Pacific Northworst GP 2020: What You Need to Know If You’re Racing
Unless you’ve been living under a rock…Actually, let us rephrase that. Unless you’ve been living under a larger rock than most “normal” Lemons racers, you’re aware that the world is operating differently now. The Coronavirus/COVID-19 virus has changed how all event organizers approach events. For this weekend’s Pacific Northworst GP at The Ridge Motorsports Park, Lemons HQ wanted to cover expectations for Lemons racers so they are on top of things…are well informed…are able to read…can do things kinda good.
Here goes…
COVID RULES
•Maintain six feet of social distancing with other participants.
•Wear face coverings at all times in public areas–bring a mask.
•Stay home if you have symptoms.
•Tell Lemons officials immediately if you develop symptoms onsite.
Anyone not complying with these rules will be kicked out. Read more about COVID here and stay informed on the policies of the surrounding area.
See more procedural COVID stuff below the schedule and also handed out onsite. READ THROUGH EVERYTHING YOU’RE GIVEN AT THE GATE.
Weekend Schedule
Thursday, 23 July 2020
7pm: Gates Open
7pm: Live Driver’s Meeting on YouTube (Link Here). Watch live if you have questions. Otherwise, watch it before you line up to race on Saturday.
10pm: Gates Close (Locked, nobody in/out)
Friday, 24 July 2020
7am: Gates Open
12pm-5pm: Mandatory Lemons Tech Inspection. Times are assigned to each team. See the assigned times here.
10pm – Gates close
Saturday, 25 July 2020
7am: Gates open
10am-6:30pm: Race session I
10pm – Gates close
Sunday, 26 July 2020
9am-3pm: Race session II
5pm: Begone
ARRIVAL/CHECK-IN
All registration/driver check in will be done at the gate. Just come up to the registration shack (with a mask), say your name, and show your ID. Again, anyone not on the list will be sent away.
Each participant will sign a single 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.
You will have a 2nd stop at the track booth for their waiver process. You must sign the online waiver here and then print or screenshot the QR code that is emailed to you after completion.
PARKING/PADDOCK/FACILITIES
Here is a map of the paddock layout for the weekend. Open it and then read through these paddock expecations:
•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.
•On Friday, the yellow area on the above map is reserved for Turn2 test day participants only. Lemons teams that preregister for the test day will also be allowed to park in the yellow area on Friday. Non-testing teams will be staged in an area out of the way (still inside the gate) until the test day is over. Once the test day is over, non-testing teams will be allowed in to the yellow area. If you want to do the test day, register here.
•The red area is open to Lemons teams on Friday–you can stay there all weekend if you want.
•Due to the increased spacing between teams, please minimize the space you’re occupying and the number of vehicles that you bring. Please park extra vehicles, trailers, and anything else you don’t need in your paddock spots to the blue overflow parking areas.
•Leave a driving lane between the hot-pit wall and your paddock spot. This is marked by orange cones on the map, and there’s also white line on the pavement that marks the edge of the lane.
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 have assigned specific tech times for each team. Please check the schedule for your team’s time. If you missed your scheduled tech time or need to return to tech after fixing an issue, there are allotted times on the schedules for missed techs and re-techs. When your tech time arrives, please follow this procedure:
•As with all public areas, 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 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.
•At your assigned time, line up in the tech area (will be marked), leaving at least a car length between cars.
•BS will happen first. Before lining up, please open/unlatch/remove your hood so the judge can look at your cheaty engine and tech inspector can make sure you’re less likely to set yourselves on fire.
•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 packet including your Tech OK sticker, rental transponder, and other info will be placed in the passenger footwell.
GEAR TECH
We’ve also adjusted the Gear Tech procedures and timing:
•As with all public areas, 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.
•Gear tech will take place from Noon – 5pm. Please maintain social distancing while in line. If the line is full, come back later.
•Gear tech times are as follows:
Friday: Noon-5pm
Saturday: 8am-9am.
Any late gear tech after that need to report to penalty box in full gear and check availability of gear tech inspector. Please respect social distancing with penalty box staff.
GRID TIMES
Grid times are 9:30am on Saturday and 8:30am Sunday. 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. There will be no fueling allowed in your paddock space. 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 fueling area.
•Bring a cart to shuttle your fuel cans and drip pan to the fueling area.
•There are no assigned 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.
WINNING
Most of you can probably 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 here on Thursday at 7pm local time (or, just go to our YouTube channel at youtube.com/24hoursoflemons). You will be able to ask questions in the chat if you tune in live–if you miss the live broadcast you must watch the video before hitting the track.
ROOKIE MEETING
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.
Got all that? Great, we’ll see you at The Ridge Motorsports Park IF you’re registered. Travel safely!
