Index of Effluency (or IOE) is the top prize awarded in the 24 Hours of LeMons automotive racing series. General criteria to win this award is a car that is too unreliable to be driven effectively on the streets yet manages to complete a decent amount of laps on the race track. IOE can be awarded to a vehicle that was deemed unreliable from the factory (e.g. Volkswagen Karmann Ghia) or a more reliable car with an unwise engine transplant (e.g. Ford Thunderbird with a BMW diesel engine).
The Index of Effluency title comes with a trophy. Prior to 2010, the trophy varied in design and was often made from recycled automotive parts. Beginning in 2010, the IOE trophy was made from heavy gauge metal and is of a racer running from an inverted car. The base of the trophy is a steel silhouette of a lemon, the series' logo. Laminated to the base is a printed label of the race name and year.
Along with the fame comes a cash prize, generally paid in the form of a standard, bank issued check written by race organizer John "Jay" Lamm but occasionally paid, as is the winner on laps, in nickels. When local banks do not have enough coins in stock to pay the winner on laps, checks are drawn, but usually on a media that makes a winner's bank deposit an embarrassing experience (i.e. a toilet seat). However, IOE winners are frequently spared this layer of ridicule.
The amount of the IOE prize has changed over the years. In 2008 and 2009, the prize was $500. In 2010, in order to raise the significance of the Index of Effluency over that of winning the race outright (completing the most number of laps), the IOE prize was raised to $1501, one dollar more than the then-current race-winning prize of $1500. As the prize awards for winning the race outright and/or winning different race classes have changed over time, the IOE prize has continued to be set at one dollar more than the next-highest prize amount, to emphasize the IOE's status as the highest award in LeMons.
Detroit 2007: One Night Stand Endurance Team, Chevrolet Cavalier WagonAltamont 2007: Ecurie Ecrappe, Alfa Romeo SpiderArse-Freeze-Apaloosa 2007: Size Matters, Plymouth FuryAltamont 2008: Autobahn Society Racing, BMW 2002LeMons South 2008: Tunachuckers, 1966 Volvo 122LeMons New England 2008: Chard Beef Racing, Buick RegalLeMons Detroit(ish) 2008: The 98ers, Oldsmobile 98Yee-Haw It's LeMons Texas! 2008: Never Give Up, BMW 1600-2Arse-Freeze-Apaloosa 2008: Team B210 Racing, Datsun B210Gator-O-Rama 2009: Opular Dependence, 1972 Opel GT (with GM V6), MSR HoustonSouth Spring 2009: Heavy Metal, Ford LTDGoin' For Broken 2009: Redneck Racing, 1991 Cadillac EldoradoLaissez Les Crapheaps Roulez 2009: LeMons of Club GP, 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix SENew England 2009: Team UDMan-Trailing Throttle Oversteer, 1963 Chevrolet CorvairButtonwillow Histrionics 2009: San Diego Minis (a.k.a. Team Bean), 1962 Austin MiniSouth Fall 2009: Rusty Bolt Racing, BMW 530iThe Lamest Day 2009: Total Loss Racing, 1987 AvtoVaz Lada SignetYee-Haw It's LeMons Texas 2009: Black Knight Racing (It's Just a Flesh Wound), Triumph TR7Arse-Freeze-Apalooza 2009: Purple LeMons Racing, Volkswagen BeetleAuction-Weekend Gavel-Tap GP 2010: Team Flyin' Four-Door Fortress, Oldsmobile 98 Regency BroughamSouthern Discomfort 2010: Track Pillagerz, Buick LeSabreToothGator-O-Rama 2010: LRE (LeMons Racing Experiment), Datsun 240Z.Sears Pointless 2010: Air Prance Oui-We-Can, 1971 Citroen D SuperAmerican Irony 2010: Chicken and Waffles, Volkswagen Quantum Syncro wagon.Cain't Get Bayou 2010: Mostly Harmless Racing, Volkswagen Karmann GhiaGoin' For Broken 2010: Dust N Debris, Dodge ShadowSouth Spring 2010: Schumacher Taxi Service: Craptation Regurgitation, Chevy CitationNorth Dallas Hooptie 2010: Crewe Le Pew Redeaux, Renault Le CarCapitol Offense 2010: Misfit Toys Racing, Wartburg 311The B.F.E. GP 2010: Rocket Surgery Racing, Renault 4CVLeMons New England 2010: Police Brutality, Speedycop, 1963 Ford Thunderbird TurbodieselThe Arse-Sweat-Apalooza 2010: King Henry V8th, Cadillac Sedan de VilleMutually Assured Destruction of Omaha 2010: Airborne Ranger Race Team, Chevrolet BerettaYee-Haw It's LeMons Texas! 2010: Seven Come Eleven, Volkswagen FastbackLeMons South Fall 2010,: Dog Ciao Racing, Alfa Romeo SpiderDetroit Bull Oil GP 2010: Scuderia Arugginito, Alfa Romeo BerlinaThe Rod Blagojevich Never-Say-Die 500 2010: SpeedyCop, Toyota MR2/Lancia ScorpionLaissez Les Crapheaps Roulez 2010: Property Devaluation Racing, Ford Fairmont wagonLeMons Arse-Freeze-Apalooza 2010: Italian Stallions-The Blue Meanie, Fiat 600DThe Painfully Bland Bowl of Thin Lukewarm Oatmeal That Can't Possibly Offend Anyone, No Matter How Much They Enjoy Being Offended, 24-Hour Season Ender 2010: Adopted by Jets 2, Saab 96The Real Hoopties of New Jersey 2011: Gormless Racing, 1968/73 MGB GTAmerican Irony 2011: Zero Budget Racing, 1982 Chevrolet Chevette DieselBOSTON TOW PARTY AND OVERHEAD-CAM BAKE 2011: Team Speedycop and the Gang of Outlaws, 1980 Pontiac Bonneville DONKYee-Haw it's Texas 2012: Team Sensory Assault, barn-find 1972 Mazda RX-2LeMons Sears Pointless 2012: Team Oly Express, 1964 Plymouth BarracudaLOUDON ANNOYING 2012: Team Speedycop and the Gang of Outlaws, Viking Camper - Suzuki X-90The Arse-Sweat-Apalooza 2012: Team Tinworm, 1959 Humber Super SnipeNorth Dallas Hooptie 2013: Teamgravy Racing- 1974 Porsche 914Capitol Offense 2013: Austin Powerless Racing, 1975 Austin MarinaButton Turrible 2013: Planned Obsolescence, 1979 Buick SkyhawkSouth Fall 2013: Idle Clatter Racing, 1979 Mercedes 300SDGator-O-Rama 2013: Escape Velocity Racing, 1964 Dodge DartHumidiTT 2014, Sebring Int'l Raceway: Team Fairlylame, 1964 Ford FairlaneNASA, We Have a Problem 2-Hour Sprint 2014: Hella Shitty Racing - 1971 Volkswagen Super BeetleGator-O-Rama 2014: The Resistance, 1975 Honda Civic 1200South Fall 2015: Idle Clatter Racing, 1982/1979 Toyocedes Hilux 300SRDSouthern Discomfort 2016: HackBerry Motorsports, 1983 Chevrolet Astro
