Topic: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

Great times had by all, weather phenomenal and was perfect.  Track never changes.  We came as always with our beat car and healthy running and ready as the last three races.  We have made no changes to strategy with exception of  really running a no black flags race and for the first time we did that. 

We got lucky in the start as we were 8th when flag dropped after 2 hours we were up to 7th and then did a drivers change which  slide us back to 10th competition was hot and tight  after 1:50 for the next driver we were same tenth I jumped in, after 15 moth hiatus of being in car.  Little sloppy but after the drivers change we were 12th when I started and when I finished we were 12th still so that was good for me.

last driver got in and he gut us back to tenth.  10th highest we have ever finished in a day.

Day two  Of the starting 10 cars 6 were now the dreaded E36 .   Attrition started happening on sunday as teams pushed  hard to stay or move up the field.  We were 15 laps down on the leaders and could only struggle to catch up as we wwre working on being consistent and smooth. We were upset as we were in 9th for the last 45 minutes but lost a lspot with 15 minutes to go jin a mess between two flagging stations but it happens.

We finished TENTH a great showing we think now that the car is finally dialed in we were debating retiring it and we have decide not too.

Thanks everyone and thanks to the Alfa Guys for feeding us..  We like to say thank you to team Blue Tang for helping us remove some broken studs our of a street car's water pump housing allowing our team captain to be mobile again.

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

Jake from the rookie Dead Horse Beaters Minivan powered Mustang here (yes, the one that was in the back), and I have to say all of you guys really made this weekend a blast. I've never had more fun getting zero sleep and freezing my butt off at night in a tent maybe more sketchy than our car. It was great to see everyone's reactions to the car and see all the cool hoopts around the track.

We finished 93rd overall with 197 laps, our (well, my) goal was 100 so I couldn't be happier. Hopefully by New Jersey we can have some weird handling characteristics sorted, pop in a "fresh" minivan engine (fresher than 240k miles atleast), and actually do some good competing!

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

Scoped out this race as a spectator on Sunday with the rest of what is hopefully a first time team come August in CT. We had a great time watching these hoopties limp around the track and standing around awkwardly staring at the exasperated teams in the paddock, learned a lot about racing Volkswagons from the guys running them. Hopefully will light a fire under our asses to get our car running.

March 2016 bought running 1988 VW Fox Wagon
March 2016 - Spring 2018 Car was on its side with no engine
2018 Thompson Organizers' Choice (25 laps)
2019 Thompson Judges' Choice (58 laps) NHMS Judges' Choice (74 laps)

4 (edited by DRVOLKS 2017-10-23 08:25 AM)

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

DRVOLKS  TDI Beetle team had its   hands full  with the first sting  getting its right front wheel ripped off . fixed it in 1hr 20 min then second sting having a car spin in front and t boning it bending the front end over 12 inch took 3+ hr to fix then then with 1.45 to go I drove only to have the petcock back out and I cracked a block . We still loved racing Lemons I can proudly say the team worked very well together . We safely can say we have the fastest VW Beetle TDI on any road course in the USA  we got it down to 1.26 with just a OK tune.
But it is SAD to say we will not run her again  I plan on pulling it apart  and move all the race goody to a 2000 Audi TT  for next year. So if some one wish to fix it  give me a call I have many parts for it .
Bob Mann
781-588-3968

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

I had lots of fun driving Super Grover on Sunday morning. It would've been more fun if the transmission hadn't decided that it didn't like third gear and started breaking all its teeth.

