Topic: OTHER crap can races?

As you all know, this Lemons thing is fun. 

However, driving 12 to 16 hours for each race, combined with the extended time between Lemons opportunities on the west coast, leaves me longing for more.

Anyone know of any other series that utilizes this same cheap-ass mentality? ...because as my team mates will surely agree I'm a cheap ass. 

We're located in Portland, OR.  I think our car is safe enough and good enough to handle other racing, so we'll probably be using an MR2.  I'm all for rally, TSD, altamont-style races, enduro, anything to drive in competition for (relatively) little $$$ with other non-rich-posers.

The only other event I know of locally isn't suited to the MR2 and no windows, so we use my wife's car smile

http://twistyroads.net/trnt/index.html

Re: OTHER crap can races?

Trash Car races at Willamette Speedway in Lebenon, OR

Sorry Erik, I've been holding out on this one...

http://www.trophymotorsports.com/trashcars.htm

3 (edited by MurileeMartin 2009-05-14 01:48 PM)

Re: OTHER crap can races?

http://jalopnik.com/assets/images/gallery/12/2008/11/medium_3047006133_5604b59e8a_o.jpg
It appears that Rodeocross racing in the Czech Republic may be sufficiently LeMons-like. Dacias, Skodas, ZAZs, on a dirt track!

Re: OTHER crap can races?

I had the same question last year, and it looks like lots of ovals have a crapbox class.  Look for the 4-cylinder class at your local oval.  It wouldn't be quite the same (not endurance, not a road track), but it'd be close.  I looked up the rules for the "Four Fun" class near me, and it was pretty similar: restrictions on cost, a claiming rule, restrictions on tires to keep it cheap, etc.

This list is pretty extensive, though it probably isn't up-to-date.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_track_motor_racing

Car to Pit telemetry (OBD2, GPS, and analog inputs) with little more than a phone, router, and laptop.  It's not MacGuyver, it's WifiLapper (forum | facebook)

Re: OTHER crap can races?

In San Diego, Grassroots Motorsports is hosting a $1000 version of their $200_ series. It's basically a series of autocross and drag race events over the next few months. The Porcubimmer is entered.

www.sdgrandchallenge.com

The Homer: Powerful like a gorilla, yet soft and yielding like a Nerf ball.

Re: OTHER crap can races?

You can also look for Rallycross events.  They run some at Thunderhill sometimes for example.  I've always wanted to try this but didn't want to get the interior of my street car that dirty...perfect for a stripped out Lemons car!

Re: OTHER crap can races?

Hey everyone, I"ve got an answer to my own question!

Starting at Portland International Raceway (My home town!!!!) and going all over the country, there is ANOTHER $500 enduro road racing series!!!!!!  They've officially got themselves on the PIR schedule, and at a few other tracks, so it looks like this is a go for real! 

www.ThatOtherSeries.com
www.portlandraceway.com

ChumpCar isn't going where Lemons already goes, so it gives those of us 'underserved' another opportunity, which totally rocks!  From ChumpCar's web site it looks like they and the Lemons crew are playing nice with each other, so that's spectacular also.  Their web site kinda sucks right now, but it promises more soon.

Any of you near enough to Portland (read: all of Cali and Nevada, we drive there for pete's sake) need to come take part in this first race.  Let's get another grasroots crap car race series off the  ground in style! 

Anyone else heard of this?  Know more about it?  I can't see where to sign up yet, but I joined their yahoo email list (like the old Lemons email list) and it sounds like the new web site with the apps will be ready in days not weeks.  Not very active yet, but I'm sure it will be hundreds of emails daily pretty darn soon, just like the old one from here.

*currently dancing a jig.  MORE CHEAP RACES!!!!!!!

Re: OTHER crap can races?

Talk to professional.dreamer.....

The Homer: Powerful like a gorilla, yet soft and yielding like a Nerf ball.

Re: OTHER crap can races?

I'm gonna have to check out this Chumpcar series!

