No, not the Ferrari thing, but this:
“There is a difference between an “activity” and a “race”, and it is important to understand what those differences might be. If Lemons and Chump Car were really races, then the primary purpose would be to have a race – but, that’s not the primary purpose and everybody knows it.”
I wrote that passage a couple of days ago in my post Chump Car!!!, about this weekends event at Portland International Raceway. It turns out that not everybody “knows it”.
Here’s an example from a 24 Hours of Lemons race:
Recently, I made a number of inquires to friends and acquaintances asking for photos of their Chump Cars and descriptions of their driver line-ups. I didn’t get many takers. The reason, it seems, is that they don’t want anybody to know what they’re up to…
Why not – you may ask? I think they figure that if they hide until just before the race (that would be now), the officials won’t notice that they’ve grossly exceeded their budgets. The rules clearly state that cars will be assigned penalty laps if they run afoul of the $500 prep rule. Actually, maybe not so clearly, but they do say this:
“If you screw-up… you’ll either be docked laps or you’ll have to face “The Wrecking Crew.” We hope that you’re as good at fixin’ cars as they are at dismantling them.”
If we apply just a little bit of logic we can deduce that since this is specifically supposed to be affordable racing ($500 cars), that the powers that be will vigorously protect this idea (crap-can racing commandment) by imposing “penalties” on those that “screw-up”. After all (dare I say it), if we just want to do laps in $2000 cars we can do that at a Conference event.
Anyway, I did receive some photos of a mobile Italian restaurant, which is really cool and I wouldn’t think counts toward the $500. But, they have no pictures of the race car? – Suspicious indeed… I’m told it’s a Fiat X 1/9, well actually (counting the pasta cooker) it’s a Fiat X 1.5/9 which (if you take the time to do the math) is really a Fiat X 1/6.
In any case, I’m not so worried about this one because the vital bits of the motor in an old Italian car like that will be organized much like a bowl of seafood linguine by the time the second bottle of Chianti is gone… Ask me how I know sometime.
Then there are a couple of teams with reclaimed Spec Miatas that they think nobody knows the cost of parts for. Excuse me – hey look over here, there are some guys that have built a couple of these things.
For example: the hard top on your $500 car is worth $800 all day long on Craigslist – “but we only paid $200 for the car, from my co-driver…” These guys must think that the officials are Ferrari F1 fans.
And, if we put some fins on this one then maybe everybody will think its a fish and not a real race car..? Until they start falling off of the poor thing – but that’s okay because the corner workers (both of them) will be looking for something to do around midnight…
It’s no secret that this was (very recently) a real race car. Again, we know stuff and we’re not afraid to prove it. Lest you think that this is sour grapes or garden variety whining – reconsider. Mostly I’m just bored, but there’s nothing gardeny about it and I am not telling you what to think of any of this, anyway – that’s all up to you (and those who would judge you). I just shine the light of righteousness on those of sinister intentions – yes, I’m talking to you Schrader.
Err… the ChumpCar races have separate classes for Spec Miata cars, and they don’t have to fall within the $500 limit…
http://www.chumpcar.com/event_pdfs/Portland%2031%20Oct-1%20Nov%20Supplemental%20Rules.pdf
err… dudd… does that mean you agree that a car with an $800 top, and at least $1,000 worth of (shop guy priced) parts runs afoul of the $500 prep rule?
I don’t know if it’s the same issue, but you might want to look at this…
http://forum.chumpcar.com/index.php?/topic/255-contrary-to-opinions/
The issue is that none of the Miatas entered were entered as SM’s, they were entered as regular “Chump” Cars.
He’s trying to make up a story so that you will ignore the facts – the facts that show the cars don’t pass the smell test. Do the math – if you had to replace all of the under car stuff on an ex-Spec Miata could you do it for $500 (motor, tranny, diff, A-arms, hub carriers, etc.). That is what he is asking us to believe could be done – it can’t. Never mind, the parts you may also need to fix a “wrecked” tub.
