Lemons races
10-02-2012, 02:43 PM
#16
I've been running in the Lemons series since 2010 with a few friends (most of them are also RL'ers here). Good time but I agree, lots and lots of idiots out there (who CLEARLY have NO experience on a track). Passes under yellow - yep. Also people who SLAM on the brakes when they see a yellow (lost count of how many people I've almost piled into because of that!) Definitely more "spectacle" than "racing" and you definitely need to have the right attitude ("fun" first, "racing" second).
It IS fun though. We have a great time.
As a team I think we'd prefer to get into Chumpcar ("racing" first, "fun" second) but the closest Chumpcar race to the Chicago area is Road America. Lemons has much closer rounds (Autobahn twice, GingerMan once) so until Chumpcar picks up something closer, we're stuck with Lemons.
It IS fun though. We have a great time.
As a team I think we'd prefer to get into Chumpcar ("racing" first, "fun" second) but the closest Chumpcar race to the Chicago area is Road America. Lemons has much closer rounds (Autobahn twice, GingerMan once) so until Chumpcar picks up something closer, we're stuck with Lemons.
10-02-2012, 04:07 PM
#17
We'll be at Autobahn the weekend prior, and personal budgets (and vacation time) are about tapped out for the year 
I also imagine we're past the registration deadline...
The other downside - according to the rules, we'd get hammered pretty hard due to the fact that we cut up the car quite a bit (removed the inner door skins, pulled the hatch, etc.) Based on my interpretation of the chump car rules, the only way we'd fall into the "guaranteed $500" category is if the car is more or less complete... and it's not.
Good luck though. I don't know what you're driving but if it's a 944 - it's WOT from T8 to the bend.
We got a lot of our passing done by driving around the outside of everybody in the carousel.
I also imagine we're past the registration deadline...The other downside - according to the rules, we'd get hammered pretty hard due to the fact that we cut up the car quite a bit (removed the inner door skins, pulled the hatch, etc.) Based on my interpretation of the chump car rules, the only way we'd fall into the "guaranteed $500" category is if the car is more or less complete... and it's not.
Good luck though. I don't know what you're driving but if it's a 944 - it's WOT from T8 to the bend.
We got a lot of our passing done by driving around the outside of everybody in the carousel.
10-02-2012, 05:22 PM
#18
We'll be at Autobahn the weekend prior, and personal budgets (and vacation time) are about tapped out for the year I also imagine we're past the registration deadline...
The other downside - according to the rules, we'd get hammered pretty hard due to the fact that we cut up the car quite a bit (removed the inner door skins, pulled the hatch, etc.) Based on my interpretation of the chump car rules, the only way we'd fall into the "guaranteed $500" category is if the car is more or less complete... and it's not.
Good luck though. I don't know what you're driving but if it's a 944 - it's WOT from T8 to the bend. We got a lot of our passing done by driving around the outside of everybody in the carousel.
I also imagine we're past the registration deadline...The other downside - according to the rules, we'd get hammered pretty hard due to the fact that we cut up the car quite a bit (removed the inner door skins, pulled the hatch, etc.) Based on my interpretation of the chump car rules, the only way we'd fall into the "guaranteed $500" category is if the car is more or less complete... and it's not.
Good luck though. I don't know what you're driving but if it's a 944 - it's WOT from T8 to the bend.
We got a lot of our passing done by driving around the outside of everybody in the carousel.
10-03-2012, 01:47 AM
#19
Drifting
We'll be at Autobahn the weekend prior, and personal budgets (and vacation time) are about tapped out for the year I also imagine we're past the registration deadline...
The other downside - according to the rules, we'd get hammered pretty hard due to the fact that we cut up the car quite a bit (removed the inner door skins, pulled the hatch, etc.) Based on my interpretation of the chump car rules, the only way we'd fall into the "guaranteed $500" category is if the car is more or less complete... and it's not.
Good luck though. I don't know what you're driving but if it's a 944 - it's WOT from T8 to the bend. We got a lot of our passing done by driving around the outside of everybody in the carousel.
I also imagine we're past the registration deadline...The other downside - according to the rules, we'd get hammered pretty hard due to the fact that we cut up the car quite a bit (removed the inner door skins, pulled the hatch, etc.) Based on my interpretation of the chump car rules, the only way we'd fall into the "guaranteed $500" category is if the car is more or less complete... and it's not.
