• Registered: 2015-12-12
  • Posts: 18

Topic: Tech inspection Question- Who has to be there?

I did a search first, and of course as a noob didn't find anything..

So I guess the answer to my own question would ultimately be: Everyone?

The tech sheet only references a team representative.. Youtube also only gets me so far, lots of video's of the judging of the cars or a guy jumping out of his imaginary burning car when the inspector yells fire..

So I'm making some assumptions as I've never seen the tech inspection.

I'm guessing that other than the car itself, I need all my fuel cans and pan, all the safety equipment (helmets, uniforms, hanns, gloves, shoes, fire-undies) the team will be using?

Do all the drivers need to be present to do the Chinese fire drill?
Do all drivers have to be present to properly clear the roof bar, belt fitment check?

Or is it only the team representative, that assumes responsibility for the safety of the car/team?

Thank you
Team Hopes & Dreams (cause that's what our car runs on...get it.. ok.. not funny..sorry jees)
David Carter

  • From: Villa Park, IL
  • Registered: 2010-12-12
  • Posts: 1,338

Re: Tech inspection Question- Who has to be there?

For tech inspection you only need one person although the more the merrier. Driver gear is not teched by the same person that does the car so it can be done separately and I've seen one person take several teammates drivers gear thru tech when they weren't there. They don't check your fuel jugs, just the car itself but bring a jack and jack stands to tech just in case.

Newest member - White Trash Racing
Owner of the Traveling Hat
  • Registered: 2011-10-14
  • Posts: 4,167

Re: Tech inspection Question- Who has to be there?

cabinboy wrote:

For tech inspection you only need one person although the more the merrier. Driver gear is not teched by the same person that does the car so it can be done separately and I've seen one person take several teammates drivers gear thru tech when they weren't there. They don't check your fuel jugs, just the car itself but bring a jack and jack stands to tech just in case.

This but once I had the inspector insist the egress test be in full gear...but only once.  If you are not doing a theme with costumes (and you should) and you aren't going the test and tune on the same day, go to tech in your full suit with hans and helmet somewhere in the car.  After you tech the car, you can et your ear teched while wearing it but it gets messy if you have a one-piece, single layer suit.

Either way, plan to fail tech (as in be prepared) for anything from failing to cover the positive terminal on the battery to a loose exhaust to not following the letter of the law on the "How not to fail Tech" pdf with you cage or kill switch.  If you do fail and you are all alone at the track, ask other teams for help...almost all of us will pitch in because we have been there ourselves and we generally a helpful bunch anyway.

  • From: Iowa
  • Registered: 2010-04-20
  • Posts: 2,660

Re: Tech inspection Question- Who has to be there?

If you have only one representative at tech, make sure it is someone who has actually worked on the car and knows the car.  Someone who could carry the message back from tech to the team if there is something that has to be fixed. 

Also, just because a car has passed tech the last 5 times doesn't mean it will this time.  So get in line for tech early.

LemonAid - Changing kids lives one lap at a time.
  • BoB
  • BoB
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
  • Offline
  • From: Elmhurst, IL
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 4,206

Re: Tech inspection Question- Who has to be there?

Also if you want to take the start its best to have atleast one person get all their stuff taken care of including gear tech and getting a wristband.  Things are pretty busy before the race and getting your drivers stuff taken care of is not the top priority, so its best to have one driver ready to go for the green and whoever needs to get their stuff taken care of get it done after you are ready to head out on the track.

Racing 4 Nickels - 1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera
2011 SHOWROOM-SCHLOCK SHOOTOUT  IOE Winner
2012 The Chubba Cheddar Enduro Class C winner
Facebook Page

BoB's Website

  • From: Aumsville, Oregon (Near Salem)
  • Registered: 2010-08-22
  • Posts: 1,913

Re: Tech inspection Question- Who has to be there?

