LeMons in NH - "Loudon Annoying 2011"

[6PAK72]

So, you might want to get up on line and check your times...I see more than just a few very good SM times in there by my reckoning.

[6PAK72]

Just for the hardcore.

I've never done a FWD engine swap, and I've never done an engine swap overnight, in a race garage, with none of my tools around, on a borrowed hoist, with a competitor's spare engine.

It was epic.

[Dave_G]

I've never done a FWD engine swap, and I've never done an engine swap overnight, in a race garage, with none of my tools around, on a borrowed hoist, with a competitor's spare engine.

It was epic.

Hey Jeff, I was glad to see you guys get back out on the track Sunday. You were really quick Saturday and well on pace to win Class B until your engine blew up. It was especially good to see you get back running when we were safely out of reach on laps, because there was no way we could keep up with you on the track!

I must admit yours was one of the teams that made me feel a little guilty Saturday night, as we saw you working feverishly to swap the engine while we sat around drinking and being loud. I should have come over and offered to help, but it looked like you guys had things pretty well in hand.

[eastcoastbumps]

However, apparently we couldn’t touch the car, not even to get the radio out (even though in the rules you get X minutes to take whatever out of the car). I think this was probably just a misunderstanding. Either way, the next thing I know Leos drives the car out from under the dung and I hear the announcement over the PA that we are all banned for life… In between I guess the owners said no effing way, we’re taking the car out of here. No cops were called, but I wouldn’t doubt that it was mentioned by the owners – the owners weren’t pleased because they felt like the car was unfairly penalized all weekend, and we didn’t even get enough votes to fulfill the People’s Curse.

Bottom line – I’m a little bummed it ended up like that for our team. I suppose you could say our team took it too seriously. Not being able to get our stuff out of the car prior to the dumping was the tipping point. I had some fun while it lasted, although it was pretty scary out there at times. Like Will said, it was also great to see a bunch of familiar faces as COM was well represented.

If anyone has heard other details/rumors about the event, I would be happy to confirm/reject/clarify.

The manure wouldn't have ruined the car or radio. Its one thing when there is a curse that destroys the car and anything bolted to it, but its another if it just stinks up the place. BTW, the judges would have let you back out on track after dumping the manure on the car. A car that gets the curse can still be driven on track if its capable. We saw that at Stafford 2 years ago and Nelson Ledges last year.

Also, they didn't ban you, they gave you the choice to accept a punishment or never come back. Your team chose to be banned from possibly the most fun event you'll do in a car. I'm sure if you write a desperate letter to Jay he'll let you run again. He might make you do something silly or stupid, so be prepared for that.

FWIW, they poured beer on our engine before another race. Most of it on the alternator, which really got under my skin. But its lemons. You have to roll with the punches. Trust me, it makes it more fun.

[CP]

The Miata in question was the biggest piece of crap Miata that I've ever heard about being allowed on a race track. Cage from a car that was speared/totalled at NHIS 3 years ago. Severely used shocks that compressed from gravity when extended. Body panels, a door and roof from a car that cartwheeled 4 times through the downhill at Lime Rock. Throw-out, junk spent motor. It took 3 days to build it. That Miata was a trash heap that was barely fit to race and it still turned a fast lap 2.5 seconds ahead of the next fastest (turbo) car. That it's team of rookie LeMons racers was treated as poorly as it was says volumes about the LeMons organization.

Our hillbilly (2) teams of SM racers have crossed LeMons off of our 2012 schedule in the BMW 2002 and Mk2 Golf that we were planning to build this winter on a snowbank over a keg of beer. I've read numerous reports on various websites and nobody really understands what a lump of shit that Miata actually was, with good drivers behind the wheel. Outsiders obviously aren't tolerated in the LeMons good ol'boy club and rules are bent to punish the un-initiated. It sounds like junior high school all over again. We'll pass.

