Crapcan weekend wrap: ChumpCar VIR 24 and LeMons NJMP

Eric Rood

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VIR_pitlane_720

Another crapcan weekend has come and gone, taking with it a few thousand racing miles. Both ChumpCar World Series and the 24 Hours of LeMons ran on the East Coast last weekend, so let’s take a brief look at some of the winners and losers.

ChumpCar World Series Class 24 at VIRginia International Raceway

BMW was the mark of victory at VIR with E30s occupying all three podium spots with an E36 taking P4 for good measure. Ronald’s Racers’ M50-swapped E30 hung on for a two-lap victory by running a trouble-free race. They inherited the lead from SRI Racing’s E36 with less than a half hour remaining after SRI’s broken exhaust punctured part of the car’s fuel system. From there, Ronald’s Racers cruised to victory lane while SRI’s repairs took just long enough to drop them off the podium and into fourth position. With 374 completed laps on VIR’s 4.2-mile Grand Course, Ronald’s Racers logged 1,570.8 race miles (roughly the distance from New York City to Dallas, Texas) for a complete race average of more than 65 miles per hour.

Midwestern stalwarts Cheap Shot Racing took second place from fellow Central Region heavyweights Bucksnort Racing in the Classic’s closing minutes.

VIR_climbing_esses_720

At the race’s halfway point, nine of the Top 10 were BMW 3 Series; the lone non-Bimmer was Blitzvining’s 1979 Pontiac Firebird, which also led six (non-consecutive) laps in the opening few hours of the race. The Firebird dropped out of the top slot when the rains came Saturday afternoon and the F-body struggled to get the power down.

Many other teams expected to compete suffered various maladies. Tubby Butterman Racing blew their E36’s motor for the first time in their car’s racing history after just an hour of racing. Rbankracing led for a while with the Tired Iron Repair Saab 9-3, but yet another constant-velocity joint issue tossed them from the lead. The team’s Will Race for Beer Saab 9-5 ended its race in the tire wall and the Domination Chassis Eagle Talon fell afoul of clutch issues. GFY Motorsports ended their Nissan 300ZX’s race early after amassing black flags for avoidable contact.

That said, the team I mentioned in my preview to keep an eye on,Cone Crushers Porsche 944, made me look good with an eighth-place finish, which is nothing to scoff at for a 944.

Below is the final Top 10; click the link for the full standings on MyLaps.

1. #105 Ronald’s Racers (BMW E30) – 374 Laps
2. #169 Cheap Shot Racing (BMW E30) – 372 Laps
3. #125 Bucksnort Racing (BMW E30) – 372 Laps
4. #68 SRI Racing 2 (BMW E36) – 370 Laps
5. #314 Book Smart Motorsports (Acura Integra) – 365 Laps
6. #556 Ghetto Motorsports (Mazda RX-7) – 364 Laps
7. #111 Schultz N Co (BMW E30) – 364 Laps
8. #917 Cone Crushers (Porsche 944) – 363 Laps
9. #800 Die Flusternde Bombe Motorsport (BMW E30) – 363 Laps
10. #44 MealTime Racing (Honda Civic) – 362 Laps

 

24 Hours of LeMons Real Hoopties of New Jersey

 NJMP_IOE_720

Anything said about the winners of this race are almost moot, since LeMons legends Speedycop & and the Gang of Outlaws stole wthe show with an upside-down Camaro shell fitted around a Ford Festiva chassis. This contended with Three Pedal Mafia’s monopoly-themed Rolls Royce Silver Shadow as the least-trackworthy entry, which is some claim when Three Pedal Mafia also fielded a boat.

Speedycop’s “Camaro” was hardly fast, but it ran enough of the weekend to capture LeMons’ top prize, the Index of Effluency. This marks Speedycop’s sixth IoE to extend his record further over West Coast masochist Spank.

The Rolls Royce suffered through brake issues for much of the weekend and eventually took major contact in the race’s final minutes. The team’s Triumph TR7 similarly took a major knock at the finish line, too. Three Pedal Mafia found some solace in their carnage-laden paddock space by taking home an Organizer’s Choice trophy.

The Silver Errors’ nabbed their first win on laps after dueling in their Mercedes Benz 190E with Cardorks’ E30 for much of the weekend. The Bimmer’s engine called it quits, however, and the Cardorks fell out of the Top 10 late Sunday. Rally Baby Racing’s four-cylinder E30 made a strong showing to take second-place, while two-time winners Bill Danger landed their Honda Accord on the podium’s final spot and took home a Class B win. Class B runners up Massholes ran a strong race themselves, putting their Ford Escort ZX2 in P6 overall.