OnkelUdo wrote:

Either way, plan to fail tech (as in be prepared) for anything from failing to cover the positive terminal on the battery to a loose exhaust to not following the letter of the law on the "How not to fail Tech" pdf with you cage or kill switch.

At one race I got dinged by the tech inspector for not having a tie-wrap holding down the hood over the negative battery terminal.   I didn't try to argue, but just did it, even though it was monumentally stupid.   So, as OnkelUdo says, be prepared for anything.

"I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!"
IOE winner in the Super Snipe -- Buttonwillow 2012
IOE winner in Super Snipe v2.0 -- Buttonwillow 2016
"Every Super Snipe in Lemons has won an IOE!"
  • From: Plymouth, MA
  • Registered: 2013-06-07
  • Posts: 787

Re: Tech inspection Question- Who has to be there?

Just to add:

- All team members do not need to be at tech, only one person....and they do not actually check to see if everyone on the team is short enough such that their helmet clears the cage.  I am on the tall side, and so if I go through tech, I slouch in the seat....they've raised an eye brow in the past....so I try to put my wife in there for tech...
- They usually don't check to see if you can get out quickly....sometimes they do....rarely
- I never experienced anyone asking to be in gear for tech
- Gear tech is a separate line
- Most common tech failure I've seen are for little tiny holes in the firewall

mzzzzzzzzzzzzz

MarioKart Driving School: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #28) 
Loudon, NH 2014 - Millville, NJ, Lightening 2019 (RIP)
New and improved: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #11) Pittsburgh, PA 2021 - ??
and finally won something, Class C Win: Loudon, NH 2022
  • gunn
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
  • Offline
  • From: SF, CA
  • Registered: 2010-12-18
  • Posts: 1,011

Re: Tech inspection Question- Who has to be there?

One thing I didnt' realize for my first race was that any thematic presentation to the judges (aka grading of your car into class + BS Laps) is done immediately after Tech (at least at the Sears Point races). Therefore, if you've spent the time putting together a good theme (and you should -- esp if you are bringing anything that could remotely be considered cheaty), be prepared to showcase it right after you take your car through tech.

-g

Myopic Motorsport's #888 Ceci n'est pas une Citron Thunderbird ("This is not a lemon" but a 1995 tbird w/ 93 V8 swap + shopping cart rear wing + engine mounted frito maker)
2017 Sears Pointless Organizer’s Choice
Frito Making Tbird from 2018 Sears Pointless Engine Heat BBQ - http://goo.gl/csaet4
  • bshorey
  • bshorey
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-10-06
  • Posts: 1,448

Re: Tech inspection Question- Who has to be there?

<snip>

MZAVARIN wrote:

- They usually don't check to see if you can get out quickly....sometimes they do....rarely

<snip>

You must be living a good life.  Our car has done 39 races, and I've been the one to bring it through tech for maybe 30 of those.  And I've had to do the damn fire drill each and every time.

Somebody else pointed out that BS is right after tech, so make sure you have whatever team mates on hand to bring it through BS that you need.

bs

  • From: Villa Park, IL
  • Registered: 2010-12-12
  • Posts: 1,338

Re: Tech inspection Question- Who has to be there?

bshorey wrote:

<snip>

MZAVARIN wrote:

- They usually don't check to see if you can get out quickly....sometimes they do....rarely

<snip>

You must be living a good life.  Our car has done 39 races, and I've been the one to bring it through tech for maybe 30 of those.  And I've had to do the damn fire drill each and every time.

Somebody else pointed out that BS is right after tech, so make sure you have whatever team mates on hand to bring it through BS that you need.

bs

We've had a few races where the tech inspector turned to us and asked us if we really need to do the test since we've done it so many times before. We always say yes just so our driver doesn't get to comfy. I think it's more of a running gag between Dale and us. I doubt he would let us get away without doing it.

Newest member - White Trash Racing
Owner of the Traveling Hat
  • Registered: 2014-06-01
  • Posts: 165

Re: Tech inspection Question- Who has to be there?

