• Registered: 2018-02-24
  • Posts: 16

Topic: First race questions

We are a new team running out first race in Houston in a 99 accord and have some questions:

How secure is the area for tools and equipment? We don't have an enclosed trailer and don't want to have to worry about our hot rod or tools getting stolen.

We don't have a paddock or garage, and it looks like we will have to set up in the parking lot. so can we park our vehicles near it or is there a different place to set up.

Power supply: We have have generators. Is that a problem especially running at night? is there a better solution?

How much fuel do people usually take with them, where do they get it and how to we store them?

How much tire wear is normal? Do we need to bring spares?

  • Scout
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Re: First race questions

jteasers wrote:

How secure is the area for tools and equipment? We don't have an enclosed trailer and don't want to have to worry about our hot rod or tools getting stolen.

Probably jinxing myself, but we've had thousands of dollars of equipment out, surrounded by the same amount by teams around us with no issues.

jteasers wrote:

We don't have a paddock or garage, and it looks like we will have to set up in the parking lot. so can we park our vehicles near it or is there a different place to set up.

Show up early, claim your (REASONABLE) space, and have fun.  (No, wait.  Show up late, 'cause I'll be there early looking as well.)

jteasers wrote:

Power supply: We have have generators. Is that a problem especially running at night? is there a better solution?

Personally, I've slept the night without hearing any generators, but be kind.

jteasers wrote:

How much fuel do people usually take with them, where do they get it and how to we store them?

We usually show up with the vehicle tank full, plus ~30 gallons in dump cans. There's a gas station no too far from the track, but I don't know their hours for a 24 hour race.  The track has (expensive) pumps as well.

jteasers wrote:

How much tire wear is normal? Do we need to bring spares?

As a first time team, you probably won't be on the track as much as you hope, but since hope springs eternal:  yes, bring spares.

Good luck.

  • From: Cleveland, OH
  • Registered: 2011-09-03
  • Posts: 2,227

Re: First race questions

jteasers wrote:

Power supply: We have have generators. Is that a problem especially running at night? is there a better solution?

Nobody has brought a Hydrogen fuel cell yet.
.....or maybe they have and you just can't hear it.

Over all the generators.

You will get sick of your own generator, Invest in a good muffler and don't believe all the "OMG ROBBING POWER FROM THE ENGINE" crap. I've heard plenty of quiet generators that use the same amount of gas as noisy rattle boxes do.

Also Always have a spare. Even without wear, tires can pick up pointy stuff out there on the track.

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  • From: SF BayArea/Land of Enchantment
  • Registered: 2012-01-22
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Re: First race questions

jteasers wrote:

Power supply: We have have generators. Is that a problem especially running at night? is there a better solution?

It's a 24 hour race....nobody will hear your generator over the sounds of racecars running all night....

45+x Loser.....You'd think I would learn......
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  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2012-06-21
  • Posts: 1,608

Re: First race questions

Inverter-style generators are pretty quiet compared to cheaper conventional generators.

That being said, cheaper conventional generators can be made quieter (to you) when you put them in the back of your pickup truck, with the bed pointed away from your RV, and build a goddamn cone of folding tables to funnel the exhaust sound away from your camp and toward the people who are trying to sleep 100 yards away...

(Maybe they didn't think anyone was stupid enough to sleep in the covered paddocks at MSR, but I'm gonna be butthurt about it anyway)

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  • From: NH
  • Registered: 2010-01-20
  • Posts: 3,299

Re: First race questions

The Lemons paddock is a friendly place. Everyone usually has their stuff out the whole weekend without worry. even in a garage it's not really locked up. If you have some family heirloom tools that it would kill you to lose, maybe leave those at home, but in general don't worry about your stuff being out.

On generators, if you have one of the generic loud ones, they usually don't come with an actual muffler, but instead a flame suppressor. Most small engines are this way. If you have time, find a way to put some kind of muffler on it, mostly to maintain your own sanity.

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  • From: Gilbertsville, PA
  • Registered: 2009-12-22
  • Posts: 3,251

Re: First race questions

We've never lost anything due to theft, but it's not completely unheard of. 

Bring every spare you can think of, and even some you wont think of.  This wards off the evil spirits of Lemons that will allow you to run on your original engine and trans all weekend, because you brought a spare.  Then they'll take you out because your windshield wiper motor failed in a monsoon (because you didn't).

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  • RobL
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Re: First race questions

Sir Thomas Crapper wrote:

Then they'll take you out because your windshield wiper motor failed in a monsoon (because you didn't).

HEY!  We resemble that remark.

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We got screwed at The Real Hoopties of New Jersey  and we took cars down with us.
We got the curse at Capitol Offense but they wouldn't let us destroy the car.

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  • jbl
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  • Registered: 2011-01-26
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Re: First race questions

Sir Thomas Crapper wrote:

Bring every spare you can think of, and even some you wont think of.  This wards off the evil spirits of Lemons that will allow you to run on your original...trans all weekend, because you brought a spare.

If this is the 6th gen V6 auto, you'd better bring two.

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  • From: Gilbertsville, PA
  • Registered: 2009-12-22
  • Posts: 3,251

Re: First race questions

RobL wrote:
Sir Thomas Crapper wrote:

Then they'll take you out because your windshield wiper motor failed in a monsoon (because you didn't).

