Latest news on LimeRock "club"

[Steve Maxwell]

The Mosport Nat. is the best race on the calendar. Crossing the boarder is easy. Eddie, you should definitely come up for it!

[Andy Bettencourt]

Just to follow up on the configuration of the track...

I sat in on one of Skip's presentations to a group of prospects. His design seems to be to square off some of the corners (slow them down) INSIDE of the current config. It will be the 'Club' course. The original track config will remain according to the presentation.

[stonebridge20]

Looks like memberships are selling like hot cakes !



-----Original Message-----
From: "Stephan Condodemetraky" <scondo@limerockclub.com>

Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008
To:"Stephan Condodemetraky" <scondo@limerockclub.com>
Subject: THE CLUB AT LIME ROCK PARK INTRODUCES - ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIPS INTRODUCED!!


Dear Members & Prospective Members:

NEWS RELEASE Contact: Deb Daigle
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ddaigle@montagnecommunications.com
(603) 644-3200 x 12

THE CLUB AT LIME ROCK PARK INTRODUCES
ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIPS

For Those That Love the Idea but Need an Alternative Solution

Lakeville, CT (20 March 2008) – Track President, Skip Barber, and board members of The Club at Lime Rock Park have unveiled Phase Two of The Club memberships, an alternative solution for prospective members. To date, a full Founding Membership has been the only option available at $110,000 ($100,000 initiation fee plus $10,000 Connecticut Dues Tax). However, for those that love the idea but want another financial option, they can now become an Associate Member - a ten-year membership that allows drivers ten track dates per season, as well as several Club amenities. The $27,500 ($25,000 initiation fee plus $2,500 Dues Tax) Associate Membership can be re-sold or credited at any time towards a full Membership.

“Many potential members have told us they really want to join the Club but can’t make a large outlay now,” states Barber. “The Associate Membership allows them to start in a modest way, still getting a lot of track time and then upgrading their membership when they’re able.”

Membership Information and Benefits:

Full Founding Member Associate Member
Initiation Fee + CT Dues Tax $110,000 $27,500
Term of membership 50 years 10 years
Track Time (per year/per member) 60 of 60 dates 10 of 60 dates



-more-
Club at LRP Announces Associate Memberships
March 20, 2008
Page 2

Qualified Driver Guests Unlimited with fee None
Non-Driver Guests Unlimited Unlimited
Tickets to Lime Rock Park Public Events 4 VIP 2 VIP
Clubhouse Access Yes Yes
Vehicle Storage Yes Yes


Club Member, Matt Meehan – who also serves on the Member Board – notes, “I’ve spoken with many prospective members who would love the Club at Lime Rock Park experience, but need another option to a full Founding Membership. I believe this new Associate Membership addresses their need.”

To date, The Club at Lime Rock Park has 118 member commitments. Revenue from memberships is being used to fund a series of track improvements, which include additional new course options, while at the same time preserving its classic footprint by smoothing the surface and improving safety. Lime Rock Park is scheduled to break ground on track upgrades this spring and re-pave the road course in June.

The Club at Lime Rock Park (www.limerockclub.com) is an exclusive, members-only motorsports club for automotive enthusiasts. The Club caters to drivers of high-performance vehicles who use the track for pleasure as well as business.

Lime Rock Park is nestled comfortably in the lush green foothills of the Berkshire Mountains and is widely recognized as one of the most beautiful and historic road racing facilities in North America. A perfect setting for a motorsports club, Lime Rock Park has the only club currently open in the Northeast.

For more information, please contact Scott Tranchemontagne or Deb Daigle at 603.644.3200, or visit www.limerockclub.com.

Please call me with any questions!

Stephan Condodemetraky
President, Club Member Sales
The Club at Lime Rock Park

[rickb99]

....."The Associate Membership allows them to start in a modest way, still getting a lot of track time....."

10 track days at $2,700 per day is a "LOT" of track time and a good deal? Man, those people live in a totally different world then we do out here.

I have to think twice about whether to buy 2 as needed Dzus fasteners or 4 to have a couple of spares.

[John Nesbitt]

....."The Associate Membership allows them to start in a modest way, still getting a lot of track time....."

10 track days at $2,700 per day is a "LOT" of track time and a good deal? Man, those people live in a totally different world then we do out here.

The $27.5K buys you a 10-year membership (=100 days, or $275/day). Of course, there are also annual charges as well.

