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I'm trying to get started in this and its pretty tough if you don't have W2W experience. Basically, I'm looking for an awful team who has a reliable car that and needs my money more than they need to win, lol.
my email of choice is [email protected] if anyone hears of anything.
Lemons "HR" forum: http://forums.24hoursoflemons.com/viewforum.php?id=11
Are most of these guys willing to take a novice? I was expecting a sittuation where someone would have to vouch for my mechanical abilities and friendliness because I have absolutely no clue about what I'm doing when it comes to racing a car like this. My biggest fear is a hybrid of going so slow that I destroy the race for my team and too much aggressive driving and hurting the car or obtaining a penalty.Quote:
Originally Posted by redmenace
I'm trying to time the purchase of $2000 in safety-gear with the first race.
No firsthand experience here. Couldn't hurt to post a "seat wanted" thread, just describe your credentials and don't be afraid to be yourself. Some degree of "mechanical empathy" is definitely in order given the nature of the hardware.
Lol @ "credentials ". I really have zero experience, I'm totally green. I've run crew and 2nd half of strategy for a 24 hour win, but but that is it and not going to get me a seat.
The more I think about it, the more I realize I have to make my own team... After student loans are paid, of course.
I have an S12 for sale cheap. Just needs a motor, transmission, and just about everything else.
WRT credentials I mean everything including track experience -- for some teams, their first race is their first track time. And if you can formulate strategy then you probably understand what it takes to execute it, eh?
So, I'm trying to make a response to a want-ad that looks like a resume. The problem is not making myself look over-qualified because I'm not, but it looks that way, lol.
So say that. If you're making your experience look like a resume, make a pseudo cover letter saying that you're not nearly as good as you make yourself sound. If it's a Lemons team that is looking for, or at the very least would even consider, a novice driver, I would imagine they have a sense of humor. It's not a mufti-billion dollar Indy team that demands perfection, or a team that has won every single crap-car race put on since before any of the series began. I think you'll be OK.
The problem is that most of these teams want to be competitive and finding a team with a car that is both reliable and turns. This is my internal struggle with $500-car racing and Miatas. I want to get away from them but they are the best cars, lol. I want to be behind the wheel of a Miata for 4-hours, not a car that doesn't turn. It also needs to be fuel efficient. Then, on top of all that, someone has to let me in who has low standards, lol.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob®
I guess I'm going to have to "pick two" as the saying goes.
I can't imagine that every Lemons team cares to be competitive. Especially one that is advertising that they are looking for a driver. Just doesn't seem like a team that expected all that much would go looking for a hired gun, so to speak - they would most likely have someone in mind. And a driver that could all but guaranty a win probably wouldn't look to get on a team of people he doesn't know, from both a safety and aggravation stand point. That's how I see it at least.
If I had the time and money, I know I would gather a team of friends or just other like-minded car nuts that feel like having a good time racing for "cheap." Last place, first place, whatever, a day on the track is a day on the track. But I still wouldn't go looking for a driver I didn't "know" unless I absolutely couldn't find someone..which I find fairly hard to believe. Which brings us right back to my initial point: if they are looking for a driver, I kind of doubt they expect to win.
Also, I'm exponentially more interested in Chumpcar than Lemons.
Lemons is easier to type, my apologies.
And no offense, but you're sounding more and more prissy every reply. Lol. I won't do another track day until someone lets me drive their Mclaren with exactly 137 miles on it, the air temp is 72°F, and I had a plate of Waffle House's smoothered and covered hash browns at least 140 minutes before I start driving. The car can be any color though, I'm not picky. Seriously, just contact the people, be honest with them, and hopefully get experience so the next time you possibly can be on a team that offers more of what you want. No?
Sorry, but if I'm paying +$1500 in safety gear and $1000 in seat time I want to be in a car that will finish the race. Enough cars show up in these races with brake pads from Autozone that prep-related questions are reasonable and may keep me safe. I emailed a guy earlier today that has a carburated 502 who needs a driver. I'm not trying to pay for his fuel bill which is going to be roughly $1500 for his race this weekend, an additional ~$200 per driver just in fuel for a 24-hour race.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob®
I'm looking for a team racing an economy car, lol.
Right, and that's not be prissy to me, that's being economical and/or true to the entire point of the series (any crap-car series). But again, goes right back to my saying that if someone is looking for a driver, there is a reason. Your 502 guy is probably the best example: I bet that guy exhausted his list of interested friends, most probably turning him down because of the added fuel cost. As much as I'd love to drive in one of those series (and crap-car series), I would probably say no to him as well.
The others that don't finish, yeah it sucks, but that's racing. Especially in a racing series (any crap-car series) where that's kind of expected. I see it as you're paying for the experience. I know I've paid out the ass for dive trips that got called off after a few minutes into the first dive. Some I got my money back, most I didn't. It was always frustrating, but I kind of enjoy being on a boat in the middle of nowhere during a massive Caribbean storm, so I didn't see them as a waste. I would imagine I'd feel the same about a few hours on track.
Like you said earlier, it sounds like you're much better off starting your own team. So you're either spending more and doing it your way and putting it off till you're ready, or spend less - albeit a good amount - now and compromise so you get the experience. I guess I'm more one of those people that care about the experience than the cost/tangibility ratio though. I'll butt out now.
If you do find what you're looking for, please be sure to get a bunch of pics. A few Z guys I know have done different crap-car events and the pictures some of them post are awesome.
Seriously Trey, if your willing to shell out that much on someone elses car, save a few more pennies, buy a beater miata and build your own economy racer. Then there is no one to blame but yourself, you can't cry that the "team" didn't build you a reliable car. By now you have seat time in a miata on several tracks, so now its just up you to have the balls to go W2W. Having seen your daily, you could turn it into a crap-car with minimal mods needed.
No, that's the kind of money for seat time, not the car. Fuel, tires, and brakes are crazy expensive. The 24-hour race cost over $600 just in gasoline. I'm not crying over "the car let me down", I'm trying to avoid it all together.
The daily crapcar is not Lemons/Chump worthy, it has ASTs, lol.