Re: OTHER crap can races?

MurileeMartin wrote:

I'm gonna have to check out this Chumpcar series!

Heck, maybe you could actually GET DIRTY and live up to all your junk yard-excursions.  You know, bring your own car and your own team and show us your stuff!  No judicial favors here,  baby!

Re: OTHER crap can races?

So, the Black Metal V8Volvo at Altamont wasn't enough for you?

Re: OTHER crap can races?

ecniv wrote:

So, the Black Metal V8Volvo at Altamont wasn't enough for you?

I ain't driving a Chumpcar. I'll be going in my capacity as a Doctor Of Automotive Journalism.

Re: OTHER crap can races?

ChumpCar is a carbon copy of Lemons sans the sense of humor. I do welcome the possibility of more geographically appealing races and a true 24 hour veterans race but it wouldn't be nearly as much fun without the comedic element. Plus, I don't see any SoCal races in their schedule.

The Sharks
Home of the E28 Turbo Tuner Fish and the Hammered Head 944 Turbo

Re: OTHER crap can races?

But damn, Homestead in Feb, Sebring in Nov!!  WOO HOO!!  Us Tampa folks (5 teams now) finally have Florida dates!  Plus they won't conflict with any of our existing Lemons dates if the 2010 schedule remains status quo!  smile

We are the people your parents warned you about.

15 (edited by bongle 2009-07-25 03:38 AM)

Re: OTHER crap can races?

Yeah, I just read their ruleset, and they are nearly identical, except they stripped out all the humour.

Other differences:
-No people's curse
-No bribing (lap penalties applied if you attempt)
-I can't find their equivalent to Lemons' section 6 (Lousy Driving), but there are hints that penalties will be monetary.  Given the generally humourless rules, I can't imagine they'd have 'fun' penalties like Lemons.
-No external camera mounts
-Claiming rule is set up so it is a bit more feasible: they buy your car (safety gear included) for $1500, then auction it off immediately for charity starting at $1750.  You are permitted bidding in the auction.
-Lots of fees.  Need a residual value? fee.  Need to add people late? fee.  Need someone to take a look at your rollcage pre-race? fee.  Granted, I think most of the fees end up at a charity, but still, it seems kinda annoying.

Since it serves the same demographic, I can't imagine the spirit of the races being that different.  If they have a race near me, I might try it out.  I like the double-7-hour format, it'd make Sunday much more competitive and give teams a chance to make a comeback if their motor blows up on the warmup laps on Saturday.

Car to Pit telemetry (OBD2, GPS, and analog inputs) with little more than a phone, router, and laptop.  It's not MacGuyver, it's WifiLapper (forum | facebook)

Re: OTHER crap can races?

I run the Hangover 150 at Ransomville Speedway on new years day every year.  This will be my 5th outting this coming year.  Every year it gets more and more scary,  take a frozen dirt oval, ungroomed surface, could be hard packed dirt or mud or event snow and ice.  Throw about 100 cars in each class on the track and try and race. Sometimes cars burning on the track, and you drive by them and you can feel the intense heat coming from them.  I prefer 24 hours of Lemons though... way to much fun!!

http://ransomvillespeedway.com/Rans2005/010105/05-01-01-0103%20(2).jpg

http://www.ransomvillespeedway.com/Rans2004/Hangover/01-01-04-ahb-9%20(2).jpg

Team Magnum PI ness  #357  -

106th place at Nelson Ledges - The Lamest Days
-oil pressure failure leading to engine failure

Re: OTHER crap can races?

bongle wrote:

Yeah, I just read their ruleset, and they are nearly identical, except they stripped out all the humour.

It's going to be tough to match the twisted-sense-o-humor combo of Nick and Jay, so Lemons will no doubt keep that crucial edge. But crapcan racing is always a good idea!

Re: OTHER crap can races?

Who care about the rules?  MORE RACING!!!  I'm going to need a second job.....