No doubt this will be attractive to Bear Stearns stockholders, who went to bed on Friday with $30 shares, and woke up with $2 shares. (I outsmarted them, and invested my pension in Lotto tickets. )

[Tom Valet]

It's official, both of the June Regionals have been canceled due to the re-paving schedule. From the NESSCA website:

LRP Repaving - Races Canceled

Lime Rock Park will start moving earth on May 27th and about 7 days later workers will start paving. The plan is to repave the existing track and add two more configurations. The timeline is weather dependent and rain could change the schedule. The paving is expected to be completed during the first week in June and will need a three to four week curing time.

The MoHud race scheduled for June 7th and the NER race scheduled for June 21st have both been canceled. The track has offered us other dates including July 4th and August 23rd; however these are not good dates because they conflict with other NARRC events.

[stonebridge20]

Well,.....Here it is! all the gory details of how Skippy is turning Limerock into a play ground for pussys. My take is that all test days will be run on the wanker boy track as all test days will include one run group for "members" only. BTW; test day prices are now $275 and you get less sessions due to the forth "members" group. I don't think you will ever see another pro race held on the REAL LRP course again due to "safety". The two regionals in June are canceled as Tom reported. The National put on by NNJR is NOT set in stone. NNJR is on the fence as to weather they can afford to put on a national race at LRP. A decision should be made at their April 8th meeting. That leaves the NARRC Runoffs as the ONLY confirmed SCCA race at LRP as of now.
Below is a link to a detailed site plan for what was once known as the "Road racing center of the East". I think those days are over. Thanks for remembering your roots Skip.


http://www.timlinerud.com/racing/Lim..._Changes-1.pdf

[Steve Maxwell]

Aaaaaawwwwww! Well it was fun while it lasted. I think we won't ever turn a wheel on the "new" sections though Mike. Skip and "they" wouldn't want us to adulterate their club configuration with our "inferior" cars and driving abilities. Puking our vile, filthy, lowly, substandard fluids on their precious, pristine, virgin club track.

Notice the downhill is unchanged. I guess the slower westbend will emasculate the downhill enough for the "pro's".

SEM

[Don Denomme]

I assume that they will be moving the registration shack on the outside of West Bend to make room for the track mods. Just as well. They would be digging the 'wankers' out of the 'port-a-potty' on a regular basis. One thing that's not very clear is the new pit entrance for the old course. It looks as though you slow down at West Bend (which will screw up all the cars running behind) and enter before the bridge. That should raise the 'pucker-factor' at that corner higher than it already is.

[Paul LeCain]

Looking at this carefully, it seems to me that the 'old' track will be even faster than it is today.

I'm assuming the whole thing will be repaved. The last time that happened, speeds increased.

The entrance to no-name looks like its wider to the inside, meaning the right-hander is not as sharp as it was.

West bend also has a wider approach than before. It looks like the apex has been widened slightly.

The downhill, already flat in many cars, gets a curb on the outside. I can't tell if it's a curb you can lean on.

The exit from the left-hander also gets a curb.

[Bob Devol]

Take a close look: Wilson is recommending that the run-off area in The Downhill be completely paved. That's not a terrible idea.

I just hope we can keep running on a repaved original course.

[Michael Rand]

Here's a heads up guys, and a contest.
New York Region, the region who puts the NARRC Runoffs on, are thinking about running this new abomination in September for the 2008 Regional season finale.
We collectively need to lobby long and loud for one last great blast of the NARRCOFFS on the traditional, historical, unadulerated, unemasculated classic Lime Rock Park.
I am now proposing a contest.
This contest has no prize or glory.
The contest is to be the......
"Name the Newest Track in Northwest Connecticut" contest.
Because it sure as hell won't be Lime Rock Park to anyone who ever raced there before.......

[Steve Maxwell]

Skipny Land. Now that the track is Mickey Mouse!

I hope we can run the original configuration; repaved it will be awesome and ridiculously FAST!

[rmccown]

As an experiment, I took the new layout, and superimposed it over the Google earth photo of LRP.

http://rmccown.org/images/fark/lrp_new.jpg

[FVRacer21]

I hope the don't neuter No-Name and just forget to pave the old straight......

For FV the "modified" course will be better in that the NHIS guys will not have to change gearboxes - it will make it a shortbox track.

Is the turn at West Bend going to be a chicane or use the pit lane part to be another esses?