HEY!  We resemble that remark.

us too

Silent But Deadly Racing-  Ricky Bobby's Laughing Clown Malt Liquor Thunderbird , Datsun 510, 87 Mustang (The Race Team Formerly Known as Prince), 72 Pinto Squire waggy, Parnelli Jones 67 Galaxie, Turbo Coupe Surf wagon.(The Surfin Bird), Squatting Dogs In Tracksuits,  Space Pants!  Roy Fuckin Kent and The tribute to a tribute to a tribute THUNDERBIRD/ SUNDAHBADOH!
  • Registered: 2018-02-24
  • Posts: 16

Re: First race questions

Sir Thomas Crapper wrote:

We've never lost anything due to theft, but it's not completely unheard of. 

Bring every spare you can think of, and even some you wont think of.  This wards off the evil spirits of Lemons that will allow you to run on your original engine and trans all weekend, because you brought a spare.


So buy the exact same car and drive it down as a spare. Got it.

  • Registered: 2011-10-14
  • Posts: 4,167

Re: First race questions

jteasers wrote:
Sir Thomas Crapper wrote:

We've never lost anything due to theft, but it's not completely unheard of. 

Bring every spare you can think of, and even some you wont think of.  This wards off the evil spirits of Lemons that will allow you to run on your original engine and trans all weekend, because you brought a spare.


So buy the exact same car and drive it down as a spare. Got it.

Many a DD has been robbed of parts, or a whole engine, at the track to finish a race.

  • From: Gilbertsville, PA
  • Registered: 2009-12-22
  • Posts: 3,251

Re: First race questions

jteasers wrote:
Sir Thomas Crapper wrote:

We've never lost anything due to theft, but it's not completely unheard of. 

Bring every spare you can think of, and even some you wont think of.  This wards off the evil spirits of Lemons that will allow you to run on your original engine and trans all weekend, because you brought a spare.


So buy the exact same car and drive it down as a spare. Got it.


We did that our first 3 races

Silent But Deadly Racing-  Ricky Bobby's Laughing Clown Malt Liquor Thunderbird , Datsun 510, 87 Mustang (The Race Team Formerly Known as Prince), 72 Pinto Squire waggy, Parnelli Jones 67 Galaxie, Turbo Coupe Surf wagon.(The Surfin Bird), Squatting Dogs In Tracksuits,  Space Pants!  Roy Fuckin Kent and The tribute to a tribute to a tribute THUNDERBIRD/ SUNDAHBADOH!
  • From: Elverson, PA
  • Registered: 2017-08-15
  • Posts: 1,124

Re: First race questions

Sir Thomas Crapper wrote:
jteasers wrote:
Sir Thomas Crapper wrote:

We've never lost anything due to theft, but it's not completely unheard of. 

Bring every spare you can think of, and even some you wont think of.  This wards off the evil spirits of Lemons that will allow you to run on your original engine and trans all weekend, because you brought a spare.


So buy the exact same car and drive it down as a spare. Got it.


We did that our first 3 races

Out of curiosity, was that 3 additional cars for the first 3 races, or were you lucky?

15 Reply by BoB

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Re: First race questions

jteasers wrote:

We are a new team running out first race in Houston in a 99 accord and have some questions:

How secure is the area for tools and equipment? We don't have an enclosed trailer and don't want to have to worry about our hot rod or tools getting stolen.

Never had anything gone missing even stuff that I let random people I've never met before borrow.  I would suggest trying to keep stuff from spreading too much though, try to be considerate with the neighbors and it is easy to intermingle stuff which can end up getting things lost or packed up with the wrong team at the end of the race when everyone is in a hurry to get out.

jteasers wrote:

Power supply: We have have generators. Is that a problem especially running at night? is there a better solution?

Kind of doubt you will need multiple generators running all night.  Just run the quietest one and try to deflect the sound if  possible or aim the sound at the track.  There are some nice quiet generator options out there, The Honda ones are pretty common to see and you barely hear them.  If you have to do work and need a bigger generator no one will fault you for firing it up but just having mulitple generators running all night using a fraction of eaches out put can get annoying and will start to add up in cost with having to fuel them all.

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  • Mick25
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Re: First race questions

We never had a problem with theft before, but we are missing 2 plus full wrench sets (6 mm to 19 mm) plus a bunch of spare common wrenches.  Basically a double handful of wrenches walked off at the May CMP race.  Left behind was the brand new Dewalt 20v drills, saw, etc sitting beside the tool box.....  We have never even bothered closing the tool box drawers before, but we may have to be a little more diligent with security.  As someone said, these were not heirloom tools, but they were needed.

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  • Registered: 2018-10-27
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Re: First race questions

jteasers wrote:
Sir Thomas Crapper wrote:

We've never lost anything due to theft, but it's not completely unheard of. 

Bring every spare you can think of, and even some you wont think of.  This wards off the evil spirits of Lemons that will allow you to run on your original engine and trans all weekend, because you brought a spare.


So buy the exact same car and drive it down as a spare. Got it.

Found the same car we were running at a junk yard and cannibalized that. It was a good find!