We’re now veterans of two 24 Hours Of LeMons races, and prepping for our third. It’s some of the most fun you can have with your clothes on. It’s really fun when you win.
Like many car fanatics around the US, when we first read about the 24Hours of LeMons events, we immediately thought that it would be a very cool thing to do and a ton of fun. Alas, it was a west coast thing, and those of us on the east coast were just out of luck. As of 2008, the LeMons organizers saw fit for to bring events to the east coast.
Since we’ve started telling all of our friends and family about this half-baked idea, there are quite a few of you who don’t know what the 24 Hours of LeMons actually is. We’ve even run across some car folk who weren’t familiar with it.
In a nutshell, the event requires you to buy and prepare a car for an endurance race with a budget of no more than $500. Thankfully, safety equipment (roll cage, racing seats, harnesses, brakes, tires) has it’s own “unlimited” budget. To keep things in control, the organizers have a claimer rule – if they think you’ve spent too much on the car, they reserve the right to buy your car from you for $500 after the race is complete. It’s an offer you can’t refuse…its in the rulebook. During the race itself, there are a number of whacky rules that might have your car driving around with a big metal pig welded to the roof or something similarly odd. If you drive too aggressively, it’s possible you’ll be voted the “Peoples curse” and your car will be destroyed by a huge crane or a bunch of angry co-competitors with baseball bats. It’s all very creative and downright strange at times. For all the details, see the LeMons website: http://www.24hoursoflemons.com/
In the meantime, enjoy the website and wish us luck.
