The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Our Crappy Race → Golden State drivers are still the worst
I'd like to add that the level of anger/disbelief from penalized drivers was much, much lower than the norm for California. I think that the sight of the Wienermobile made everyone realize that it's still possible to have fun when you're not WINNNNNING!
Someone above made the comment that the key to driving safe at Lemons is being able to drive looking forward and backwards at the same time, that is ohh so true.
Amen to that.
although I have been lucky enough to not get caught a few times
Remember that when you finally get one, for something you did not do.
It is like once when I was a buy and my father was giving my a whooping for something I did not do, when I told him I didn't do it.... he replied with, "well I am sure you did something". He was right, so I took my lumps and moved on.
I'd like to add that the level of anger/disbelief from penalized drivers was much, much lower than the norm for California. I think that the sight of the Wienermobile made everyone realize that it's still possible to have fun when you're not WINNNNNING!
I do think the corner workers were more than fair in how they "called" the race.....so its safe to say IF you did get flagged for something....there is at least 1-2 other times you "could" have been flagged!
Mulry wrote:(except for the Citroen, which was always very courteous, what with its "Pass Here -->" instruction)
Thanks for noticing-- We painted that on the trunk late Saturday because, despite hugging the left side of the track and driving with a perpetual point-by to the right, the black crown vic (969?) came up and squeezed by on the left of the car TWICE right before left hand turns. No harm was done, though. And I'll admit that early Saturday when my brother was driving there is a chance that he didn't hug the left as much as I did but we talked about it and I set him straight by late Saturday.
We had a few issues with said CV on Sunday...
The true secret is to drive flag station to flag station. Dont think of it as an entire lap. think of it as short spurts that will result in a few yellows. race between the yellows and you do fine. Dont pass unless you can see the next station ahead.
Team pizza out
icemang17 wrote:Judge Jonny wrote:Fair point, as they had 359 black flags at the last Texas ho-down and 125 cars.
That seems pretty close to how lousy the Californians drive
Pretty darn close at 2.87 FPC for Texas.....I guess they are too close and we rub off on them!!
A fair chunk of the BF's in Houston were due to spins after the rains came. (It was like people had never heard of a "wet-line" or anything...)
I was just going to point out that a lot of Sunday was wet and in my last stint (final hour or so of Sunday) I saw more people slide off course by themselves than at the previous 3 races I've done combined. It was like watching newbies learning to ice-skate. I think if someone had video of all of that, that the perfect music would be that orchestra music from 2001 when the ship is docking with the station. It was very waltz-like.
Hell, I remember watching in horror in my rearview mirror going down the backstraight at a much reduced pace (all the way to the inside) as this bright-yellow pontiac tangled with .. another pontiac (and old gran-prix, I think.. nascar style)... seriously spooked me and about 5 cars around me... I just knew they were going to slide into us, but they slid off the road (apparently) harmlessly right before the kink at Diamond's edge (almost directly across from the flag station).
I was on the radio to my crew narrating the whole thing.. .mostly just "holy crap!, these two cars are tied up and sliding towards me and I can't really move!" 
How do you do the video with all the info on it? That is pretty cool.
How do you do the video with all the info on it? That is pretty cool.
I borrowed an $1850 video/daq unit. More details here:
http://forums.24hoursoflemons.com/viewtopic.php?id=3913
Mulry wrote:(except for the Citroen, which was always very courteous, what with its "Pass Here -->" instruction)
BUT on Sunday when we had the rear all painted up and we sChITROEN pilots were staying as far left as safe and everyone was passing us on the right, #12 Double Fartini1 decided to be the only car-- THE ONLY CAR who passed us on the left and caused other cars to nearly crash/go four off both friggin' times. Right after it caused the second 4-off in the final turn approaching the chicane, it THEN didn't like that it was caught behind the next wad of traffic on the left side of the track and in a millisecond shot completely to the right side like some impatient tween girl waiting stageside trying to catch a glimpse of the Jonas Brothers.
After my stint, I was about to go have a word with them but when I saw their totermansion and that they were fielding TWO porsches I understood that they just don't "get it".
I'm hoping that by our next race (Thunderhill?) that it will be sorted enough so that we don't need to point EVERYONE by and can actually put our foot down for more than 4 laps before overheating.
Sorry one of our 8 drivers did not meet your standards and managed to iritate you on Sunday, I was not driving Sunday, thus was not on track and will not speculate on what may have occured out there. I will say that we encourage our drivers to be as courteous as possible while on track.
I am also sorry you did not take the time to come over and meet us and decided to pass judgement based on pure perception. Had you stopped by, you would have found us to be 8 nice guys with our own "stories" as to why we decided to field 2 cars at this, our 5th Lemons event as well as understand why I happen to have that "totermansion" (that does not even tow any of our trailers) and am enjoying it while I have enough health to do so.
Sorry one of our 8 drivers did not meet your standards and managed to iritate you on Sunday, I was not driving Sunday, thus was not on track and will not speculate on what may have occured out there. I will say that we encourage our drivers to be as courteous as possible while on track.
I'd love to hear back from you after you talk to your drivers who were behind the wheel some time between 1:30 and 3:30 since it sounds like you are/were in charge of them but are now choosing to "apologize" for my perceptions rather than their behavior. Apologize for them, or for yourself, or not at all-- but not for me, please.
I wasn't the one who was forced to go 4-off because of his (or her) impatience, and I was too busy trying to keep the citroen from yawing broadside into the cars who were heeding my point by to the right. That's my irritation-- that 1 driver's boneheaded move-- TWICE-- nearly caused a chain reaction that could have taken out a dozen other courteous drivers who "got it".
We had two drivers out during that time. I was one of them. I am also the team manager. I do apologize to anyone that was forced off due any errors on my part. I'm sure that all the drivers in the event feel the same. I was not aware that I forced anyone off and no one came by our paddock to during the entire race to talk about our driving. We only had possitive input.
I also want connend your team. It is very difficult to drive out there with a slower car.
I'll come by you paddock at Thunderhill and talk to you in person.
Jim
gielamonster wrote:BTW, my bf count after 5 races is 1. Video coming shortly. Went for a late braking outside pass into 9a and "ran out of talent". You'll see what I mean in the video.
Here's that video of my first black flag in 5 races...
You might say I was "encouraged" to go 4 wheels off and into the wall. Thanks for the encouragement! I think it says "Don't Be A Dick" on the back of his car too.
That is a wicked cool video/data aquisition setup.
The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Our Crappy Race → Golden State drivers are still the worst
