LeMons in NY Times

When Life Hands You Lemons, Race Them By EDDIE ALTERMAN Published: September 25, 2008 Toledo, Ohio

IF, as Steve McQueen said in the film “Le Mans,” “Racing, it’s life,” then the organizers of the 24 Hours of LeMons would appear to take a very dim view of existence. According to Jay Lamm, the creator of LeMons, the race is “nasty, brutish and not short enough.”

Conceived in 2006 in mock homage to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France, the LeMons is likewise a marathon of man and machine. But unlike the gentlemanly Gallic race, LeMons is a 24-hour brawl and, more defining, nice cars are not welcome. The rules say that teams can spend no more than $500 on their vehicles before adding safety gear.

So this is a race of junkers, and the one that lasts from Saturday to Sunday while turning the most laps is the winner, rewarded with a prize of $1,500 — all of it in nickels.

The rest... http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/28/automobiles/28LEMONS.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

OH! Is the reward really paid in Nickles? That's the funniest thing I've heard in a long time.

I am SO doing this next year!

just saw that.. HA

confuZion3 wrote: OH! Is the reward really paid in Nickles? That's the funniest thing I've heard in a long time.

Yes, the prize money is in nickles. The larger sums are a big PITA for people to shuffle around at the awards ceremony, but it's part of the fun.