That said, he is the official, and “facts” are as he states them to be (for practical purposes). Those of us that aren’t freshly off the back of the turnip truck want to understand, as precisely as possible, what the facts will be in the future. Now is the time to get those answers.
Please let us know if either of these cars gets protested or claimed. I think the first one is an obvious candidate if it is actually racing as a $500 Chump Car.
What are the team names for these two cars?
I think the orange and green car is Team Produnk – they came with a “naughty nurses” theme, and brought some girls to “help” with the judges… Blatant cheat – no question about it. I’ve seen junkier SM’s. Last update they are 30 laps down – they were replacing a radiator at the break.
The Shark car isn’t nearly as blatant, but it is a recently wrecked SM with some junky drivetrain parts in it. They did fabricate their own top and straightened panels rather than replace them all, and it’s a cool theme. I’ve been giving them a hard time about it for a while (mostly in jest), so they named it after me – I was so touched. The Brian Towey Surfing School, it’s called. I think they wanted to make fun of my bike handling skills but got confused – I’ll get even some day. They deserved some laps, but not like the other guys.
There are others – several Camaros, for example (but they’re slow, so who cares…?). There is also what appears to be a turbo charged Miata, and it goes on. Maybe they’ve been penalized – I don’t know that they’ll tell us.
Brian, I sent you pictures of our car in good faith. Thanks for trashing us when you didn’t even go through the trouble of asking how we got to the $500 budget. Oh…and the “hardtop” that easily sells for $800? Try a non OEM Snugtop that doesnt fit, has broken latches and tabs and has a crack through the basic structure and has been sitting outside uncovered for 5 years.
And despite all the “cheating” we were a solid 50 laps down from winning.
Before you go bashing our car why not take 10 minutes to ask about the story behind our car? Its pretty amazing how it all worked out and also pretty amazing that we put 250+ hours into it to make it work.
This race is about ingenuity, creativity and luck, not about draconian rule following a la SCCA.
That being said…we are 97% legal! Just like everyone else.
Eddie,
I didn’t use your “good faith” pictures to trash you. As a matter of fact, you didn’t send me any of the finished car. And, you had a $300 top instead of an $800 top – how much does that leave you with to build your car..?
I told your crew chief it was blatant, I told your co-drivers it was blatant, and I would have told you – but you were too busy to chat…
You should have been given penalty laps. You know it. Everybody knows it. You looked like the cat that caught the canary, when they let you go without penalty.
This isn’t personal, and you weren’t the only one. It’s the officials, not you, that are the point of telling the story.
97% percent legal would still be 3% short, btw.
And, the nurses were spectacular.
I sent you finished pics. Your email box just wouldnt accept them. In fact I sent pictures of the entire project from finish to end. Something like 7 emails with 5 pics a piece. They just all bounced after the first one, so don’t insinuate that I was trying to “hide” anything. Finished pictures were available to the public both on my page as well as most of my team mates.
And the top isn’t worth $300 either. Its physically damaged to the point where its unsellable to anyone in the public. The rear latchdown points are broken off and unserviceable. The previous owner was delighted to get rid of it.
You want to review my receipts? Come on by. I’ve got a whole packet of them. I sold about $450.00 of parts OFF of the donor car which wasn’t “purchased” for $200. We had to remove the engine and transmission (something that costs most non mechanical people $500-800) and give it back to the owner. We paid him $200 + 6 hours of shop labor to have a shell without an engine or transmission or interior. I’d say thats a fair deal to anyone who doesnt work on their own car.
In either case, I’m done arguing my case. Thanks for the entertaining articles.
Eddie, I’ll try to say this another way – it’s not about you, it’s about the officials. You got away with one – good for you. I’m going to do what I can to help make sure that nobody (not just you) gets away with it again.
In any case, I would be interested in writing a story about the build. The reason people read this stuff is that they find it interesting. Your car is particularly interesting – even if its a $600 car or a $900 car. Again, the only issue I had was that the officials didn’t give you penalty laps.
