Topic: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

Do teams that are not camping at the track overnight leave cars and/or gear in the paddock overnight, or do they pack everything up and unpack the next morning?

Have there been any issues with theft or damage?

I'll be racing at Buttonwillow in Sept but staying in a nearby luxury motel 6 and am wondering about leaving the car and other gear at the track.

EPA Racing - #40 Supercharged Dodge Caliber

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

Have been driving since 2012, team member since 2010, and I’ve never run across any shenanigans where anything got stolen or damaged at a Western race (I heard there was some mischief in Ohio back in the day, but CO is as Far East as I have run Lemons)... I wouldn’t sweat it at all. Exceptionally respectful crowd here.

Somebody remarked, back at a Sonoma race years back, that you can leave the keys to your Maserati next to your bottle of Glenfiddich on top of your Snap On toolbox in the paddock, and none of the above will get messed with. I don’t know that I’d go that far, but really, this is not a concern I’d let bother me.

Tradewinds Tribesmen Racing (The road goes on forever…)
#289 1984 Corvette Z51 #124 1984 944 #110 2002 Passat
Gone but not forgotten, #427-Hong Kong Cavaliers Benz S500
IOE (Humber!) Hell on Wheels (Jaguar)

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

Interestingly, in many years of racing the only thing I've ever had stolen was 2 full gas jugs from behind the garages at a Chumpcar race at Buttonwillow.  But Rob is right, everyone leaves their stuff out and it doesnt get messed with.

1990 RX7 "Mazdarita"  1964 Sunbeam Imp (IOE 2013 Sears Pointless) 2002 Jaguar x-type (Winner C-Class 2021 Sears Pointless)
Gone bye-bye
1994 Jaguar XJ12 (Winner C-Class 2013 Sears Pointless)  1980 Rover SD1 (I Got Screwed 2014 Return of Lemonites)

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

We typically leave the car/trailer at the track. The trailer has a huge box on it where we lock up all of our tools and such. Never had an issue.

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

I only know of 1 person who puts everything away so her car doesn't get messed with.

88 Festiva  -  Damn Tree!!!
"We Are Not Really From Iran" Festiva  -  Motor and Trans to be anounced

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

I think the chances of my putting something down/away at the end of a racing Saturday and forgetting where I put it Sunday is 100:1 over any other outcome.  Don't ask about unpacking Sunday night...

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

If you are really worried about it, you can rent a garage directly from the track that you can lock at night.

I would be more worried about your stuff getting stolen at the Motel 6 than at the track.

Team whatever_racecar #745 Volvo wagon

8 (edited by Spank 2020-07-27 10:55 AM)

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

Absolutely, positively Under NO CIRCUMSTANCE leave ANYTHING in your car at a hotel anywhere NEAR Buttonwillow, whether it be overnight or even while sitting inside a restaurant for an hour.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

There have been numerous, dare I say COUNTLESS instances of theft of race gear (and computers and even registration stickers off of license plates) from hotel parking lots in the vicinity of the Buttonwillow racetrack.

I can't say I recall anyone ever saying they've had anything stolen from a Lemons race there at the actual track. I know of two instances where fuel jugs walked off during a chumpar event at Buttonwillow way back when.

edit: Also note that there is reportedly a history of bedbugs at the hotels in McKittrick, so bringing your gear inside there to keep safe from car break-ins is also maybe not a winning solution.

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

Spank wrote:

...edit: Also note that there is reportedly a history of bedbugs at the hotels in McKittrick, so bringing your gear inside there to keep safe from car break-ins is also maybe not a winning solution.