[nhsilversti]

maybe its just my understanding of lemons thats wrong but here we go.
who cares what your lap times are. the winner is the team with the most laps, consistantly being mediocre on the track with out any penalties could net you a win.

this is why i agreed with others how said they were being to serious.

[eastcoastbumps]

The Miata in question was the biggest piece of crap Miata that I've ever heard about being allowed on a race track. Cage from a car that was speared/totalled at NHIS 3 years ago. Severely used shocks that compressed from gravity when extended. Body panels, a door and roof from a car that cartwheeled 4 times through the downhill at Lime Rock. Throw-out, junk spent motor. It took 3 days to build it. That Miata was a trash heap that was barely fit to race and it still turned a fast lap 2.5 seconds ahead of the next fastest (turbo) car. That it's team of rookie LeMons racers was treated as poorly as it was says volumes about the LeMons organization.

Our hillbilly (2) teams of SM racers have crossed LeMons off of our 2012 schedule in the BMW 2002 and Mk2 Golf that we were planning to build this winter on a snowbank over a keg of beer. I've read numerous reports on various websites and nobody really understands what a lump of shit that Miata actually was, with good drivers behind the wheel. Outsiders obviously aren't tolerated in the LeMons good ol'boy club and rules are bent to punish the un-initiated. It sounds like junior high school all over again. We'll pass.

Lemons is pretty basic. Show up with a crap car, good theme, level head, and be prepared to take a joke, because Lemons is a joke. The 'Flying Chickens' had a poor theme, fast car, and seemingly had a bad attitude. The judges read them like a book. Even though the Chickens never did Lemons, the same type of team has shown up to other Lemons races.

The guys from Lemons give E30 racers a hard time too. But they explained it very well a few months ago on their forum. Its not that they don't like E30s, its that they don't like E30 racers. They come with no theme cheater cars and whine more than anyone else. They don't make the event fun for anyone. This was the first event that our E30 got through BS Tech without any penalty laps. Marotta spun our E30 twice in the rain. Jay was laughing when we explained that it was 'all the tracks fault' and we got off with an easy penalty. But we knew full well that our third time into the penalty box would be a whole lot different.

[kredden]

I have to agree that Miata's and E30's are probably the most hated Lemons cars and unless they are real obvious crapcans they are usually assumed to be cheaters by many. My team has been running our Alfa Milano in these races for the last four years now and you really can't take it too seriously. We usually finish in the top 10 (as high as 2nd overall at one race) but that's not really the point of the races, would be nice to finish 1st or get the one of the other money spots to help pay the bills but now that Milano's have been doing so well we'll never get a chance at the index of effluency anymore!

Bribes definitely help smooth out the BS judging and it is not worth it to argue with the judges. I got tagged in the rear by another car at the bottom of the bowl on Sat spinning me around into the dirt (never even saw him). Came in to face the music and they let me go after seeing where the hit was. Not much later I was black flagged at the top of the hill before the bowl for some reason (I have it on video and the flagger is clearly indicating me), came in again only to be asked why I was in, told Jay I had no clue why I had been black flagged and he said no one had called anything in, guess that flagger just doesn't like Alfas... Later on in the same session that same guy black flagged me again, I was pissed now since the last one had been bogus but I came in just in case. That time they said I passed under yellow which I was convinced I didn't do as I was being quite careful about that since I had gotten that same issue in NJ a month ago but I didn't argue and just submitted to the penalty of being dressed up as a king and had to drive around the garage in the back of the golf cart with my "queen" (another yellow flag passer) sitting next to me, ah well.

I treat these races as good seat time and for honing my reflexes. With the whole gamut out there from very experienced racer to people who wouldn't have a prayer of obtaining a COM license it can be pretty tricky to try and figure out what the guy in front of you is going to do at the next turn! I'm nowhere near competitive on my lap times at Loudon but the two hour stints let me get in a lot of practice and I was able to shave a good 4+ seconds off my previous best lap time even with the traffic so I had a blast.

Kevin