LRP pictures

[0100]

http://www.cwnicholls.net/limerock/2006LimeRock01/

[Doc Bro]

It looks like they're reworking the uphill turn where Adam Zimmerman ws killed last season.

R

[RSTPerformance]

wow, just what we need a street course with trees on the other side of the guardrails and fences rather than buildings...


Also did you notice the turns with exception to the uphill have Less run off room... for example the downhill???

Not sure why they needed to ruin the "prestigeouse" look of the track by making it into a NHIS circle track or better yet a copy of the Watkins Glenn Nascar short track...

Soon we will have full course yellows for a local spin...

Disapointing... but we will wait to see the end results before we get really disapointed...

Raymond

[RSTPerformance]

0100-

I just wanted to post again and thank you for the updated pictures...

Raymond

PS: Are you eric? If so awsome webpage... :023: even though it isn't an IT car ;)

[16v]

:( damn, just about all the sitelines I use for shooting images are now fenced over.

[0100]

Originally posted by RSTPerformance@Jan 23 2006, 03:04 AM
wow, just what we need a street course with trees on the other side of the guardrails and fences rather than buildings...
Also did you notice the turns with exception to the uphill have Less run off room... for example the downhill???

Not sure why they needed to ruin the "prestigeouse" look of the track by making it into a NHIS circle track or better yet a copy of the Watkins Glenn Nascar short track...


71628


I agree. I don't know why they are adding armco around the entire track. The only spot I felt was unsafe was the uphill with no runoff & tire wall.

Dennis McCarthy posted these pictures on the formula board so he is really the one to thank. I just figured people on IT.com would like to see them.


Originally posted by RSTPerformance@Jan 23 2006, 03:21 AM
Are you eric? If so awsome webpage... :023: even though it isn't an IT car ;)

71633


Thanks Raymond! My site is getting old and I never update it. :( I just started to build an entire new site(v2) that I will actually try to keep updated. :rolleyes: I hope to be done by March.

You guys have an awesome site too!! Tons of stuff to check out. :023:

[lateapex911]

yea, odd "improvements"

some are obviously good ideas for the workers.

but removing runoff room is never good!

and the fences? They don't look like they can stop much. which makes their installation on no name curious.

i like the uphill work.

I just hope we don't see gravel traps infront of all that new guardrail.

[StephF]

I was wondering if all that *lovely* chain link fence on No-name was to limit wheels and such from flying into the swamp. Could that be something they are doing to try to appease the town or state on environmental issues???

You never really get many cars (or workers! :D ) flying into the swamp on driver's left from Non-name, so perhaps there is more pressure on the track to have more environmental regulations.

Unfortunately, LRP has always been a square peg in a round hole there. The neighbors in the area aren't happy at having some noisy, messy 'neighbor' foul the air that they have to breathe, and they really get cranky if they are traveling from the train station to their 38 room cottage, and there are (GASP :blink: )RACER'S in the way with their tacky trailers with all that, ICKY lettering and such! I mean, they bought this cottage so they wouldn't have to have traffic! That's why they only have a Hummer with a brush guard for the commute.

My personal favorite over the years has been the NYC second home people who buy a home near the track for less than it would sell in a 'nicer' (read further away from the track) and THEN they lobby to close the racetrack and complain endlessly that the track is ruining their home's value, and their piece of mind. That's the same mentality of people who buy them in the flight path of an airport, and try to have the airport moved. :018:

Most (although not all) of the remaining folks who have been there since the track opened have been fine with it. It's another business operation, like an airfield, or a local Rod & Gun club that holds shooting competitions.

Anyway, I'd better stop. This has long been a thorn in my side....and it's not likely to change. I just hope that they don't one day succeed and close LRP for good. :(

The 3-high guardrail along the straight is badly needed. And re-configuring the uphill's runoff is probably necessay (there have been at least 2 deaths there that I'm aware of in the past decade)

But the rest of it is butt-ugly. :angry:

[JLawton]

Yes, it looks like they are re-working the up-hill, but not at the spot that is the issue......

ALso not sure I like the area before the bridge on the right. Need tires, not armco........

[gran racing]

I'm guessing that part of the rationale for some of the extra fencing is to prevent deer from entering the track. I've seen many get very close to the track.

[benspeed]

I like the improvements at the uphill. The track must have dropped many tons of fill there. I doubted they would ever be able to improve the runoffs there - that is a big safety improvement.

But all the fencing - safer, but sure is uglier.

If the runoff at the downhill has been reduced as much as it appears I worry about a car bouncing back into traffic....

[7racing]

Originally posted by 16v@Jan 23 2006, 03:58 AM
:( damn, just about all the sitelines I use for shooting images are now fenced over.

71638


Yeah, I can agree with that. First thing I thought of was no more blueflags from ANY corner station! Look at the sightline down the front straight from the entrance of bigbend (or really, try looking through a fence all day long). The safety improvements aren't very good (from a workers point of view...).

