Lime Rock - what are they preparing for?

[Andy Bettencourt]

http://www.limerock.com/news/read/lime-roc...lubwant-to-join

Looks like LRP is trying to staff up it's own worker core. Why? Could it be because they know the SCCA grows tired of the crazy costs they jamb down our throats every year? Could it be because Palmer Motorsports Park could actually get built? Could it be because the SCCA is hesitant to staff their Pro events anymore? I love that track but gee-whiz.

[ner88]

LRP has events daily, they need workers everyday, not just weekends.
SCCA/NER is not their only source of income.
There are other regions willing to take on pro events, so let them!

[stevel]

http://www.limerock.com/news/read/lime-roc...lubwant-to-join

Looks like LRP is trying to staff up it's own worker core. Why? Could it be because they know the SCCA grows tired of the crazy costs they jamb down our throats every year? Could it be because Palmer Motorsports Park could actually get built? Could it be because the SCCA is hesitant to staff their Pro events anymore? I love that track but gee-whiz.
[/b]

My vote is they're going to use it as another revenue stream. They'll charge clubs an extra fee to staff the track with there own workers, maybe even make it mandatory that you use there workers. In the end it usually all comes down to money.

s

[Jeremy Billiel]

After reading the supps for the May race and this posting, LRP is really pissing me off these days... This is just getting Ridiculous!!!

[dickita15]

LRP already has paid flaggers for test days and some club events, it sound like in this case they are trying to generate a cadre of volunteers to do other thing like gate guards and such in order to save payroll.
Kind of like the candy stripers at the hospital.
Interesting idea.

[lateapex911]

You mean the $53,000.00 in income from SCCA wekends, as well as the increased fees marque clubs pay STILL hasn't stemmed the losses???

After reading the supps for the May race and this posting, LRP is really pissing me off these days... This is just getting Ridiculous!!!

[/b]

What about the supps is the issue?? (I'd assume the $400, but we all know about assumptions...)

[gran racing]

I'm trying to think about this from a perspective of someone presently outside of the SCCA or another club - just as someone who loves to watch racing. It would be very easy to have a different viewpoint given some of the BS that’s gone on, but here’s a shot.

I grew-up going to races at LRP with my father and we always thought it would be cool to be involved somehow. If only we had know how easy it is to get involved. Lime Rock is advertising that becoming involved is easy. Using this outside perspective I think that pretty darn cool. Why shouldn’t LRP and other tracks do something like this?

_____________

Racer's hat back on.

I've chosen not to participate in the May LRP event for a few reasons. The biggest is because at some point, things get too expensive to justify. This has become a bit crazy.

[Jeremy Billiel]

_____________

Racer's hat back on.

I've chosen not to participate in the May LRP event for a few reasons. The biggest is because at some point, things get too expensive to justify. This has become a bit crazy.
[/b]

I am with you... I am skipping the May double as well and I will see everyone at NHIS the weekend after.

[lateapex911]

Does anyone know what the NER will charge for the June event, and the format? (Interesting double format for the May event by MoHud)

[RSTPerformance]

Holly crap $399 entry???

This is out of hand. The regions that actually will charge that much are as rediculouse as Lime Rock... Between the "NEW" NARRC rules and these completely outragiouse entry fees, I have to say I am VERY VERY glad that I am not running the NARRC series this year. I also have to say that I think our volunteers in charge are not whom I will vote for next year or work with this year, they are doing an awful job representing the drivers.

I STRONGLY (I can't believe that I am saying this) encourage a boycot of these LRP events. The price is crazy, and the prestige of winning the NARRC championship is out the window IMO. If you win the race or the NARRC championship, you have won because you are crazy enough to pay stupid entries like this. I don't support the regions who don't stand up to the inflation of the cost, and I don't support the drivers whom support a $400 entry for a 2 day regional. I love the track, but the cost is NOT justified.

Raymond "I hope Palmer is a go next year, when I am ready, this is crazy" Blethen

PS: Sorry in advance for the negative comments, but enough is enough

[JohnRW]

Yeah, but that $399 is for a true DOUBLE race weekend at LRP. Doubles usually cost more...and LRP racing costs more (track rental etc. etc.).

Regions are fighing to NOT lose money at race weekends these days. Boycotts will just make it worse at this point. Yeah...if/when Palmer is in operation, it'll be great to thumb noses at LRP, but don't count your chickens yet....

[dickita15]

Holly crap $399 entry???

This is out of hand. The regions that actually will charge that much are as rediculouse as Lime Rock...
[/b]

Raymond for crying out loud what do you want the regions to do, hold a bake sale to subsidize you entry fee. Really unless you know some way to influence management at the track there are only two choices for the region. Price the event so may break even or give up the date.
LRP does not want us there. They think we are too much work. They charge us more than any other club that I know of. They say it is because they need to have more staff for us. All efforts to help them identify where costs can be reduced have been ignored.
Raymond your simplistic view is tiresome.