In a low hp car like FF and FV, the modified course will probably provide a few more passing opportunities, elimiate the pucker factor; for a car like an Atlantic or GT1, probably a little more fun (just guessing - no experience.....)

Probably better for the regions to wait till after the ALMS race before making any decisions.

Wonder how many pages will be needed for all the track records - especially if different configurations allowed. I can just see

FF Track record 57.5 *NTU0WA

* New track, Uphill Option, West Bend option "A"

ChrisZ

[Steve Maxwell]

Uuuummmm...the new configuration in a FF will SUCK. It will suck in a FV too. It will suck in EVERYTHING. With all due respect FVR21, in a momentum car,like FF,FV, all formula cars, and low HP sedans old LRP was awesome because of the high speed momentum aspect. Passing was not that difficult on the original corse IF you planned it and set it up properly. I understand that the gearbox swap will be negated but.... The last thing we need is ANOTHER point and squirt track!

No more medium speed corners!!


Just my .02

SEM

[Michael Rand]

Quite a change, from a great momentum ballsy suck it up almost oval mindset to a chicane littered point and squirt joint.
Bah, humbug......
I just hope J D King is right about NJMP's Lightening Course, he says it is gonna be serious fast.......

[captaineddie1975]

This is awful but perhaps I've misread the skippy parts..it appears to me that the SCCA track will remain as it was for the most part and that all these little jigs and jogs will be for the very rich. It's a shame to see this as I took my original baby steps in one of Skip's Crossle 35s at the 3 day school in Nov 82. Also is that pit lane entrance the only one? That is a long haul to the pits. It seems from the chart that much of the B Paddock will be gone. Expect many will have to paddock on the hill perhaps more than do now. I don't remember who told me but there was some consideration in removing the old bridge. Seeing the new pit lane entrance maybe all of us will have to tow across the track and into the pit lane..I hope not.

[stonebridge20]

Here's a heads up guys, and a contest.
New York Region, the region who puts the NARRC Runoffs on, are thinking about running this new abomination in September for the 2008 Regional season finale.
We collectively need to lobby long and loud for one last great blast of the NARRCOFFS on the traditional, historical, unadulerated, unemasculated classic Lime Rock Park.
I am now proposing a contest.
This contest has no prize or glory.
The contest is to be the......
"Name the Newest Track in Northwest Connecticut" contest.
Because it sure as hell won't be Lime Rock Park to anyone who ever raced there before.......

I think to keep it upscale, it should be something French like Mangeurs de Fromage curcuit

Translation,......Cheese eaters curcuit!

LRP will no longer be known as "The road racing center of the East" It will now be known as "The cheese eating center of the east"

[rmccown]

Does this mean pinkies up in the paddock?

[Beartrax]

There will be more pink shirts in the paddock, but not tongue-in-cheek like the Fat Boys

[stonebridge20]

With the amount of views this thread has, there has to be some contractors out there that could gestimate what a project of this size would cost to do. The site plans are right there for your review.
With 118 "members" Skip has at $100K ($110K minus the $10K tax) that's $11.8 million. With the "offer" of assoc memberships now on the table, Skip must be getting nervous that there is not going to be the "300 limited memberships" sold as he hoped for and he's starting to panic. I know that land around the track was purchassed (14 acres I think) to be able to move the entrance and crossover bridge at I can only imagine how much money. Can the "upgrades" or "downgrades" as I like to call them plus a clubhouse be completed and built for $11.8Mill minus the price of 14 lush green Connecticut acres of land?
I would love to here profesional opinions. If you don't want to post it here, Email me directly.

[EACIII]

I think they should follow in Prince's lead and call it "The track formerly know as Lime Rock". Now all I have to do is take the Wilson pdf drawing and get some Tee shirts made with the track layout and new name (see above).

Ed

[Michael Rand]

I like Eddie Callos idea...."The Track Formerly Known as Lime Rock".
Put me down for a couple of XL's, a couple of L's and M's as well.
et's see, shirt color, something that doesn't hide or show track dirt to much, maybe
RED ?
I'll work on it.......

[Maureen Harris]

I like Eddie Callos idea...."The Track Formerly Known as Lime Rock".
Put me down for a couple of XL's, a couple of L's and M's as well.
et's see, shirt color, something that doesn't hide or show track dirt to much, maybe
RED ?
I'll work on it.......

Name the track formerly known as Lime Rock, eh?