1992 Saturn SL2 (retired) - Elmo's Revenge -  Class B winner, Heroic Fix winner x2
1969 Rover P6B 3500S(sold) - Super G-Rover - I.O.E Winner, Class C Winner
1996 Saturn SW2 - Elmo's Revenge (reborn!), Saturn SL1  Dazzleshipm Class C x2 and IOE winner
1974 AMC Javelin - Oscar's Trash heap - IOE,”Organizer's Choice" and "I got Screwed" award winner

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

Our team, and our Russian Mafia garages had a great time racing and hanging out with all the great teams and cars!
Seems like the hub on the knuckle/spindle is a weak spot on the Prelude...this is the third one broken....almost one per race....seems like the right one breaks on left turning tracks, and vise versa....and junk yards finds are getting scarce.....but someone mentioned an Integra swap might be possible....?

And we had so many great guests come visit us in our garage....but not enough to finish eating all the food my wife made...

Otherwise, great racing....we did get a hard hit (with no real damage) on our rear in the turn before the uphill by the Dalmation Dog team/car...I was upset and came in for the penalty...and was told by the judge that the Dalmation Dog car took full responsibility for the incident...then I felt like hugging the guy that hit me...what a gracious, honest gesture....so I also apologize if I did not leave you enough room to pass since you were a bit faster and likely in Class A anyways...

And I hope our car did not get in the way too much of others, or bother other cars/drivers too much...we did have a few affectionate rubs up against a few other cars...one guy actually (seemed) to wave apologetically (I don't think he was giving me the finger....) when he scraped past me...

And now 6+ months till the next race...

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

7 (edited by Somebody 2017-10-23 09:45 PM)

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

MZAVARIN wrote:

Our team, and our Russian Mafia garages had a great time racing and hanging out with all the great teams and cars!
Seems like the hub on the knuckle/spindle is a weak spot on the Prelude...this is the third one broken....almost one per race....seems like the right one breaks on left turning tracks, and vise versa....and junk yards finds are getting scarce.....but someone mentioned an Integra swap might be possible....?

And we had so many great guests come visit us in our garage....but not enough to finish eating all the food my wife made...


Always great being in the paddock 2 cars over from you each race :-) I may or may not have that "Integra" "cheatolium" for you. If it is correct for you front, I will now make things right for the BS judge and charge you a grand total of 32 cents for it. USD of course :-)

Jo gets the green stuff so all I can rely on is the silver, nickel and bronze things in life. Give me a message sometime so I can get that to you.


Otherwise, great racing....we did get a hard hit (with no real damage) on our rear in the turn before the uphill by the Dalmation Dog team/car...I was upset and came in for the penalty...and was told by the judge that the Dalmation Dog car took full responsibility for the incident...then I felt like hugging the guy that hit me...what a gracious, honest gesture....so I also apologize if I did not leave you enough room to pass since you were a bit faster and likely in Class A anyways...

And I hope our car did not get in the way too much of others, or bother other cars/drivers too much...we did have a few affectionate rubs up against a few other cars...one guy actually (seemed) to wave apologetically (I don't think he was giving me the finger....) when he scraped past me...

And now 6+ months till the next race...

Well crap, I posted and it only showed your quote...

Anyways, I may or may not have that "Integra" "Cheatolium" you so speak of. For Lemons record, I will charge a grand total of 32 cents for it. Jo gets the green stuff so I can only settle for the silver, nickel and bronze things in life.

As always great seeing you at the race 2 cars over in the Paddock. We had a blast once again with the Russian Gestopho... although there might be a hint of German in that name...

- Alex

a lethal overdose of brick wall, taken while under the influence of a Ferrari and a bottle of tequila.

8 (edited by squidrope 2017-10-24 10:51 AM)

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

We had hoped the weekend would go differently, but happy to have received the "I Got Screwed" award.  Our new car, the Batmobile, felt fast and ran great in Fridays practice.  We had high hopes for the race,  We started around 30th position and had moved up to 18th on the ninth lap when a valve let go. Sourced a new motor as our piston had a hole punched through it from the intake valve head. Team pulls motor from a junk e30 and when motor arrives at track it's the wrong motor... A franken motor.  Source another motor that was delivered to the track and we drop it while unloading.  Spent the night swapping components.  Got engine in car and she'd start and quit.  Many thanks to everyone who came by and lent a hand or offered advise.  Lemons peeps are the best.  Unfortunately even with all the help, we couldn't get her running again.  We'll be back in May at NJMP with a motor that'll stay together.

