Advice from Other Teams, Part 2
This is from the LeMons Yahoo group, it hit my email today. Very good advice therein, after the jump:
“We built a baja bug for the last houston race thinking this will be fun once and then we will have a great pre-runner for my 9 car.
Lemons was so much fun, even though our car sucked and we only clocked 48 laps in two days. We built the car too fast and then forgot to tighten the belt on the generator and overheated the motor. But alas if I would have not traded it for anything and if I could give anyone that has not participated some advice here is what it is.
1. The team with the nice truck, trailer, and mechanic who was obviously on salery only won an honerable mention award. Money is not what this is about. Unlike any other racing I have done. I loved it and the judges made it fair for the underdogs. Like it says if you don’t like it leave.
2. If you are trying to be sneeky remember the judges are not beyond bribery nor good clean fun (Bikini Race Team). Be cool and they will be cool to you, our VW was a joke we knew it and made the best of it. They loved it. Honestly I think it was the stop sign and quick thinking with a saftey tech judge. We had one the best fabricated cars and they were concerned about the 22 gallon fuel cell not being FIA Compliant? I saw some of the worst fabrication in racing I have ever seen and people let that slide. The best was the chain link fence pipe flattend for structural support. But again it is LEMONS
3. Get Race radios for the whole team. We blew our motor because we could not communicate nor see behind us with the freaking stop sign. Radios would have been a huge help. I had my PCI helmet just did not think about it.
4. Let the idiots go fast and sideways. Don’t drive beyond the car. We did not get flagged but should have. Other people were just stupid and deserved it. Then they were dicks to the judges. Jay is one cool cat and you could tell he just wants people to have fun and be safe. You guys will do fine!
5. Remember anything can happen in the pits at night. No rules on two motors or modifications after the judging. Having said that we wished we would have brought a spare engine. Next year. But food for thought. If you run a car that you can swap out stuff fast you are way further ahead ie VW four bolts vs V8 8 bolts plus engine lift.
6. Don’t bring it if you like it. PERIOD. If you can’t let someone beat on your car, or dump aluminum engine shavings down the motor don’t bring it. We totally were game but never got there. Other people were PISSED.
7. There will be three different type of drivers. Racers. Tanner and the off-road guys (Chris don’t kid yourself alot of great racers start out in off road). Guys like me who have driven but no where near others there who are constantly getting in trouble, and guys who always wanted to just do this. Tanner is just going to be part of the show. The judges could tech him down 300 laps from the beginning. Like Monster has a $500 car this I have to see better have them reciepts.
What it came down to for us was just being cool and helping people.
Everyone was soo cool. Just the little things. Different feel from pro racing. We tried to help another team with a VW get thier pos running but it never did. People offered to help us the whole time our car was in pieces. Just cool people. Cause what are you going to win? Some nickles… We still have our but the trophy was way cooler. Thanks JAY.”
Team Buckaroo. Organizers Choice, Houston 08
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