EVENT COVERAGE: 24 Hours of LeMons - Buttonwillow Histrionics 2009

Text and photos by Jeff Naeyaert

(Click any image to view full gallery)

I took a trip to the high desert this weekend to shoot the 24 Hours of LeMons Buttonwillow Histrionics race and catch up with 4 of our MotoIQ editors who were racing their jalopies therein.  Dave Coleman and his team of disturbingly dressed french maids (even for high desert standards) raced in the Eyesore Racing FrankenMiata while Chuck "Toadstool" Johnson, Annie "The Princess" Sam, Travis "Luigi" Englert and Martin "Racoon Mario" Gonzales took turns in the Team 1UP Sentra SE-R.  While none of our guys brought home any trophies, everyone had fun and no ones car got too banged up.  Check out the pics from this weekend and stay tuned for more 24 Hours of LeMons features as well as an in depth look at LeMons car engineering by Dave Coleman.

UPDATE:  Click HERE to see our video from the event!

Team 1UP, their Super Mario Bros inspired Sentra SE-R and unknown man picking his butt in the background

Being black flagged in a LeMons race carries severe consequences for the whole team...   Here Coleman awaits his fate in the dunk tank.   Other penalties included having to dance in the back of a pickup truck paraded around the paddock blaring terrible dance music, blowing an entire bottle of bubbles, drawing a portrait of your team and sticking your tongue in a mousetrap to name a few.

Team Metro-Gnome's Honda 900RR powered Geo Metro spent a good amount of time in the pits with mechanical difficulties but was still a cool site to see.

Mayhem!

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Chuck Johnson and Annie Sam learn the virtues of pit speed limits

More consequences...

...and more mayhem!

Eyesore Racing's FrankenMiata

Bitchin' Camaro!

The Porcubimmer - The world's only BMW with the pricks on the outside!

And the awards go to...

Overall 24 Hours of Lemons - Buttonwillow Histrionics 2009 Winner: #97, Mustard Yellow Volvo Doing 45 In the Fast Lane (1984 Volvo 244 V8, Danville CA)

Winner of the Index of Effluency Award (doing the most with the least): #62, San Diego Minis a.k.a. Team Bean (1962 Austin Mini, Escondido CA)

Winner of Class 1 (THE GOOD): #38, Big Sausage Pizza (1990 Acura Integra, Fresno CA)

Winner of Class 2 (THE BAD): #50, LeMons Vice (1988 Hondararri CRXtarossa, Sacramento CA)

Winner of Class 3 (THE UGLY): #69, Italian Stallions (1980 Fiat X1/9, Woodside CA)

Winner of Organizer's Choice Award: #54, Blanco Basura Racing (1991 Honda Prelude, Santa Cruz CA)

Winner of the "I Got Screwed" Award: #53, A LeMon Entry, My Dear Watson (1988 Ford Escort GT, Santa Clara CA)

Winner of Least Horrible Yank Tank Award: #11, Los Cerdos Voladores (1995 Plymouth Neon, Corona CA)

Winner of  Milton Bradley Lovable Pain in the Ass Award: #10, The Very Important Peasants (1983 BMW 528e, Los Angeles CA)

The Car That Would Have Given Steve Earle Apoplexy: #777, Pendejo Engineering (1983 Jaguar XJS V12, San Diego CA)

Winner of the Judges' Choice Award: #5, Planet Hell (1986 Porsche 944, Santa Cruz CA)

 (Click HERE to see all 300 24 Hours of Lemons pics)