NJMP_Field_720

The B-Team’s base-model Ford Escort claimed the Class C win by a substantial 21-lap (somewhere around 40 minutes) margin from the Froogle Subaru Legacy. Class C also saw great performances from Morrows Racing’s AMC Gremlin (42nd overall) and Three Pedal Mafia’s boat (45th overall). Rally Baby Racing campaigned the America-wandering Plymouth Reliant to a solid 84th place, which is nothing to scoff at given some of its recent struggles and its 2,500-mile trip just to take the green flag.

Below are the overall Top 10 and class leaders. Get the full standings from MyLaps here.

Overall

1. #281 The Silver Errors – Ziegel Scheisshause (Mercedes 190E) – 400 Laps
2. #469 Rally Baby Racing (BMW E30) – 394 Laps
3. #106 Bill Danger (Honda Accord) – 391 Laps, Class B Winner
4. #123 RealDime Racing (Acura Integra) – 391 Laps
5. #301 Rust in the Wind (Nissan 300ZX, Saab engine) – 390 Laps
6. #508 Massholes (Ford Escort ZX2) – 388 Laps, Class B
7. #262 Vermont Bert-One (Volvo 262C Bertone) – 387 Laps
8. #242 Keystone Kops (Volvo 240, V8-swap) – 386 Laps
9. #84 Walk of Shame Racing 9BMW E36) – 385 Laps
10. #71 Near-Orbital Space Monkeys (Ford Mustang) – 385 Laps

Class B

1. #106 Bill Danger (Honda Accord) – 391 Laps
2. #508 Massholes (Ford Escort ZX2) – 388 Laps
3. #21 Interceptor Motorsports (Ford Thunderbird) – 366 Laps
4. #133 Orbits near Uranus Racing (Saturn SC2) – 366 Laps
5. #59 Low-T Sewing Circle & Social hour (BMW E28) – 359 Laps

Class C

1. #108 The B Team (Ford Escort) – 359 Laps
2. #111 Froogle (Subaru Legacy) – 338 Laps
3. #6 It Ain’t My Fault Morrows Racing (AMC Gremlin) – 332 Laps
4. #42 Three Pedal Mafia (Chevy S10/Sea Sprite) – 326 Laps
5. #50 George Alexander Louis (MG MGB-GT) – 320 Laps

 

 [Image Sources: Peter Merkle/Team Phoenix; Damien Jedlicka/Speedycop Photos Flickr; Nick Pon]

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Eric Rood

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46 responses to “Crapcan weekend wrap: ChumpCar VIR 24 and LeMons NJMP”

  1. LTDScott Avatar
    LTDScott

    I knew about the Rolls getting hit, but not the Triumph. Poor Three Pedal Mafia! As a person in the middle of repair race accident damage on my LeMons car, I feel their pain.
    <img src="https://sphotos-a-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/999594_488536284566188_1953997644_n.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
  2. Kamil_K Avatar
    Kamil_K

    If the upside-down car rolled over, the world would have seized to exist.

    Reply
    1. FЯeeMan Avatar
      FЯeeMan

      Nah, just the engine

      Reply
  3. Sjalabais Avatar
    Sjalabais

    A 500$ Rolls?

    Reply
    1. Eric Rood Avatar
      Eric Rood

      I think it was technically $1000, but the judges seldom sweat cars with the kind of un-motorsports pedigree of a Rolls.

      Reply
  4. mdharrell Avatar
    mdharrell

    The addition of the monocle was visionary.

    Reply
    1. jeepjeff Avatar
      jeepjeff

      I see what you did there.

      Reply
  5. boxdin Avatar
    boxdin

    I like the name; Three Pedal Mafia….

    Reply
  6. griffer Avatar
    griffer

    I find the lack of K-Car in this article disturbing! 😉

    Reply
    1. Eric Rood Avatar
      Eric Rood

      It's in there. Sorry I called it a "Plymouth Reliant."

      Reply
      1. griffer Avatar
        griffer

        YEAH! Comment retracked, but I wanted glorious PHOTOS!