How many of us have seen an incident along No-Name straight where corner workers are helping use from driver's left? Where is there a hole in the fence for anyone to get out of the way or run to the car safely? (not that running on that berm was safe to begin with).

Where is there a hole in the fence from westbend to the front straight on drivers left? Again, where are the corner workers going to come from when someone needs assistant from crashing in the "improved" downhill?

Oh, and where did Grid go? looks like pit lane got extended into the grid area (though that should be easily addressed by us). However, it looks like Grid will not be very secure from passersby (i.e. little kids running around).

Ugh....I should wait till they are done with the improvements. This might really work out well.

Jeremy

[RSTPerformance]

Jeremy-

Good catch on the issues workers will help... really just makes me worry that more incidents will be full course yellows...

As for grid, looks like that will be moving into the only dry area of 'B" paddock... Maybe the Main paddock will once again be "the place to be"


Raymond

[Mark Gregory]

Originally posted by 7racing@Jan 23 2006, 03:49 PM
Yeah, I can agree with that. First thing I thought of was no more blueflags from ANY corner station! Look at the sightline down the front straight from the entrance of bigbend (or really, try looking through a fence all day long). The safety improvements aren't very good (from a workers point of view...).

How many of us have seen an incident along No-Name straight where corner workers are helping use from driver's left? Where is there a hole in the fence for anyone to get out of the way or run to the car safely? (not that running on that berm was safe to begin with).

Where is there a hole in the fence from westbend to the front straight on drivers left? Again, where are the corner workers going to come from when someone needs assistant from crashing in the "improved" downhill?

Oh, and where did Grid go? looks like pit lane got extended into the grid area (though that should be easily addressed by us). However, it looks like Grid will not be very secure from passersby (i.e. little kids running around).

Ugh....I should wait till they are done with the improvements. This might really work out well.

Jeremy

71691

LOOKING AT THE PICTURES OF THE RUNOFF AREA AT THE UP HILL, WELL I HOPE THE WORK IS NOT FINISHED IN THIS AREA BECAUSE TO ME THIS LOOKS A BIGGER ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. IF THINGS GO WRONG AT THIS CORNER AND YOU END UP IN THIS RUN OFF AREA ITS GOING TO BE A NIGHTMARE. THIS SO CALLED RUN OF AREA IS NOT GOING TO SLOW A CAR DOWN IF IT LEAVES THE TRACK AT THIS POINT. IF YOU GO STREIGHT IN TO THIS AREA A CAR TRAVELLING AT CLOSE TO 100 MPH IS GOING TO GO STREIGHT THROUGH IT AND IN TO THE TREES . IF IT GETS IN TO IS SIDEWAYS ITS GOING TO FLIP AND ROLE. IF YOU PUT A WHEEL OF IN IT YOU MIGHT HAVE A SLIM CHANGE OF FIGHTING THE CAR BANK ON COURSE. I HOPE THIS IS NOT THE FINISHED PRODUCT OF SOMEONES ATEMPT AT MAKING THIS CORNER SAFER. WHAT ARE THEY THINKING OF ?

[16v]

after thinking about it today I can't help but think that a lot of these changes coincide with ALMS (or GrandAM) needs. That said, even the temp circuit in DC for the National GP a few years ago had photo holes and access openings for workers.
<<< see avatar


I&#39;m gonna need a lot of black spray paint if I&#39;m going to shoot thru that fencing B)

[lateapex911]

I agree, the armco getting closer to the track is worrisome. Will the armco be lined with tires? Lets hope so. Or will dreaded gravel pits be installed? Arrgggg.

ALMS is absolutely the driving force, I am sure.

Why give UP real estate when you don&#39;t have to?? I would prefer redoing the armcos on the present spots, and adding pavement between the track and them...maybe leaving a strip of grass at the edge of the track to define the driving area. Pavement is far better to me then gravel, or closer armcos!

[disquek]

It seems like the pictures were taken down (404).

Does anyone know of any other pics?

Thank you!
-Kyle

[7racing]

Originally posted by lateapex911@Jan 24 2006, 12:59 AM
I agree, the armco getting closer to the track is worrisome. Will the armco be lined with tires? Lets hope so. Or will dreaded gravel pits be installed? Arrgggg.

ALMS is absolutely the driving force, I am sure.

Why give UP real estate when you don&#39;t have to?? I would prefer redoing the armcos on the present spots, and adding pavement between the track and them...maybe leaving a strip of grass at the edge of the track to define the driving area. Pavement is far better to me then gravel, or closer armcos!

71792


My thought was that this probably a safer barrier/soft wall thing. I would guess that&#39;s a Grand Am (Nascar) requirement. Then again, they weren&#39;t needed for Busch North, so maybe it is an ALMS requirement.