My contribution: Skippit (as in "Skip" It)

And I thought the T-shirt color would be obvious, Mike - bright, screaming, LIME green!

[rmccown]

Lime Rock Park 1957-2008
Lime Rock Playground 2008-

[ric baribeault]

hey rand, sorry for joining the fray a bit late, but i think yellow is an appropriate color as that seems to be the general concensus of member day speed. and for the other mike... as a friend and health care professional, i feel compelled to advise you to stop holding back and tell us how you really feel or i'm afraid you might pop something....ric

[LolaT440]

How does the insurance work for the track? Does SCCA cover the cost of the event or does LRP pay for insurance for the event?

By default , LRP is saying the Old Layout is too dangerous and needs a slower design. So if something happens, now you can sue because they are allowing you to run on something they know is too dangerous.

So in this day, wouldn't you expect an insurance company to say we will not insure events on the old course? Or make it so expensive to not run it?

I think what bothers me an a lot of people, is that LRP seems to want to make it difficult and expensive for the SCCA, real club racers,to race there. And that is how the place came to be.

Maybe the unconscious socialist in me thinks SCCA should get a price break and the private clubs with the $$ should pay an additional fee. The "Club Racers Particiation Fee" of an additional $50 or something if the dollars are critical.

Maybe we should take those old LRP Dates that are canceled and host some kind of Race Car show and autocross in CT, with all the money going to Palmer.

Or make an old LRP effigy and burn it at the last race while chanting "Skippy". Make a bog and burn some cars while we are at it. Go out in style, make the news and history books. It will end , so lets do something the grandchildren can laugh about.

[John Merriman]

Why doesn't somebody just call the track and ask what configuration will be used for SCCA races? (You have the phone number, don't you Mike?) That might be better than all this innuendo and "conspiracy theory" stuff - even though it does make for some good off-season fun on the internet! Hey, I mean it looks to me like the "Track Formerly Known as Lime Rock" will still be there and that there will simply be alternate layouts attuned to other purposes deemed to be valid. What's wrong with that? And what if introducing one of the new turns in the layout now and then "turned" out to be blast? Track designer Alan Wilson's no dummy! Announcing the death of the Road Racing Center of the East seems a bit presumtuous.

[Michael Rand]

John,
My post regarding the 2008 NARRC Runoffs was because a New York Region official called me and proposed that they use the latest version for the NARRCOFFS.
Allegedly the track configuration option is the track renter/users and not dictated by the track, so calling the track office would most likely get a confused silence on the other end of the phone call. The turnover of knowledgeable staff has accelerated recently.
Have you ever raced on an Alan Wilson track ? Kershaw/CMP ? BeaveRun ? His street course experience seems to carry over to his purpose built track configurations.
His slow corners tend to be real slow and unless I miss my bet these extensions will be very much the antithises of what Lime Rock has been for it's first 50 years.
Hopefully the on the ground engineering will be appropriate and not rushed. Remember, they have a brief window of time to get all the grading, sub-base, base coat and top coat asphalt work done in order for it to cure for at least a few weeks. Any weather glitches and it will be major problems. Then there is the reconfiguations of the corner stations for the available options, curbing sufficent and appropriate, barriers/tire walls/debris fencing, it is a huge job to get done in 30 days. Not that it can't be done, I am just glad I have no part to play in it.
SCCA racing is always covered by SCCA Risk Management. And anyway, tracks have been changed many many times, that does not imply it was to dangerous before simply someone believed they had a better idea. For spectator events the track buys Event Liability and Spectator Insurance but the participants are always covered by the sanctioning body of the cars on course at any given time. That means when there is Grand Am [the 6 Hour], NASCAR [Busch East or North or whatever the hell it is to be called in 2008], SCCA Pro [World Challenge GT and Touring] and IMSA [Formula Mazda] sanctioned races on a single weekend, like there is at Watkins Glen on the 6 Hour weekend in June, the workers and drivers protection for Participant Accident Insurance is provided by the organization whose cars are on track at that moment. Yes, that means there are at a minimum 4 different PA Policies bought for that one weekend.
Keep in mind gang, SCCA-specifically New England and MoHud Regions-were offered the extended 4th of July time window, it is actually a 2.5 unmuffed window in 2008 through one of the vagaries of the Injunction, but turned it down. Then the Double NARRC was scheduled at Pocono and it is hard to imagine any region taking the risk of not losing a huge amount of money given the Lime Rock track rental expense of trying to run opposite a double NARRC, even if it is at Pocono.

