Let's start some good LR revamp rumors.

[oldredracer]

At Chowder yesterday, someone told me that along with the re-paving (surprise...the date isn't set) will come changes to the Downhill and Big Bend. As ALMS is touching 150 mph there, the downhill will be reconfigured to require braking and Big Bend will become a sharper, one-apex corner that still turns 180 degrees. When I compared it to Namreau at Tremblant he said yes...without the elevation change, I presume.
Also a little more run-off at the Uphill and the Downhill and a lot more at West Bend.
Personally, if it happens, I'll miss the bumps. I get bird dogs from a dentist I know.
So what rumors has anyone else heard?

[WatertownNewbie]

"Re-Paving"? This track has more patches than an old pair of jeans. The original paving tore up with its first use and has been patched ever since. Do you mean a full-blown complete paving job as in what Laguna Seca did to please the Moto GP folks? And extra runoffs? And reconfigurations too? In this case it appears to be ALMS as the driving force (no pun) rather than the two-wheelers, but money talks. I am not sure how you alter the Downhill to make braking a requirement for all types of vehicles. Will only the ALMS speedsters need to brake? What about us slower Skippy types? And one apex for Big Bend? What will they call it now -- Big Pinch? This all seems too much to take in at once. Some of you better-connected sets of ears out there (you know who you are), it's time to pipe up.

[gt250]

Here's a press release:

"Date Tues Dec 19th


Members & Prospective Members:

Please read the enclosed. We have commenced track operations and we have 103 and counting.

Please email or call me if you have any questions. Happy Holiday's!

Stephan Condodemetraky
Member #


NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


THE CLUB AT LIME ROCK PARK BREAKS ESCROW
AND COMMENCES OPERATIONS

Track Upgrades to Begin This Winter


Lakeville, CT – (December 19, 2007) Skip Barber, President of Lime Rock Park, has announced the Club at Lime Rock Park (The Club) www.limerockclub.com has broken escrow and officially commenced operations. At a member meeting and holiday party held this past weekend, Barber announced the 2008 schedule of 60 member track dates, with more than 40 dates scheduled for the months of May, June, July, August, and September. Barber also announced Lime Rock Park has hired a general contractor, Mohawk Construction out of New Britain, Connecticut, and they expect to announce the selection of a paving contractor soon. Site preparation to upgrade the track will begin this winter.

“We are very pleased to have more than one hundred member commitments,” said Barber, “and we are equally excited to break escrow and begin major renovations on our historic, fifty-year-old track. Earthwork will begin soon and we will complete many of the track upgrades by the end of 2008.”

Construction is being funded by revenue raised through the sale of Club memberships. When Barber unveiled The Club last summer, he stated that 300 memberships would be sold to raise funds for track and facility improvements, and to preserve Lime Rock Park as the Northeast’s premier race course for the next fifty years.
-more-

Club at LRP Breaks Escrow
December 19, 2007
Page 2

Barber said a topographical survey of the track has been completed and preliminary engineering work is underway.

“We will not change the character of the track, but I believe we can make it a little slower and safer, as well as wider and smoother.” After the paving company is selected, Barber will announce the paving schedule.

One of the Club’s initial members, John Steinmetz, said, “This is an exciting announcement for members. It’s so rewarding to see our efforts coming to fruition, and it’s comforting to know that Lime Rock Park will be spared the fate of other tracks that have become golf courses and housing developments.”

The improved Lime Rock Park will feature a member clubhouse, renovated press facility, exclusive members pit lane, renovated bathrooms, and new water/drainage systems.

Lime Rock Park is nestled comfortably in the lush green foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, and is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and historic road racing facilities in North America, a perfect setting for a motor sport club and the only one currently open in the Northeast. Barber said it is critically important to him that Lime Rock Park is significantly improved without losing any of its charm or character, something he has strived to achieve with the many track improvements made thus far.

Memberships to the The Club carry a one-time fee of $110,000 which includes applicable Connecticut Dues Tax of $10,000. The length of membership is fifty years, and can be passed down in the immediate family or resold through The Club.

For more information, or to request an interview with Skip Barber, please contact Scott Tranchemontagne or Deb Daigle at 603-644-3200, or visit www.limerockclub.com."

Changes being made to protect club members high dollar rides?
Wotta shame.

[LimeRockRacer]

They have been talking of re-paving for a few years now. With the sale of memberships to convert the track to more of a private venue for members there is more talk of improvements. I have heard they want to straighten out "no name" to make it faster and more direct, more run off at track out on the down hill, possible changes to West bend to make it safer, and of course the much needed new and clean bathrooms!