And if that is true, I&#39;m not sure if a tire wall in front of it will be implemented. I just wonder if we will be billed for the styrofoam.

Jeremy

[benspeed]

Originally posted by Mark Gregory@Jan 23 2006, 10:25 PM
LOOKING AT THE PICTURES OF THE RUNOFF AREA AT THE UP HILL, WELL I HOPE THE WORK IS NOT FINISHED IN THIS AREA BECAUSE TO ME THIS LOOKS A BIGGER ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. IF THINGS GO WRONG AT THIS CORNER AND YOU END UP IN THIS RUN OFF AREA ITS GOING TO BE A NIGHTMARE. THIS SO CALLED RUN OF AREA IS NOT GOING TO SLOW A CAR DOWN IF IT LEAVES THE TRACK AT THIS POINT. IF YOU GO STREIGHT IN TO THIS AREA A CAR TRAVELLING AT CLOSE TO 100 MPH IS GOING TO GO STREIGHT THROUGH IT AND IN TO THE TREES . IF IT GETS IN TO IS SIDEWAYS ITS GOING TO FLIP AND ROLE. IF YOU PUT A WHEEL OF IN IT YOU MIGHT HAVE A SLIM CHANGE OF FIGHTING THE CAR BANK ON COURSE. I HOPE THIS IS NOT THE FINISHED PRODUCT OF SOMEONES ATEMPT AT MAKING THIS CORNER SAFER. WHAT ARE THEY THINKING OF ?

71781


They still have tons of fill left to drop and the barrier to build - couldn&#39;t be the finished product. They will need to make the grade even with the track, otherwise a car will just travel over the gravel trap - if no gravel trap then a safer barrier that will absorb impact and not rebound the car back into traffic.

[16v]

with all that square footage of armco going up, maybe it&#39;s part of a plan to sell lots of advertising (like on the boards in the NHL).

Big Bend, brought to you by McDonald&#39;s of Canaan etc etc

[gran racing]

Funny, just a few weeks ago many were posting on how there is no way LRP will ever do anything to make the uphill safer, yet here we are. The photos are really interesting and it is nice seeing some progress! But I think we need wait a little longer to see what the final plans look like.

[BobsAuto]

Originally posted by RSTPerformance@Jan 22 2006, 10:04 PM
wow, just what we need a street course with trees on the other side of the guardrails and fences rather than buildings...
Also did you notice the turns with exception to the uphill have Less run off room... for example the downhill???

Not sure why they needed to ruin the "prestigeouse" look of the track by making it into a NHIS circle track or better yet a copy of the Watkins Glenn Nascar short track...

Soon we will have full course yellows for a local spin...

Disapointing... but we will wait to see the end results before we get really disapointed...



I agree with you. Though I haven&#39;t been to Lime Rock for a few years, I enjoyed the virtually unobstructed view of the track. As someone else mentioned, (I think it was Jeremy), where can the driver go if he/she crashes into those fences...scale them? Looks like the flags will be harder to see as well. Even NASCAR doesn&#39;t fly flags from behind fences, they have platforms OVER the fences so the drivers can see the flags if the lights don&#39;t work. I&#39;ll definately have to get down there this year to see what this all brings about. I hope for your sakes, it&#39;s not more full course yellows, those are a royal pain and a waste for good racing. :119:

[JLawton]

Originally posted by 16v@Jan 24 2006, 12:25 PM
with all that square footage of armco going up, maybe it&#39;s part of a plan to sell lots of advertising (like on the boards in the NHL).

Big Bend, brought to you by McDonald&#39;s of Canaan etc etc

71901



The up hill could be sponsored by Billy Bob&#39;s Body Shop!!

[MaxEnergy]

Originally posted by JLawton@Jan 25 2006, 11:48 AM
The up hill could be sponsored by Billy Bob&#39;s Body Shop!!

72038


If I had to guess based on the uphill work they are doing it looks as if the chicane will be a permanent addition and the only way around.

[Greg Amy]

Originally posted by MaxEnergy@Jan 25 2006, 08:42 AM
If I had to guess based on the uphill work they are doing it looks as if the chicane will be a permanent addition and the only way around.
72047
Well, on one hand it would certainly resolve any safety concerns in that area. On the other hand, however, it would compeltely destroy the rhythm and "feel" of the track, turning the track into basically two long drag strips. Cars that excel in momentum and handling would be at a significant disadvantage; cars that excel in torque and acceleration would rule...

I drove the current (prior?) chicane in my street car once as part of an Audi club HPDE. It&#39;s fun and challenging and a nice chance of pace, but in my mind it&#39;s not "Lime Rock Park". - GA

[benspeed]

I hope it ain&#39;t so! No uphill takes away a big part of the fun factor. That is a great turn to t-up a pass and run hard into west bend. I think we&#39;d see more contact as guys would stack up into that turn in the first few laps of a race.