Good luck though. I don't know what you're driving but if it's a 944 - it's WOT from T8 to the bend.
We got a lot of our passing done by driving around the outside of everybody in the carousel.we pulled the hatch -- gutted the car completely, hollow doors, etc.
No issues.
mike
10-03-2012, 11:32 AM
#20
Rennlist Member
Then we just bought a crappier E30 with 230k miles and made it a race car (sort of) It's maiden voyage (14 hour race mind you) we finished 3rd overall. Ran great in 110 degree heat, but the original suspension needed to go.
Lemons is a joke race wise, but fun your first time. Chumpcar is a racers race, with actual pit stratagy, real racing, not bumper cars. We will now only race Chumpcar.
The Black car is our new real E30.
10-03-2012, 12:14 PM
#21
LeMons is a good next step for DE guys wanting to do some wheel to wheel racing at a relatively low cost. THere are so many cars with varying degrees of performance and drivers with varying degrees of skill, that it is a good forum to practice some racecraft. I also think its valuable to learn to race with some complete morons you begin to anticipate terrrible driving and great avoidance technique. LeMons judges hate the e30's mainly because they are reliable and quick. (ours has 229k on the original unmolested 325e motor (and so neutral in the we too... watch the
I personally think they are getting better at letting the good teams race, but it is still a bit of a circus. It can be as much fun to walk the pits as it is to drive sometime. You are missing the point if you try to take it too seriously. They respect good driving, and punish the idiots. The more races you do and the more you get to know the organizers the more reasonable they become.
I personally think they are getting better at letting the good teams race, but it is still a bit of a circus. It can be as much fun to walk the pits as it is to drive sometime. You are missing the point if you try to take it too seriously. They respect good driving, and punish the idiots. The more races you do and the more you get to know the organizers the more reasonable they become.
10-05-2012, 12:11 PM
#22
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Looks like a cool way to get started in Racing (vs the monotony of track days) but it looks to me like there isn't much racing in FL....Chump had Daytona and Sebring in 2012 and Lemons had no FL events in 2012?
Am I missing something? I'm driving distance from Homestead and PBIR.
Am I missing something? I'm driving distance from Homestead and PBIR.
10-05-2012, 01:19 PM
#23
Looks like a cool way to get started in Racing (vs the monotony of track days) but it looks to me like there isn't much racing in FL....Chump had Daytona and Sebring in 2012 and Lemons had no FL events in 2012?
Am I missing something? I'm driving distance from Homestead and PBIR.
Am I missing something? I'm driving distance from Homestead and PBIR.
It's not uncommon to travel for these races. *My* team doesn't like to (it's nice having 2 rounds in our own back yard) but plenty of teams do.
10-05-2012, 01:31 PM
#24
Nordschleife Master
Depends on what you want to get out of it. Lemons is like going to Mardi Gras at the track. Chump is actually trying to win a race with a beater. We've got one car that we use for both and they both are fun. My only real complaint with Chump is the huge number of cheater cars. This last one at HPR I felt like I was entered in a Spec E30 and Spec Miata combined race.
We've now got to figure out what to do with our car. We went through a couple of engines this year. I'm tempted to build an engine from scratch. A stock engine, but a properly remanufactured engine. But hey, in the process, we came home with this:
We've now got to figure out what to do with our car. We went through a couple of engines this year. I'm tempted to build an engine from scratch. A stock engine, but a properly remanufactured engine. But hey, in the process, we came home with this:
10-05-2012, 05:54 PM
#25
Rennlist Member
I haven't done Chump but have done a few LeMons, so I can't make comparisons but I can say that LeMons is a great step up from DE. At my skill level I find LeMons to be true competition with some other guys who are quite skilled. Yes, in a field of 100+ (some of which are Geo Metro!!) there are slow guys and low-skill guys but you get lots of opportunities to go wheel-to-wheel.
I do agree that there is a circus element and atmosphere to it, and that some of the penalties are mucho dumb. But Jay is very serious about safety.
I do agree that there is a circus element and atmosphere to it, and that some of the penalties are mucho dumb. But Jay is very serious about safety.
10-07-2012, 11:18 PM
#26
Administrator - "Tyson"
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10-08-2012, 12:50 PM
#27
Nordschleife Master
The penalties are one of the best parts. One of our guys got into it with another guy. They black flagged them both, tied their legs together like a 3 legged race at the county fair and made them walk over to the food truck and buy ice cream sandwiches for all the race marshalls.