I normally stay at the track but IIRC there are two Motel 6's and one reportedly had the bed bugs and the other didn't.  Seems like I stayed at the one to the north end without issue a few years ago.  It's been several years since I've heard of anyone having troubles with that.

https://www.bedbugreports.com/city/ca-buttonwillow

1990 RX7 "Mazdarita"  1964 Sunbeam Imp (IOE 2013 Sears Pointless) 2002 Jaguar x-type (Winner C-Class 2021 Sears Pointless)
Gone bye-bye
1994 Jaguar XJ12 (Winner C-Class 2013 Sears Pointless)  1980 Rover SD1 (I Got Screwed 2014 Return of Lemonites)

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

don't let the sketchy people walking around the paddock scare you...they are about as honest as they get....they are only admiring your race car work and decorations
And I do recall someone who stayed over at a local motel near some track, and had his gear cleaned out of his car (computer, fire suit, tools, etc.)
Way safer leaving stuff lying around your garage or parking space, paddock at a Lemons race...
I've left my Maserati unlocked with keys in ignition, tools everywhere, full fuel jugs, etc. although I might be worried about leaving a bottle of Glenfiddich lying around overnight since someone may take a swig, or drink half of it, and then put it back...(joke)....mistaking it for his own...

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

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

I've never given a second thought to leaving my stuff out a race.  When in a pinch I've gone so far as to borrow a tool w/o the owner's permission a couple of times because they were nowhere to be found, and I needed it RIGHT NOW.   In this instance it was a welding helmet, so I snagged it, used it for about 15 minutes, and took it right back.  The owner was there when I took it back, I explained, and he said "No, problem.  Take anything you need as long as you bring it back".  Racers are typically just a good overall bunch in general.  I've never had anything stolen and this is my 12th year in Lemons.

I can't say for sure, but it might having something to do with most track's requirement of a wrist band after signing a waiver to get into their facilities.  I guess most crooks are lazy by nature thus don't want to put in that much effort to gain access.

Captain
Team Super Westerfield Bros.
'93 Acura Integra - No VTEC Yo!

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

Someone stole an 8" ziptie from me once.   

Bastards.

COM ( Chief Operating Moron ) of Burnt Rubber Soul Racing
Current fleet: 95 Ford Probe, 81 Mazda 626.  Past: 81 Imperial
Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/burntrubbersoulracing

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

Sorry about the zip tie.
Bob

Former Captain
1996 Crown Vic. #55
Team Racing Cosmo

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

Spank wrote:

Absolutely, positively Under NO CIRCUMSTANCE leave ANYTHING in your car at a hotel anywhere NEAR Buttonwillow, whether it be overnight or even while sitting inside a restaurant for an hour.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

There have been numerous, dare I say COUNTLESS instances of theft of race gear (and computers and even registration stickers off of license plates) from hotel parking lots in the vicinity of the Buttonwillow racetrack.

I can't say I recall anyone ever saying they've had anything stolen from a Lemons race there at the actual track. I know of two instances where fuel jugs walked off during a chumpar event at Buttonwillow way back when.

edit: Also note that there is reportedly a history of bedbugs at the hotels in McKittrick, so bringing your gear inside there to keep safe from car break-ins is also maybe not a winning solution.

I'd say at any hotel anywhere in the USA. It is much safer at the track then in a parking lot.

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

We packed everything up our first race. Now we toss the tools into the trailer if there's a fair chance of rain.

Racers are a lot like the Army pilots I spent a career with: you can trust them with your life and nearly everything you have except the good booze and your women.  You really should lock up the Glenfiddich, but you can leave out the cooler of cheap beer and the tools. No one will take your tools and you really don't care if they take a couple of cheap beers if they need them.

But if Bob is there, keep an eye on your zip ties...

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

Mr.Yuck wrote:
Spank wrote:

Absolutely, positively Under NO CIRCUMSTANCE leave ANYTHING in your car at a hotel anywhere NEAR Buttonwillow, whether it be overnight or even while sitting inside a restaurant for an hour.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

There have been numerous, dare I say COUNTLESS instances of theft of race gear (and computers and even registration stickers off of license plates) from hotel parking lots in the vicinity of the Buttonwillow racetrack.

I can't say I recall anyone ever saying they've had anything stolen from a Lemons race there at the actual track. I know of two instances where fuel jugs walked off during a chumpar event at Buttonwillow way back when.

edit: Also note that there is reportedly a history of bedbugs at the hotels in McKittrick, so bringing your gear inside there to keep safe from car break-ins is also maybe not a winning solution.