I wonder how the memberships are going and whether SBRS will be exiled to alternate times during the season or exiled completley for that matter...

Previous post was posted as I was typing.....

[WatertownNewbie]

If you go to this link: http://www.limerockclub.com/images/L...8_Schedule.pdf
you will find a number of tentative dates for Skip's new Club to use the facilities. It is difficult to figure out a string of days capable of supplying SBRS with two lapping days, a practice day, and two race days in succession. (Keep in mind that ALMS is in town for July 11-12 too, which was the customary mid-July race weekend for us.) Hmmm.

[WatertownNewbie]

This thought just occurred to me. Would it not be ironic if the namesake's race series were unable to run a race weekend at its home base because the namesake's new club took all of the available dates?

[gt250]

I wonder how the memberships are going and whether SBRS will be exiled to alternate times during the season or exiled completley for that matter...

After I saw this I read somewhere that 103 ( I think) of the memberships were sold so far

[Gerardo]

Isn't this an oxymoron?

“We will not change the character of the track, but I believe we can make it a little slower and safer, as well as wider and smoother.”

The character of the track is everything it is now, stupid fast, stupid dangerous, stupid bumpy, and stupid FUN!!!

[Slowhands]

Originally Posted by LimeRockRacer

I wonder how the memberships are going and whether SBRS will be exiled to alternate times during the season or exiled completley for that matter...

Originally Posted by WatertownNewbie

This thought just occurred to me. Would it not be ironic if the namesake's race series were unable to run a race weekend at its home base because the namesake's new club took all of the available dates?

From the SBRS website:

Lime Rock, Racing School Ink Long-Term Deal
Dec 18, 2007
The Skip Barber Racing and Driving Schools -- and its prestigious Race Series (shown) -- will continue their visible presence at Lime Rock Park for many years to come.

LAKEVILLE, Conn. – Lime Rock Park and the Skip Barber Racing School today announced the signing of a new agreement which extends and expands their relationship through the 2021 season.

Under the agreement terms, Skip Barber Racing will continue as the exclusive racing and driving school of Lime Rock Park. The school now also becomes the exclusive provider for automotive manufacturer (‘‘OEM’’) events at Lime Rock, and by 2010 will be the exclusive provider of karting events. The Skip Barber Racing School will have the opportunity to improve the Sunoco Paddock to accommodate a karting track layout and auto-exercise facilities without diminishing that paddock’s existing functions. It is further anticipated that the School will be able to provide Lime Rock with programs for its exclusive new club for motorsports enthusiasts, The Club at Lime Rock Park.

‘‘Lime Rock Park’s prestige is unsurpassed in American motorsports, and we are extremely pleased to have extended our agreement with them,’’ said Aaron Hollander, chief executive officer of the Skip Barber Racing School. ‘‘More than 30 years ago, Skip founded the Racing School which still bears his name. He also acquired Lime Rock Park and transformed it into the beautiful facility it is today – a truly outstanding home for the Racing School. Our agreement creates the framework for us together to explore new opportunities to make both Skip Barber Racing and Lime Rock even more influential in motorsports.’’

‘‘2007 has been a historic year for Lime Rock Park,’’ said president and owner John ‘‘Skip’’ Barber. ‘‘We celebrated 50 years of great racing, and we founded The Club at Lime Rock Park to offer a unique motorsports experience over the next 50 years to a select group of members. With the extended and enhanced Skip Barber Racing School association, I am confident that the future is very bright for Lime Rock Park.’’

Recognized and revered for its scenic beauty and its place in motorsports history, Lime Rock Park is one of the oldest and continuously operated road racing courses in the country. Since it opened in 1957, Lime Rock has played host to nearly every great road racing driver, car, and series, establishing a rich tradition as The Road Racing Center of the East.

[LimeRockRacer]

This is great news and hopefully will put aside many of our fears about losing this beautiful venue as our eastern base.

I agree with BoBO that LRP is gobs of fun now but it sure does beat the S*** out of anyone older than 18 years old. I could go for smoother and a little more down time to relax and breathe before the uphill, west bend and downhill combo!

I really would love to see our tentative schedule for the upcoming eastern series. Many of us have other travel commitments to make and if they change the typical dates for our weekends it could really blow some of the regular participants from attending.

[dalyduo]

Great news regarding the agreement.