        Reply
  7. Spank Avatar
    Spank

    (cough cough) With all due respect, Spank has 6 IOEs and was the first to do so. And was in fact about to receive a 7th IOE when Head Honcho Jay Lamm changed the awards on the fly and bumped the Hudson from Org Choice to IOE at Pacific Northworst '13. Why? "Spank's won too many goddamn IOEs!"
    Exibit A: <img src="http://www.murileemartin.com/UG/LWA13/536-UG-Pacific_Northworst_24_Hours_of_LeMons.jpgl&quot; width="600">
    Exhibit B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detai…
    Officially we're tied at 6 a piece for the cars we've built. But I've actually won a 7th as a driver for the IOE-winning Granada
    Exhibit C: http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2011/08/and-the-…
    Speedycop is a LeMons god, though and am honored to be mentioned in the same sentence as he.

    Reply
    1. Eric Rood Avatar
      Eric Rood

      I should have done the research, I suppose. Is this right?
      Spank: Austin Mini (2), Austin America/a bunch of stuff, Simca, Citroen, Prius
      Speedycop: Thunderbird diesel, Bonneville Donk, MR2/Lancia Scorpion, X-90, Cessna, Upside-Down Camaro
      Here's the gray area: The Pacer won IOE at High Plains last year registered as Speedycop, but he wasn't there. I feel like I'm missing one of his cars, but I guess not.

      Reply
      1. spank Avatar
        spank

        Mine looks right.
        Mini debut Aug '09
        Citroen ID19 Mar '10
        SIMCA Aug '11
        Class C Onslaught (America, Moke, Mini, SIMCA) Dec '11
        HarleyPrius Dec '12
        Mini Mar '13
        Gray Area: Granada Aug '11
        The only point I was looking to correct was this " to extend his record further over West Coast masochist Spank." I was the first to 5 IOEs and I was the first to 6 IOEs (or 6 and 7 even if you want to count our respective gray areas), so if anything it is he who is trying to not fall further behind 😉 Or perhaps it would best be stated "…to draw even with…." or "…to equal the mark of…"

        Reply
        1. Eric Rood Avatar
          Eric Rood

          Bottom line: You are both LeMons Class C/IOE all-stars on opposite coasts. If you were both on the same coast, would you be nemeses or partners in crime?

          Reply
          1. Spank Avatar
            Spank

            Little known fact: I lived the first 25 years of my life about 20 miles from where Speedy lives now. But we'd probably still be friendly rivals though. Our egos need their own cookies!
            He's far more talented and capable than I and in head-to-head his creations do a better job at embodying and promoting the series. He will soon leave me in his wake, so i'm just a desperate man trying to postpone the inevitable reality of your statement for as long as possible! I AIN't DEAD YET or sumthin' like that.

          2. ZomBee Racer Avatar
            ZomBee Racer

            It's gotta be something in the water then.

  8. Spank (again) Avatar
    Spank (again)

    Oops: Exhibit A (fixed link)
    <img src="http://www.murileemartin.com/UG/LWA13/536-UG-Pacific_Northworst_24_Hours_of_LeMons.jpg&quot; width="600">

    Reply
  9. Van_Sarockin Avatar
    Van_Sarockin

    Just when you thought LeMons couldn't get any better…

    Reply
  10. Driver Avatar
    Driver

    Is that supposed to be "Major Contact?" How about the half dozen cars that wrecked trying to avoid the 3PD… or the totaled BMW that they collected at the finish during their in race parade laps? Do us a favor and quit crying about your stupid gimmick car while everyone else is trying to compete and have fun. Do you not realize that you were on the track with 100+ cars going twice as fast as you? Or that the only license qualification to enter this race is $50? You fix your stupid rolls while everyone else shops for a new car. I hope I never see it or anything else in C class again.

    Reply
    1. Spank Avatar
      Spank

      They "Collected" a BMW? Who ran into whom?
      "Everyone else is trying to compete and have fun"? Uh, so are they (and so am I when I bring my slow cars). Go back and see through the years what cars win the top award of IOE and Organizer's Choice? I think it speaks volumes that the Organizers Choice, the award given straight from the Organizer of not just the race you are whining about but the brainchild of the whole friggin' series, went to the Rolls Royce. The personal award from the organizer himself…. Who's out of touch with the point of the series, hmm? The Organizer?
      And the IOE, the top prize, has been given to similarly slow cars like the SIMCA 1204 and the Humber Super Snipe. The TOP AWARD and it is indeed a COMPETITION for that award. If you think it's so simply and no competition at all, go ahead and try to win one yourself.
      Double dog dare ya.

