24 Hours of LeMons


The 24 Hours of LeMons is a series of endurance races held on paved road race courses across the United States and, since 2016, Australia and New Zealand. The series holds the Guinness World Record for the "Most participants in one race".
The title is a parody of the long running annual 24 Hours of Le Mans race, and lemon cars. Teams of at least four drivers compete for up to 24 hours in race-prepared cars with a price limit, much like folkracing, of no more than US$500 for cars in the US series or NZD$999 in New Zealand. These races set themselves apart from the typical road race by the unusual penalties and punishments meted out by judges, as well as a blatant disregard for traditional motorsport politicking. The series is similar to the ChumpCar World Series which developed out of it, but retains a more carnival-like atmosphere.

Event overview

The event is billed as a 24-hour endurance race. The event covers a weekend, and participants endure "scrutiny" and a number of qualifiers along with the main endurance race of varying total hours, depending on the venue. The organizers state that they will attempt to run at least one true 24-hour race every year.

History

The 24 Hours of LeMons, founded by author/editor Jay Lamm, began in 2006 as a progression of an earlier San Francisco, California event, the Double 500, which was a 500-kilometer road rally for US$500 vehicles. After several yearly Double 500s, the organizers deemed the event too easy, so the 24 Hours of LeMons endurance race was born.
The earliest LeMons races were held at Altamont Motorsports Park and other tracks in California. The series expanded in 2008 to include events in the eastern United States, with races held in Connecticut, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas in addition to the races in California and Nevada.
In May 2008, a LeMons race held at Altamont Motorsports Park was struck by tragedy when the driver of one of the cars died during the race. Court Summerfield, 47, suffered a heart attack or stroke during the race and crashed into a wall. Investigations revealed that there were no malfunctions with the car and that the driver was already dead upon impact.
In September 2016, New Zealand hosted its inaugural LeMons event at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park in Waikato. Race Director Dr. Jacob Simonsen established 24 Hours of LeMons as a Nationwide series with 3 events per year and the inclusion of a unique 24 hour "day/night" race. In 2018, 24 Hours of LeMons became New Zealand's largest participation motorsport series, with 295 drivers in one event, which was also the country's first ever continuous 24 hour motorsport race.

Preparation and rules

To enter the event, participants must find a car where purchasing and prepping the car will not exceed US$500, AUD$999 and NZD$999 respectively.
The name of the race alludes to the relatively low value of entrants' cars, as such vehicles might be considered "lemons". The event organizers set a complete set of safety rules that typically are on par with other road racing sanctioning bodies, including the Sports Car Club of America, National Auto Sport Association, Australian Auto-sport Alliance, and Motorsport New Zealand. Additions to the rules include:
Required safety equipment includes:
In the US, most events are 14.5 hours long, with sessions on Saturday and Sunday running from six to ten hours long. There is usually one full 24 hour endurance race each year. In Australia and New Zealand, events average 20 hours over the 2 – 3 days.
Each race begins with all cars being released onto the track under a full course yellow flag for lap-timing transponder checks. No passing is permitted under yellow, so all cars operational before the start will circulate around the track in single file for up to 20 minutes until the officials are satisfied that the timing and scoring system is working properly. The race officially begins with the green flag being waved at a randomly chosen car.
Standard racing flags are used by corner workers stationed around the track to communicate with drivers. The black flag is used liberally throughout the race to mandate an immediate pit stop for concerns with the driving or with the car. Driving infractions range from any contact with another vehicle or fixed barrier and overly aggressive driving to spinning or driving two wheels off of the track. Car problems that typically result in black flags are, most frequently, obvious safety problems such as any fluid leak, parts hanging off the car, or inoperative lights. Drivers must report to the penalty box immediately after being shown a black flag.
Races that are split into two days will have a checkered flag at the end of the first day, signifying the end of the racing session. The race is restarted on the next day, normally with the top ten cars being permitted to line up in order with the first-place car getting the green flag.

