Rice Rocket Racing (R-Qubed)

14 September 2009

Hi, Team Captain:

Good news–I think. Your team has officially been ACCEPTED for LeMons Arse-Freeze-Apalooza at Thunderhill Raceway Park in beautiful (if arse-freezing) Willows CA, 21-22 November 2009. Here’s what you need to do now:

A: Read this email completely.

B: Forward it to the rest of your team, one of whom is certainly smarter than you are. (You agreed to be captain, so clearly you’re not the genius.)

C: Send Nick an email saying “Team (blah blah) Received the Acceptance.” If you don’t confirm your acceptance right away, we’ll assume you’ve wised up and will give your slot to another team. Nick’s email address is npon@driversdoor.com. (Tempted to actually write “blah blah” on the email? Guess what–we’ve already heard that one.)

D: Finish your app data. If you left anything blank in your application, you’ll now see a big red INCOMPLETE on your Home page. Fix it.

Got all that? Good–’cause there’s more:

1) DOWNLOAD THE UPDATED LeMONS TECH SHEET
It’s at http://www.24HoursofLeMons.com/LMTechV4.pdf. Download this now, read the instructions, and bring the completed sheet with you to the track. (Remember, not every rule is reflected on the tech sheet: You still need to study the full LeMons Rulebook.)

2) READ THESE MORE-OR-LESS USEFUL NOTICES
EVENT SCHEDULE
Friday, 20 November ’09

* 7am: Gates Open:
* 9am-4pm Thunderhill-Organized Track Testing (details below)
* noon-5pm: Mandatory Friday Tech Inspection (Every car and at least one driver per team MUST be present for Tech Inspection on Friday–no Saturday Tech will be offered!)

Saturday, 21 November ’09

* 7am Gates Open
* 9:15am Drivers’ Meeting (Mandatory)
* 10am-sundown: Race Session I

Sunday, 22 November ’09

* 8:30am: Drivers’ Meeting (Mandatory)
* 9am-sundown-ish: Race Session II
* noon: People’s Curse
* sundown-ish (appx 5pm): Checkered Flag
* 5:30pm: Awards
* 7pm: Gates Close

Pre-Race Track Testing: Thunderhill will be holding a Friday test day for LeMons cars. They’re charging $200 for one car and driver, plus $50 for each additional driver. Contact Colleen Worthington at the track (530-934-5588 x100 or colleen@thunderhill.com) for more info or to pre-register.

SPECIAL NOTES: This race can be rainy and gloomy, so headlights are allowed. If you choose to run lights, be ready to cover or tape them until conditions mandate their use. Wipers or 20-gallon-containers of Rain-X are also worth having.

OVERNIGHT CAMPING: The track gates open at 7am Friday morning; until then, you’re on your own. All teams are welcome to camp in the paddock Friday and Saturday night. The $50/team camping fee covers all team members for the weekend. Thunderhill has some power hookups–all spaces and hookups are first-come, first-served.

MOTELS, DIRECTIONS, ETC: Check out the Arse-Freeze-Apalooza Event Page and come back often–when we learn something new, we’ll update it here.

PARTICIPANT-DISCOUNT SAFETY GEAR: Thanks to event-sponsor Pyrotect, everything an individual needs to pass driver tech (full-face SA2005 helmet plus SFI-rated driving suit, undies, gloves, and shoes) can be bought in one box at a LeMons-only discount: $425 for the bundle. All the gear has been pre-approved–just put it on and go.

Pyrotect also offers discounted LeMons rates on neck braces (at least one is required per team–this isn’t part of the bundle); SFI five-point belts; and stand-alone SA2005 helmets. Remember, to get the subsidized LeMons rates, you’ve got to order online via the LeMons-rate ordering page.

NOISE LIMIT: Maximum allowable noise level is 92dB @ 50 feet. In other words, street-legal mufflers are mandatory–no straight-pipes or hollowed-out race junk allowed. Noisy cars will be black-flagged. Please be sure to read the new rules regarding exhaust pipes, fuel, and tech inspection (Rules 3.25 through 3.27) in the LeMons Rulebook.

RACE #s: Now that your team has been accepted, a pulldown menu of car #s is visible on the Edit Car Info page of your online registration. If the number you want isn’t shown, somebody else already has it. Pick another one. Numbers should be displayed on both sides of the car plus the hood or roof.

COMP LICENSES: Every driver needs a valid competition license. A pulldown list of accepted licenses appears on the Driver Info page of your online registration. If have one of these licenses, remember to bring it with you and show it at tech. If not, choose “I Need to Buy a Temporary Competition Membership”; the $50 cost will appear in your fee total. LeMons licenses bought at previous ’09 events are good for the rest of the year–just choose that option on the menu. Licenses bought at ’08 races are no longer valid.

ROSTER CHANGES: For now, it’s still okay to make updates and changes to your online registration. If the changes affect your entry fees, the total will update itself automatically. About a week before the race we’ll lock down the database, after which no more additions or changes are possible. We’ll give you a few days’ warning before that happens, but once it’s gone, it’s gone.

RULES: THE LeMONS RULEBOOK HAS BEEN UPDATED! Read the complete Rulebook at www.24HoursofLeMons.com/rules/ now and re-check it often, refreshing your browser each time. It’s your responsibility to know the latest version of all posted rules going into the race. For a highlight-and-strikeout copy showing changes from the previous Rulebook, click here.

DROPOUTS: When you enter a race, you’re buying the right to compete–not a guarantee from us that you’ll get your own act together. If you drop out, can’t finish your car, blow up, go broke, catch swine flu, step on your own wiener, or otherwise fail to avail yourself of your grid spot, you forfeit your entry fees. That’s why they’re called “entry” fees, not “I got to drive the whole race” fees.

3) PAY UP BY SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26th
Speaking of entry fees, they’re due now. All entry fees need to be paid in full by Saturday, 26 September ’09! Miss that deadline, and your spot may be given to the next team on the waitlist. Need to beg an extension? Please drop us an email before the due date.

Your total fees are shown on your registration Home page–assuming you filled out the driver, crew, camping, license, and transponder info correctly. If there’s a big red INCOMPLETE at the top of your Home page, you’ve screwed something up, and that might affect your fee total. So…um…fix it.

To pay online by credit card or PayPal, use the Pay Now button at the bottom of your registration Home page.

To cough up by check or money order, make payable to “24 Hours of LeMons” and mail to: 24 Hours of LeMons, 5675-C Horton Street, Emeryville CA 94608.

Welcome aboard, best regards, and please remember to email your confirmation to Nick (npon@driversdoor.com) right away. Looking forward to seeing you flog ’round the long course at T-Hill! Cheers &c–JL

Jay Lamm, Chief Perpetrator
24 HOURS OF LeMONS
5675 Horton Street, Suite C
Emeryville CA 94608
510.655.5980 x23 (Jay direct)
jlamm@driversdoor.com