• Jake13
  • Rookie Driver
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2010-03-13
  • Posts: 6

Re: Wanted: any & all pics and video of #21 on track for it's 1 lap

I was one of the team members who "abandoned" John and since the story seems to be a quite a bit one sided, allow me to explain why we decided to leave.

It was very clear to us that John was not as concerned about safety as he was about the theme of the car. Every time I suggested the car needed something for safety reasons I was told that it was fine and that he knew the rules. Of course that's not what Tech told us when we showed up and we're not talking about minor issues here. They were actually upset that we brought this car in the shape it was in! The final straw for me was when I went to remove the rear wheel after the second or third tech inspection I found that the lug nuts were still only hand tightened (check list?). John said "If you're so concerned about safety why did you come to Lemons?". I still hope that this was a joke but when I told him I didn't find it funny I was ignored. It was clear that we did not see eye to eye on the most important part of racing.

I give credit to John for sticking it out with the car and never quitting. I'm not at all surprised. But it was clear Saturday afternoon that the car would never be safe to drive and that is all the reason we needed to call it. I know the spirit of Lemons and I met some great people this weekend but I was not willing to sacrifice my safety and the safety of other drivers for any reason.

  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: Wanted: any & all pics and video of #21 on track for it's 1 lap

Jake,

No one accused you of "abandoning" me. I asked if you wanted to stay and I offered to find you a seat in someone else's car, but you wanted to go. You were a great asset to the team, and I could have used your help. We could have had the car on the track earlier if you had stuck around. I told everyone you were the biggest help in the build, and I was sorry to see you go, but you can not blame anyone for your actions but yourself.

As for the lug nuts, I took those wheels on and off so many time, I can't count. If my joke offended you, I'm not apologizing. You can take it up with some Miami Cubans.

You are a great guy and I wish you luck in your spec car endeavors.

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • From: Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 949

Re: Wanted: any & all pics and video of #21 on track for it's 1 lap

Oh God, this is the car?

Please tell me someone has a picture in all it's rickshaw glory. 

It took me a minute when I first saw it, but once I noticed the rice paddy hat, I 'got it' and actually LOL'ed.

But when I saw no windshield and those 10 foot long jousting spears, tack welded to the shock towers, chills ran up my spine.

http://knowyourmeme.com/i/4/original/at-first-i-was-like.jpg

ALLEGEDLY!

-Dave
Scuderia Ignorante // Modena / Dearborn / Aichi Prefecture / West Texas
  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: Wanted: any & all pics and video of #21 on track for it's 1 lap

IgnoranteWest wrote:

But when I saw no windshield and those 10 foot long jousting spears, tack welded to the shock towers, chills ran up my spine.

You know we did pull-ups on those tubes. Sajeev tried it, but the tube started to bend. My welds are good. They just don't look pretty cause they are stick welds and not MIG.

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

30 Reply by IgnoranteWest (edited by IgnoranteWest 2010-09-14 10:33 AM)

  • From: Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 949

Re: Wanted: any & all pics and video of #21 on track for it's 1 lap

Hoonatic Racing wrote:
IgnoranteWest wrote:

But when I saw no windshield and those 10 foot long jousting spears, tack welded to the shock towers, chills ran up my spine.

You know we did pull-ups on those tubes. Sajeev tried it, but the tube started to bend. My welds are good. They just don't look pretty cause they are stick welds and not MIG.

I applaud your creativity and don't intend this to be a flamefest, but I met Sajeev this weekend and he looks to maybe weigh like 150 lbs soaking wet.  If you try the theme again, (it was funny enough that you could get more mileage out of it) weld brackets to the shock towers and pass thru BS Inspection with bamboo poles that will be removed after BS Inspection.

ALLEGEDLY!

-Dave
Scuderia Ignorante // Modena / Dearborn / Aichi Prefecture / West Texas

31 Reply by Hoonatic Racing (edited by Hoonatic Racing 2010-09-15 10:43 AM)

  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: Wanted: any & all pics and video of #21 on track for it's 1 lap

Jay Lamm wrote:

Best & thanks again for a helluva an impressive struggle. Kind of renews my faith in man's ability to kill himself for the right to do something stupid. I'm touched

You're welcome, Jay.

He revalued BOTH car #21 & car #55 at a combined $2.35
$2 for the Blue Goose CRX
And
$0.35 for the Intowgra

I think my Integra is lowering LeMon's property value.

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • Registered: 2010-06-07
  • Posts: 39

Re: Wanted: any & all pics and video of #21 on track for it's 1 lap

Hoonatic Racing wrote:

My welds are good. They just don't look pretty cause they are stick welds and not MIG.

HAHAHA, I love quotes like this.  Bad looking welds are never strong, good looking welds are sometimes strong.

  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: Wanted: any & all pics and video of #21 on track for it's 1 lap

ohaythair wrote:

Bad looking welds are never strong, good looking welds are sometimes strong.

That is true for GMAW. SMAW is always ugly because of splatter. GTAW is difficult to make for most people, so if you can GTAW, it is probably going to be good reguardless of appearance.

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • From: Sitting in Traffic
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 481

Re: Wanted: any & all pics and video of #21 on track for it's 1 lap

Hoonatic Racing wrote:

You know we did pull-ups on those tubes. Sajeev tried it, but the tube started to bend. .

I can see it now....One...ok ooonnneeeeee.  Come on ONE get it get it get it....STOP!!! The metal is bending, hows abouts a beer?

I would have snapped them clean off.

Justice...with a smile.