell down a flight of concrete stairs on February 15th and suffered a major brain Injury as well as a few other broken bones and such... He was instantly knocked on conscious and remained in a coma up until this weekend when he finally was revealed from all his pain, and completed his ascension up to heaven...

This came as a huge shock and was completely unexpected but it just shows that our next breath is never promised and anything can happen to anyone at any given time.

Everything happens for a reason and at times like these I know those reasons maybe difficult to see so if you could keep my grandma and family all in your prayers I'd dearly appreciate it.!

Your condolence's and blessings are all appreciated very much & I wish you all the best!

God Bless and have a great rest of the week...

I'll post further updates next week about the season...

Thank you all for your support and always Keep Em Spinnin.!

Mario Bonfante Jr.

Friday, February 17, 2012

THE LATEST

Hey every I hope all your weeks have been great!

This weeks had alot of new changes going on, but unfortunately were still waiting to receive the transmission back! They supposedly were shipping it out this week but well see When it actually arrives. That basiclly mean that all hopes for trying to get on the track before march is pretty much not gonna happen! Its not that big of surprise but I was hoping to get to drive Laguna in the 24th but I guess I'll just have to wait.

I didn't end up making it to the races last Weekend but I took a few pictures from the last race I was there.

I talked to the Roll Cage company this morning and they said the cage should get to my house on Monday morning. The next race is going to be on March 10th-11th so hopefully we can have the car all together and complete by then!

It's all coming together slowly but sure so just being patient for that first day I actually get to attack the track with full force!
Stay posted as things are rapidly changing and the seasons drawing nearer.

Thank you all for your support and continued encouragement It means alot!

I hope you all have a great day and a Blessed weekend!

~*Keep Em Spinnin*~

Saturday, February 11, 2012

DAY LATE & A DOLLAR SHORT

Hey everyone how's it going?

Thank you all who continue to send messages of encouragement, and all of your kind words, they mean more then you know!

Sorry I havnt updated this in a few days, iv just been trying to figure things out before I post any inaccurate information.

As most of you may know that my first race/ day back on the track was going to be this weekend of the 11-12th... I received some pretty disappointing news last Friday... I talked to the tranny guys and apparently the owner of the shop has been out sick, so basically now my tranny's not gonna be done to arrive back in time before the first race... :-/. I'm suppose to hear back from them today or tomorrow to get a confirmed finish date but as far as t being here in time for this weekend, that possibility is out the window!

Im super bummed but I guess it just wasn't meant to be yet, but I guess in a way it might be a curse and a blessing, because of how close we were cutting it, it really didn't give us much time to shake down any bugs..

I went up to the track on Wednesday to talk to WORKS (the shop that's sponsoring me & working on my car) about a new game plan and we should hopefully have the car all done and ready to go not this coming week but the following. (day late a dollar short!) lol I found another track day this month as well on the 24th at laguna seca. As of right now that is kind of what I'm shooting for. The only problem I'm worried about going out there, is the track has a 92 decable max limit so I'm not to sure if my car is gonna pass that test but were gonna try and do something. I'm really hoping I'll be able to go out there becuase it really is one of my favorite tracks as well as it would be nice to get a little seat time before next months race. We shall see what happens but I'm pretty confident it's going to fail the sound test but you never know!
The next race is the weekend of March 10-11th, so hopefully it might be a better way to start off the year so were not fighting setup and tuning during the race weekend and get it all worked out before the next race.
This will be good because the cage for the car is currently being constructed as we speak so hopefully it'll be done & in the car, and hopefully well have it all tweaked in ready to handle business for the 10th-11th.

While up at the shop on Wednesday, I took a few pictures of the car while we were trying to figure out where the seat needs to be mounted to work best for me.

I also stopped in at the race shop to pick up my new helmet as well as to buy my Hanns neck restraint device to protect my neck. The helmet was no problem it fits phenomenal, so I can't wait to actually suit up for battle and go do work with it!

The Hanns device on the other hand is a whole other problem. Being that I'm so skinny and lack pectoral muscles, the angle of which it is designed will not work with me or my body shape so I turn the sparked and idea. Unfortunately I don't think I'm going to be ann,e to use one but well see what happens.