      Reply
    2. ZomBee Racer Avatar
      ZomBee Racer

      "I hope I never see it or anything else in C class again." (~ Crash M Driver)
      Wow, you don't get the point, nor the spirit of Lemons at ALL, do you?
      We only let the class B & A cars race because they bankroll the track for the weekend. Otherwise your just a bunch of noisy pains in the ass. You'd get along great with the guy who flipped my car. He's been kicked off many teams.
      Hope you find your niche (and no one gets hurt in the process).
      With much love, Pete

      Reply
  11. Driver Avatar
    Driver

    You are right that the BMW ran into the car doing a 4+ minute parade lap during the race. Semantics aside I think at the very least appropriate flagging could have helped avoid several accidents that left no winners.
    All I'm saying is that at some point (hopefully before someone gets hurt) the organizers will need to choose whether they want an endurance race or a clown car show. I am neither interested in winning the car show, nor am I starved for attention enough to wear a speedo all weekend.
    I like car shows and boy did I enjoy high school, but I'm not going to take you up on your "double dog dare" to win a car show.

    Reply
    1. Nuclearspork Avatar
      Nuclearspork

      Part of the challenge of LeMons is negotiating the difference in speeds of cars. This is a pretty common thing in Sports car racing. That big race in france also has different classes with cars of differing speeds.
      Truth of the matter the slower cars are far more challenging to drive being they have to be aware of the cars closing on them, the cars they are closing on and the ones passing them. So while they are doing all that, I would assume the faster car could at least bother to pay attention to the cars they are coming up on and plan their passes accordingly.
      The driver who rear ended the Triumph, did claim complete fault and apologized so it seems you may be the only one blaming the Rolls for that one.

      Reply
      1. Driver Avatar
        Driver

        Regardless of who claims fault the Triumph driver decided to take a parade lap and got plowed into. Had they been competing in an endurance race there would not have been an accident. Just glad no one got hurt and I will pick the other series regardless of proximity in the future.

        Reply
        1. "Douche Driver" Avatar
          "Douche Driver"

          I think I can speak for every other driver in the LeMons series when I say, "good riddance." I assure you that you will not be missed at any future events.

          Reply
        2. ZomBee Racer Avatar
          ZomBee Racer

          " I will pick the other series regardless of proximity in the future." (~Crash M. Driver)
          I believe a fair percentage of the Lemons community thanks you for decision. Lemons obviously wasn't a good fit for your talents.
          We wish you nothing but luck in your future endeavors, wherever you end up. (roof or hospital, quite likely)

          Reply
    2. Piper Avatar
      Piper

      All I have to say is good riddance, Sorry for Party Racing!, and oh yeah, all the women in the paddock LOVED the speedos. You clearly don't get that the main point of lemons is to have a good time.

      Reply
    3. Tim Odell Avatar
      Tim Odell

      "at some point (hopefully before someone gets hurt) the organizers will need to choose whether they want an endurance race or a clown car show"
      Dude, they decided that back in 2008 (if not before). It's the latter. Maybe you missed the part where they take bribes and celebrate the crappiest cars on the track with the biggest prizes.
      But since you're gonna be Mister Serious, maybe you could learn a thing or two from teams like Eyesore Racing that have all managed to run very fast cars through the rolling chicane without getting cranky about it.

      Reply
      1. ZomBee Racer Avatar
        ZomBee Racer

        Nor hitting anyone! It's a basic skill that comes in REAL handy on the racetrack!

        Reply
  12. WarpdSpazm Avatar
    WarpdSpazm

    Driver,
    Was this your first LeMons race? Perhaps it should be your last… Plenty of cars get out on track at the end and limp to take the checkered. Additionally, at any point in a race ANY car can be going slow or be stopped. It's YOUR responsibility as a driver to look ahead and prepare for these types of moments. You brought up the point that you only need $50 to get a LeMons license (and by extension, not the $5,000+ in training like SCCA or others). THAT right there implies you are aware that there are unexperienced folks driving.
    We run multi-class racing, not spec.
    Hell in Grand Am, you can see more than 40MPH difference between classes, maybe those cars should not run together either?

    Reply
    1. Driver Avatar
      Driver

      Not my first but certainly my last Lemons.
      You make a good point… I shouldn't play at the 5 dollar table and expect people to know what they are doing.
      Limping is one thing but no one is doing parade laps in Grand Am or any other race than this one.

