24 Hours of LeMons

The series name is a deliberate play on words, invoking both the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in France and the colloquial American term "lemon" for a defective or low-value automobile. The concept grew out of an earlier San Francisco event called the Double 500, a 500-kilometer road rally for cars costing no more than US$500. When organizers judged the Double 500 to be too straightforward, the LeMons endurance format emerged as a harder test for the same class of bargain vehicles.

The earliest Lemons races were held at Altamont Motorsports Park and other California venues. By 2008 the series had expanded to include events in the eastern United States, with races staged in Connecticut, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, California, and Nevada. Races are now organized across five regional divisions: East, Gulf, Midwest, South, and West.

In 2016 the series reached international license agreements with organizers in Australia and New Zealand, though that arrangement was discontinued in 2020.

Despite the name, most LeMons events run between 12 and 16 hours of racing spread over two days rather than a full 24 hours. A true 24-hour race is held approximately once per season. Each race day typically begins mid-morning and ends in the early evening.

The defining rule is the vehicle cost cap. The total price of a car — purchase price plus all modifications, labor, and sponsorships — must not exceed US$500. Approved safety equipment, brakes, wheels, and tires are excluded from this figure. Teams may sell off components from a purchased vehicle to offset costs, allowing some flexibility in how they source their entries. If race officials determine a car exceeds the financial limit, they assess a Bullshit Factor (BSF) penalty: one lap deducted for every ten dollars the car is deemed over budget.

Required safety equipment mirrors that of established sanctioning bodies such as the Sports Car Club of America: a six-point roll cage, Snell SA2015 or better helmet, fire extinguisher, fire suppression system, a five- or six-point racing harness, Nomex fire suit, fire-resistant gloves and shoes, and an SFI or FIA-rated head and neck restraint.

All races begin under a full-course yellow flag while timing transponders are verified across the field. The green flag is then waved at a randomly chosen car, and standard racing flags govern the remainder of the event.

LeMons is as well known for its carnival atmosphere and theatrical penalty system as for the racing itself. A device called the Wheel of Misfortune determines punishments for driving infractions. Penalties range from metal farm-animal silhouettes welded to a car's roof to reduce aerodynamic efficiency, to elaborate performance tasks with names like the Marcel Marceau Memorial "Mime Your Crime" penalty, in which offending drivers must don white face paint and a beret and mime their transgression. Penalties have historically been tailored to local events and current affairs.

Any car that flips during competition receives the "Why Am I Upside-Down?" penalty: immediate disqualification and a one-year ban on the responsible driver. The black flag is used liberally for safety violations and aggressive driving.

In May 2008, a race at Altamont was struck by tragedy when driver Court Summerfield, 47, suffered a fatal cardiac event during competition and crashed into a barrier. Investigations confirmed no mechanical fault was involved.

Multiple awards are presented at each race. The Index of Effluency is considered by many participants to be the true prize, given to a team whose car appeared unlikely to finish at all but completed a respectable number of laps nonetheless. Other trophies include the Win on Laps (most laps net of BSF penalties), Heroic Fix, I Got Screwed, Judge's Choice, and a region-specific award. Class wins are awarded across A, B, and C categories. Season-long team and driver champions are crowned annually based on accumulated finishing points.

Prize money has historically been distributed in unconventional ways, including payment in nickels or checks made out on toilet seats.

The Concours De Lemons runs alongside each race weekend as a parody of the Concours d'Elegance, celebrating the least distinguished automotive examples in the field.

The 24 Hours of LeMons has had a direct influence on other budget endurance racing formats in the United States. The ChampCar Endurance Series developed out of the LeMons series and operates with a similar grassroots ethos. LeMons' combination of strict cost limits, theatrical officiating, and inclusive community atmosphere has made it one of the most widely participated amateur motorsport series in North America.