Lime rock discussion

[brucesallen]

http://www.apexspeed.com/forums/showthr ... 906&page=3

Good thing we aren't planning on going there.

[Scooter70]

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.

Umm... that is the character of the track. Fast, (somewhat) safe, narrow, and a little bumpy. Since I did Skippy's race school in 1999, I haven't been back to the track. I really did want to run there again someday. Looks like it probably won't happen though. Too bad. I really did like our little New England roadcourse.

[enjoythemusic]

Umm... that is the character of the track. Fast, (somewhat) safe, narrow, and a little bumpy.

(Apologies for rant, NOT directed at Scooter... and just ranting and blowing off steam here)

A little bumpy? Like you, i enjoy LRP and (for me) was the first track ever on with both tintop and open wheel car. But a little bumpy is an understatement. Maybe if you have a consumer car cushy ride like a Mercury Grand Marque or Cadillac, but try it with a proper race car. Also, have you spoken with ANY the ALMS driver who did LRP in 2007? i have.

Oh, and odds are you guys do not have your car 'float' at the righthander, have your car 'launch' at top of hill (with rear tire wiggle just a touch now and again once they 'land', etc). i ENJOY some risk and the foat and fly and wiggle, yet the bumpy front straight needs much attention as does the severe dip at the apex during the Downhill....

Anywho, the re-pave is MUCH needed and hope they keep current config and then ADD some tarmac for wussy, er um, lesser challenging for guys with $100k to burn and no driving talent (read: more money than brains club). If i wanted pure safe i'd stay at home. Oh, wait, most home accidents happen in the bathroom so hope you guys do not mind that i never take showers.

Signed,

Bubble Boy
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[enjoythemusic]

http://www.apexspeed.com/forums/showthr ... 906&page=3
Good thing we aren't planning on going there.

Bruce, been reading that thread with interest since it began a while back. M. Rand has some great posts. Not just on page 3 either, so for those who want to read the entire thread see http://www.apexspeed.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25906

Note to self: Steven, never throw away $4k into a track membership. Either own the track outright... or part of it... or just wait for an SCCA/COMSCC event to visit it.

[WillM]

I'm with Stephen. The track surface deteriorated year after year without any attention (as far as I could tell). It is what us New Englanders call "wicked bumpy".

[enjoythemusic]

BTW: for those seeking a comparison, see the sheer amount of head movement and steering wheel movement in these two videos of LRP versus NHIS. While these are not my best laps (why give competition an advantage), they are telling about the smoothness of the track surface.

Both were September races only 2 weeks apart, so weather conditions were about the same

LRP = http://www.enjoythetrack.com/video/lrp0 ... 092407.wmv

NHIS = http://www.enjoythetrack.com/video/nhis ... t_race.wmv

[rajito]

I wonder if they will pave over the marsh on the left of the left hander. That would be sad.

Raj

[WillM]

Well, if they pave over the marsh on the right side of the left hander, Mickey will have to take mud baths elsewhere.

Perhaps the "clubhouse" at LRP will feature a day spa?

[conehunter]

Hey! Thats my swimming hole your talking about.

[rajito]

Ahhhh the good old days!!!




Raj

[Scooter70]

Umm... that is the character of the track. Fast, (somewhat) safe, narrow, and a little bumpy.

(Apologies for rant, NOT directed at Scooter... and just ranting and blowing off steam here)

A little bumpy? Like you, i enjoy LRP and (for me) was the first track ever on with both tintop and open wheel car. But a little bumpy is an understatement. Maybe if you have a consumer car cushy ride like a Mercury Grand Marque or Cadillac, but try it with a proper race car. Also, have you spoken with ANY the ALMS driver who did LRP in 2007? i have.

Steven,
To be honest, I haven't been to LRP since '99 so my memory is a little blurry. At that time, we were in the little Barber Dodges on "street tires" so I'm sure it was smoother than an ALMS car.

I seem to remember being at the Vintage Festival in the early 90s when they were raising funds to "Pave the Park" with an auction. My dad and I wanted to bid on Scott Sharp's TransAm car front fascia but there was no way we were going to get it home in the back of a '64 Corvette.

-Matt

[offcamber09]

To be honest, I haven't been to LRP since '99 so my memory is a little blurry.
-Matt

This is a long shot, but I did the 3 day skippy school in 1999. If you were in the class that the guy lost it at the uphill on day 1 and broke his thumb- we were in the same class. My Formula Dodge had full treaded H-rated Michelins and most of the others had well worn V-rated Michelins. I blamed that on my slow lap times

-Scott

[enjoythemusic]

Matt,

Wow, wish i was ther back in 1999. Again, my rant was NOT directed at anyone, it is just i have sentimental thing for LRP, being my first track and all. My first track time ever was in the Barber cars three years ago and yes those cars are more forgiving then the F2000 or (i assume) an ALMS car. Even in the mere three years the track has really gone off.

Of course one could argue i could have lowered the spring rate and adjust the dampers/sways for the track, yet then i'd need to raise ride height to keep from bottoming out. While this would make for a more forgiving ride, it would also probably be slower. Well, here is to the new paving and hopes for better times.

[Scooter70]

This is a long shot, but I did the 3 day skippy school in 1999. If you were in the class that the guy lost it at the uphill on day 1 and broke his thumb- we were in the same class. My Formula Dodge had full treaded H-rated Michelins and most of the others had well worn V-rated Michelins. I blamed that on my slow lap times

-Scott

Scott,
I don't seem to remember anyone breaking a thumb. I remember that it was the week of the baseball All-Star game so it was mid-July. The game was at Fenway and a buddy of mine was supposed to get us tickets. I was planning to run the day at Lime Rock, drive to Boston for the game, and make it back in time for class the next day. The tickets fell through, so I just watched the game from my hotel room.

[offcamber09]

This is a long shot, but I did the 3 day skippy school in 1999. If you were in the class that the guy lost it at the uphill on day 1 and broke his thumb- we were in the same class. My Formula Dodge had full treaded H-rated Michelins and most of the others had well worn V-rated Michelins. I blamed that on my slow lap times

-Scott

Scott,
I don't seem to remember anyone breaking a thumb. I remember that it was the week of the baseball All-Star game so it was mid-July. The game was at Fenway and a buddy of mine was supposed to get us tickets. I was planning to run the day at Lime Rock, drive to Boston for the game, and make it back in time for class the next day. The tickets fell through, so I just watched the game from my hotel room.

Now that I think of it, my school was right after the Vintage races- Sept. or so.