Penalties

LeMons officials have an idiosyncratic penalty and punishment system where penalties for some infractions are meted out by a device called The Wheel of Misfortune. Various devices may be put onto the car in order to affect car performance; one device used is metal silhouettes of various farm animals welded to the roof by the "Arc Angel" to reduce aerodynamic efficiency. Also, any car that flips in the process of the race is slapped with the "Why Am I Upside-Down?" penalty: not only is that team disqualified for the current race, but the driver who flipped the car is barred from all other races for the rest of the season. Likewise, drivers and teams might also be forced to undertake physical acts in order to satisfy punishment conditions, such as the Marcel Marceau Memorial "Mime Your Crime" penalty, where a driver must put on white face paint and a beret and mime what they did wrong. In addition, penalties are often tailored to address current events or figures where the race is run. Examples of this include the "Max Mosley S&M Penalty", the "Sheriff Joe Arpaio Penalty" in Arizona, and the "Mark Sanford 'Cry For Me, Argentina' Memorial Penalty" at a race in South Carolina, in which a driver must write a lengthy love letter to his Argentine mistress on his car, à la the former governor of that state. All penalties are designed to waste a driver's time, while less aggressive and better drivers continue to race.

Awards

There are four main awards with one given midway through the race. Note that, in the US, all prize money is typically awarded entirely in nickels.
The midway award was aptly named People's Curse. One car was voted People's Curse, for being driven by the biggest jerks of the day as judged by the attending crowd. The offending car was crushed or otherwise destroyed typically by heavy equipment, but when none could be found, an angry mob with wire cutters and wrenches had been used. If there were not enough votes to destroy a car, it may have instead received nasty but non-fatal damage, or it may have been sent to the Penalty Box with a black flag. For 2013 the Curse was removed from the series.
The counterpoint to the People's Curse, Organizers Choice is awarded to the team that best represents the friendly spirit of the race. A trophy and $500 prize is given.
The car that completes the most laps net of pre-race "BS" penalties is awarded the Win on Laps, and the team receives a trophy. Through 2011, the winner on laps also received a $1500 cash prize, typically in the form of nickels.
The grand prize is the Index of Effluency award, presented to a car considered unlikely to finish the race at all, let alone finish with a respectable number of laps completed. The team that wins the Index of Effluency is given a larger trophy and a cash prize. The prize was $1501 through 2011, and was reduced to $501 beginning in 2012; in each case, the prize is $1 more than the team could win by winning the race or their class. Prizes, trophies and awards vary depending on the territory.
In the US, prior to a race, every entry is assigned into a class, A, B, C, or X. The car in each class that completes the most laps net of pre-race "BS" penalties is awarded the class win, and the team receives a trophy. Beginning in 2012, the winners of classes A, B, and C each also receive a $500 cash prize, typically in nickels.
Several other trophies are given, typically: Most Heroic Fix, I Got Screwed, Grassroots Motorsports Magazine's Most from the Least, Least Horrible Yank Tank, and trophies to the fastest cars of the three classes.
Occasionally, Judges' Choice or Dangerous Homemade Technology awards are given.
At the end of each season, the organizers also recognize a group of Legends of LeMons for especially noteworthy themes, fabrication work, or other contributions to the series. Forty-one teams earned such recognition in 2009, the first year teams were so honored. In 2010, the number of teams earning "Legend" status increased to 58, but this time, four were singled out for the exceptional honor of a Unununium Medal, the next twenty were awarded a Ununquadium Medal, while the remaining 34 received a Ununhexium Medal. In 2011, the list of awards was pared down from previous seasons, as nine racers and teams were awarded a Gluon Medal for their feats.

YouTube channel

24 Hours of LeMons maintains an official channel on YouTube. The channel publishes two main kinds of videos: Lemons Wrapup videos and #lemonsworld videos.

Lemons Wrapup videos

Since mid 2012, the 24 Hours of LeMons organizers have produced a wrapup video after each race. The videos almost always cover the main LeMons awards, including the Index of Effluency, Heroic Fix, and I Got Screwed. The videos are typically organized as follows. First, hosts Jay Lamm, Nick Pon, and/or Jeff Glenn give an overview of the race while seated in chairs in front of a green screen in the studio at LeMons HQ. Then, the videos jump between the studio, track driving footage, and footage of activities in the pits. The videos conclude with "Lemons in a Nutshell," where something particularly amusing occurs, for example a racing team is shown dancing while dressed in an outlandish costume theme.