I have had to do the fire drill every time too. The one time I almost didn't, Jay asked me to open the hood before I had done it. Still sitting in the car I asked, "Do you want me to do the fire drill?" He said; "oh sure, why not?" Haha!

I don't mind doing it really, I can pop out of that car quite quickly after doing it so many times working on it.



A few points on safety:

Make sure you have welded the cage ALL the way around every weld. Even/especially the ones above your head between the cage and the roof.

Make sure you have padding anywhere the human body could contact the cage, or dash in a crash secured to the car via large zip-ties. 

Make sure you can start your car, rev it to 2K, kill it via the kill switch, and without letting off the throttle, the car dies immediately.

Tape over your positive battery terminal, and the terminals on the back of the kill switch.

Make sure you correctly mounted your harness.

And make sure you remembered to fully bolt in your seat. (doesn't shake)

Lots of others, but those are the ones I have seen happen the most.

  • From: South Jersey
  • Registered: 2013-12-01
  • Posts: 588

Re: Tech inspection Question- Who has to be there?

As others have said, "expect to fail."  Very often experienced teams who run multiple cars still sometimes fail inspection.  Read and reread the rules and how not to fail pages.  Have multiple people go over the car pre-race, and if you can find a local experienced team to go over it too.  They provide very little leeway from the rules.  On the upside the tech person will typically give advice and some direction as to how to fix it and what team will likely be able to help out if you can't do it yourself.  There are many stories of teams having to rebuild their cage over Friday night.  Don't be that guy. 

Also, bring lots of beer to either celebrate when you pass or to get you through the next phase.

Team Glue Sticks
00 Firebird, 02 X-Type, 93 NX2000, 00 Mazda 626 (Sold)
2016 NJMP Heroic Fix, 2017 NJMP Near Heroic Fix except we can't drive, 2017 Thompson I Got Screwed, 2019 Pitt Heroic Fix
  • From: Chicago-ish
  • Registered: 2010-04-19
  • Posts: 3,498

Re: Tech inspection Question- Who has to be there?

TeamLemon-aid wrote:

If you have only one representative at tech, make sure it is someone who has actually worked on the car and knows the car.  Someone who could carry the message back from tech to the team if there is something that has to be fixed. 

Also, just because a car has passed tech the last 5 times doesn't mean it will this time.  So get in line for tech early.

Wise words. It's like these guys have won a race or something before.

Eric Rood
Everything Bagel, 24 Hours of Lemons
eric@24hoursoflemons.com

therood's Website

  • From: Iowa
  • Registered: 2010-04-20
  • Posts: 2,660

Re: Tech inspection Question- Who has to be there?

Blind squirrels find nuts all the time...

therood wrote:
TeamLemon-aid wrote:

If you have only one representative at tech, make sure it is someone who has actually worked on the car and knows the car.  Someone who could carry the message back from tech to the team if there is something that has to be fixed. 

Also, just because a car has passed tech the last 5 times doesn't mean it will this time.  So get in line for tech early.

Wise words. It's like these guys have won a race or something before.

LemonAid - Changing kids lives one lap at a time.
  • From: Charleston
  • Registered: 2010-08-10
  • Posts: 1,030

Re: Tech inspection Question- Who has to be there?

MZAVARIN wrote:

- All team members do not need to be at tech, only one person....and they do not actually check to see if everyone on the team is short enough such that their helmet clears the cage.  I am on the tall side, and so if I go through tech, I slouch in the seat....they've raised an eye brow in the past....so I try to put my wife in there for tech...

Sending the car through tech with the shortest driver, or slouching in the seat is risky.  You will be parked by a judge if they see someone too tall in the car.  We did it in New Jersey - we let them fix it, but they were off track for quite a while lowering their seat.

Apparently my name is really "Craigers".  Who knew?
We might be yellow, but at least we are slow
I'm a WINNER!