24 Hours of Lemons
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24 Hours of Lemons
Anyone competing in Lemons this May? I'm on my buddy's race team this year (Team 8 Balls). It's my first time ever being on a track and I'm really excited. We've got an '89 Honda CRX race-car, completely gutted (my buddy spent two days in it with a torch doing weight reduction last year for Lemons). I'd love to hear from fellow New-Englanders who are attending and/or competing!!
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From: Wilton, NY, formerly New Milford, CT
That should be tons of fun! I have my eye on a car within the family for some future Lemons event!
I think it is this month's Grassroots Motorsports (came out about three weeks ago so I assume March) has a spread on a recent 24 Hours of Lemons event where they highlighted about 30 cars and teams.
If you've never been on track before, I very strongly recommend that you try to squeeze in an HPDE event. NASA Northeast (National Auto Sports Association) has two scheduled at Watkins Glen and New Jersey Motor Park prior to May 5th. I also think SCDA (Sports Car Driver's Association) may have an event as well, perhaps at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. You will learn some very valuable information and techniques.
No amount of street driving can prepare you for driving at speed on track.
I can tell you from first hand experience that being on track under race conditions is very, very stimulating. Maybe not as stimulating as driving around La Place de la Concord in Paris on a Saturday afternoon in May with cars, motor bikes, and bicycles coming at you from every direction, but it is something you never will forget!
At a minimum you want to get in some classroom time and some seat time before the event. At an HPDE, you will get the basics on flags, taking corners and how to brake effectively. You won't learn how to pass though. To do that, you usually have to outbrake in the corners which is very tricky.
Plus, with a Lemons car, you will probably be fully occupied worring about the car's temperature, oil pressure, front end shaking, loss of braking, ect. so you don't need the added anxiety of wondering just what that red and yellow flag might mean.
24 Hours of Lemons has a fairly extensive web site, and a list and sources for the required safety equipment.
If you need a complete package (helmet, nomex racing suit, gloves, nomex socks, fireproof racing shoes) call Steve at C2 Motorsports in San Diego at 1-858-495-9200. They have a website (www.c2racers.com) but it's not so good. He put together 3 packages for me based on cost and I bought probably his middle priced package a couple of years ago for a total of about $975. I would recommend a helmet that provides some venturi type ventilation.
I think it is this month's Grassroots Motorsports (came out about three weeks ago so I assume March) has a spread on a recent 24 Hours of Lemons event where they highlighted about 30 cars and teams.
If you've never been on track before, I very strongly recommend that you try to squeeze in an HPDE event. NASA Northeast (National Auto Sports Association) has two scheduled at Watkins Glen and New Jersey Motor Park prior to May 5th. I also think SCDA (Sports Car Driver's Association) may have an event as well, perhaps at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. You will learn some very valuable information and techniques.
No amount of street driving can prepare you for driving at speed on track.
I can tell you from first hand experience that being on track under race conditions is very, very stimulating. Maybe not as stimulating as driving around La Place de la Concord in Paris on a Saturday afternoon in May with cars, motor bikes, and bicycles coming at you from every direction, but it is something you never will forget!
At a minimum you want to get in some classroom time and some seat time before the event. At an HPDE, you will get the basics on flags, taking corners and how to brake effectively. You won't learn how to pass though. To do that, you usually have to outbrake in the corners which is very tricky.
Plus, with a Lemons car, you will probably be fully occupied worring about the car's temperature, oil pressure, front end shaking, loss of braking, ect. so you don't need the added anxiety of wondering just what that red and yellow flag might mean.
24 Hours of Lemons has a fairly extensive web site, and a list and sources for the required safety equipment.
If you need a complete package (helmet, nomex racing suit, gloves, nomex socks, fireproof racing shoes) call Steve at C2 Motorsports in San Diego at 1-858-495-9200. They have a website (www.c2racers.com) but it's not so good. He put together 3 packages for me based on cost and I bought probably his middle priced package a couple of years ago for a total of about $975. I would recommend a helmet that provides some venturi type ventilation.
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If you've never been on track before, I very strongly recommend that you try to squeeze in an HPDE event. NASA Northeast (National Auto Sports Association) has two scheduled at Watkins Glen and New Jersey Motor Park prior to May 5th. I also think SCDA (Sports Car Driver's Association) may have an event as well, perhaps at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. You will learn some very valuable information and techniques.
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From: Wilton, NY, formerly New Milford, CT
That will provide more than enough training for you to ask: "What have I gotten myself into?" about one quarter lap into your stint as driver!
I still think you should try to squeeze in an HPDE event (note I'm not suggesting the Skip Barber 3 day race school)
Have fun. I'd want to go to cheer you on, but plan to be vintage racing that weekend at Lime Rock.
I still think you should try to squeeze in an HPDE event (note I'm not suggesting the Skip Barber 3 day race school)
Have fun. I'd want to go to cheer you on, but plan to be vintage racing that weekend at Lime Rock.
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I'll be there in a black rx7. You'll have lots of fun if the car keeps going. Good idea to go to a little training thing before the actual race. Any little piece of experience will help calm the nerves and get you used to nhms.
Has your team run the Honda before this event?
Has your team run the Honda before this event?
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I'll be there in a black rx7. You'll have lots of fun if the car keeps going. Good idea to go to a little training thing before the actual race. Any little piece of experience will help calm the nerves and get you used to nhms.
Has your team run the Honda before this event?
Has your team run the Honda before this event?
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,189
Likes: 275
From: Wilton, NY, formerly New Milford, CT
Some LeMons reading to get you primed.
http://blog.caranddriver.com/lemons-...-16-in-second/
http://blog.caranddriver.com/24-hour...-have-winners/
http://blog.caranddriver.com/lemons-...-16-in-second/
http://blog.caranddriver.com/24-hour...-have-winners/
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From: Central CT