      Reply
      1. RacinG73 Avatar
        RacinG73

        I find it humorous that you assert you shouldn't "expect people to know what they are doing." Because, you know, all the other cars managed to avoid rear-ending or side-swiping slower cars for two days including the last 10 minutes when lots of cars limp out onto the track.
        Was this your first race where you did the last stint on Sunday?
        Seems to me like it's you who needs to learn what you are doing.

        Reply
      2. Racinrob Avatar
        Racinrob

        Driver,
        You messed up. Stop trying to blame someone else. The only thing wrong with this whole scenario is your attitude.
        At that point in the race 99% of the field are doing "parade laps", because their finishing position has already been set.

        Reply
      3. Nuclearspork Avatar
        Nuclearspork

        I believe the point he was trying to make was that as a driver you are suppose to be prepared to encounter slower cars on the track. All kinds of things happen on the track, cars break, tires go flat, cars spin, deers run out and jump into cars, etc…

        Reply
  13. RichC Avatar
    RichC

    Absolutely, no one has staged finishes in real racing
    <img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_29w30kjPW0o/SGLoQ8jucLI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/gm-m75wGzMA/s400/LeMans1966-finish1.jpg"&gt;
    <img src=" <a href="http://]http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120618014219-le-mans-finish-line-horizontal-gallery.jpg"&gt;” target=”_blank”>]http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120618014219-le-mans-finish-line-horizontal-gallery.jpg">

    Reply
  14. RichC Avatar
    RichC

    <img src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120618014219-le-mans-finish-line-horizontal-gallery.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
  15. Fishah Avatar
    Fishah

    Hey Driver,
    I for one, and thrilled that you will not be back to another LeMons race. Clearly everybody else gets it, and you are not the sharpest tool in the shed. It's not worth any of our time to convince you that you're wrong, even though you most certainly are.

    Reply
  16. Driver Avatar
    Driver

    Good point… Wait… Did you have a point? Calling me dumb instead of debating me… I'd bet you've never raced outside of lemons.

    Reply
    1. ZomBee Racer Avatar
      ZomBee Racer

      One could actually argue whether anyone actually races INSIDE Lemons.
      Except you of course. You raced your little heart out. Didn't ya?
      Also, you seem to be having trouble replying to the right threads. Pro-tip: "Reply" right under the thread you want to respond to instead of the "New Comment" waaay at the bottom. You may have missed this detail with all that speed you are carrying.
      Kinda like how you missed that huge RR in front of you last weekend, or the proper etiquette for when you smash into someone's car, and the whole point of this stupid little race. Cheers!

      Reply
    2. RacinG73 Avatar
      RacinG73

      I have. And Fishah can turn faster laps in the same car than I can. So, by your definition of a real racer, he should fit the bill.
      What, exactly, is your presitigious racing pedigree again?

      Reply
  17. JThw8 Avatar
    JThw8

    Driver in order to debate you would require you saying something worthy of debate. Quit whining and go race at Chump if that's what you want. The only part of a "real racer" you have is the BS holier than thou attitude and lack of a sense of humor. Good riddance

    Reply
    1. Craig Avatar
      Craig

      I disagree with one thing. Please stay out of Chump too. The kind of attitude displayed here is the last thing we need in Chump races.

      Reply
  18. dave Avatar
    dave

    "I hope I never see it or anything else in C class again." (~ Crash M Driver)
    As far as not seeing any class C cars, I hope you know there were a few within a second of your fast lap, and we didn't hit anything.

    Reply
    1. Racinrob Avatar
      Racinrob

      I hate to tell him, but I was at VIR last weekend and there were a few "class C" cars there too. Certainly not the numbers you see in 24HOL, but there is nothing against them running in Chump.
      How does he even know that the Triumph wasn't running as quick as it could? Pretty big assumption to say you know what the other driver was thinking!
      Oh, and Chump ownership will tell you the responsibility for a clean pass rides completely on the overtaking car.

      Reply
  19. lowflyin Avatar
    lowflyin

    It's so comical to see someone so adamant about their position that they cannot see the fault in their ways.
    Driver, I wish you well. But as has been stated before, your lack of presence will not be missed. …and your only mark on the history of this series is a black mark due to your lack of situational awareness that all good race drivers should have.

    Reply