GHIT 0071: Special Guest Driver and Judge Craig Ledbetter

Published: Nov. 6, 2019, 8:11 p.m.

We talk with Craig Ledbetter aka Craiggers, one of our favorite judges and team member of the Terminally Confused racing team from the 24 Hours of Lemons team.\xa0 Initially we review our future race at CMP and some of the recent debacle we had with relocating our El Jeffe/Bad Hombre race truck from a few episodes back.\xa0 Bill also makes a subtle plea to be a judge at some point.\xa0

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Craiggers has been a car guy for many, many years and has been racing for almost a decade.\xa0 We try to summarize many things from his vast history and things he has learned to do well, and things he has learned not to do.\xa0 His first car, at his first race, failed tech, so his history has started similarly to most others we know.\xa0 Unfortunately, his first race did not end with a checkered flag due to a lug nut tightening issue and a lack of repair talent and experience at that point.\xa0

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Craiggers and Curt are also well known in the southeast for their green egg derived barbecue parties in the lemons paddock.\xa0 Its not quite America\u2019s Butt but it is reportedly awesome and a do not miss item.\xa0 We end up bribing them to bring up the green eggs to the NJMP race in 2020 by offering them seats in the soon to be completed Capri.\xa0 No pressure Alan.\xa0 Ok, a lot of pressure, since its up to you to feed the entire lemons paddock.\xa0

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We eventually went into how our team is doing and what we could do better along with how his team has progressed and learned over the years.\xa0 This ended up taking a lot of the episode and ends up with tons of good information.\xa0 This also forms the basis of the winter training program we are working on, as we speak.\xa0 Alan reviews his legendary pro move to load a trailer.\xa0 Luckily, Vicki won\u2019t listen to the podcast.\xa0 Lol.

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A lot of these stories came from the recent race at NHMS where we just raced and Craig was one of the judges.

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Craig gets into his deliciously/devilishly bad plan for his RX-8.\xa0 Its not quite as bad as Alan mis-heard, but it is still a bit of engineering required.\xa0 It will likely come out better than Craig\u2019s repair of the Fury at an earlier race.\xa0 (Details within)

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We ended up developing a training matrix for our team, largely as a result of this episode.\xa0 Please let us know if you are interested.\xa0 We like to share what we learn.\xa0 Some of it may even be useful.\xa0

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Key points of interest we covered were:

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1)\xa0 How to successfully compete in lemons, beyond self-selection

2)\xa0 Is speed creep in Lemons factual or perception, or merely a result of the overall increase in performance of relatively newer cars

3)\xa0 ECU Tuning and modification strategy

4)\xa0 We develop a new strategy of making our cars last longer (If we don\u2019t drive them, \u2026)

5)\xa0 Alan and Craiggers discuss wheel bearing condition and potential management strategies, which led into the discussion of Alan and his CSI investigation/discussion with Judge Craiggers.\xa0 Strap in, this one is a doozy, and Alan

6)\xa0 (Im)proper use of 1970\u2019s LTD\u2019s as cornering aides

7)\xa0 Managing room and knowing which cars (and drivers) to manage in heavily crowded tracks

8)\xa0 Bill has bad Road Atlanta flashbacks from last year

9)\xa0 Many Judge stories from Judge Craiggers

10)\xa0 NJMP planning and potential bribing opportunities if we had 3 racing cars ready

11)\xa0 Craiggers takes a very solid run at the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

12)\xa0 Bill\u2019s mom\u2019s actual podcast listening is brought into question

13)\xa0 Is it possible to make a Lemons legal rocket powered car?\xa0 Why yes, yes it is.\xa0

14)\xa0 How to properly use 1960\u2019s brakes in a racing condition and at least one method for how to determine if a car is race ready

15)\xa0 Potential ways to entertain Lemons judges at a race

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Where else are you going to hear about a jet powered golf cart? \xa0Now, that\u2019s real racing!

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Craig is nearly useless for theming, but a bunch of fun, as always.\xa0

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We hope you enjoy the episode as much as we have.\xa0