Mike
Lab Rats Motorsports
1988 Mitsubishi/Dodge/Fiat Colt Carpocalypse Edition

Re: OTHER crap can races?

It's not "racing" per se, but the BABE Ralley is just as hilarious as the Lemons and lasts at least twice as long. You also have to get dressed up one day and act even more stupidly than you usually do.

I ran the BABE in a $250 Dodge conversion van that leaked more oil than it burned fuel. Heroic fixes were the order of the day.

Captainess: #88 Scirocket Racing - Did someone say Pikachu?

Re: OTHER crap can races?

I'm just happy for more seat time!

It will be nice to not have to worry about OVER THE TOP theme prep work for the Chumpcar races.  It sounds like they still look at the theme / engineering of the car, but without the funky penalties.

professional.dreamer:  good luck!

Re: OTHER crap can races?

I have read their rules, the whole 31 pages of them, and have not said anything in the Lemons forum until someone else brought it up.

I agree with Bongle on the fees, it's like the Bank of the Northern Hemisphere commercials, there's a fee for everything.  Then there are even fines for some things. 

While they don't have a curse, it sure looks like they plan to do some claiming.  Based on perceived cheating.  We have lots of documentation for our car and we're still branded cheaters with our "Bribed" stencil.

While $1500 is better than $500 both are a fraction of the build cost of these cars.  Most roll cage jobs start around $1000.  If you had a cage professionally built and installed I think you're in the $2000 range.  In my opinion, if you know build costs are in the $3000-$4000 then you should have to pay the cost to claim the car.

Also if your going to claim a car based on perceived cheating, should you have to be able to prove the car is cheating?

There's no bribing, I considering that tipping Jonny and Phil.  Realistically, I don't know how the BS inspection will go with Chump.  Maybe like an IRS audit, who knows.  As long as it's fair, all's good.

There are a few more safety requirements like catch cans/bottles for diff and tranny fluid.

I don't think theme or cosmetic stuff counts toward the budget along with comfort items which includes gauges.

Aside from some things that could be considered negative, there are opportunities to run on some cool tracks at higher speeds with more true 24 hour races.

While they try not to conflict with Lemons, running in Dallas in June conflicts with New Orleans since lots of teams from the Houston and Dallas area ran in New Orleans.  Since Lemons 2010 schedule isn't up yet, it's hard to see conflicts.  Nick hinted at another race in the Texas area.  Two races in the same month would probably mean more sleepless nights.

There are questions too, like how will residuals be determined and honored between the two?

Troy

#35 LRE
1973 Datsun 240Z

Re: OTHER crap can races?

Troy wrote:

I have read their rules... There are questions too... et cetera et cetera et cetera...

Troy, you need to write directly to ChumpCar HQ and find out these things for us!

Re: OTHER crap can races?

Troy wrote:

There are questions too, like how will residuals be determined and honored between the two?

Very good question! Our car would be over the $500 limit since it has run three Lemons races and had residual budget added to it each time.

The Sharks
Home of the E28 Turbo Tuner Fish and the Hammered Head 944 Turbo

Re: OTHER crap can races?

@MagnumPI:  Holy crap, that.  looks.  AWESOME.  It's like a video game in those shots.  Reminds me of the Good Ol' Boys race the used to have at the Crandon, WI CORR track.

1978 AMC Pacer - The Blue Flag Special
BFE GP '12 - IOE
BFE GP '13 - Co-Organizer's Choice w/ Speed Holes Wrenching

Re: OTHER crap can races?

Rockford Brodie wrote:

@MagnumPI:  Holy crap, that.  looks.  AWESOME.  It's like a video game in those shots.  Reminds me of the Good Ol' Boys race the used to have at the Crandon, WI CORR track.

It is a hoot, but sometimes scary..  the stands are always packed.  Its like destruction derby out there, its a race but - survival.  Its a pretty popular event and the liquid courage is usually flowing.

Team Magnum PI ness  #357  -

106th place at Nelson Ledges - The Lamest Days
-oil pressure failure leading to engine failure