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RainierSyncro
Samba Member
Joined: February 26, 2013
Posts: 809
Location: Seattle
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Bad Hippie
Samba Member
Joined: March 11, 2013
Posts: 171
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 Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2016 10:42 pm Post subject: Re: Building a Vanagon LeMons Race Van |
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Awesome performance this weekend!
You said 18th, was that overall? Or just Sunday?
I've got more photos I'll be posting later. Soon as I get my head screwed on straight. (One heck of a party )
Great to meet you.
If you ever need a driver, let me know. I've got a little experience with type 2's on track. |
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newfisher
Samba Member
Joined: January 05, 2012
Posts: 1764
Location: The wet spot--Oregon
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 11:11 pm Post subject: Re: Building a Vanagon LeMons Race Van |
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6th in class, 19th overall with only 2 drivers (4 required) and no mechanical issues ?!?! Awesome!
Great job! |
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Alan Brase
Samba Member
Joined: March 28, 2004
Posts: 4532
Location: Cedar Falls, Iowa
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 5:15 am Post subject: Re: Building a Vanagon LeMons Race Van |
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| newfisher wrote: |
6th in class, 19th overall with only 2 drivers (4 required) and no mechanical issues ?!?! Awesome!
Great job! |
Wow, good job. I thought you did a lot of well thought out stuff. Innovated instead of throwing a lot of money at it. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Don't get too comfortable.
Al
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Al Brase
Projects: 67 sunroof bug, 67 Porsche 912 Targa, 70 Westy
Dec 1955 Single Cab pickup WANT 15" BUS RIMS dated 8/55, thru 12/55
To New owners: 1969 doublecab, 1971 Dormobile
Vanagons:
80 P27 Westy JUL 1979, 3rd oldest known US
83 1.6TD Vanagon, 87 Wolfie Westy daily driver, swap meet home |
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Bad Hippie
Samba Member
Joined: March 11, 2013
Posts: 171
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 12:09 pm Post subject: Re: Building a Vanagon LeMons Race Van |
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What a weekend. Finally I have a day off to recover and get these photos up.
Sorry for the poor quality of some. I don't think to bring my real camera so phone photos are all I got.
A partial view of paddock from my spot on 13. I was told this was the largest event yet for the facility.
Being an air-cooled guy I can't resist posting this one.
Saturday at turn 12.
From turn 13 on Sunday.
Checkered flag out! Cool down lap. Note the car at far left in the second photo. They finished the race but had to pull off just short of pit entrance.
Receiving your congratulatory high five upon completion of the race.
Overall winner for the weekend. A Ford Model T. |
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Tristar Eric
Samba Member
Joined: July 25, 2004
Posts: 1242
Location: Portland, Or
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 8:39 pm Post subject: Re: Building a Vanagon LeMons Race Van |
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duplicate...sorry
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[email protected]
Last edited by Tristar Eric on Wed Aug 31, 2016 9:33 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Tristar Eric
Samba Member
Joined: July 25, 2004
Posts: 1242
Location: Portland, Or
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 8:42 pm Post subject: Re: Building a Vanagon LeMons Race Van |
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Great pics! Thanks for taking the time out of your worker duties to snap them!
We actually had a flawless event this time around. Only 2 of us to handle all the duties, pit crew, and drivers. We really know the van well at this point. An hour and a half is our regular stint per driver because that's when we stall due to low fuel in the tank. 1.5 hours uses almost 10 gallons of fuel, and that's flat out racing. It's just enough time to replenish some fluids, have a bathroom break, eat a little and force more fluids in before it's time to get back in and go again.
We were the only team with a 2 man crew. I have to hand it to Droo, he really pulled it off. Not only did he drive all the way from Moab Utah for the race, but he drove 4.5 hours Saturday, and 3 hours Sunday.
Saturday race: I started, the van was running really well and we were moving quickly up in the standings. I had one very minor incident with team Van Gogh in their brightly painted Porsche 944. One of their drivers was a bit erratic and not watching his mirrors as I made a move on him, he swerved into the slider door with his outside rearview and left us a nice new stripe. One of the corner workers noticed the contact and we were black flagged. The 944 was already talking to the race judges when I pulled in behind. My race judge walked up and asked why I thought I was pulled in, I told him I must have startled the 944 driver during a pass when he hit me. The judged looked back at me and said quit scaring the Porsches and get back out there! Ha! Pretty sad when a Vanagon is making moves on 944's!