Keith aka-Batman

"We Got Screwed" NHMS 2017, 4th NHMS 2020,  4th NJMP 2021,
"Judges Choice" NHMS 2021,10th NJMP 2022, 3rd Thompson 2022
#847 Batmobile  aka-"Beulah"  search Squidrope Racing on Facebook

9 (edited by skivittlerjimb 2017-10-24 12:48 PM)

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

Vermont Bert One had a great time as usual. Bert ran like a top all weekend except for one hiccup on Saturday morning that took us off track for about 20-30 minutes and therefore out of contention. (Turns out coil wires don't like conductive battery acid being sprayed at them... go figure) 

We still ended up finishing 27th despite that mishap, purposely slow pitstops, and one of our four drivers being a newbie to the car and therefore very, very cautious. The rest of us were much less cautious and our three fastest laps times were all within one second of each other (1:26-1:27).

Love this event. Need to try to make it a priority every year. Weather was perfect, Saturday party was fun, saw lots of old friends and made some new ones, and drove the piss out of a ridiculous old Volvo that always seems to have admirers. On to Scrotium!

Bert One - 1981 Volvo 262c Bertone | Ernie - 1990 Nissan 240SX

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

Hi guys.  I was at NHMS as a spectator with my wife and kids. We all had a blast you are such a good group of guys. I am hoping to find a team to join for next year

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

Let us know your location so Teams can find you. Most teams need help at some point.
Manny

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

O sorry I live in southern nh Manchester area

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

So, what did everyone think of the flagging, particularity the first half of Saturday?  My team racked up several passing on yellow BF's on Saturday AM between the two different cars, all of which they were clueless about when called in.  We haven't had a single pass on yellow in the previous 12 races across 4 seasons.   Not trying to be a victim here, just trying to decide how hard to lash those drivers.

30 entries since 2009
#39 & #53 Overengineer'd Racing - Wilton, NH
http://www.facebook.com/nhlemons

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

n0m4d wrote:

So, what did everyone think of the flagging, particularity the first half of Saturday?  My team racked up several passing on yellow BF's on Saturday AM between the two different cars, all of which they were clueless about when called in.  We haven't had a single pass on yellow in the previous 12 races across 4 seasons.   Not trying to be a victim here, just trying to decide how hard to lash those drivers.

I thought it was terrible the start of Saturday.  We watched a car sitting on the back straight in between two flag stations, clearly in sight of one and it took well over 2minutes for even one of the stations to put up a yellow  and it was after the car. The prior station took even longer. It was very dangerous. I didn't notice problems Sunday except for occasional issues.

1992 Saturn SL2 (retired) - Elmo's Revenge -  Class B winner, Heroic Fix winner x2
1969 Rover P6B 3500S(sold) - Super G-Rover - I.O.E Winner, Class C Winner
1996 Saturn SW2 - Elmo's Revenge (reborn!), Saturn SL1  Dazzleshipm Class C x2 and IOE winner
1974 AMC Javelin - Oscar's Trash heap - IOE,”Organizer's Choice" and "I got Screwed" award winner

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

I will say I was passed numerous times under yellows while I was out there.  We ran a very conservative race  and were trying for being just consistent which payed off.  That being said I am the one that normally has no off track of contact and I had both and both times were missed thankfully.

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

n0m4d wrote:

So, what did everyone think of the flagging, particularity the first half of Saturday?  My team racked up several passing on yellow BF's on Saturday AM between the two different cars, all of which they were clueless about when called in.  We haven't had a single pass on yellow in the previous 12 races across 4 seasons.   Not trying to be a victim here, just trying to decide how hard to lash those drivers.