Even tho I can't race this weekend I'm still planning on going out the to watch on Sunday to to scout out my competition, meet all the NASA officials and try and make a few new friends and learn 1 or 2 more tricks that might help.I will take a bunch of picture of cars I'll be racing so you guys have some what of an idea of what ill be up against and will post an update sometime early next week.

I want to thank everyone once again for all your willingness to contribute And all of your continued encouragement! A special thank you to those who are helping me make this year possible as well as to all the new love and support begin to be thrown my way, I feel blessed beyond belief and can't thank you all enough!

I attached the link to the publication the dispatch put out this week for those of you that didn't get a chance to take a look at it..

http://www.gilroydispatch.com/sports/community/on-the-road-again/article_0fd1c926-513c-11e1-9fc3-001a4bcf6878.html

Stay posted for updates next week and a ton of new pictures of the races this weekend and of the car once it's all put back together. I still need to rap it in a few of my sponsors colors before her debut and will hopefully get that done next week or the following, but iv always known function before fashion.. Lol so once she's running like a top again she'll look better then a super model(; all in Gods time!

I hope everyone has an amazing weekend, and God Bless!

~*KeepemSpinnin*~

Sunday, January 22, 2012

RACE DAY IS CLOSING IN, FINISHING UP TO TRY AND WIN!

Hey everyone, hows it going?

Sorry its been awhile sense i came with an update iv just been going crazy trying to make sure everything is going to be done and ready by the 11th.!

So the transmission guys finally called me on Friday and told me the tranny arrived safe and sound! They said that they were going to begin tearing into it and will have an ETA by wednesday.

I drove up to Infineon on Friday as well to talk to WORKS, check on my car and went to test out and fit a new seat.

( The first seat ordered without knowing the legalities of the safety rules, and apparently I ordered the only non competition legal seat sparco sells...)

I did a ton of research this time before jumping the gun and ordering another seat and found one that hugs me like a suction cup and is Hans compatible as well.

(the Hans compatibility is a big factor being iv already tweaked my neck once so there's no use in doing it again if I can prevent it!)

After I ordered the seat I sat down with the guys at WORKS and figured out the game plan to get the car finished by the first race.

Basically we're going to be cutting it about a day short of the race so my car will stay up there until then while they take care of all the remaining components and tuning that needs to be done.

This week they are going to finish up putting all the go fast parts on and clean out all the bs that I will no longer need; cruise control, ac, window fluid, ect...

There going to install the new radiator, and transmission cooler to make sure the car stays as cool as possible so I don't have to worry about burning everything up.

Cooling:

Once they receive the word on when exactly the tranny will be shipped back they will begin to disassemble the car to install all the remaining suspension components.

Suspension & Handling:

- there installing all new Energy Racings polyurethane pushing all the way around to tighten up the whole feel of the car and the way it responds to the track and the bumps.

- Install custom Heavy duty Avid Aluminum polyurethane motor mounts to rigidify the chassis and tighten up the motor for hard engine braking.

-there going to Swap out the front and rear sway bars with heavy duty RM Racing sway bars to help reduce with body roll.

- There going to install strut tower braces

- Then Once they receive the tranny back and put the car all back together they are going to put it on the corner balancing scales to know the weight of each corner of the car to adjust the spring rate of the coilovers. Then they will put a really aggressive camber on the wheels to prep it for the track and hard cornering in February!

The new seat is suppose to arrive there mid this week and Than I gotta head back up there again so we can get the seat all lined up and mounted in the proper location for me.

When the Car is all complete and put back together they are going to throw it on the dyno to finish tweaking in the tune with the new Tranny and get some accurate numbers to log down. They are going to complete and sign off on my tech sheet that says the car is legal and safe to race.

Safety:

Basically the car is going to be 98% done by the first race and all i will have left to complete the car will be the safety features such as;

- My full cage:

- Hans Device:

The Hans device will attach to my shoulders and contains to straps that attach to my helmet to keep my head from bouncing around Incase of a heavy impact...

-Helmet:

- Suit:

So other then my safety equipment the car should be 100% good to go by the weekend of February 11th-12th. Ill update you guys with pictures and a progress report this week when i go fit my seat and check on the car.

Thank you guys for taking the time to read this and follow along with the progress of how things are going!

I wanna take time to thank God as well becuase without him and his perfectly timed blessings this season would not be possible.!