Droo and I swapped fastest lap times a few times during the day and I think he ended up with a 2:23.5 or so as our quickest lap.
Sunday was a different story as far as lap times. Drop was out first and managed a 2:21 and change, and I knew it was on. I then pulled off a 2:20.858, Droo came back with a 2:20.300, which I could never touch, although I managed a 2:20.500. Yes, we were driving the tires off the van, literally!
Our next race is in December in Sonoma Ca. Where we will be giving the Go-westy team another run.
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dobryan
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Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16505
Location: Brookeville, MD
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Jake de Villiers
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Joined: October 24, 2007
Posts: 5911
Location: Tsawwassen, BC
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Bad Hippie
Samba Member
Joined: March 11, 2013
Posts: 171
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| Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2016 2:09 pm Post subject: Re: Building a Vanagon LeMons Race Van |
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Usually I don't get the chance to take any photos, but most of the turn stations were double staffed for the weekend. Sort of nice to be able to have the luxury of taking a few pictures, eat your lunch, or simply use the restroom, without the fear of something being missed.
We've had two Chump Car weekends, and a Lucky Dog weekend this year. For all of those races, the turn stations were single staffed. Saturday of Lucky Dog was 12 hours. That was pretty brutal. Once the track goes hot you are on station for the duration of the race. I told many people that the drivers had it easy. They at least got breaks. |
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Tristar Eric
Samba Member
Joined: July 25, 2004
Posts: 1242
Location: Portland, Or
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| Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 7:18 pm Post subject: Re: Building a Vanagon LeMons Race Van |
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A pic from one of the event organizers...
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[email protected] |
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hdenter
Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2008
Posts: 2754
Location: San Luis Obispo, CA
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| Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 10:40 pm Post subject: Re: Building a Vanagon LeMons Race Van |
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If you ever find yourselves short a driver, drop me a line! I'd love to do it and help out! lots of tools and spare parts, too! It was fun watching you guys the first time at Sonoma.
Hans
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'79 triple white convertible bug
'84 sunroof vanagon
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Tristar Eric
Samba Member
Joined: July 25, 2004
Posts: 1242
Location: Portland, Or
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| Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2016 5:15 pm Post subject: Re: Building a Vanagon LeMons Race Van |
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Made a little video from our Thunderhill race called " You got passed by a Van"
This was footage taken from one of my hour and a half sessions.
Enjoy!
Link
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MsTaboo
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2006
Posts: 4098
Location: East Kootenay, British Columbia
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| Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2016 6:22 pm Post subject: Re: Building a Vanagon LeMons Race Van |
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That is so great, love the squall of the tires! 
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dobryan
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Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16505
Location: Brookeville, MD
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Jake de Villiers
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Joined: October 24, 2007
Posts: 5911
Location: Tsawwassen, BC
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Bills85Westy
Samba Member
Joined: August 01, 2009
Posts: 423
Location: Napa CA
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| Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2016 6:12 pm Post subject: Re: Building a Vanagon LeMons Race Van |
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That was really fun to watch! Thanks for sharing. I'll have to make it to Sear's Point in December!
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syncrodoka
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005
Posts: 12008
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2016 9:05 pm Post subject: Re: Building a Vanagon LeMons Race Van |
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Honk and wave as you pass. Hilarious  |
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Tristar Eric
Samba Member
Joined: July 25, 2004
Posts: 1242
Location: Portland, Or
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| Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2016 9:38 am Post subject: Re: Building a Vanagon LeMons Race Van |
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I added the euro siren sound effect as a gag, all those guys were waiting in line because there was a full course yellow, but they dropped the yellow right when I pulled up, so I decided to take a few spots.
You can also see how much faster we are on the straight than the Go-westy van.
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[email protected] |
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kamzcab86
Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008
Posts: 7925
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2016 9:55 am Post subject: Re: Building a Vanagon LeMons Race Van |
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| Tristar Eric wrote: |
Made a little video from our Thunderhill race called " You got passed by a Van"
This was footage taken from one of my hour and a half sessions.
Enjoy! |
Awesome! 
Some of those other drivers, though, need more "situational awareness"... a few close calls going into turns! 
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