I'd say at any hotel anywhere in the USA. It is much safer at the track then in a parking lot.

I had the gas stole out of my Newport at the Motel across from the Corvette track on the way to the Texas Rally. Wouldn't have been a problem if the gas gauge worked........Instead I spent all day on the side of the road in Kentucky wondering why my car died before bumping the gastank and noticing a hollow empty sound.....I had planned on stopping around littlerock for the night, instead Adderall and Redbull still made me show up late to the start.

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

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

Guildenstern wrote:
Mr.Yuck wrote:
Spank wrote:

Absolutely, positively Under NO CIRCUMSTANCE leave ANYTHING in your car at a hotel anywhere NEAR Buttonwillow, whether it be overnight or even while sitting inside a restaurant for an hour.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

There have been numerous, dare I say COUNTLESS instances of theft of race gear (and computers and even registration stickers off of license plates) from hotel parking lots in the vicinity of the Buttonwillow racetrack.

I can't say I recall anyone ever saying they've had anything stolen from a Lemons race there at the actual track. I know of two instances where fuel jugs walked off during a chumpar event at Buttonwillow way back when.

edit: Also note that there is reportedly a history of bedbugs at the hotels in McKittrick, so bringing your gear inside there to keep safe from car break-ins is also maybe not a winning solution.

I'd say at any hotel anywhere in the USA. It is much safer at the track then in a parking lot.

I had the gas stole out of my Newport at the Motel across from the Corvette track on the way to the Texas Rally. Wouldn't have been a problem if the gas gauge worked........Instead I spent all day on the side of the road in Kentucky wondering why my car died before bumping the gastank and noticing a hollow empty sound.....I had planned on stopping around littlerock for the night, instead Adderall and Redbull still made me show up late to the start.

what? a gas gauge not working  in an old Mopar? No way!

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

While no one I've ever seen fucks with cars directly, do be sure to check your car for the superfluous
dildo lest it fall from the rollcage and distract your driver.

--Rob Leone Schumacher Taxi Service
We won the IOE at Southern Discomfort.
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.

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

RobL wrote:

While no one I've ever seen fucks with cars directly, do be sure to check your car for the superfluous
dildo lest it fall from the rollcage and distract your driver.

That was kind of wrong on so many levels

MBTL Racing

20 (edited by bobnowoc 2020-08-01 05:03 PM)

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

Sorry about the zip tie
Bob


(I needed it to attach the dildo to the rollcage)

Former Captain
1996 Crown Vic. #55
Team Racing Cosmo

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

Never had any issues with leaving cars at the track overnight. Hotels, that's another story.

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

I worry much more about our pop-up and folding chairs blowing away than I do about tools or valuables being taken away.  Except for my 10mm socket.  But to be fair, I don't think that's theft, there is some sort of quantum vortex that 10mm sockets and socks disappear into and wire hangers appear out of.

Re: Leave cars / gear in paddock overnight?

ukemike wrote:

I worry much more about our pop-up and folding chairs blowing away than I do about tools or valuables being taken away.  Except for my 10mm socket.  But to be fair, I don't think that's theft, there is some sort of quantum vortex that 10mm sockets and socks disappear into and wire hangers appear out of.

You’re not kidding about the pop up blowing in the wind. “Easy up, easy down...” was my remark when I woke up a couple races ago, in a rented Grand Caravan with a few teammates. Did we plan to sleep in the van? No, we also brought a big tent and a Suburban. All of which were too cold and windy, so we crashed in the van with the engine running all night.

Warm as toast, but seeing that the wind had blown two propane heaters, a stack of tires, and all our chairs across the paddock, leaving the remains of the pop up blowing in the wind like Ben Franklin’s kite...

If you want to keep your 10mm sockets, quit racing a metric car smile

Tradewinds Tribesmen Racing (The road goes on forever…)
#289 1984 Corvette Z51 #124 1984 944 #110 2002 Passat
Gone but not forgotten, #427-Hong Kong Cavaliers Benz S500
IOE (Humber!) Hell on Wheels (Jaguar)