GP du Lac Chargoggagogg(etcetera) 2020: What You Need to Know
By now, you’ve probably read all the emails we’ve sent you letting you know what all is happening differently from a normal 24 Hours of Lemons race this weekend for the GP DU LAC CHARGOGGAGOGG(ETCETERA) at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park in Connecticut.
Just kidding, we see how many people open those emails. So here’s another place with the full list of procedures for this weekend’s race that you won’t read. There’s a lot of little changes to our normal flow, so we’ll just jump into it for The Reading Crowd™. The good news is that most of the changes happen on the front end–come Saturday, you’ll be battling for the apex with a Toyota Previa, just like normal. Please read all of the following carefully!
REGISTRATION
The database is now closed–thanks to all for getting your affairs in order before the cutoff. Here’s the final entry list.
Just a reminder: Anyone not pre-registered before the database closed will not be allowed inside. NO EXCEPTIONS. That includes late additions, substitutions, and spouses that you forgot to add to the list (no, really, that happened to two teams at Gingerman–just be glad you’re not THOSE guys).
SCHEDULE
Thursday, 6 August 2020
•Early arrival window (see gate times below)
Friday, 7 August 2020
•11am-5pm: Mandatory Lemons Tech Inspection. We have scheduled specific tech windows for each team. See your scheduled inspection time here.
•Optional track testing: Online preregistration is mandatory. Sign up here.
•5-7pm: Track walks permitted
Saturday, 8 August 2020
•9am-6:30pm: Race Session I
Sunday, 9 August 2020
•Sunday morning: Thompson Quiet Hours. No race engines until noon.
•Noon-5pm: Race Session II
GATE TIMES
•Thursday: 5pm-10pm. The gate will be hard locked/closed for entry AND exit at 10pm on Thursday–no entry or exit will be allowed after 10pm.
•Friday: 7am-10pm (the gates will be open after 10pm ONLY for already-wristbanded participants)
•Saturday: 7am-10pm (the gates will be open after 10pm ONLY for already-wristbanded participants)
•Sunday: 7am-6pm.
COVID RULES
•Maintain six feet of social distancing with other participants.
•Wear face coverings at all times–bring a mask.
•Stay home if you have symptoms.
•Tell Lemons officials immediately if you develop symptoms on site.
•Comply with state rules if you are arriving from out of state.
Anyone not complying with these rules will be kicked out.
ARRIVAL/CHECK-IN
•All registration/driver check in will be done at the gate. Just come up to the registration shack (with a mask and pen), say your name, and show your ID. Again, anyone not on the list will be sent away.
•Each participant will sign Lemons’ waiver at the gate. We will not supply pens–bring your own.
•Drivers must display their street licenses at the gate to get their driver wristband–there is no separate driver check-in. If your street license is expired AND it expired in 2020, it will be accepted. If your license expired before 2020, you’re outta luck.
PARKING/PADDOCK/FACILITIES
•Here’s a paddock map. Please note no-parking areas.
•Please maintain 10 feet of distance between paddock spots. If you can’t park a bus between your paddock spot and the next team’s spot, you’re too close.
•Due to the increased spacing between teams, please minimize the space you’re occupying and the number of vehicles that you bring.
•Bathrooms will be cleaned as often as possible and will be limited to two people at a time. Please maintain distancing while in line for the bathroom. There are additional portable toilets (limited to one person at a time, you freaks) on site to reduce bathroom crowding.
•The timing tower will be closed to the public all weekend.
CAR TECH
To spread out tech inspection, we will assign specific tech times for each team. The schedule is posted here. If you missed your scheduled tech time or need to return to tech after fixing an issue, there are allotted times on the schedule for missed techs and re-techs. When your tech time arrives, please follow this procedure:
•You must wear a mask to car tech.
•Please refrain from bribing the judges—Yeah, we know, but we don’t want your cooties—and instead consider a donation to Lemons of Love right here.
•Fill out your tech sheet before lining up. Leave the sheet in your passenger footwell.
•Only ONE team member takes the car through tech and BS–everyone else stay in your paddock space.
•We’ll assign you a tech time by email (it’s also included in the team captain’s gate packet); at your appointed tech time, line up as directed in the area, leaving at least a car length between cars.
•BS will happen first. Please open/unlatch/remove your hood so the judge can look at your cheaty engine.
•After BS, you will be instructed to drive to a tech space. Leave your engine running–the tech inspector will check your brake lights and kill switch.
•After the brake light/kill switch test, the driver will exit the car and wait in a designated area, leaving the completed tech sheet in the passenger footwell.
•When the car passes tech, a tech packet including your Tech OK sticker, rental transponder, and other info will be placed in the passenger footwell.
GEAR TECH
•You must wear a mask to gear tech.
•Wear all your safety gear to gear tech–do not bring loose gear in a bag. This includes suit, gloves, shoes, socks, and underwear if required. You may wear or carry your helmet and neck restraint.
•Please maintain social distancing while in line. If the line is full, come back later.
•Gear Tech times are as follows:
Friday 11am-5pm
Saturday 7:15am-8:15am
Folks who need gear inspected outside of those times must report to the penalty box in full gear and ask about availability of a gear tech inspector. Please respect social distancing with penalty box staff.
GRID TIMES
•Grid times are 8:30am on Saturday and 11:30am on Sunday (no race motors before noon on Sunday–push or tow your car to the grid). Wristband checks may take slightly longer than usual, so please show up to the grid on time.
FUELING
Fueling will be in the hot pits and at the track pumps (as is normal at Thompson). There will be no fueling allowed in your paddock space while the track is hot. Here is what you need to know for fueling:
•There will be a designated fueling area in the hot pits. All participants must be wearing full driver gear while in the hot-pit fueling area.
•Bring a cart to shuttle your fuel cans and drip pan to the hot-pit fueling area.
•There are no assigned hot-pit spots. Cart your fuel to the hot pits, fuel your car, and cart your fuel back.
•Do not leave fuel or other equipment unattended in the fueling area.
•Do not park your Texas Giganticus Edition pickup truck near the fueling area.
•Fueling rules are the usual: Kill switch off, driver out, drip pan in place, nobody touches car while fueling is happening. Fueling is a two-person process, with one person fueling and the other person manning a fire extinguisher.
•The only activities allowed on the hot pits are fueling, driver changes, and adding cool-suit ice. Anything else (windshield cleaning, tire pressure adjustments, fluid checks, engine swaps) must take place in your paddock spot.
•Maintain distancing if there’s a line for the pumps. You do not need to be fully suited to fuel at the pumps, but the driver must be out and the kill switch must be off.
WINNING
Most of you can skip this category! Since we can’t do a traditional trophy ceremony, we will celebrate the winners with a post-race victory lap through the paddock. We will let you know at track exit if you have won something.
DRIVERS’ MEETING
We will be holding a mandatory virtual drivers’ meeting on YouTube live at 7pm eastern on Thursday. The direct link is here, or you can just go to our YouTube channel. You will be able to ask questions in the chat if you tune in live–if you miss the live broadcast you will be able to (and must) watch the video before hitting the track. Lemons first-timers must watch the virtual rookie meeting here. Lemons veterans are welcome and encouraged to brush up on that rookie stuff as well.
THAT’S ALL FOR NOW
Thank goodness! We really appreciate your participation during these tough times–we hope that Lemons can be a nice escape from the stresses we’re sure you’re all facing as well. Again, most of the special procedures are on the front end–once we’re racing, it should be the same ridiculous show.