Saturday I had no issues with flagging, BUT some of them are in spots where it is easy to miss them once you are in a tight group and trying to pass and/or not get hit.  Like T3.  And I feel like there were more stations than normal this time.  NHMS also gives you less time to notice the stations than other open tracks.

Sunday was odd, though.  For what felt like 10 minutes the station by T1 was single yellow, then T2 station was clear, with no incident in sight as T1 was indicating...  So everyone sped into the short straight in a tight group from the T1 caution.  Then that tight group immediately had to brake hard once they could see T3 station waving yellow for the car stopped between the tire walls at the turn.  I saw a few lock-ups and cars scattering left and right.  Then we sped on up the hill past two stations only to brake hard again in a tight group in the middle or T9 since the station at the turtle was flying yellow.  I thought there was going to be a third or 4th incident due to all that craziness, but I was pleasantly surprised that after 2 or 3 laps of that, everyone chilled out and we did a few single file laps past the in-between flagging stations that were not flying yellow.  Everyone picked up the pace a bit in those areas, but I noticed no one bothering to pass as far as I could see ahead and behind me.  So we kind of fixed the problem ourselves, lol.

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

n0m4d wrote:

So, what did everyone think of the flagging, particularity the first half of Saturday?  My team racked up several passing on yellow BF's on Saturday AM between the two different cars, all of which they were clueless about when called in.  We haven't had a single pass on yellow in the previous 12 races across 4 seasons.   Not trying to be a victim here, just trying to decide how hard to lash those drivers.

Ha! Your car was behind me as we paraded down the 2nd half of the front for the best, most blatant passing under yellow I witnessed all weekend Sunday morning...  a certain Mustang just slow cruised by all of us... it wasn't the typical 'He missed the yellow and was still racing', it was a 'Ok, let's see if I can sneak by 5 cars doing 5 MPH faster than the parade....

Saturday there was some flagging issues... I generally played it conservative if I couldn't figure out why we were seeing a yellow... one instance the flagger coming out of #2 had a yellow out, nothing @ #3, nothing beyond #3.... by lap 3 of this, people started racing immediately after #2... and that was the lap that had a dead Mercedes 150'  from turn 3.... 

Overall we had a good race... a couple minor issues of people not watching who was inside of them as they turned in from the middle of the pavement part way through a turn.   

-mike

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

Bright Ideas Racing had a great time, finished well for a slow ass yellow truck.  We too noticed the flagging issue, particularly around T3, I got the flag on Saturday but don't recall ever passing anyone there (we don't pass that many cars, we'd remember!)   Another driver got a flag there but was told by the judge "ti's a flagging issue, go race clean". 

Did anyone at NH this weekend end up with jack stands that they don't recognize ? Someone near Central Garage 10 ? How about lose some ? We have both situations here, we have a set of stands that aren't ours, and we're missing the ones we brought. Good news for us is the stands we ended up with are better than the junk we're missing !  PM me if you wish to claim the ones I have, or return the junk you ended up with.

Glen Farney
#510 Bright Ideas Racing
Chevy S10 Village of Lemons
Department of Highway Debauchery

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

Didn't see the track until the last 1.5 hours sunday, but there was for sure some weirdness. Seemed like they wanted a full course caution, but half the stations just didn't get on board. Yellow at 1 (and maybe start finish?) for car on the banking, no yellow coming out of turn 2, yellow at 3 for a car parked in the tires, no yellow at the crest of the hill or in the bowl, yellow in the treehouse and by the turtle, then no yellow in the last chicane.  Somewhere in that mess they held up a board with like 6 car numbers written in tiny hard to read writing for what I assume was PUY during the inconsistency.


our weekend sucked. Immobilizer computer gave up saturday halfway through the day. Apparently it didn't like swimming in NJ. Finally robbed another from my sister's car and programmed it in (shout out to the black saab 9000 who had a functioning GM TechII to loan when ours wouldn't work). Sunday about 30 minutes in we got caught up in traffic stopping short. We tapped the #34 Saab, and then the orange Eclipse drove under the back of us and bent our fuel cell cage around on its mounts. Cut that out, verified the cage hadn't deformed, and welded it back in on new mounts. Got out for the last 2.5 hours.

