1 Topic by CraigC (edited by CraigC 2023-08-06 04:42 PM)

  • CraigC
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Topic: Been a fan of the youtube channel for years, finally spectated a race

https://imgur.com/Dn92dIa

https://i.imgur.com/Dn92dIa.jpeg


Had an awesome time at Thompson Speedway, I've loved the idea of Lemons since reading Murilee Martin articles way back when, and, then became a huge fan of the youtube channel, and the overall vibe of the Lemons world, so When I found a summer race, sort of kind of not too far away, I bought spectator tickets and made plans to meet up with my good friend Dan at the Track which was a midway point.  He said he could score us a free Hotel room for the weekend in Worcester Mass,  Man I love when a plan falls together.

I had a freakin' blast,  people were so nice, teams seems so shocked that we were spectators and not on a team, and soo many people were willing to wlecome us into their pits and talk cars, and I got to ask Jay Lamm a whole bunch of questions in the paddock.

Every track employee we ran into said his was their fav. event of the year.  Keep rockin you Lemons heads!

https://i.imgur.com/YsbjnRF.jpg

https://imgur.com/YsbjnRF

  • Type44
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Re: Been a fan of the youtube channel for years, finally spectated a race

Nice Gurney shirt (wish he was on the ballot as opposed to our current options, nvm)

Welcome to the madness and I’m glad you enjoyed your first in person Lemons weekend. Gonna be building a car?

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  • chaase
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Re: Been a fan of the youtube channel for years, finally spectated a race

It was nice meeting you this weekend Craig

Judge Chris

1992 Saturn SL2 (retired) - Elmo's Revenge -  Class B winner, Heroic Fix winner x2
1969 Rover P6B 3500S(sold) - Super G-Rover - I.O.E Winner, Class C Winner
1996 Saturn SW2 - Elmo's Revenge (reborn!), Saturn SL1  Dazzleshipm Class C x2 and IOE winner
1974 AMC Javelin - Oscar's Trash heap - IOE,”Organizer's Choice" and "I got Screwed" award winner
  • CraigC
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Re: Been a fan of the youtube channel for years, finally spectated a race

chaase wrote:

It was nice meeting you this weekend Craig

Judge Chris



Thanks so much!  Likewise Sir!

My favorite pic from the weekend is this one

https://i.imgur.com/2e3cQ62.jpg

I loved watching the Lancia spit flames at this exact point heading into turn 4, and my buddy Dan, finally got this shot of it happening!

Man, what an awesome car that is!

  • From: Tustin, CA
  • Registered: 2010-12-30
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Re: Been a fan of the youtube channel for years, finally spectated a race

One of my prized possessions is a DSG For President bumper sticker signed by the man himself a few years before he passed.  AAR is local to me and I know a bunch of the people who work/worked there.

In a way, I kinda get a tear in my eye when I see that Lancia still making laps.   It's come a long way since it was drug out of that field kicking and screaming with all 4 wheels locked up to making it roll/run and then deciding to build another car instead and giving it away to another team. It says something when even Spank passes on a car but it was a group decision.  Then watching them struggle to make the thing work.  It probably still has the BiTurbo wheels on it I bought on behalf of another LeMoneer and then ended up with.  And here it is on the other side of the country making laps.


With a little perseverance, you can do this too.

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)
  • From: Chicago-ish
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Re: Been a fan of the youtube channel for years, finally spectated a race

That Lancia is bordering on "Competitive Class C car," which is a helluva thing for ANY Lancia. I saw it at its first "race" and it's really remarkable where it is, geographically and competitively.

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

therood's Website

  • chaase
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Re: Been a fan of the youtube channel for years, finally spectated a race

therood wrote:

That Lancia is bordering on "Competitive Class C car," which is a helluva thing for ANY Lancia. I saw it at its first "race" and it's really remarkable where it is, geographically and competitively.

They've done a great job with that car. It has improved greatly since its first race.

1992 Saturn SL2 (retired) - Elmo's Revenge -  Class B winner, Heroic Fix winner x2
1969 Rover P6B 3500S(sold) - Super G-Rover - I.O.E Winner, Class C Winner
1996 Saturn SW2 - Elmo's Revenge (reborn!), Saturn SL1  Dazzleshipm Class C x2 and IOE winner
1974 AMC Javelin - Oscar's Trash heap - IOE,”Organizer's Choice" and "I got Screwed" award winner
  • CraigC
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Re: Been a fan of the youtube channel for years, finally spectated a race

I know it was instantly my fav. car out there.  I have a de-turboed Fiat 124 Spider 2000 turbo, sitting lifeless in my garage
so seeing a forced induction fiat twin cam actually running, killing it and blowing flames, was just too damn awesome.

That car and the Triumph TR-8 just blew me away, I usually hit up the Lime Rock Vintage festival on Labor Day Weekend, but watching those two cars at Thompson may have given me my vintage road-racing fill.  God Bless Lemons

  • From: Chicago-ish
  • Registered: 2010-04-19
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Re: Been a fan of the youtube channel for years, finally spectated a race

chaase wrote:
therood wrote:

That Lancia is bordering on "Competitive Class C car," which is a helluva thing for ANY Lancia. I saw it at its first "race" and it's really remarkable where it is, geographically and competitively.

They've done a great job with that car. It has improved greatly since its first race.

It was the first "real" Lancia ever in Lemons, took 11 years to show up.

16 races between two teams. The first guys out West struggled like hell just to make it work for 1/3 of a weekend, but they never gave up on it. They won IOE in 2021 and the Flatball guys bought it and raced it within four months with only their black flags as n00bs costing them track time.

It's run 500+ race miles in a weekend in 6 out of 7 weekends with them. They also bought the only other Lancia in Lemons, which "ran" two weekends with lap totals of 2 and 12, respectively. They have achieved Full Lancia. I think they've maybe been using it for a parts car, but I hope they plan to run both of them at once for TOTAL LANCIA DOMINATION.

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

therood's Website

  • Registered: 2021-05-13
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Re: Been a fan of the youtube channel for years, finally spectated a race

I'm glad you guys like it!  It's a lot of fun driving a car that's actually interesting and also almost quick. 

The other one's definitely a parts car, it's currently living on the Cape with no suspension or anything else important attached to the car.  We simply don't have enough time, money, or motivation right now to run a second car.  Once we get this one actually reliable (lol) and get it to stop losing wheels (hopefully!) then it'll just be us stepping on our wieners stopping us from being kinda ok.

1977 Lancia Scorpion
  • Registered: 2023-08-07
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Re: Been a fan of the youtube channel for years, finally spectated a race

Nice. It was my first race too (spectator). Definitely want to check out more.

  • CraigC
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Re: Been a fan of the youtube channel for years, finally spectated a race

Gillham wrote:

Nice. It was my first race too (spectator). Definitely want to check out more.


Awesome dude, yeah I may be hooked, I mean I was looking up race suit rentals today.

I was an autocrosser and Track Day bro in college, but I'm in my 30's now and never did any true wheel-to-wheel racing.