cheseroo wrote:^Answer is not correct. Please don't answer questions when you you dont know the answer. After each race, you can email Judge Phil and ask for a residual value. He may set a residual of $200, leaving you $300 to spend on upgrades to your next race. He could set your residual at $0, leaving you $500. The residual process is how you see years old racecars exceed the $500 spending limit.
Y'all please be nice, this is supposed to be the flame-free section so newbies aren't scared off by the grumpy, grizzled vets.
bobnowoc's answer is generally correct, although perhaps not completely accurate. The only inaccuracy I see is the "you don't get another $500 next year", which may or may not be true based on any residual value.
Cheeseroo is correct about residual values, but none of the teams that I know well even bother to ask. My observation is that if you spend less than $500 in improvements per year on most hoopties, you can expect to do so annually without worrying about getting penalty laps. If you have a car that is older, has a reputation for poor performance or reliability, or is otherwise a low threat for winning anything, then you'll pretty well sail through BS inspection every time unless you show up with a car that has new coilovers and/or a big collection of shiny new bits under the hood. I think if you brought a 2CV, an '88 Tempo, or anything with Lucas electrics you could spend thousands without penalty laps. If you buy that Studebaker Scotsman wagon that I saw on Craigslist last month, you could make ANY engine or suspension upgrade imaginable with nary a penalty lap. Come to think of it, it would have been pre-themed - just buy kilts...wonder if it's still there...
And remember, penalty laps only matter if you're competitive for a trophy: so they are irrelevant to most teams.
rb92673's suggestion is good: go to a Lemons race when they open back up to spectators, and bring your friends who may be interested in racing with you. Wander the paddock, look at the different cars and teams, and feel free to ask questions of any team who isn't desperately wrenching on their broken car or currently cussing and throwing wrenches at the car, each other, or around the paddock in general. If either of those conditions are present, odds are that they have a very broken car and won't be in the mood to politely answer your questions. Otherwise, most teams will be happy to tell you about their car - advantages and disadvantages of that model, why they chose it (often the answer is "it's what we found at the right price"), what they've done to it, etc. Ask anyone in a driver's suit what team they're with and what they drive. Stick around and wander the paddock after the race ends Saturday night and watch the activity. If you see a team rotating tires and checking fluids rather than wrenching madly, watch and engage in conversation when they are done. If you don't want to wait until COVID restrictions on spectating are lifted, check the forums and offer to join a team as a maintenance crew. Many teams would be happy to have you help with tire changes, fetch the "x" mm socket from the toolbox, run from paddock to paddock to find/borrow an 8mm triple box wrench, be the camp cook/coffeemaker/waterboy, refill fuel jugs, and even help refuel if you have the gear. A lot of teams would even pay your entry fee in exchange for those chores. Look for a team in your area, or post to help an out-of-town team at a race near you.