Greg - was is a 2nd gear turn in your street car?

[Michael Rand]

Hello gang, Mike Rand here, I am overseeing all this work at Lime Rock.
I have one request.
Wait until the work is done before going on the rev limiter.
It isn&#39;t even half way there as of today, Jan 25.
Of course the uphill is a huge work in progress, there are trees still to be removed, tons and tons more fill, eventually armco, catch fence, with substantial tire walls in front of the armco .And the grade away from the track will actually be slightly up to the barriers, not sloping down.
A whole lot of people yakking about something they don&#39;t have any first hand knowledge of. It seems there are those who think we are idiots and have no idea what we are doing.
As an open wheel driver I assure you, the changes will be a safer track for all.
Whoever posted saying the runoff at the downhill is being reduced is just wrong. All the tire barriers have been moved so the armco and fence work can get tone. Access, that&#39;s all. Jeez....They will all be returned to their place.
There will NO GRAVEL TRAPS, ANYWHERE, AT LIME ROCK.
There will be appropriate holes cut in fences for flagging, photography, worker and driver access.
Hell, the fence company just finished last Friday.
Give us a break....
I hope you folks will all settle down and let us finish the job.
Yes, there will be a new false grid. Yes, it takes up some of B Paddock. Yes, it should actually relieve congestion at the bottom of the paddock poads.
The whole place is a work in progress, lots af pavement in A paddock in the spring.
And yes, many of these safety upgrades were in fact dictated by IMSA/ALMS and Grand Am.
I promise I will not create any street course, as another poster suggested, the chicane will be the track renters option. I am re-engineering it as well, lower curbs, less steep ramps on the curbs, opened up as far as speed and car alignment, ie not aimed straight at the barriers, much more of a right-left-right flick rather than the way it was. There is absolutely NO intention to require any group to use the chicane. IMSA/ALMS is the only event where it is mandated, BY THE SANCTIONING BOdY !!!
Deep breath, everyone, it&#39;ll be ok. Wait until spring, ok?
Hey Clark, thanks for sticking a blow torch into the hornets nest.....
Mike Rand

[Doc Bro]

Mike,

Thanks for the update and setting the record straight. Glad to see there is a plan in place to improve some of the dangers that may have been lurking. Keep up the good work.

R

[7racing]

Yes, thanks for the update Mike!

I was (am) hoping the final outcome is a much improved LRP. I&#39;ll take a deep breath and wait till the finished product. :023:

Jeremy

[Jeremy Billiel]

Originally posted by Michael Rand@Jan 25 2006, 04:11 PM
Hello gang, Mike Rand here, I am overseeing all this work at Lime Rock.
I have one request.
Wait until the work is done before going on the rev limiter.
It isn&#39;t even half way there as of today, Jan 25.
Of course the uphill is a huge work in progress, there are trees still to be removed, tons and tons more fill, eventually armco, catch fence, with substantial tire walls in front of the armco .And the grade away from the track will actually be slightly up to the barriers, not sloping down.
A whole lot of people yakking about something they don&#39;t have any first hand knowledge of. It seems there are those who think we are idiots and have no idea what we are doing.
As an open wheel driver I assure you, the changes will be a safer track for all.
Whoever posted saying the runoff at the downhill is being reduced is just wrong. All the tire barriers have been moved so the armco and fence work can get tone. Access, that&#39;s all. Jeez....They will all be returned to their place.
There will NO GRAVEL TRAPS, ANYWHERE, AT LIME ROCK.
There will be appropriate holes cut in fences for flagging, photography, worker and driver access.
Hell, the fence company just finished last Friday.
Give us a break....
I hope you folks will all settle down and let us finish the job.
Yes, there will be a new false grid. Yes, it takes up some of B Paddock. Yes, it should actually relieve congestion at the bottom of the paddock poads.
The whole place is a work in progress, lots af pavement in A paddock in the spring.
And yes, many of these safety upgrades were in fact dictated by IMSA/ALMS and Grand Am.
I promise I will not create any street course, as another poster suggested, the chicane will be the track renters option. I am re-engineering it as well, lower curbs, less steep ramps on the curbs, opened up as far as speed and car alignment, ie not aimed straight at the barriers, much more of a right-left-right flick rather than the way it was. There is absolutely NO intention to require any group to use the chicane. IMSA/ALMS is the only event where it is mandated, BY THE SANCTIONING BOdY !!!
Deep breath, everyone, it&#39;ll be ok. Wait until spring, ok?
Hey Clark, thanks for sticking a blow torch into the hornets nest.....
Mike Rand

72086


With all of the safety improvements going in, any chance Skip can keep the wallet open a bit longer and work on adding showers and create nicer bathrooms? :023:

Hopefully these changes will take some of the bad taste out of many LRP fans mouths.

