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There were 148 teams registered for the October race in Houston. How many cars actually got accepted? If all applicants did get accepted will we be running full track?
There were 148 teams registered for the October race in Houston. How many cars actually got accepted? If all applicants did get accepted will we be running full track?
And how are the pits/fueling gonna work. I'd hate to see a full course yellow go up, and everyone comes in to fuel at the same time. Pit road isn't THAT long at MSR. Talk about potential for trouble.
I don't know how many teams got accepted but it would be nice to know.
I don't think that many teams look for full course yellows to pit. Most teams are out of contention to win pretty early so it isn't that big of an issue.
Then there's black flags which give you forced pitting. Like when a red SHO gets rear ended when they block a pass.
I will agree the hot pit probably isn't long enough to every car at the same time. I doubt that will happen though.
Besides, what are you SHO guys worried about? Odds are one of the cars will be off getting a new motor anyway.
And how are the pits/fueling gonna work. I'd hate to see a full course yellow go up, and everyone comes in to fuel at the same time. Pit road isn't THAT long at MSR. Talk about potential for trouble.
If they do it like they did for the February race, teams are allowed to use the hot pits for driver change and fueling. All crew who want to be on pit row must be dressed in fire gear. Anybody who goes over the wall has to be in full gear including helmets, I believe. Certainly helmets for the fueler and the guy holding the fire bottle.
At the February race, I don't think I ever saw more than half a dozen cars using the hot pits at the same time. It wasn't exactly the Bristol bullring if you get my drift.
They experimented with local yellows last spring; if they incorporate the entire course this time, I'd bet we'll see more local yellows and fewer full-course yellows.
FWIW, I thought the hot pits were an awesome addition to the race. Just made it feel more like a real race than a club meet. Which is funny, because of all the things that Lemons is, a "real race" falls pretty far down the list, and for that we should all thank our lucky stars.
Besides, what are you SHO guys worried about? Odds are one of the cars will be off getting a new motor anyway.
Some SHO's go, some blow. New Orleans was the first race for our team, one black flag on Sat., we finished 6th one lap down from 5th, 14 laps from the winner. That's the best finish for any SHO in Lemons racing. I think there will be a SHO at SC, it's their first race, so depending on how well they prep the car as to if it goes or blows.
The first Lemons race for me was ETL SHO in Oct 08. It had an engine knock going into the race. No wonder we were swapping engines Sat. night. The second team, Ziptie had a trans blow late Sat. so again changing major drivetrain parts half way thru the race.
Not sure how the GI Joe SHO did in it's couple of races on the west coast.
Got this from Jay today: "Cars: About 120, I think."
Sergio: Regarding SHO's, I just gotta give you guys a hard time. We had a run in with one of them.
RRRR wrote:And how are the pits/fueling gonna work. I'd hate to see a full course yellow go up, and everyone comes in to fuel at the same time. Pit road isn't THAT long at MSR. Talk about potential for trouble.
At the February race, I don't think I ever saw more than half a dozen cars using the hot pits at the same time. It wasn't exactly the Bristol bullring if you get my drift.
That sounds about right, but at the new orleans race, with <50 cars entered, I saw ~8 cars in the pits durring one of our pits, and that was about 2 cars too many. With the potential for well over 100 cars in this race, I was just currious about the plan, but you make a valid point.
I'm assuming you must have had a run in with the el toro loco car, since our 89 car hasn't been @ MSR yet.
RRRR, I wasn't driving but I think it was a run/bump in with the red SHO at NPR.
RRRR, I wasn't driving but I think it was a run/bump in with the red SHO at NPR.
As far as I know we didn't have any car contact at NPR. Was the red SHO a bright Ferrari red with bull horns on the roof #92? Ours is maroon Aggie red.
Our black flag was for 4 wheels off on Sat.
Sergio, I think it was the red SHO with the horns. Aren't you the guy with the goatee (slightly singed goatee)?
According to them, they were driving along minding there own business ready the latest edition of racing etiquette when out of no where this old Datsun rear ended them.
According to our driver, he tried to pass them several times and they pulled in front of him and blocked him. The last time he said he was coming on pretty good when they swerved in front of him and slammed on the brakes. Apparently, our bumper went under their car cause our hood got rolled.
It's the most significant body damage we have received in three races and it isn't that bad.
At the first MSR race, another driver was supposedly forced off track to avoid an accident with one of the red Integras. I've met both teams with red Integras, they both claim the other car did it. It didn't see the incident but our car took flight about like Rene's flat blacked (formerly red) Integra did off the loose BMW wheel.
The officials were trying to figure out which Integra forced us off track but they were never sure which one. There wasn't any body damage to our car but it did mess up some stuff underneath.
None of this stuff has resulted in any major carnage so it's no big deal.
What's "Aggie" red?
Sergio is not the guy with the singed goatee. That is Ezra, we run on the #37 white SHO. As far as the contact with #92, it happens. As you said ,no major damage so; race on!!!!!!!
Sergio, I think it was the red SHO with the horns. Aren't you the guy with the goatee (slightly singed goatee)?
No, I just have a bunch of white hair on my head. That's Ezra with the goatee on Team Ziptie.
What's "Aggie" red?