A special Thank you goes out to;

Perfect Harvest & all the others who are continuing to make this season possible!

Thank you all again for the encouragement and dont forget to always keep em spinnin!

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Bullet Proofing the drive train & finishing race prep / tech inspection

Hey how's it going everyone? I hope all your holidays were filled with love and joy! Sorry Its been so long sense i came at you guys with an update iv just been busy with the holidays and trying to get a game plan worked out for the car.

So friday morning I had the car towed up to WORKS (the shop that's sponsoring me) to get the ball rolling for the season! The plan is that the shop said they were gonna try and have the tranny out and shipped by Monday afternoon if everything goes as planned. Once they ship the transmission it will probably be about a week before the builder will receive it. Once they receive it they said it should take them about another 5-10 days to fully rebuild it and then they will ship it back.

Things are moving along smoothly for the most part, but for now were just waiting for the tranny to get pulled and shipped and then the ball should really start rolling!

I talked to WORKS yesterday and they know when the car needs to be done and setup by for the first race so were shooting to have the car done and back together before the end of the month to shake down any bugs it might still have before the race. Being that the car will be up there for nearly a month immobilized, WORKS hooked me up with a screaming deal on the remaining suspension components I still need to bolt up. So while they have the car there all stripped apart they're going to;

- Swap out the front and rear sway bars with heavy duty RM Racing sway bars

- Install Energy Racings full suspension polyurethane bushing kit around the whole car to give the car a more controlled rigid chassis.

- Install custom Heavy duty Avid Aluminum polyurethane motor mounts for hard engine braking.

- They're going to pull out the air conditioning unit, Cruise Control, and any other unnecessary components under the hood.

- Swap in a new power steering pump

- Once they receive the tranny back and put the car all back together they are going to put it on the corner balancing scales and do a real aggressive race suspension setup to prep it for the track in February!

- When the Car is all complete and put back together they are going to throw it on the dyno to finish tweaking in the tune with the new Tranny and get some accurate numbers to log down.

There will still be a few minors things to do for the car to be completely finished but for the most part by February it should make its complete transformation from a serious street machine to a fully built beast of a race car!

The last thing left to finish will now only be the roll cage and the car will be %100 ready to rock!

Iv been talking with a few people as well on what the best way to build my controls will be but for now I'm just going to run the current setup I have installed with a modified shifter.

This is just a brief update, but I'll keep you guys posted with more of the details as things progress over the month. Thanks everybody for all your support, encouragement, and help and a huge special thanks to all those that have helped me to get where I am today.!

Stay tuned and I'll have some more info coming your way next week!

Thank you again for reading and God Bless!

...->Keep Em Spinnin<-...

Monday, December 12, 2011

Updated walk around video & next years schedule

Hey everyone how's it going!

I finally got around to washing the car and made a brief walk around video so you guys can hear and see what the white knights all about... She's still got a ways to go but it's comin... Were planning on mounting the seat last cuz once that's in there's no adjustment. Cars making funny noises and tranny's slipping super bad but we hope to address all that this week.

Check it out...

I also have done my research and weighed out my options and decided to just wait, save up and get the transmission done right the first time. I sold my go kart yesterday and almost everything else i own to try and get it built and in by Jan. sense the first race is in February. The company that will be building it specializes in automatics so when I get it back it should be able to withstand over 1000+hp and will shift faster then a manual transmission. I will drop the car off at my sponsors shop and there going to pull the tranny out and send it off for me and once the company receives it they said it should be about a 3-5 day turn around period..

With the new tranny it will come with a shift box so I'm able to manually select my gear shift points at whatever RPM I want with the click of a button.

This will be an ideal setup for road racing and pushing my abilities to the furthest extent, but being that I can't take my hands off the wheel I had to redesign my hand controls to accommodate what I would like them to do. Iv been taking to a few different machine shops that say theyll be able to help me, and once there done ill be able to use the throttle, shift, brake, and turn, all while my hands are still attached to the wheel.

This is the actual shift box...

They also finally posted next years schedule for NASA so I figured I'd share it and would be more then happy to have you guys come out one day and check it out!

SCHEDULE FOR 2012

FEBRUARY 11-12 : RALPH ALEXANDER MEMORIAL TRIBUTE