[Greg Amy]

Mike, thanks for taking the time to post. Relevant info is always appreciated...you guys have earned my personal admiration for taking the effort (and getting approvals) to make these type of improvements; I&#39;m on record as saying it could never be done...Kudos!

I personally hope SCCA does opt to run with the chicane on occasion.


Originally posted by benspeed@Jan 25 2006, 10:18 AM
Greg - was is a 2nd gear turn in your street car?
72077
Ben, do you mean with the chicane? As I recall, yes; this was in a turbocharged 5-cylinder Audi 200tq20v with suspension and power tweaks, but street tires (Dunlop, as I recall). It was a third gear corner without the chicane. - GA

[Michael Rand]

I forgot to mention, there are strengthening cables, actually 5/8" retired elevator cable, 3 rows of it to be attached to the back side [away from the track] of the fencing horizontally for added stregth. The cables are anchored and attached to the verticals with clamps. The fence on No-Name is because there is a stream, swamp, and beaver pond just over the berm. The cable will be installed as time allows in the spring, most likely impact areas first.

The fencing on the downhill drivers left is due to the trees and, once on the straight, the stream. The intent is to contain flying objects, be they wheels, suspension, or vehicles. Keeping cars out of woods and water hazards is considered a good plan. The only aspect needing attention will be fence repair in the event of significant fence damage.

The area to be false grid is actually one of the wetter areas in B paddock, it is under water right now. If you want dry go to the opposite corner. As long as gravity is in effect water will still flow from higher ground to lower ground.

And the runoff at the uphill is going to be paved. Asphalt will be a huge help in scrubbing speed, regaining control, changing direction and will solve erosion issues. Drainage will be adequate for all but the heaviest of downpours when we usually don&#39;t run anyway.

I repeat, runoff on drivers left in the downhill and onto the straight is not going to be lessened at all.

Mike Rand

[gran racing]

Looking forward to seeing what the end results will be like!

[benspeed]

Mike - thanks from all of us who race at LRP. We appreciate the info directly from those who are doing the work.

It&#39;s winter and everybody is cranky to go racing - with too much time on our hands we get to postulating.

[benspeed]

Originally posted by GregAmy@Jan 25 2006, 04:47 PM


I personally hope SCCA does opt to run with the chicane on occasion.
Ben, do you mean with the chicane? As I recall, yes; this was in a turbocharged 5-cylinder Audi 200tq20v with suspension and power tweaks, but street tires (Dunlop, as I recall). It was a third gear corner without the chicane. - GA

72101



Hi Greg - I&#39;d be up to try it. NNJR is going to run a muffled event on July 3rd and we can consider doing it then. I&#39;ll present the idea at our BOD meeting.

[imported_Webmaster]

Originally posted by Michael Rand@Jan 25 2006, 11:11 AM
Hello gang, Mike Rand here, I am overseeing all this work at Lime Rock.
I have one request.
Wait until the work is done before going on the rev limiter.

72086


Mike, Thanks for coming onto our forum and explaining in person. It is most appreciated.
:smilie_pokal:

...and to all you guys on the "rev limiter" :angry: :P

[lateapex911]

Mike, thanks for checking in!

I haven&#39;t kept up with your travels, but I remember you were the gm at LRP during some pretty good times, but left for other pusuits. Good to have you back. having you on the case is reassuring.

I read your post and think most changes are EXCELLENT...esp the uphill, where a double row of tires would have made a HUGE difference, but more PAVED runoff is even better!

I guess I misunderstood when I looked at the pictures, on the outside of the downhill, it looked like the posts that are driven in the ground for te new armco were 6 feet or so inside the old armco, but I guess I was mistaken.

I look forward to racing at a safer track.

Any thoughts on the showers? ;)

[JLawton]

Originally posted by lateapex911@Jan 25 2006, 09:13 PM

Any thoughts on the showers? ;)

72192


Forget the showers, I don&#39;t mind being stinky!! :blink: I&#39;d like to see some better drainage in "B", specially since we&#39;ll be losing some spaces......

Mike, forgive our rants, it&#39;s just we feell there has been some.........."communication" issues with LRP in the past.

[gran racing]

Mike, since we have your ear. :D Any possibility of not having bathroom attendants waiting to be tipped at events? When one pays a decent amount of money to get in as a spectator (or entrant) for events, this is very annoying.

[JamesB]

Originally posted by JLawton@Jan 26 2006, 07:52 AM
Forget the showers, I don&#39;t mind being stinky!! :blink: I&#39;d like to see some better drainage in "B", specially since we&#39;ll be losing some spaces......

Mike, forgive our rants, it&#39;s just we feell there has been some.........."communication" issues with LRP in the past.

72231



Hah! wait till you race around me and you will change your mind about showers. I am one rank boy after sweating all day.


Actually, I never thought I would see an attendant at a race track. That just seems wrong to me, its not like your at a upscale nightclub....ok even if the non upscale places in Baltimore and DC have attendants now.

