Driver Spot Available for Nelson Ledges Road Course 24 Hours of LeMons

Hello All,

I had a similar post to this one about this same time last year. Pretty much everything remains the same as last year except this year the race is at the far nicer Nelson Ledges Road Course instead of the Stock Car/Open Wheel Oval track at Toledo...

Drop me a line if you are interested in driving in the upcoming "Lamest Day" True 24 Hours of LeMons at Nelson Ledges in Ohio. We have one driver spot currently open for the right candidate. We would prefer a driver with verifiable wheel to wheel racing experience, but like most race teams we will consider all applicants based on merit and funding. We have had good luck with autocrossers too, who usually prove to be better suited to some of the chicanes that LeMons courses sometimes have. Karters are also encouraged to inquire as I come from a karting background myself.

The good news is we are a veteran team and all you will have to do is arrive and drive. The good news/bad news is the car is fast but is still a bit ~ahem~ "fragile". We have multiple top ten finishes including a podium at the last LeMons South race after leading many laps. We received the Grassroots Motorsports award for that effort and thanks go out to the publication for that! But we have had our bad performances as well and with LeMons cars it could go either way.

The ride will not be free, as it is expensive to actually run these races but the price is in line with what other less successful teams are charging. The effort will be done right. The driver we picked up from this board last year is still with us and now has a LeMons podium finish on his resume and hopefully some good memories! Possibly he will see this posting and chime in about his experiences running these races with us. Some of his insight might be bad but for the most part he probably has ok things to say about the effort we put forth. He probably doesn't have to much good to say about us personally though as we are not very likeable. HAHAHA!

Anyway, I can be reached at the following email address if you are interested in driving in this race, having a good time, and hopefully becoming an integral part of our team:

robinbank@rbankracing.com

Best regards,

Robin Bank

Hey Rob, I know some guys who might be interested (from the Detroit/Olds Achieva team, since we aren't running it this year). Are you still affilliated with the guys that prepped the California cars or have you broken away from them now?

Thanks, I'll pass on the info. I'm assuming you're still running the Saab turbo...bring a spare trans and a head set or three, 24 hours is a long time.

Bryce

Hey Bryce,

Whats up? You're not in for this year? This one should be the best one yet. Nelson is a monster of a track and the long night time portion on an unlit track should make this the most compelling LeMons yet. I know you were at the Thunderhill LeMons race that ran at night so I'm sure you are aware of just what a challenge this will be! I'm hoping to get out of there without having a heart attack from the night portion.

The races that my team have run on the east coast never were affiliated with that west coast team. Things didn't go very well for them out there but I actually still have very fond memories from the Thunderhill race with them and now that some time has passed I can forgive the cars breaking cause these races really are unpredictable. My teams finish ratio is pretty good but it isn't close to perfect either hence the reason I noted above it "could go either way". You just take your chances on a race like this. I wish them the best -- I assume they are running Buttonwillow.

We are indeed still running the very same Saab turbo. Assuming it makes it through another LeMons South in September, Nelson will be it's sixth LeMons race. If it should not survive the South race we have some "new" ones waiting on deck.

Please do pass the info on to your former teammates. How about you? You know you are dying to race a Saab again. Hahaha!

Later,

Rob

I am a bit burned out with LeMons. I was really disappointed with how the Thunderhill event was run last year and decided that would by my last LeMons event in the foreseeable future. It has been a slow, steady decline but Thunderhill was my limit. The Detroit events, being REAL 24 hour races on local yokel tracks, have definitely been the most fun of the bunch even if the tracks totally sucked. If Jay and crew can combine the great track support (like Toledo and Flat Rock had) with a great venue like Nelson Ledges, I'm sure it'll be a blast.

I'll actually be on a cruise with my girlfriend while you guys are replacing your head gasket...er..I mean, racing the Saab. The Saab has been similar to how the Olds SCX was for us...tons of fun while it runs, but only fun while it's running. I'm strongly considering entering this event, though, since it looks like a bit different mindset by the organizers and their first event is a true 24 hour race in my backyard:

http://www.chumpcar.com/

Good luck. If you decide you want to try another west coast event (without a Saab?!?) on Halloween, let me know. I live a few miles from the track!

Bryce

email sent

I agree with you that the chumpcar series looks very promising. As you know, all I care about is the racing aspect, while the rest of LeMons is entertaining I could do without the show for a better racing experience. If chumpcar can bring the level of racing/driving/cars/prep/officiating up a notch while not breaking the bank or at least not breaking the bank ~more~ than LeMons already does I think it will be a winner. But I still have some of the most fun of the year racing LeMons events so I will try and support both as long as we have the disposable income and teammates that want to do it.

I don't know if I will have the budget to be able to run out on the west coast so close to the Nelson race but I would team with you guys anytime -- and I'll drive anything I can get in not just Saab's!

Contrary to recent popular belief I am not a "Saab Guy" -- It was simply the fatstest car we could purchase in Pittsburgh at the time the first true 24 Hours of LeMons came up in Flat Rock. The car still runs fast so we have stuck with it. We came as close to winning in the spring as you can come to winning without winning, only a flat tire and two other extremely well run teams kept us from victory. And that tire would of/could of gotten punctured on any car. So, while I now have an appreciation for Saab's I have a bigger appreciation for whatever the best ride for any given event is.

For the record, we actually would rather run a fast unreliable car and try and make it last than the other way around. Cause like you said, at the very least it it is really fun for at least a while...

Later,

Rob

I agree...having had rock solid reliable cars that were fairly quick and really fast but semi-reliable cars, I'd say the latter was a lot more fun in LeMons...as long as you've got decent tools, spare parts, and some guys good at turning wrenches. It's really unfun when you've got a barely-reliable car and no spare parts.

Sounds like one of the guys that's raced a few races with me (and lives out that way) is interested, he will be emailing you if he hasn't already. He's a very consistent driver and you (literally) couldn't ask for a better guy on the team to prep for a night race...he's quite the headlight guru and was seriously disappointed when they cancelled the night driving for Thunderhill. The night driving was an absolute blast, definitely my favorite part of the long races.

Good luck.

Bryce

you have mail sir...

At Rob's invitation, I'll chime in a bit about my experiences with the team ;) I've been to two past events with them so far, and am on board for CMP next month and Ohio in October. That should say something right there.These guys are organized, efficient, professional and put together a great effort.

The car is what it is -- you take your chances when racing a lemon. We've suffered some setbacks due to mechanical failures and bad luck in the past but I believe all the elements are present for a successful bid for the top spot.

We have a great time at the events but first and foremost, we're there to race -- so the successful candidate must be a good team player. You won't look like much of a hero mixing it up in a battle-scarred Saab, but you'll have a blast doing it! I'd be happy to answer any questions from prospective teammates but I'm guessing you already know what you're getting into ;)

Hello All,

I have replied to all of the many, fine inquiries. If you have tried to contact me you should have already recieved a reply. If for some reason you haven't recieved a reply please write me again.

I can say without question that there is a very fine cross section of talent reading this site. Hopefully we can give some of that talent a shot at doing well in these races. I look forward to racing with some of you. Or even competing with others of you who have your own teams or are on other teams.

I feel strongly that our team will be filled shortly so if you want your shot at being considered write soon as we would like to have the driver lineup finalized by this Saturday as that is when the entry fees are due to the organizers of the event.

Thanks to all of you for your time! Rob