Ken's Wrap-Up

Thanks to Aubie for writing a great race report!

We started with a unknown non-running 944 we bought off of craigslist as a parts car, potential LeMons car in 2007.  We didn't know what kind of car we had but after we got it running we just install a bolt-in AutoPower rollcage, race seat, harness, fire extinguisher and entered the LeMons race at Altamont raceway last year and to our surprise, it made it to the end of race. 

We didn't have enough in the $500 budget to do much and ran on soft stock suspension, the car didn't even have stock sway bars.  Tires are not part of the $500 restriction but we spent no money on tires and ran on a bastard collection of hard street tires everyone had sitting around in their garages.  After the Altamont LeMons race I got a residual value for the car from the LeMons organizer Jay Lamm.  I wanted it to be worth $0 so I can spend another $500 and Jay wanted it to be worth a little over $200.

For 2008 our LeMons car was much better prepared.  I was able to get a set of used front bilstiens, used rear koni's, used front/rear sway bars from a 944 turbo all for $175.  A set of 250 lb. Weltmeiser front springs were donated, the cat. was removed and replaced with a straight pipe and we did the A/C delete using the $5 A/C delete bracket method .    Our car was transforming into a entry level 944-SPEC car!

Not quite a SPEC suspension yet as we get on three wheels. 

We had a tire budget this time and got a set of Hankook RS2's mounted on cookie cutter wheels.  We couldn't use our Toyo RA1 spec tires because LeMons' rules require tire treadwear to be a minimum of 190.  Our Toyo's are at 100 and the Hankook's are rated at 200 treadwear.

I like to thank my 2008 Fish out of Water team members for a fun and memorable event.  I know Kim was rattled getting toss out there with 100+ cars in her first wheel to wheel experience.  She was very hard on herself for her spins and felt she let the team down with the time penalties but the truth was we didn't care.  I reminded her we're just out to have fun.  Kim settled down and look like a pro by the end of the Sunday session.

Just looking at the wacky car concepts you can't help but smile. 

I knew our car in its current prep level could not win the LeMons but I figure it should be capable of placing in the top 15 without the penalties.   The hours in penalties put us in 49th for the final finishing ordering but we still had a lot of fun!

Congratulations to the Geo Metro-Gnome team on their LeMons win!

Congratulations to the other Porsche 944 teams.  Team Baconator took 3rd.

"Old Fast Auto Race Team & Sons"  took 14th with their 924S