[Michael Rand]

Those bathroom attendants have been a pet peeve of mine as well. I see their usefullness on a major weekend like Memorial Day, ALMS, Labor Day or Busch, but I will do everything I can to not have them there on amateur events.

I doubt the budget will run to any even remotely substantial upgrades to restrooms/showers.

On the downhill, the new posts are as close to the old ones as practical, maybe 2 &#39; at the most, and certainly nowhere close to 6&#39;.

There is a sincere desire on managements part to return LRP to a place all customers, be they racers, crew, workers, officials, especially spectators, vendors, etc are treated well and look forward to coming back to. That doesn&#39;t mean the rental prices will be rolled back to pre-2005 levels, but the staff is going to need to be user friendly. And staffing levels will return to a more appropriate and common sense level.

Believe me I well understand the lack of communication issue. Feel free to contact me directly, [email protected], if you get noresponse from the track office on questions.

I think we are making progress, slowly, but progress none the less.

[JamesB]

Mike that makes sense, I was mainly talking about club events, I can see the benifit to management to have attendants at the big events.

[gran racing]

This is not a criticism of the attendants - it is a good idea to have someone verify that the restrooms are in good shape periodically esp. during the major spectator events. But to have a gentleman sit at the entrance/exit with a tip jar especially considering the target market, well, isn&#39;t exactly the classiest thing. Evertime I go to the bathroom, I feel guilty if I don&#39;t tip the guy. There goes your beer sales. ;)

Upscale? Not the way it is done now. I&#39;m surprised track management does not receive more complaints about this even from the pro organizations that run there themselves. Pay the guy $50 more a day and not put a folding chair at the entrace. Sorry Mike, but it it has bothered me for some time now. Now that I got that out...

[Michael Rand]

No need to apologize to me, I have hated seeing that ever since it started. The plan is now to pay for real porters, no tips, all but invisible, just take care of the facilities. And look like you haven&#39;t just dragged yourselves out of the subway tunnels, and take a shower for God&#39;s sake.........
Like I said, progress, might be slow, but there is progress.
Don&#39;t expect porters for amateur races though, just the majors.....

[gran racing]

Sounds great! As said before, you communicating here is appreciated.

[RSTPerformance]

Mike-

First thank you for replying... the respect of you and Lime Rock has gone up in unmeasurable amounts. Many people feel that with rising costs for rent (probably the highest costs in North America with the Highest restrictions on use) that you and your organization really didn&#39;t care about your "everyday" club racer or thier organizations. Your reply certainly makes me feel as though you care now :happy204:

While I do respect you a lot more my originaly bitch I think is still justifiable...

I am glad to see you relooked at the pictures and saw that the armco has moved in closer to the track by at least 2 feet and probably more in some areas.
http://www.cwnicholls.net/limerock/2006LimeRock01/images/img_5895.jpg

As for my other comments, I don&#39;t think I will like all the new fencing or new guardrails, but you have to do what you have to do, you are a business, and while I think it will hurt the overall "historic" look of the track, it will bring it to a more modern level of safety, wich is in retrospect more important.

I think that your track will remind me a lot of Watkins Glen... Please do everything in your power to make the least amount of full course yellows, and make the tire walls easily fixable so that when/if someone hits them it doesn&#39;t end the race!!!

As for the bathrooms, I use the porta potty, its free and not as far of a walk from "B" padock!!!

Thank you again for responding...

Raymond Blethen

[Michael Rand]

Ray, the photo you attached is ON THE STRAIGHTAWAY, not in the downhill. It is actually AFTER the tire walls, before the crossover bridge.
The reason it is out from the original ? Erosion. The stream has eaten away the bank and several existing posts are all but hanging in the air. Not much of a safety barrier.
I was there again today and can assure you the new 3 rail armco drivers left from under the bridge to the tire wall through the downhill is in fact as close as feasible to the existing 2 rail, at most 3&#39; away.
See you in the spring.
Mike

[RSTPerformance]

Mike-

I only posted that picture as an example... I have used that area unfortunatly as runoff from errors in the downhill, so I would consider that part before the "road or bridge" as part of the downhill.

However it sounds to me like you are doing this to make it safer, not cause you want to but more cause you need to with the growing erosion problems... And this is a perfectly good reason that I could not see in the pictures, thus your clarification was needed (Thank you).

Thank you very much for the clarification, communication, and efforts to make Lime Rock safer, more efficint, and in the long run more fun for everyone involved.

Raymond

[StephF]

Hey.....who let the FENDER-LESS guy in here??

:P

Hi Mikey!!

[lateapex911]

hey...lets thank our lucky stars to have one of "us" in there!

[dpc]

Hey guys, let Mike do his job. He is very good at it. He knows what the drivers need. back off.....dave

[dpc]

Interesting comment on the SM site, the fences are there to keep Ken from fishing. dave

[16v]

Mike, when are you taking command?