It's my understanding that the original layout of the track will not be modified. The current track surface will be ground up and used as part of the base for its repaving.

Changes being considered will (like the chicane) depart from and rejoin the track without disturbing its original configuration.

An alternate uphill that turns near the flag stand at the base of the uphill and rejoins at the chicane is under consideration.

Paving the runoff area that is now grass and dirt at the outside of the downhill is also in the plan. (More opportunity to save an off and slow down before reaching the tire wall if you overshoot) They are looking at various tweaks to make the downhill a real turn again rather than the high speed curve it has become.

I've never heard anything about making big bend a single apex V and that would change the original configuration so I very much doubt that's in the plan. There has been talk of putting a club member paddock in the toe of big bend with an entrance onto the track past the inside of turn two.

As mentioned on another thread current ALMS cars go flat at the exit of the chicane and don't lift until the brake zone for big bend at a terminal velocity of 191mph. They want to smooth and straighten no-name to make it more of a passing zone and possibly put a switchback between turns three and four to slow the cars and create another brake zone passing opportunity before their run up no name. The alternate uphill could create more passing opportunity as well.

While there are 60 track dates to choose from for club members, each membership includes 20 track dates so the odds on heavy usage during club dates are slim. They will have a few member only dates but most will be shared days with car clubs and the racing school. Some days may alternate sessions and some split usage between morning and afternoon.

[WatertownNewbie]

Pat, thanks for this update and expansion of the public info (to the detriment, of course, of rumors). Maybe they should save some of the original track. Break it up into smallish chunks and encase them in clear lucite. Would make a great paperweight!

Sounds like all those little track nuances (e.g., the dip at the apex of Turn 2) will be a thing of the past. None of the changes that you described should slow down a circuit by a Skippy car, so the question is whether we can figure out some new reference points. I kind of liked all of that concrete, and in some places it provided excellent marks.

My presumption is that the new surface will be available for this coming season. Is that the intention?

[dalyduo]

They just selected the contractor but the winter weather is too severe to start paving before spring. The bigger issue is closing the track long enough to do the work and then allow the new pavement to cure. I'm guessing they'll do it in stages to minimize the lost days per race season but that's just an opinion.

Originally Posted by WatertownNewbie

My presumption is that the new surface will be available for this coming season. Is that the intention?

[oldredracer]

Originally Posted by WatertownNewbie

Pat, thanks for this update and expansion of the public info (to the detriment, of course, of rumors). Maybe they should save some of the original track. Break it up into smallish chunks and encase them in clear lucite. Would make a great paperweight!

This is all starting to sound like it might actually work! Good news.

As for memorabilia, I already have a large paperweight in the trailer which I began breaking up into little pieces in West Bend last August. Lucite, anyone??

[dalyduo]

Here's my favorite Lucite ready chunk from May of '06. That wheel sits in my garage today as a reminder of my steep learning curve at the uphill that day. Flat spotted the roll bar

[oldredracer]

Originally Posted by dalyduo

Here's my favorite Lucite ready chunk from May of '06. That wheel sits in my garage today as a reminder of my steep learning curve at the uphill that day. Flat spotted the roll bar

I don't wanna brag, but size does matter. Wait a minute. This is a contest I didn't want to win.

[OLDMAN]

I could be incorrect but I believe the membership is $110,000 to get in and then $500.00 per month from then on.

OLDMAN

[dalyduo]

Or put another way Bob... That would be about 11,500 visits to On Track Karting.

Originally Posted by OLDMAN

I could be incorrect but I believe the membership is $110,000 to get in and then $500.00 per month from then on.

OLDMAN

[dalyduo]

Yeah and I got to slide 2/3rds of the way to West Bend upside down... Neither of us wanted to win this one.

Looking at our broken wheels am abstractly reminded of the Jackie Gleason, Art Carney Honeymooners commercial... "Will it core a apple?... Yes! It will core a apple!" or perhaps in our case... "Will LRP core a wheel?... Yes! LRP will core a wheel!" Two perfectly cored wheels. Guess we both win the numb nuts award on this one.

Originally Posted by oldredracer

I don't wanna brag, but size does matter. Wait a minute. This is a contest I didn't want to win.

[OLDMAN]

Pat:
I think that's the car I got for the next race.

Bob

[dalyduo]

Bob,
Nice job adjusting to that slight loose condition with only 1 rear wheel.

Originally Posted by OLDMAN

Pat:
I think that's the car I got for the next race.

Bob