Also, you weren’t the only suspect car, but you unfortunately timed rolling through tech with my arrival (on crutches), which was some of only the small amount of time I was able to spend there – that was bad luck, I suppose. Your good luck was that the tech guy was a pushover.
Once again, if you want to show me your receipts and tell me about the build, I think it would be fun to write a story. I’ll be fair, but as you know I have opinions and I share them.
p.s. I’ll probably be more “fair” if you bring the nurses…
Brian:
I’ve got to support you and chime in here…I stood next to these guys in tech and listened to their whole very well presented story. Fast talking does not make this a $500 car. Not even close. And not winning doesn’t make it a $500 car, either. The smug looks on the team mmembers’ faces after clearing tech said it all. The new Sparco steering wheel on the car costs more than our car. Of course, I’m sure there’s an elaborate story about how this was willed to a team member and therefore free.
Regardless, a great weekend with a very positive vibe. As a matter of fact, the only bitching I heard all weekend was the universal skepticism about this car.
It was a fun event, and like I’ve said, there were some other cars that were just a little too “nice”…
But, a steering wheel is safety equipment, and I think that the claiming process of the cars (by officials) should exclude those things so that people can put nice safety gear in the car without fear of losing it.
Eddie builds nice stuff and his was probably one of the safer cars out there. That’s good.
I think it was correct for the officials to overlook the steering wheel.
…if i buy a quite-drivable older vehicle from an insurance company for less than $500, am i good to go after i add safety equipment ???
Yeah, pretty much just write on a piece of toilet paper that you spent $200 for it and everything will be cool…
Seriously, rules for this kind of thing are a moving target. It does seem, though, that these guys might be pretty lenient. Read the rules and use your head. Build a safe car and have a good time.
It certainly makes since that the MIATA guys are whining. Small sporty cars buzzing around a racetrack. MIATAS ARE CHICK CARS YOU WHINERS- build an american muscle car and get on with it.
I just found out about this series and will be entering cars with AMERICAN V8 POWER to put the little boys in thier MIATAS back in their crib. I’m sure that all the MIATAS have Kleenex listed as their “free” safety equipment
so these “bad @#%” MIATA Drivers can wipe the tears out lap after lap as they cry about the series not embracing their JAP JUNK.
Be looking for a PONTIAC or CHEVY POWERED $250 Crap can passing easily on the left.
ZOOM ZOOM??? i don’t think so. it’s more like WAAH WAAH.
Good plan, Ricky Bobby. I don’t think you understand that the idea is to complete as many laps as possible (the V8 Camaro idea will F*** that up)… But, if you just want to make a lot of noise to impress your girlfriend / half sister, then I think you are on the right track. Good luck!
your retort makes no sense; but that’s …O.K.
R.B.
did i miss a fuel capacity limit in the rules? ’cause that’s the only way a miata is going to have any thing on us- please
Ricky,
I found this thread (below) that has some hints for you about the way ChumpCar rules work. I’ll let you work out the physics and math parts of the auto racing equation on your own – I’m guessing that you might want to seek some outside help.
BT
http://forum.chumpcar.com/index.php?/topic/781-cowardly-chumpcar-organizers-par-for-the-course/
I did see that — interesting content included: ” If you’d like I’m sure we can put the data together and plot it, showing exactly where the race was won.”
Seems like mazduh is putting a little too much effort into a $500 dollar car race–
get you a $200 old GM/Ford or Chrysler and leave the rice behind and go racing for petes sake —you know SHAKE AND BAKE –
oh yeah you’re right my sister makes a good
little wife– dude chill out–enjoy this video below –… – there is a hidden message in the video regarding the future for the little circus bear miatas-WATCH CLOSELY– hope to meet you on race day soon RB
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2010/07/29/a-vintage-racer-with-an-unfair-advantage/?refer=news