[John Merriman]

Joe, one point you make I agree with and I even offered up before right here on Apex: Skip came from SCCA so perhaps he should consider having mercy by reducing SCCA weekend rates and offsetting that reduction with the "Club" income! What could be more appropriate?

And, hey, speaking of Palmer, what's up with that? The Palmer info website hasn't been updated in a year!!

Mike, I appreciate your further comments but I find the rampant whinging about what Skip has decided to do with his track to be a bit tiresome. I mean, for cryin' out loud, the washboards will be gone, drivers' dental fillings won't be shaken loose every lap and the runoff areas will be much improved. What more could anyone ask.......except for lower weekend rental rates?

[Roux]

I think the whining is justified. Remember when Jake Lamont and others got a whole bunch of us fired up, and ultimately slightly united, towards a common enemy. The danger to our class posed by parts shortages and limited engines for newbies or even existing car owners to purchase. Here we go again. If we get people talking to NYR, NER and MOHUD, maybe we can get the configuration we want scribbled into the Supps. If we stay silent we are leaving it all to some other force to decide if we get to drive our racecars on a gokart track, or on a scary, fast real race track. The loss of the bumps is a must, whether it is the classic configuration or the tight one. I don't enjoy New Hampshire and I doubt I will enjoy the new LRP for about the same reasons. With the proximty of LRP to our homes here it would really be fun if we could race the fast version, with fewer bumps, a bit better runoff if available and without having to pay a ridiculously high entry fee. Probably too much to ask for, but again, if we don't squeak we will not get the grease.

So building up the awareness of what could happen if we don't unite and act is a good thing. When it comes time to send letters and petitions to get what we want, at least the groundwork is done. For that matter, those who are in favor of the circuit fromage layout can understand who they have to convince.

One thing we should find out soon is this. how many sanctioning bodies and clubs will use the classic? If it is rarely used, you can kiss it goodbye. We will have to watch what the pro series do when they are there in July but I predict that if it is only an SCCA deal and then only sometimes, at some point the effort to put the fast course configuration together will lose out.

[stonebridge20]

and for the other mike... as a friend and health care professional, i feel compelled to advise you to stop holding back and tell us how you really feel or i'm afraid you might pop something....ric[/quote]

Pop? POP? I could freakin SPIT I'm so damn mad! What's that stuff you use to knock out your paitents with? Whatever it is, send some of it up here!

[stonebridge20]

Name the track formerly known as Lime Rock, eh?

My contribution: Skippit (as in "Skip" It)

And I thought the T-shirt color would be obvious, Mike - bright, screaming, LIME green!

I think we have a winner! The T-shirt should have a picture of the I can't even say it! Alright, the "new" (FU-K I said it) track layout from the PDF and Skipit in the middle of the track. I'm down for a half dozen. Anybody wana get this done?

[Steve Maxwell]

Roux is right (again). I will NEVER attend a RACE on the formage track. I would attend a SCDA driving club event on it but that is not racing. With any luck The formage track will be for C/C members only and "the rest of us" won't ever turn a wheel on formage.

SEM

Mike A, put me down for two in medium please....

[Michael Rand]

Cheese and "Pro Racing"
You can be absolutely positively sure that IMSA/ALMS will be on the cheesier version, hard to imagine NASCAR Busch East-North-whatever the hell it's name is now using the latest, can you imagine the braking issues those taxi cabs would have trying to stop 4 times each 1.5 mile [1.6 now ?] lap., Vintage ? Anyone's guess. Grand Am precedes all this by a day as the construction equipment will be staged ready to roll Tuesday am May 27, but in 2009 ?

Re "Skip-it" shirts for the track formerly known as Lime Rock, I am in for a dozen.

[Andy Bettencourt]

This just in:

Each group will be able to run whatever configuration they want. The original one will stay intact as promised.

If you have a desire for a certain config, let your local comp board know!!!

[stonebridge20]

Here's some LRP pic's taken by a guy over on the production car web site.





http://www.timlinerud.com/racing/Lime_Rock/

[John Merriman]

"The original one will stay intact as promised."

WOW! Amazing news! The "Track Formerly Known as Lime Rock" will still be there!

[Paul LeCain]

I always had the impression that it would. The changes plan looked like it integrated the two tracks. Maybe that's why I missed a certain amount of the fuss about this.