Want to race at Thunderhill? (24 Hours of LeMons)

Hey gang,

As I've mentioned here before, I'm doing another 24 Hours of LeMons event at the end of this month. We're returning to Thunderhill down in Willows, CA with the Subaru for more racing on December 27-28. We planned on having five drivers for this event, but we've decided to open up room for six drivers like we have done in the past. So, if any of you guys are interested in going racing with us, there's room for one more! If you aren't interested but have a friend who might be, feel free to pass it on, rookies, strangers, and long-haired freaky people are welcome (encouraged?).

I will give more details to those interested, but here's the basics:

What: www.24hoursoflemons.com - We're returning with a Subaru Impreza wagon which has been very reliable and is the only AWD car on the track!
Where: Willows, CA (On I-5 between Sacramento and Redding)
When: Racing from 9 am-sundown Dec. 27-28
Who: Myself (head enabler), Jessica (raced at Thunderhill last year), Enrique (raced another LeMons race with me in Detroit last year), Dante (raced two LeMons races in Detroit with me), and Steve (autocrosser, first time wheel-to-wheel). Most of us had never raced wheel to wheel until last year, so it probably goes without saying that we're hooked because it's a ton of fun!
Why: Cheapest wheel-to-wheel racing you're going to find on a real road course! $500 covers everything except travel/hotel. Everything! Gas, tires, licenses, fees, car prep, tons of spare parts, etc.

Let me know if you're interested and we can talk about the rest of the details on the phone. Like I said, we're open to rookies or experts, we're out there to have fun and this is basically a weekend vacation gearhead-style. Tell your friends about it, you never know who might be looking for an adventure over their holiday break!

Thanks, and enjoy the holidays!

Bryce
nashco (at) hotmail (dot) com

Hot damned that's tempting. I'm in Sacramento and am tempted to go $500 into debt for the experience.

I don't have sufficient safety equipment for myself. Just a M rated helmet for track days. So please tell me that you don't have safety equipment to share, to make this easy on me.

In any case, I will be coming out to watch the 24 hours. So I will hopefully see you there.

You can check out the safety gear requirements here:

http://www.24hoursoflemons.com/rules/

We don't have everything available to borrow, I think you'd have to find your own suit, shoes, and helmet to borrow. That's what we've done for our events, almost all of us borrow gear. Ask your racer buddies if they've got gear you can borrow, this time of year not many people are using their stuff. If you wanted to buy a full set of stuff, you can buy it through the LeMons crew for $400ish if you act fast, but that's not nearly as cheap as borrowing.

Bryce

Nah. That's okay. I just paid reg on two track days and bought Christmas presents. I really need to pay down my credit card before doing anything else.

Keep us appraised on the next time you'll have an extra seat to run at the event. With more advanced warning, I might be up for it next time.

I'll come and cheer you guys on for a while though. How will I be able to identify your car?

Salanis wrote: How will I be able to identify your car?

Being an Impreza wagon would be the first giveaway, but knowing how hard it can be to identify LeMons cars after they're stripped down and gussied up, you can also spot our Festivus pole pretty easily. Our team name is "A Festivus Miracle!" (Team Festivus last year) and we've got our Festivus pole sticking above the top of the car about 6 feet.

http://jalopnik.com/photogallery/24HOLUber20/1000569801?viewSize=thumb800x800

Bryce

jj wrote: Why can't you be in virginia.

Because, then I wouldn't have had the chance to drive with Bryce at last years event, so get your own Festivus!

For anyone who's interested, it looks like Tanner Foust and Steph Papadakis are also competing in this event:

http://www.autofiends.com/index.php/2008/12/exclusive-tanner-foust-speaks-about-24-hours-of-lemons-thunderhill-race/#comment-3636

It should be interesting watching a formula drift and rally champion mix it up with the rest of the "neophytes" on a wet and frozen track!

Of course it has to be when my g/f is out of town and I have to watch the dogs....

You can bring your dogs Dex! We're bringing our dog (Kinzig) again this year. Last year the team had three dogs along for the ride and things work out fine, I thought. Assuming you're not talking about a dozen dachsunds I'm sure it'd be alright if your dogs enjoy travelling.

Bryce

LeMons is some of the cheapest racing available. I budget $1k for a weekend racing with NASA, and get less seat time for that $1k than I do in LeMons.

I'll be there with Pandamonium Racing in a bmw e30. We'll keep an eye out for you (and stay outta your way) ;)

If you can't find anyone on this forum, you could post to the yahoogroup and probably find someone no problem.

Just to note, ... Lemons is not RACING. It's more like an out of control HPDE.

