The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Lemons Newcomers → Re-fueling at MSR
When you re-fuel, do all persons involved have to be wearing full race suits? Does this apply to all locations where you might re-fuel (ex: hot pit, paddock spot, etc.)? Thanks for any and all help.
Definitely for the hot-pits anyone over the wall has to have full race gear with face mask down.
Generally they won't let you refuel in the paddock, at least they didn't at the Feb. race.
There's also a gas station at the track, but we never used it. Not sure what the protocol for fueling there is.
And don't refuel in front of the judges station. Jay doesn't like that one bit...
At MSR you can fuel in the hot pit or at the gas pumps. At either location, the car must be off, the driver must be out, someone has to have a fire extinguisher (and, preferably, some sort of drip tray), and all parties involved must be in full race gear.
While we're on the subject, can we get some sort of definitive answer to driver's change rules @ MSR before the upcoming race? At last year's Yee-Haw, the rule was that you could do a driver's change in the hot pit, so long as you were adding fuel as well. Then, at Gator-O-Rama, we were told that we could fuel, but NOT do a driver's change, in the hot pit ... we had to pull into the paddock to swap drivers.
While we're on the subject, can we get some sort of definitive answer to driver's change rules @ MSR before the upcoming race? At last year's Yee-Haw, the rule was that you could do a driver's change in the hot pit, so long as you were adding fuel as well. Then, at Gator-O-Rama, we were told that we could fuel, but NOT do a driver's change, in the hot pit ... we had to pull into the paddock to swap drivers.
We changed driver's in the hot pit last time. That rule would not make sense. How would they know who was driving when the car came? Unless they have a LeMon's official at every car that pits.
At MSR you can fuel in the hot pit or at the gas pumps. At either location, the car must be off, the driver must be out, someone has to have a fire extinguisher (and, preferably, some sort of drip tray), and all parties involved must be in full race gear.
While we're on the subject, can we get some sort of definitive answer to driver's change rules @ MSR before the upcoming race? At last year's Yee-Haw, the rule was that you could do a driver's change in the hot pit, so long as you were adding fuel as well. Then, at Gator-O-Rama, we were told that we could fuel, but NOT do a driver's change, in the hot pit ... we had to pull into the paddock to swap drivers.
If the driver is out of the car to fuel, you can swap drivers. I think you might have been mistaken there.
The rule was explained very sternly after we made a driver change in the pits: You can change drivers in the hot pits only if you are fueling. No diver changes without refueling. They are trying to reduce traffic in the pits.
Everyone over the wall has to be in full race gear with shield down. That includes fire extingusher person, fueler & driver (which has to be out of the car). You can not do anything else to the car in the pit except for fuel and driver change.
If the driver is out of the car to fuel, you can swap drivers. I think you might have been mistaken there.
Yeah, I understand that part. The question (I think I worded it wrong .. sorry, long day) was whether or not you could do a driver's only swap in the hot pit without fueling. At last year's Yee-Haw, some people (including us) did driver's only swaps in the hot pit with no problem. Then, at Gator-O-Rama, we were told that you could only do a driver change in the hot pit IF you were fueling.
Don't forget, no more than 3 people over the wall and that you can't do ANY work on the car. Hot pits at MSR-H are for fueling only, but you can change drivers there if you fuel too. No checking fluids, adding oil, or even swapping out cool suit coolers in the hot pits. At least that's what I've been told from on high. It is, of course, subject to change the day of the race, as it usually seems to do 
Baron wrote:If the driver is out of the car to fuel, you can swap drivers. I think you might have been mistaken there.
Yeah, I understand that part. The question (I think I worded it wrong .. sorry, long day) was whether or not you could do a driver's only swap in the hot pit without fueling. At last year's Yee-Haw, some people (including us) did driver's only swaps in the hot pit with no problem. Then, at Gator-O-Rama, we were told that you could only do a driver change in the hot pit IF you were fueling.
then yes, you have to pour gas for half a second if you want to change drivers on the hot pit.
Ok, so no matter what, at least two people have to be all geared up in order to re-fuel our car, even if its not in the hot pits. Good to know, thanks guys!
I can't remember if I read it in a thread or someone told me, but to fuel in the hot pit area you must transport the fuel in a wagon, pull cart, etc. Whether that is a requirement or not, it makes sense...who would want to lug fuel containers from the paddock to the hot pit area?
I can't remember if I read it in a thread or someone told me, but to fuel in the hot pit area you must transport the fuel in a wagon, pull cart, etc. Whether that is a requirement or not, it makes sense...who would want to lug fuel containers from the paddock to the hot pit area?
Well - it saves a few minutes a stop. While carting your fuel to the hot pits seems like a pain - if the car is running well and all you need to do is fuel and change drivers, you can do it silly fast.
At the last MSR race our lap time for a fuel and driver change was around four and a half minutes. That's in a car that ran a best lap time of 2:16. We were putting in a 5 gallon jug of fuel each stop. If you're stopping every hour or hour and a half to change drivers it does add up.
If you have to come into the paddock to do anything - you have to go back out and do at least a lap before you can refuel, because paddock in from the pit lane is *before* paddock out. And to refuel you have to have the driver out of the car. So a stop that needs anything more than fuel is really two stops.
Of course all of this only matters if you are trying to win. If this is your first race - you should buy more beer to put in the cooler.
Or you can motor over to the pumps and fill there. Set up with the shop desk so they put it on your credit card.
It's kind funny seeing everyone's perspective on the Hot Pit at MSR.
While fueling everyone has to be in full gear other than neck brace. I didn't recallour extinguisher guy wearing a helmet. I thought we only had to wear our helmet while we are fueling. It's hard to talk to guys through the helmet.
Their desire to keep down traffic in the Hot Pit is understandable but I think unfounded.
The Hot Pit has room for plenty of cars. The only time it got remotely jammed up was when the two Mustangs ended up on their lids near the track entrance from the hot pit and they wouldn't let cars back out on the track.
The Paddock at MSR is a cluster and seems to become more crowded with each event.
So, throw in some gas then change drivers and your good in the Hot Pit.
You don't "have" to use a wagon for your fuel but you can't leave it unattended in the Hot Pit. So a wagon makes it easier but it isn't required. We were by the entrance to the hot pit so we just carried our stuff.
Maybe they will loosen up on the use of the Hot Pit. I'd like to see guys change drivers in the hot pit whether they add fuel or not. I'd also like to be able to ice down Cool Suit systems.
It's kind funny seeing everyone's perspective on the Hot Pit at MSR.
While fueling everyone has to be in full gear other than neck brace. I didn't recallour extinguisher guy wearing a helmet. I thought we only had to wear our helmet while we are fueling. It's hard to talk to guys through the helmet.
Their desire to keep down traffic in the Hot Pit is understandable but I think unfounded.
The Hot Pit has room for plenty of cars. The only time it got remotely jammed up was when the two Mustangs ended up on their lids near the track entrance from the hot pit and they wouldn't let cars back out on the track.
Even the guy holding the extinguisher must have a helmet with visor down.
I do agree that the hot pit has plenty of room, and I wish MSR would allow straight up simple driver's changes. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening as the race continues to swell in entrants.
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