20+ Time Loser FutilityMotorsport
Abandoned E36 Build
2008 Saab 9-5Aero Wagon
Retired - 1989 Dodge Daytona Shelby 2011-2015 "Lifetime Award for Lack of Achievement" IOE, 3X I got screwed, Organizer's Choice

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

When I was piloting the Mid-Engine Mustang on Saturday I'm 99% sure someone got black flagged for passing me on yellow....thing is I don't remember anyone passing me on yellow....I didn't get enough track time this weekend due to working out kinks to really notice much more issues than this.

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

Sorry for Party Racing had a great time at NHMS this year. The Loudon crowd is always a recipe for fun.

We had a bit of a setback on Friday, snapping our crankshaft in half on practice day, requiring a 6 hour round trip back to my place in VT to get the spare motor. We then had to take the heads off of the broken motor (different heads on the spare that don't fit our exhaust properly), swap a couple valves over to replace ones that were bent from piston contact, put the heads from the primary motor on the backup (with re-used head gaskets), and get it all back in the car. We were up and running by midnight. The car ran like a top all weekend, save one quick stop to add a quart of oil, and another to tighten up our exhaust which was about to fall off on track. By Sunday the synchros in our trans were on the way out, so slow deliberate shifts became the order of the day. After all of that we still managed a 3rd place finish (our 5th P3, can't seem to break any higher).

I concur with some of the earlier sentiments re: flagging. On Sunday it seemed as if the flaggers on the hill and in the bowl were more interested in watching the drifter kids than us.

Thanks to all for a good race, and we look forward to seeing you next spring!

Sorry For Party Racing! - 1985 Pontiac Firebird - Car #35

A race car exists only in two states: broken or in the process of becoming that way.

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

I will say for the most part there was the normal amount of buttheads out there and maybe I'm one of them, I try not to be but sometimes you get tunnel focused....  My fault, cut a driver off and so forth but it happens to all of us and all of us have been there at on point of time.

That being said I had a great time,  To the mid-engine mustang hey I'm sorry you didn't see me passing on the right of the lower hill, our car will go anywhere you point it most of the time. This time it was just some grey paint.   Your cheese grater wheel studs are just that. 

See everyone in the spring.

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

Red Lemons Racing wrote:

That being said I had a great time,  To the mid-engine mustang hey I'm sorry you didn't see me passing on the right of the lower hill, our car will go anywhere you point it most of the time. This time it was just some grey paint.   Your cheese grater wheel studs are just that.

Wasn't me driving but we spoke with you. I've been pushing for shorter studs for a while....theyre both annoying to get wheels on and off (since theyre so long the wheels bind a bit). Hopefully we can de-cheese grate the car a bit more in the offseason.

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

Red Lemons Racing wrote:

Of the starting 10 cars 6 were now the dreaded E36 .

Booo. BOOOOOO!  The E36 is BOOOOO-RIIIINNNNNGGG!

Those who wish to avoid nitpicky scrutiny need to seriously up their theme and or car transmogrification game if they want to make it easier for the judges to look the other way.

Might I suggest one of the greatest villain cars of all time (hint hint Suncook, hint)

http://pics.imcdb.org/4691/Car45.jpg

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Re: NHIS aka Halloween Hooptiefest

engine swap all the E36!

20+ Time Loser FutilityMotorsport
Abandoned E36 Build
2008 Saab 9-5Aero Wagon
Retired - 1989 Dodge Daytona Shelby 2011-2015 "Lifetime Award for Lack of Achievement" IOE, 3X I got screwed, Organizer's Choice