• From: near Bellingham, WA
  • Registered: 2019-09-10
  • Posts: 71

Topic: How does it work with a spare race car?

Hello all,
So if a team brings a spare race car with the assumption that their primary race car is not going to survive the race, how does that work with tech and entry fees and such?  Would the backup car get the same number?  Would the entry fee be the same? 
The backup car would only be used after a catastrophic failure of the primary, not trying to run two cars.  It would probably also be lacking a seat, harness, fire bottle, and wheels, to save money.  So after the first one blows up, all those things (plus the transponder?) would need to be moved to the backup and then we'd get it tech'ed and head back out on track, right?
The backup would already have a roll cage, kill switch, and plumbing for the fire suppression so it would be a fairly quick affair to get it out on track, assuming this is allowed.  It would also be the same model (maybe different year) vehicle as the primary.
Thanks!

  • Registered: 2013-11-15
  • Posts: 669

Re: How does it work with a spare race car?

Teams have brought backup cars.  They did as you described, when their primary car blew up, they transferred everything over to pass tech.  It is best to use the same numbers.

Or you can just bring two identical cars, tech them both, and swap transponders instead of fueling for extra domination.  Just don't sell one of the cars halfway through the race.

Team whatever_racecar #745 Volvo wagon
  • From: Chicago-ish
  • Registered: 2010-04-19
  • Posts: 3,497

Re: How does it work with a spare race car?

Use the same number on both cars.

Even if you tech both of the cars—and it is unlikely that we will tech both of your cars on Friday—you will need to let Lemons staff know that you've swapped cars. The corner workers, race controller, and timing crew both need to know they're looking for a different car with the same number before you show up on the track.

Eric Rood
Everything Bagel, 24 Hours of Lemons
eric@24hoursoflemons.com

therood's Website

4 Reply by -SDR- (edited by -SDR- 2020-01-20 12:26 PM)

  • -SDR-
  • Ripened Lemon
  • Offline
  • From: CT
  • Registered: 2015-10-06
  • Posts: 282

Re: How does it work with a spare race car?

I have seen that done, but from what I understand LeMon's stops counting your laps.   ADDED: Might want to check on that as it might be better just to replace what broke.

2020 I.O.E. CT #36 The Rootes Of All Evil,1958 Sunbeam Rapier Convertible (YES 1958!!) & 2019 Judges Choice NJMP
2016 Thompson Speedway #36 Sabrina Duncan's Revenge, IOE Trophy, 5th Place 'C' Class 1977 Ford Pinto
2009 Stafford Motor Speedway #16 Team Teflon, 11th Place (overall) 1997 Saturn SL2
  • From: Seattle, WA
  • Registered: 2009-10-28
  • Posts: 2,110

Re: How does it work with a spare race car?

therood wrote:

Even if you tech both of the cars...

Just to clarify, I'm certain what Eric meant to say was "Even if you tech both of the cars in advance..." as it is absolutely required that each car pass tech inspection before it goes out on track. Don't, for example, even think about just swapping the tech sticker from one to another.

Also, having been on a team that switched to a backup car mid-race, I should add that it was made clear to us by HQ that we were automatically out of contention for any of the lap-based trophies at that point. Not that it mattered in our case, of course.

1982 MG Metro 1300: IOE 2015 Pacific Northworst GP, Longest Distance 2010 Cd'L Box Wine Country Classic
1980 KV Mini 1: Worst of Show and Fright Pig Supremo 2009 Concours d'Lemons
1978 H Special: Second-Round Elimination 2010 Lemons Pinewood Derby at Sears Pointless
1967 SAAB 96: IOE 2012 Pacific Northworst GP, Organizer's Choice 2022 Hell on Wheels California Rally
  • From: near Bellingham, WA
  • Registered: 2019-09-10
  • Posts: 71

Re: How does it work with a spare race car?

-SDR- wrote:

I have seen that done, but from what I understand LeMon's stops counting your laps.   ADDED: Might want to check on that as it might be better just to replace what broke.

mharrell wrote:

Also, having been on a team that switched to a backup car mid-race, I should add that it was made clear to us by HQ that we were automatically out of contention for any of the lap-based trophies at that point. Not that it mattered in our case, of course.

This seems fair.  And yeah, the backup car's primary function would be as an emergency parts donor but it occurred to me that if it also had a cage, it would be easier to swap seat/harness/fire bottle to the spare car than it would be to swap the engine/trans the other way, in the case of major failure.

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

Re: How does it work with a spare race car?

I mean sure, if you’re made of money may as well belt and suspenders everything. Sure beats just getting your car square before rolling in on the track! wink

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport

Guildenstern's Website

  • From: Chicago-ish
  • Registered: 2010-04-19
  • Posts: 3,497

Re: How does it work with a spare race car?

mharrell wrote:
therood wrote:

Even if you tech both of the cars...

Just to clarify, I'm certain what Eric meant to say was "Even if you tech both of the cars in advance..." as it is absolutely required that each car pass tech inspection before it goes out on track. Don't, for example, even think about just swapping the tech sticker from one to another.

This is exactly what I was trying to say, thankyousir.

Eric Rood
Everything Bagel, 24 Hours of Lemons
eric@24hoursoflemons.com

therood's Website

  • From: Seattle, WA
  • Registered: 2009-10-28
  • Posts: 2,110

Re: How does it work with a spare race car?

therood wrote:

This is exactly what I was trying to say, thankyousir.

You're quite welcome. This level of paranoia about being misconstrued is the payoff for all my years of watching my students innocently and/or wilfully misinterpret my instructions.

1982 MG Metro 1300: IOE 2015 Pacific Northworst GP, Longest Distance 2010 Cd'L Box Wine Country Classic
1980 KV Mini 1: Worst of Show and Fright Pig Supremo 2009 Concours d'Lemons
1978 H Special: Second-Round Elimination 2010 Lemons Pinewood Derby at Sears Pointless
1967 SAAB 96: IOE 2012 Pacific Northworst GP, Organizer's Choice 2022 Hell on Wheels California Rally
  • From: Orion Twp, MI
  • Registered: 2011-04-18
  • Posts: 776

Re: How does it work with a spare race car?

If you blow up enough race cars under one entry, you might even get a trophy. Or so I've heard.

The Pentastar whisperer

Bayley's Website

  • From: Iowa
  • Registered: 2010-04-20
  • Posts: 2,660

Re: How does it work with a spare race car?

There are no limits to some people’s self-destruction...

LemonAid - Changing kids lives one lap at a time.
  • From: Orion Twp, MI
  • Registered: 2011-04-18
  • Posts: 776

Re: How does it work with a spare race car?

I feel sorry for any poor bastard(s) who let me drive THEIR race car next...

The Pentastar whisperer

Bayley's Website

  • Registered: 2009-07-19
  • Posts: 1,585

Re: How does it work with a spare race car?

We'd thought about that for the electric car, just buy a couple of mashed-up Copart Leafs for a few hundred each and swap cars while one is charging. Add a Leaf when we get some extra money and just keep building the fleet until we get 5 or 6 of them and can keep a car circulating.

Everybody grab your brooms, it's shenanigans!