2010 Wrangler Recall

DETROIT — Chrysler is recalling nearly 87,000 Jeep Wranglers in the U.S., Canada and elsewhere due to a risk of fires.

The recall affects only Wranglers from the 2010 model year that have automatic transmissions and were built before July 14, 2010, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in documents posted Saturday on its website.

Debris can get caught between a plate that protects the transmission and the catalytic converter, causing a fire. A catalytic converter is part of the exhaust system and uses heat and precious metals to control pollution.

Chrysler knows of at least 14 complaints of fires caused by the problem with 2010 Wranglers. The company says it doesn't know of any injuries. It said debris can get trapped when the SUVs are driven off-road or through tall brush.

Chrysler, which makes the classic Wrangler and other Jeeps, will fix the problem free of charge by replacing the plate with a bar so debris doesn't get caught.

The recall affects about 68,000 Wranglers in the U.S., 6,000 in Canada, 1,500 in Mexico and about 11,000 in other countries, Chrysler spokesman Eric Mayne said. Chrysler will contact all the owners by mail. Recall work is expected to begin this month.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also checked Wranglers from the 2007 through 2012 model years and determined that only the 2010 models had the debris problem. Mayne said the 2010 Wranglers had a transmission plate and catalytic converter that were configured differently than the Wranglers from the other model years.

NHTSA said in documents that it had received 14 complaints of Wrangler fires from the other model years, but Mayne said there was no pattern or common cause in those fires.

Source: Huffington Post

Poison Spyder's Larry McRae wins at Cinco de Baja

Poison Spyder Larry McRae Wins Modified Class at Cinco de Baja

By Charlene Bower of Bower Motorsports Media

BANNING, CA    MAY 9, 2012  –  Larry McRae drove the Poison Spyder Modified Ultra4 #4581 to a class win at the Ultra4 Cinco de Baja race last weekend in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  With this Modified Class Western Series win and the 2012 Modified Class King of the Hammers win, the Poison Spyder Racing team is leading the Pro Series Modified Class and the Western Series Modified Class points race.  “The only thing that we had to do was put fuel in the car,” said driver Larry McRae.  “The crew prepped the car meticulously and have slowly worked the bugs out of the car making the 250 miles consecutively with no issues to speak of.”

A known and very respected rock crawler, driving fast is still a learning experience for Larry McRae.  “I’m a rock crawler…slow and technical driver.  The hardest part for me is learning to drive fast!  This was a fun, relaxing and a beautiful course that was perfect for giving me the seat time I lack in the faster stuff.”

Co-Driver Shad Kennedy, a desert racing veteran, helped navigate the light blue and silver Modified Ultra4.  The strategy for this race was to click off conservative laps early on and then see how the other competitors in the class were fairing.  Depending on the split times they would decide whether to race the last three laps or stay conservative to ensure a finish.  With the 5 lap – 40 mile loop race, the attrition rate allowed the Poison Spyder team to continue the conservative pace and preserve the car.

Even with the conservative pace they managed to finish 11^th overall in the much faster Ultra4 Unlimited 4400 class.  “We were tracking the split times of every lap, so we knew where we were in the big race,” said McRae.  “We had no reason to race the 4400’s at this race.  Our goal is to make a run at the 4500 class championship and our race strategy put us one step closer to successfully achieving that goal!”

We’ve made many improvements to the car since our last race,” said McRae.  The most notable change was to the innovative and somewhat controversial steering.  “I think this steering will be a game changer.  It made the car so much more drivable that we’ll need to spend more time tuning with FOX Shox for the higher speed this car is now capable of.”  Even with a nearly perfect race, they have already started full prep for the upcoming races this summer including 4 Wheel Parts Glen Helen Grand Prix in July and BITD Vegas to Reno in August as part of the Ultra4 Modified Series.

Follow Larry McRae and the Poison Spyder Racing team at www.facebook.com/PoisonSpyder or online atwww.PoisonSpyder.com

About Poison Spyder Racing:

Poison Spyder Racing strives to combine cutting edge innovation with a the highest levels of teamwork, competitiveness and sportsmanship.  As an extracurricular effort of Poison Spyder Customs, the race team gives the company an opportunity to push the limits of its engineering, design and fabrication abilities. The team’s flagship race car, the BFH Racer, was built by Poison Spyder Customs on its new, proprietary Venom Chassis.  The car was designed to be as competitive as possible in the new “Modified” class of Ultra4, introducing several new innovations to the sport.  The BFH Racer is piloted by veteran champion rockcrawler and Poison Spyder owner Larry McRae.  Co-driver Shad Kennedy, Poison Spyder’s general manager, led the design and fabrication team and also heads up the race team organization.  After winning the Modified class at the 2012 King Of the Hammers and the Ultra4 Cinco De Baja races, the team looks forward to continued success for the remainder of the season.

Source: Bower Motorsports Media