Lime Rock "The Club"

[Doug E]

Interesting piece written by Sam Posey in the August '07 edition of Road and Track abour LRP. At the end he references how Skip speaks of stewardship and doing what it will take to keep the gates open for another 50 years.

Definately a sad day for the PCA DE crowd.

[widgeon13]

Litchfield County, very high priced real estate. I'm all for preserving LRP especially for the big holiday weekend races they host. If this is what it takes perhaps this is the best thing. It's just too bad if John Q. Public no longer has access to the driving experience. It's a fun track in spite of being only 1.5 miles long.

I used to send my sales personnel there for the one day driving course, these guys and gals never had so much fun and for a day they forgot about everything else going on in the world, truly a fun place to spend the day whether DE, watching a race or attending Skip Barber driving course.

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

Oh, please, sports-car road-racing was never an activity for "the masses." Lot of resentment out there...sorry the locals are rich, but that's the way it is.

[89911]

I'm sure it's a nice track, but I can't see "joining" any track for a lifetime. Whats the goal, to be able to drive it in your sleep? Let me drive any track for more then a few weekends a year and I'm weary of it. Most of the fun I see with track driving is encountering different layouts.

[VFR750]

April 1st through October 31st is 214 track days minus the ~24 Sundays. Throw in 15 more days for March early birds, and another 15 days or so for November and you have ~220 track days in a typical NE season. Selling 60, to guard against loosing all 220 to a golf course is a good trade.

Listen to Skip, he wanted to insure the track had more VALUE as a race track, than as a golf course. To do that, the track needs people in high places to demand the track says a track. Locking in 50 year commitments means there should be a track for a long time. The alternative is to crank up the ALMS tickets prices and track days prices to levels that would probably drive LRP out of business.

Plus the track really needs to be resurfaced. This will pay for it. If you saw the ALMS race, you can see just how bad it has become.

As for losing dates to the club. Why don't you get 49 of your best friends, form a limited partnership, pony up 10K, and buy (5) slots for access to the track for 60 days, for 50 years?

What is probably means is there will have to be more mid-week DE type events.

[Mike Stanko]

Did anyone see the brief segment today regarding the LRP club that aired during coverage of the LRP ALMS race? The clip presented Skip as a steward of the future of LRP. He presented this approach as the route chosen to generate the capital needed to improve the track and preserve it for the next 50 years. Skip said he doesn't want to see this valuable real estate turned into a golf course and condos.

I've never been to LRP, but it was rather obvious to me from the coverage that the track surface is in rough shape and to host future major race events, big ticket items like catch fences, barriers, and runoff areas need improvement.

IMHO, getting this ALMS race at LRP was a marketing step of the LRP ownership to get the "club" membership into full swing.

There are more than enough folks in the NYC/Western Conn. area for the "club" approach to work. This is a very wealthy area. It looks like this place has history, charm (setting), and location, location, location.

Do any of you folks considering a LRP club member care to adopt me? I'm very well behaved and would only bring honor to the family name

Mike

[widgeon13]

Originally posted by Formerly Steve Wilkinson
Oh, please, sports-car road-racing was never an activity for "the masses." Lot of resentment out there...sorry the locals are rich, but that's the way it is.

That's not what my post stated and I have no resentment for those who want to be members. I do believe this will make access to LRP more difficult for many who have used it. That's nothing more than unfortunate.

I have other interests at this point in my life so for me, it's no big deal.

I had an old friend who raced his MG-TD back when it was an open field, he wasn't rich just looking for some place to have fun. I think that's what LRP has been to a lot of folks over the last 50 years.

[VFR750]

The ALMS race has been going on for years. It is a good show, and this year was no exception. They did a good job, with lots of access to the cars and drivers. My kids enjoyed it, and want to go again.

It's a great track to drive on. But the comments on the roughness are true, and especially for cars with super stiff suspensions. A repave, add some run off and gravel traps, and it'll be a viable track for the sport car set.

I get 4+ track days a year, and it great. A good challenge. It would be a terrible loss if it were turned into a golf course.

[pwd72s]

This was mentioned in today's broadcast of the ALMS race. Of course, only the one spin was given. As a way to save the track from the evil golf community developers...

As to the race itself? Seems to me the ALMS is a development ground for NASCAR drivers...all the punting going on.

[Mike Stanko]

Originally posted by VFR750
The ALMS race has been going on for years.

Thanks for the clarification Mike. I didn't realize that.

What kind of turnout does the ALMS race draw?

Yeah, with the stiff race suspensions, high speeds, and long run times, the ALMS drivers must get a real pounding on this course.

Mike

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

If you'd ever driven Lime Rock, essentially a mile-and-a-half two-lane road, you'd realize that was virtually unavoidable. (I was at the race and have driven the track numerous times.)

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

Re. the ALMS turnout, the CBS broadcast kept referring to the "huge crowd" but I'd be surprised if the spectators made it into five digits, from what I saw. After all, the access roads are a couple of two-lane country roads through two fairly simple gates--infield and outfield parking, basically--and there's no way to get many people in and out.

[raclaims]

I have to admit...if they allow it for corporate use...I would probably pony up the $100K...it would be a much more memorable experience for clients (and my family) than another boring golf day.

[widgeon13]

The land that is currently used for LRP is hardly enough to make a 9 hole golf course, so the golf course concept sounds weak to me. I suppose additional land could be procured if the price was right, anything is possible.

This plan will be intriguing to observe, may have to get a subscription to the local Litchfield rag to keep abreast of the developments. It will be a circus for lawyers and environmentalist but entertaining to watch from a distance.

[Mike Stanko]

Originally posted by Formerly Steve Wilkinson
Re. the ALMS turnout, the CBS broadcast kept referring to the "huge crowd" but I'd be surprised if the spectators made it into five digits, from what I saw.

Steve,

Thanks. That's smaller than what I imagined (25,000 perhaps).

Mike

P.S. I'm new to Pelican, and I just realized who you are. FYI, I just read your book about a month ago and enjoyed it thoroughly. Thanks for taking the time to share your 911 story and a slice of your interesting life. I hope to get to LRP next year with my non-gold plated '83 SC.

[VFR750]

It was about 25,000

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

Sez who?

[H2Ojazz]

I was so amazed by this, if you pay the $110K buy-in and $550 per month for twenty track days per year over the next ten years it comes out to $880 per day. Outta my league, guess I'll go to the Glen.

A shame, LRP was first track I ever drove, and an easy drive from home for a one-day event, though they charge so much now, its as cheap for me to do two days at WGI.

[H2Ojazz]

Originally posted by raclaims
I have to admit...if they allow it for corporate use...I would probably pony up the $100K...it would be a much more memorable experience for clients (and my family) than another boring golf day.

I think its $750 per day for a guest to drive.

[304065]

Well, it was a much larger crowd on Saturday than last year. I'll post my photos tonight.

I heard Skip's presentation, he said that everybody would have to give up time, the school, everyone. Seems a small price to pay to keep it a dedicated racing facility.