[p99ro]

Hi Mike
I`m glad you are responding to this thread. I agree it looks out of place. Maybe paint trees and bushes with birds on the fences. One thing that everbody coments on is. Take in to fact the pro guys IMSA speed vision. The BUMPS. Can you roll or grind the track. I know people like to ride the grove on the down hill but it`s out of control anyway and the bumping is danger and problems. Or will you pave those. You must be spending a couple hundred thousand dollars. The guy before said back off let him do his job. Yes but anyone who does improvements knows feed back from people who drive it is your best feed back. BUt please don`t pull a I-95 lots of work and no real improvement. Kuto`s on the uphill that was a bad location. I had a freind have his steering wheel break in that corner. Lucky for him he made the turn then hit the gaurd rail.
Good luck I`m sure it will be fine.
Scott CRXsi NER ITA 07

[Michael Rand]

Hello again,
Regarding me taking charge again, don&#39;t hold your breath. I had that big bullseye on my back from late 1991 until spring of 1999. They haven&#39;t asked and I ain&#39;t interested. I am happy to do sub-contract specific scope of work jobs for the track, I will always love the place, but I don&#39;t want to be, nor do I need to be, in charge. But thanks for the sentiment.
Regarding grinding the track, I have an appointment with our asphalter/paving company next week and intend to fully investigate the grinding option. No guarantees, but it will be looked at carefully.
We will all miss the old Lime Rock racing through a country road feel, but as ever progress eventually catches up. I just hope all this work results in a safer track with fewer crashed cars and in time I thik we will all kind of put blinders on and the fences will blend in.
Remember before we paved the paddock roads in, what, mid 1990&#39;s ? New folks since then never knew it any other way. I suspect this will be the same in time.
Mike Rand

[gran racing]

Mike, since you were brave and came back for more...

What is the purpose behind much of that fencing? I speculated a few reasons; environmental, to keep the deer out, ???

From a spectators perspective, I really wish LRP had a better PA system! For the ALMS race this year, they did a fantastic job - I loved the "tvs" they had too! Any hope of bettering the announcer&#39;s broadcast / speaker system?

The score board. In most of the high profile races including the ALMS, there are multiple classes out on the track at the same time. While it is nice to know who the leaders are in the fastest class, it is almost impossible to know who the leaders are in other classes. I think it would be much more interesting for spectators to know how the other top 3 or 4 cars are.

Will LRP ever do a more comprehensive job with marketing their events? Unless you specifically follow LRP&#39;s site or go to the track for events, people tend to forget about it.

[Magical Trevor]

Don&#39;t wanna speak for Mike here but... well, I will :P
What I&#39;ve been told (which is what somebody was told by Mike) is that most of the fencing is being put in to move towards IMSA standards.
Having the PA system upgraded would be welcome however (at least at ALMS&#39; events) the iCard/TV/Radio Web system has worked pretty well-the tvs and iCards gave class positions while any radio could be tuned to the globecast broadcast. Not sure if 103.1 (IIRC, might have been 103.3) FM still broadcasts races as well, but they did so once.

[lateapex911]

Mike, since you were brave and came back for more...

From a spectators perspective, I really wish LRP had a better PA system! For the ALMS race this year, they did a fantastic job - I loved the "tvs" they had too! Any hope of bettering the announcer&#39;s broadcast / speaker system?[/b]

I thought I heard that the entire electronics package had been replaced at significant expense a year or two ago.....

[16v]

I don&#39;t know about Grand Am or Busch but ALMS brings portable score boards that cycle through the race positions. Their coverage is always top notch (10 events under my belt)

[Magical Trevor]

WATCH THIS SPACE!!

It seems Clark has gone to the track once again and taken more pictures; keep an eye on the original link (http://www.cwnicholls.net/limerock/2006LimeRock01/) for the new &#39;uns in the next few days...
:D

[RSTPerformance]

New pictures are up and it looks great...

What is Clarks connection to the track?

Raymond

[anthony1k]

Thank you Clark for the pictures.
It looks like significant improvement was made at the uphill. I&#39;m not sure whether all work has been completed yet. If it has, I&#39;m concerned that the tire barrier is a bit too short. In my opinion it should have been extended at least 30 feet before and 20 feet past the turn. Of course I&#39;m not sure whether physical limitions prevented this from happening. In any case, I&#39;m thankful for the work.

[gran racing]

Hmmm. With all of this extra runoff, maybe I&#39;ll finally have the guts to do the uphill without lifting this year!

[RSTPerformance]

now now dave, don&#39;t get to crazy!!!

Raymond

[stevel]

What is Clarks connection to the track?