Recurring features and expressions

2009 LeMons Events

  1. HOUSTON GATOR-O-RAMA Date: February 28-March 1, 2009 Track: MSR Houston, Angleton TX
  2. LeMONS SOUTH SPRING Date: April 4–5, 2009 Track: Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw SC
  3. GOIN' FOR BROKEN Date: May 23–24, 2009 Track: Reno-Fernley Raceway, Fernley NV
  4. LAISSEZ LES CRAPHEAPS ROULEZ NEW ORLEANS Date: June 6–7, 2009 Track: No Problem Raceway, Belle Rose LA
  5. LeMONS NEW ENGLAND Date: July 11–12, 2009 Track: Stafford Motor Speedway, Stafford Springs CT
  6. THE BUTTONWILLOW HISTRIONICS Date: August 15–16, 2009 Track: Buttonwillow Raceway Park, Buttonwillow CA
  7. LeMONS SOUTH FALL Date: September 12–13, 2009 Track: Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw SC
  8. THE LAMEST DAY Date: October 3–4, 2009 Track: Nelson Ledges Road Course, Nelson Ledges OH
  9. YEE-HAW IT'S LeMONS TEXAS Date: October 24–25, 2009 Track: MSR Houston, Angleton TX
  10. LeMONS ARSE-FREEZE-APALOOZA Date: November 21–22, 2009 Track: Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows CA

    2010 LeMons Events

  11. Auction-Weekend Gavel-Trap GP Date: January 23–24, 2010 Track: Firebird International Raceway, Chandler AZ
  12. Southern Discomfort Date: February 6–7, 2010 Track: Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw SC
  13. Gator-O-Rama Date: February 20–21, 2010 Tack: MSR Houston, Angleton TX
  14. Sears Pointless Date: March 6–7, 2010 Track: Infineon Raceway, Sonoma CA
  15. Concours d'LeMons Crapfest & Track Tour Date: March 7, 2010 track: Infineon Raceway, Sonoma CA
  16. American Irony Date: April 17–18, 2010 Track: Gingerman Raceway, South Haven MI
  17. Cain't Git Bayou Date: May 1–2, 2010 Track: The Circuit at Grand Bayou, Belle Rose LA
  18. Goin' For Broken 24-Hour Date: May 8–9, 2010 Tack: Reno-Fernley Raceway, Fernley NV
  19. LeMons South Spring Date: May 29–30, 2010 Track: Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw SC
  20. North Dallas Hooptie Date: June 5–6, 2010 Tack: Eagle's Canyon Raceway, Decatur TX
  21. Capitol Offense Date: June 19–20, 2010 Tack: Summit Point Motorsports Park, Summit Point WV
  22. The B.F.E. GP Date: July 10–11, 2010 Track: High Plains Raceway, Deer Trail CO
  23. LeMons New England Date: July 24–25, 2010 Track: Stafford Motor Speedway, Stafford Springs CT
  24. LeMons Arse-Sweat-Apalooza Date: August 7–8, 2010 Tack: Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows CA
  25. Concours d'LeMons Date: August 14, 2010 Track: Toro Park, Monterey CA
  26. Mutually Assured Destruction of Omaha Date: August 28–29, 2010 Track: Mid-America Motorplex, Pacific Junction IA
  27. Yee-Haw, It's LeMons Texas Date: September 11–12, 2010 Tack: MSR Houston, Angleton TX
  28. LeMons South Fall Date: September 25–26, 2010 Track: Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw SC
  29. Detroit Bull Oil Grand Prix Date: October 9–10, 2010 Track: Gingerman Raceway, South Haven MI
  30. Rod Blagojevich Never-Say-Die 500 Date: October 23–24, 2010 Track: Autobahn Country Club, Joliet IL
  31. Laissez les Crapheaps Roulez Date: November 20–21, 2010 Track: The Circuit at Grand Bayou, Belle Rose LA
  32. LeMons Arse-Freeze-Apalooza Date: December 4–5, 2010 Track: Buttonwillow Raceway Park, Buttonwillow CA
  33. The Painfully Bland Bowl Of Thin Lukewarm Oatmeal That Can Not Possibly Offend Anyone, No Matter How Much They Enjoy Being Offended, 24-Hour Season Ender Date: December 30–31, 2010 Track: Palm Beach International Raceway, Jupiter FL