I'm the official 24 hour Lemons HATER. Go have fun, ... but it's NOT racing.

onasled wrote: Just to note, ... Lemons is not RACING. It's more like an out of control HPDE. I'm the official 24 hour Lemons HATER. Go have fun, ... but it's NOT racing.

Huh? What makes it not racing?

The winner is the car that finishes with the most laps in the given time period. Pretty standard enduro stuff. It's w2w, there are rules, safety requirements, etc etc. Sure, the classes are a little bit weird, and the drivers are a mixed bag, but that's part of the character of this particular race.

onasled wrote: Just to note, ... Lemons is not RACING. It's more like an out of control HPDE. I'm the official 24 hour Lemons HATER. Go have fun, ... but it's NOT racing.

What the deuce are you talking about? When I ran at Thunderhill last year, it was run very professionally and it sure felt like real racing to me! When you're racing on a real race track like Thunderhill, the track encourages real racing. Having watched a few Spec Miata races become bump-to-pass races, I thought Thunderhill LeMons was downright civilized! By contrast, LeMons at AMP or either of the Detroit races was more like a regular "local" enduro with lots of bump-to-pass stuff going on.

I'm going out on a limb and guessing you have a) Never raced LeMons, B) never raced at Thunderhill, and C) don't want to race with us. You say you're a hater, I say you're just afraid to have some fun.

Bryce

I did the Stratford CT event, ... and it was as lame as could be. It was NOT fun, too me . I race. I also did this lemons and it was not racing. Yes, I know it may have just been this one event, but it WAS my experience with lemons.

I'm just a guy with an opinion. Nothing more. I think that the majority have fun at this. But I think its dangerous. Tech inspections are a farce, driver skill is never truly scrutinized, in fact I personally was never ask to show ANY proof of my driving history.

Anyway, ... have fun.

Well, too bad for you onasled. We've never had any concerns for our safety, Thunderhill was the best run event of the multiple LeMons venues I've been at by a long shot, there is tons of run off room on the track, and there's plenty of space in the pits. We've got all the typical safety gear (cage, seat, belts, helmets, neck brace, shoes, gloves, battery box, battery cut off, etc.) and barely break highway speed limits...I felt ten times safer racing at Thunderhill in our Subie than commuting in Chicago in a regular car!

Two of our drivers last year have done plenty of "real" racing and they both had a blast. Wade (ww, above) was one of them and he's coming back this year with more of his friends. We also had a few rookies last year. It's a great way for rookies to get a taste...I know Jessica would probably never have taken the plunge to do "real" racing because of all the cost, hassle, etc., but after doing the LeMons event last year she's done more racing with us and is having a lot of fun doing it.

Bryce

Hoo boy. :rolleyes: Of course LeMons is 'not racing'. It's not meant to be. It's meant to be fun. Approach it with that spirit and it becomes a blast. And yes I will do it again.

In the words of the immortal Sgt. Hulka: 'Lighten up, onasled'.

What are the requirements for a driver to qualify?

aussiesmg wrote: What are the dates? What are the requirements for a driver to qualify?

When: Racing from 9 am-sundown Dec. 27-28

Driver requirements? Have a driver's license, some cash, and no whining. Seriously, that's in the rules:

2.4: Whiner Eligibility. Whiners are not eligible to compete. If you believe that you might be a whiner, please check with a domestic partner, guardian, or health-care professional before getting the rest of your team kicked the hell out of the race.

Bryce

Hey guys (gals). I expressed my opinion. Don't read into it that I was Whining, or that I'm up tight about it. Yea, I should just keep my mouth shut if I have nothing good to say. Maybe the CT race was just not a great one.

I am at work, but I called the wife. She said she was gonna look at the budget and give me an answer tonight. You may get an email from me.

Does Thunderhill have showers?

Nearest airport?

aussiesmg wrote: Nearest airport?

Commercial or Private (general aviation only)?

The closest Commercial airport is probably Sacramento Metro. There is a general aviation airport in Willows.

From Sac Metro, it's about an hour strait North on I-5.

Mental wrote: Does Thunderhill have showers?

Not that I know of, but our hotel room 6 miles from the track does. Keep me posted!

Bryce

aussiesmg wrote: Nearest airport?

Like Salanis said, Sacramento is the closest. San Fran or San Jose might be cheaper. I know a few guys coming up from the San Jose area, so if you fly in that way you might be able to catch a ride with them and avoid a rental car.

Bryce

Mental wrote: Does Thunderhill have showers?

Yes.

I'll be staying overnight in the paddock with my entire team. Saturday night should be a good time, assuming we're not freezing our asses off in the dark hitting something with a big hammer ;)