The 12 Hours of Lodi Farms: THE MIDNIGHT START!

The 12 Hours of Lodi Farms THE MIDNIGHT START!

here it is
The 12 Hours of Lodi Farms is a just a day away
it is a good race and a great gathering
the competition will be as thick as the camaraderie
but why does this race have to be a midnight start?

this year when trying to assemble a team I heard the same set of complaints over and over again...
all of the responses stemmed around the complications of the midnight start
all of the responses spoke of the many side effects caused by sleep deprivation
the dangerous drive back and fatigue the following days at work
many people refused the invite
these same people refusing to race this race with the midnight start ever again
as much as these people have enjoyed the race and all of its splendor
they could not rationalize things after knowing what this sleep deprived experience can cause
and I know... I have suffered highway hypnosis myself after this race many times
driving back home alone... nodding off behind the wheel... only to get home and tell my wife that I am useless and can not watch the kids
begging to have her watch the kids for another day so that I can catch up on my sleep

I can attest to the fact that the midnight start does create a massive ripple effect
the fatigue of the midnight start is very similar to the fatigue caused by a 24 hour race
but... this is a 12 hour race
so there is no need to have the mid weekend midnight start
the format could follow the actions of the new breed
the 11 am or the noon start
thus ending at Midnight or One Am
allowing for people to get some sleep and drive back moderately refreshed
not to mention the time to hang out in the post race party atmosphere

people could hang out and talk around the camp fire
while the promoters get the results finalized
awards could be in the am as people are packing up to leave
well rested people could drive back home
then return to work only tired from the expenditure of racing
not wiped out from not sleeping Saturday night

gwadzilla archives with mention of LODI FARMS

12 Hours of Lodi Farms
maybe the racers can approach the promoters to have the start time changed?

that photo is from two years ago at Lodi Farms
crossing the creek just before the finish on my final lap
I look pretty fresh... not sure if that was a DUO Year with Chris Redlack