    2011 LeMons Events

  34. Southern Discomfort Date: February 19–20; Track: Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw SC
  35. Gator-O-Rama Date: February 26–27; Track: MSR Houston, Angleton TX
  36. Sears Pointless Date: March 26–27; Track: Infineon Raceway, Sonoma CA
  37. The Real Hoopties of New Jersey Date: April 9–10; Track: New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville NJ
  38. Campaign to Prevent Gingervitis Date: April 16–17; Track: GingerMan Raceway, South Haven MI
  39. North Dallas Hooptie Date: April 23–24; Track: Eagles Canyon Raceway, Dallas TX
  40. Loudon Annoying Date: May 7–8; Track: New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon NH
  41. Goin' For Broken Date: May 14–15; Track: Reno-Fernley Raceway, Fernley NV
  42. LeMons South Spring Date: May 21–22; Track: Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw SC
  43. Garrapatas Peligrosas GP Date: June 4–5; Track: MSR Houston, Angleton TX
  44. Capitol Offense Date: June 18–19; Track: Summit Point Raceway, Summit Point WV
  45. Pacific NorthWorst Grand Prix Date: June 25–26; Track: Oregon Raceway Park, Grass Valley OR
  46. The B.F.E. GP Date: July 9–10; Track: High Plains Raceway, Deer Trail CO
  47. American Irony Date: July 16–17; Track: GingerMan Raceway, South Haven MI
  48. Boston Tow Party & Overhead-Cam Bake Date: July 23–24; Track: Stafford Motor Speedway, Stafford CT
  49. LeMons Arse-Sweat-Apalooza Date: August 6–7; Track: Thunderhill Raceway, Willows CA
  50. Cain't Get Bayou Date: August 13–14; Track: Circuit Grand Bayou, Belle Rose LA
  51. LeMons Prairie Chicken Fricassee Date: August 27–28; Track: Mid-America Motorplex, Pacific Junction IA
  52. Where the Elite Meet to Cheat Date: September 24–25; Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord NC
  53. Yee-Haw It's LeMons Texas! Date: October 1–2; Track: MSR Houston, Angleton TX
  54. Showroom-Schlock Shootout Date: October 8–9; Track: Autobahn Country Club, Joliet IL
  55. The Skankaway Anti-Toe-Fungal 500, Sponsored by Cruskin-Skankaway Inc., The Official Fungicidal Toe Creme of LeMons Date: October 22–23, Track: Infineon Raceway, Sonoma CA
  56. LeMons Arse-Freeze-Apalooza Date: December 3–4; Track: Buttonwillow Raceway, Buttonwillow CA
  57. Heaps in the Heart of Texas Date: December 17–28; Track: Eagles Canyon Raceway, Decatur TX

    2012 LeMons Events

  58. Yee-Haw, It's LeMons Texas Date: February 11–12; Track: Texas World Speedway, College Station TX
  59. All Weathers/No Whiners GP Date: February 18–19; Track: Portland International Raceway, Portland OR
  60. Southern Discomfort Date: March 3–4; Track: Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw SC
  61. Sears Pointless Date: March 24–25; Track: Infineon Raceway, Sonoma CA
  62. The Real Hoopties of New Jersey Date: April 14–15; Track: New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville NJ
  63. Campaign to Prevent Gingervitis Date: April 21–22; Track: Gingerman Raceway, South Haven, MI
  64. Loudon Annoying Date: May 5–6; Track: New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon NH
  65. North Dallas Hooptie Date: May 26–27; Track: Eagles Canyon Raceway, Decatur TX
  66. The B.F.E. GP Date: June 2–3; Track: High Plains Raceway, Deer Trail CO
  67. Showroom-Schlock Shootout Date: June 9–10; Track: Autobahn Country Club, Joliet IL
  68. Capitol Offense Date: June 16–17; Track: Summit Point Motorsports Park, Summit Point WV
  69. Arse-Sweat-Apalooza Date: June 30-July 1; Track: Buttonwillow Raceway Park, Buttonwillow CA
  70. Pacific Northworst GP Date: July 21–22; Track: The Ridge Motorsports Park, Shelton WA
  71. LeMons Prairie Chicken Fricasee Date: August 11–12; Track: Mid-America Motorplex, Pacific Junction IA
  72. The Chubba Cheddar Enduro Date: August 20–21; Track: Road America, Elkhart Lake WI
  73. Vodden The Hell Are We Doing? Date: September 15–16; Track: Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows CA
  74. LeMons South Fall Date: September 22–23; Track: Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw SC
  75. Gator-O-Rama Date: September 29–30; Track: MSR Houston, Angleton TX
  76. American Irony Date: October 13–14; Track: Autobahn Country Club, Joliet IL
  77. Halloween Hooptiefest Date: October 27–28; Track: New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon NH
  78. Arse-Freeze-Apalooza Date: December 8–9; Track: Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, Desert Center CA

