If you like LeMons, you will like ChumpCar.
In the post on 11/29 about the 24 Hours of LeMons racing series, I described the concept of endurance road racing $500 cars and the success and growth of the series. Now there is another racing series that offers a similar concept, the ChumpCar Series. $500 hoopties competing in endurance road racing. Link below:
http://chumpcar.com
Seems that the most significant, growing interest in road racing in America is in the 24 Hours of LeMons and the ChumpCar series. I guess people want to be part of the action without spending a fortune to do so. And they look like they are having fun doing so. Have you seen any of the pictures of the cars and drivers online? Or any of the videos on YouTube? I get a good laugh every time I watch a video or see the pictures from the latest event.
Maybe more people relate to keeping a cheap car running? Or is it the fact that they can have fun and walk away from their investment in scrap metal without fear of financial ruin? Or could it be that both series provide a significant “bang-for-the-buck” when it comes to the cost and the amount of track time (assuming your racer can stay together long enough?). Or, maybe it is the fact that “fun” is a larger part of the equation?
While some people have asked “how can they equalize the competition among so many different types of cars?” The answer is easy. Cheap, worn-out cars with limited preparation will be equalized by mechanical failures, refueling (faster cars may require more pit stops for gasoline), driver changes, amateur pit crews, and other maintenance issues over the course of racing hour after hour. A dependable mount is a better choice than a really fast car. Besides, if you are too fast in the LeMons series, you might be voted off the island with the Peoples’ Curse award. And your car subsequently destroyed by construction equipment or an angry mob of your competitors. In the ChumpCar series, race officials can claim your car for a pre-set price and auction it off. Proceeds above the claimer price go to charity and yes, the race team whose car was claimed is eligible to buy it back…just make sure you bring your wallet!
There are other differences between the LeMons series and the ChumpCar Series relating to rules, penalties, format etc. Check the websites of each for the specifics.
Is the success of these series the result of other road racing series inability to attract fans and capture their attention? Or is the success attributable to the lower barriers to entry that LeMons and ChumpCar offer compared to most road racing series? Or do lots of enthusiasts just want to have fun with cars without going broke? Or all of the above?
Maybe I like them both because I’m a cheapskate.
Links below to both series:
http://www.24hoursof lemons.com
http://chumpcar.com
Review the 2010 schedules of both series and go witness the insanity when it comes to your area!