The rest of the world calls it maroon.
well......if we do use the full track then we can have 3 chicanes 
That would be kinda fun
But I heard that they will be more like the first race chicane (50mph) instead of the original configuration at the Feb race (about 35mph).
All in all......the MSR crew and Lemons staff always do a good job. As long as its not 34-45 degrees with a 20mph wind all weekend again...October should be great.
Now.....if it rains...I'd be curious to see how many cars die
jimeditorial wrote:What's "Aggie" red?
The rest of the world calls it maroon.
Guess you have to understand Texan. Tried to order a balaclava from a California company once and they had no idea what I was talking about.
According to them, they were driving along minding there own business ready the latest edition of racing etiquette when out of no where this old Datsun rear ended them.
According to our driver, he tried to pass them several times and they pulled in front of him and blocked him. The last time he said he was coming on pretty good when they swerved in front of him and slammed on the brakes. Apparently, our bumper went under their car cause our hood got rolled.
The only run in I've had with a Datsun was when the gold/tan colored one spun right infront of me, missed him with plenty of room to spare, but was still exciting. Sergio has it on video.
well......if we do use the full track then we can have 3 chicanes
But I heard that they will be more like the first race chicane (50mph) instead of the original configuration at the Feb race (about 35mph).
All in all......the MSR crew and Lemons staff always do a good job. As long as its not 34-45 degrees with a 20mph wind all weekend again...October should be great.
Now.....if it rains...I'd be curious to see how many cars die
I'm hoping for less chicanes but if we run full course, they're going to have to slow us down for the diamond edge. Otherwise, some idiot may go and demonstrate his or her stupidity in a very bad way.
The weather in February was great until about 5:00 am on Saturday morning. The wind picked up (big time) tents started scooting around and the temp droppppeeeeedddddd.
By the end of the race the weather was sorta decent.
If it's raining in October, I need to borrow a 5 year old with a squeegee.
3.16: Bad-Weather Visibility: It's your job to figure out which bad-weather visibility aids will be most useful for your car. Wipers, Rain-X, tearoffs, small squeegee-wielding children tied to the hood, etc. are all acceptable. If your visibility appears compromised during the race for any reason, you may be black-flagged until conditions improve.
I'm hoping for less chicanes but if we run full course, they're going to have to slow us down for the diamond edge. Otherwise, some idiot may go and demonstrate his or her stupidity in a very bad way.
The weather in February was great until about 5:00 am on Saturday morning. The wind picked up (big time) tents started scooting around and the temp droppppeeeeedddddd.
By the end of the race the weather was sorta decent.
If it's raining in October, I need to borrow a 5 year old with a squeegee.
3.16: Bad-Weather Visibility: It's your job to figure out which bad-weather visibility aids will be most useful for your car. Wipers, Rain-X, tearoffs, small squeegee-wielding children tied to the hood, etc. are all acceptable. If your visibility appears compromised during the race for any reason, you may be black-flagged until conditions improve.
I was sleeping in the back of my truck on Saturday night and woke up about 3:00 with uncontrollable shivering. Bear in mind that I am, as one of my team members has written, a man of Falstaffian proportions; I never get cold. I though to myself "WTF! This is Houston! It never gets cold down here unless you fall into a frozen margarita." Then I turned on the truck heater and slept warm until my alarm went off. Got dressed in the truck and then went to the portajohn. My teeth were chattering the entire way. At least the frosty temps kept the smells down in that overflowing mess. One of my team members (who grew up in Houston) convinced me before the race that there was no way on earth we would need a portable propane-fired heater. I made him eat those words over and over again on toast.
So in October, when it should be only unseasonably warm, I fully expect it to be at least in the mid-90's and humidity at about 1,000%. Fun!
And if it's hot and rainy, I suspect that the outside of that track will, by Saturday afternoon, resemble the back of the Mulsanne straight with cars abandoned in place. Might need to think about bringing along a set of mudders for the car. Uh oh -- new tire discussion thread?
BTW, Troy, I hear that Jeg's has a price-match guarantee on all race parts, so you can probably get a good deal on that squeegee-bearing kindergartener any time you like...
Hey Troy, can I borrow your squeegee-bearing kindergardner for the Nelson Ledges race? We are way behind schedule and the wipers are low on the priority list. Z car wipers are notorious for being crap on their best days and less than useless in a heavy rain.
Hey Troy, can I borrow your squeegee-bearing kindergardner for the Nelson Ledges race? We are way behind schedule and the wipers are low on the priority list. Z car wipers are notorious for being crap on their best days and less than useless in a heavy rain.
Rain-x maybe?
Rain-x will be used for sure, but it would be nice to have some sort of semi-functional wipers.
I'll be at NL and MSR. If anyone needs them I can rent out my 4 and 6 year olds for windshield duty. I'll need to know in advance 'cause otherwise they're staying home with Mom.
Can they stay in sych? If so each one can hold a wiper arm. If they can't then don't bother. I don't want my fine race car to look like a hooptie school bus with the wipers going every which way. 
All you need is one wiper. Get a motor from a rear window wiper system and mount it left of center or so. Find the largest blade that will clear the top and bottom of the windshield and presto!
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