    2018 LeMons Events

  79. Smells Like AMC Spirit Date: October 13–14; Track: Ridge Motorsports Park, Shelton WA
  80. Where the Elite Meet to Cheat Date: October 13–14; Track: Gingerman Raceway, South Haven MI
  81. Halloween Hooptiefest Date: October 20–21; Track: New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudoun NH
  82. Get Yer Phil 500 Date: October 20–21; Track: High Plains Raceway, Deer Trail CO
  83. LeMons South Fall Date: November 3–4; Track: Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw SC
  84. Yokohama Stuntin' & Splodin' Soiree Date: November 10–11; Track: MSR Houston, Angleton TX
  85. Arse-Freeze-Apalooza Date: December 1–2; Track: Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma CA
  86. The Yokohama 500 350 100 Good Try Date: December 8–9; Track: Road Atlanta, Braselton GA

    2019 LeMons Events

  87. 'Shine Country Classic Date: February 2–3; Track: Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham AL
  88. Arizona D-Bags Date: February 23–24; Track: Inde Motorsports Ranch, Willcox AZ
  89. Sears Pointless & HooptieCon, Confusingly Presented by Yokohama Date: March 9–10; Track: Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma CA
  90. Cain't Git Bayou Date: March 30–31; Track: NOLA Motorsports Park, Avondale LA
  91. Doing Time in Joliet Date: April 6–7; Track: Autobahn Country Club, Joliet IL
  92. Southern Discomfort Date: April 27–28; Track: Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw SC
  93. Real Hoopties of New Jersey @ HooptieCon, Presented by Yokohama Date: May 4–5; Track: New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville NJ
  94. Yokohama 5-Mile Tyre Festival Date: May 18–19; Track: Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows CA
  95. The B.F.E. GP Date: June 8–9; Track: High Plains Raceway, Deer Trail CO
  96. The RustBelt GP Presented by AutoWeek Date: June 29–30; Track: Gingerman Raceway, South Haven MI
  97. Pacific Northworst GP Date: July 27–28; Track: Ridge Motorsports Park, Shelton WA
  98. GP du Lac Chargoggagogg Date: August 10–11; Track: Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, Thompson CT
  99. Heartland Parked Date: August 17–18; Track: Heartland Motorsports Park, Topeka KS
  100. LeMons South Fall Date: September 14–15; Track: Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw SC
  101. High Plains Drifter Date: September 14–15; Track: High Plains Raceway, Deer Trail CO
  102. Button Turrible Date: September 28–29; Track: Buttonwillow Raceway Park, Buttonwillow CA
  103. The Minneapolis 500 Date: September 28–29; Track: Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd MN
  104. Smells Like AMC Spirit Date: October 5–6; Track: Ridge Motorsports Park, Shelton WA
  105. Where the Elite Meet to Cheat Date: October 12–13; Track: Gingerman Raceway, South Haven MI
  106. Halloween Hooptiefest Date: October 19–20; Track: New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudoun NH
  107. Yokohama Stuntin' & Splodin' Soiree Date: November 9–10; Track: MSR Houston, Angleton TX
  108. Arse-Freeze-Apalooza Date: December 7–8; Track: Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma CA
  109. The Yokohama Coldlanta 500 Date: December 14–15; Track: Road Atlanta, Braselton GA