[/b]

From his website


I work at Lime Rock as an employee (along with less than a dozen others) as a corner worker for private club events (Porsche, BMW, SCDA, etc), Tuesday test days and also for Skip Barber School at Station 8 for school days and general corners for their race series. I have done this for the past 5 of 6 years. In 2005 I worked over 60 days for such events. I am a pit marshal for SCCA staffed events. I made a total of 80 round trips to Lime Rock in 2005 for various events.[/b]

[RSTPerformance]

Overall it looks great! I think the uphill is a great improvement, I hope everyone remembers that the actaul pavement is still the same and if you dropped off 2 wheels before you can&#39;t suddenly go faster jsut cause the gaurdrail is farther away... Hint to Raymond java script:emoticon(&#39;:bash_1_:&#39;, &#39;smid_13&#39;)
:bash_1_:

I only see 1 spot that my car would have got serious damage if these "improvements" where made 3 years ago... Who else has gone into the corner off to the left before no name straight.... Looks like those 3 layers of tires will help but it is still a good 10&#39; closer. I have tapped the tires in the old location but now that would be much different!

I like the idea of being cost effective and installing the new gaurdrails in front of the old ones. Much cheaper and deffinety looks like the person in charge of this project is consious that we all dislike the already high rental fees and that these improvements had to be done as cheap as possible. Maybe they have extra money to repave the track java script:emoticon(&#39;:unsure:&#39;, &#39;smid_25&#39;)
:unsure:

Stephen

[gran racing]

if you dropped off 2 wheels before you can&#39;t suddenly go faster jsut cause the gaurdrail is farther away[/b]

Oh, I don&#39;t know about that. I know I&#39;ll approach it a bit differently even if it&#39;s just a mental thing. :D

[Michael Rand]

Hello everyone, Mike Rand again, quite a difference from the first set of photos, isn&#39;t it ? I told you so......

After numerous visits from various Regional Flag & Communications Chiefs I think we have at least the majority of corner station issues handled.

The catch fence cableing has not been done yet, I am still waiting for the material to be sourced but by the end of June it should be done.

The recovery room, it doesn&#39;t really qualify as runoff, at the uphill will be paved as soon as someone opens an asphalt plant, likely to be early April. But even with just dirt and multiple layers of tire wall, then jersey barrier, then armco, then fence, it is a major improvement over the way it was for going on 50 years.

By the way, Clarks involvement is self generated, he does work as a flagger on Tuesdays and for clubs/Skip BarberRace Series/etc,but in no way speaks for Lime Rock, as he will be the first to tell you.

A word of caution to all: if you were one who came rocketing into pitlane at high speed, don&#39;t do that anymore. The permanent long pit lane, previously used only for ALMS, has a very tight and slow pit entry. Really. No more 100mph peel off the track into pit in. Unless you want an up close and personal visit to the massive tire wall guarding the end of the outer pit wall.

[jrem72]

Stopped a LRP today and walked the track to look at the new changes. They all looked good and made sense to me. I hope they continue to improve the track and the facilities. Thanks to the folks at LRP.
JR

[dcomiskey]

Michael,
Thanks for providing such great details about what&#39;s being done at LRP. One thing I wasn&#39;t clear on: is the entire paddock being paved over? I certainly hope so, as it sucks being in mud when it rains. All other tracks have more "modern" paddock areas, so this is one of my few gripes about LRP. No garages, dirt paddock area, etc.

Thanks and keep up the great work. Can&#39; wit to be back on track in April. :D
-Devin C

[JLawton]

Drove the track yesterday at a PDA event. Didn&#39;t notice many of the changes when I was at speed. The one spot that did look worse to me was the up hill!! My issue has always been if I apex early or get pushed out too far, I would hit the guard rail at, or just past the flag station. But they installed guard rail with tires that comes out perpendicular (where the hell is the spell check!!) to the track right in front of the flag station. It seems to come with in a couple of feet from the track.

Again, it was the last thing I was thinking about when I was driving. On the 8th I&#39;m going back and I&#39;ll try to take a good look at it.

The big change is pit-in. Need to be a little more careful than in the past when entering..............

[RSTPerformance]

Jeff-

I thought that about the uphill, but decided to zip the mouth till I saw the end results, as mike asked, and proved us wrong before... Will wait to see it, but a deffinate concern...

At the PDA event did you have the Saturn out??? is it a winner??? excited about it!!!

Raymond

[JLawton]

At the PDA event did you have the Saturn out??? is it a winner??? excited about it!!!

Raymond
[/b]

Yes, I took the Saturn. I think I made the right decision in buying it!! :023: As far as winning?? I&#39;m sure the car can, it&#39;s the driver that will need some work!! :unsure:

[kevin22]

I was also at the PDA event, and that can-opener they installed at the top of the uphill will peel every bit of sheet metal from a car if it is clipped. You can&#39;t help but notice it, going through the turn. That run off they added will only help if your brakes fail going down no name. I will get a short video clip from my in car asap. But I can tell already that it is far more menacing in real life then in the video.

Kevin