[RSTPerformance]

I had a nice chat with NER club racing chairman of the board and it is not the regions fault. I was on my way home so I could not edit my post in time before others read it. As it always has been it comes down to suply and demand. SCCA drivers continue to pay outrageouse entry fees, and as the entries continue to rise we continue to pay.

This is a very very bad situation that we are ALL in. Until drivers stop going to events how can the region say to Lime Rock that they are charging to much? If the drivers stop going then the region will loose considerable amounts of money, effecting all of us. If the regions decide to just not go to Lime Rock in protest then other clubs will take the events, and we likely wont get them back. No matter how you look at it we loose. I am not sure what to do, probably knowbody does...

What I can say is that I can't afford even if I wanted to to pay $400 for 2 days (4 sessions) of racing. A 2 day 2 race event or a 2 day 1 race event doesn't give me any more or less track time. Certainly I have a bit more fun with more races and I am willing to pay for that, but I cannot afford this much. If it was a restricted regional, where I recieved more track time or some other benefit then maybe things would be different, but this is a normal weekend with a 2 race format.

The thought that Lime Rock doesn't want us at their track, is even more discouraging as it is a great track to play on.

Raymond "The other thing I don't understand is why doesn't NHIS charge a higher rate? It is obviose we will pay..." Blethen

[Jeremy Billiel]

Raymond for crying out loud what do you want the regions to do, hold a bake sale to subsidize you entry fee. Really unless you know some way to influence management at the track there are only two choices for the region. Price the event so may break even or give up the date.
LRP does not want us there. They think we are too much work. They charge us more than any other club that I know of. They say it is because they need to have more staff for us. All efforts to help them identify where costs can be reduced have been ignored.
Raymond your simplistic view is tiresome.
[/b]

I would agree with Dick here... Raymond your view is too simplistic. I simply do not have that much money to spend on one weekend when you include the test day on Tuesday. Yes I believe the car counts will be down, yes its a lot of money, yes the facility charging too much, but its all about economics.

Our board members are trying their best given that they are in a no win situation. If we loose the day people will scream. If we put the fee at $400 we scream.

Palmer can hopefully alleviate this situation, but there are still many, many hurdles to jump before we get there.

[RSTPerformance]

Palmer can hopefully alleviate this situation, but there are still many, many hurdles to jump before we get there.
[/b]

Agreed to the above, Palmer cant come fast enought!!! I hope it all goes through for the benefit of all of us.

I am just disapointed that I have been priced out of compeating, I don't see it changing next year... I am also still very upset about the NARRC committees decisions on the series and the requirement that people have to pay these entry fees inorder to realisticly compete for a championship.

It is all simple economics, ones that I and MANY others can no longer afford.

Raymond

[BobsAuto]

$400????? I can see why people are upset. And add $3.00 gallon for fuel on top of that (or more in CT). The economy just can't handle that. It's crazy!

[Mattberg]

Not to go off topic but I was just curious. Doesn't this May race usually get pretty good turn out, at least historically?

[theracinglawyer]

When you say $400 is crazy and on top of that $4.00 per gallon for gas. Remember if only 3% of the drivers in this country cut their gas consumption 10% the oil industry would have to bring gas prices down to less than $ 1.75 per gallon. That will not happen because the American public keep paying what ever they, the oil companies charge. LRP will get racers to rent the track if not SCCA then someone else. There is a lot of wealth in this country, too bad its not evenly distributed. Next year $400 may look like a great bargin. Lets hope that new track opens tomorrow.

[Tkczecheredflag]

As a driver I find the $399 a bit steep but to boycott is a double edge sword. If we take a 'pass" on the event we hurt the sanctioning club - ultimately they (MoHud) loose money if drivers don't show - they're already on the hook for the fees - right???

I must say that I found it offensive that drivers were required to attend this event if they wanted the bonus points for the NARRC - OFF's for regions with limited offerings- something about that doesn't feel right. We are all subject to that rule change again in August with NNJR - nothing against these regions but it feels like a political squeeze. I would have favored more opportunities to make a Pocono or Watkins Glenn event, and have an opportuity to earn the "third track" bonus points. It seems like we have plenty of LRP opportunities this year but only a limited supply of Pocono and WGI. My hope is that we look to these other tracks as a way to get off the LRP "nipple." This would make the North Atlantic part of NARRC feel more appropriate. I would even try to add Summit to complement the North Atlantic feel - if that's possible - just a thought not a bitch.

No one was more disappointed than me having to cancel three tix to Gran Am at Laguna Seca for 5-19 because I didn't re-read the NARRC rules carefully enough - my bad. So in addition to the $399 track fee but I had to eat $75 in cancellation fees for the airfare for me and some of my friends - yes I have a friend or two. I can't let the Birthday Boy or Mr Ambassador run away with the ITA NARRC just yet, with their lighter, torque hungry, cam turnin' cars.

On that note, I now hear there will be some local celebrities racing that weekend (5-18, 5-19) at LRP. They are all "dusting off" the the old equipment and a "stable" of cars are on ther way to the "dyno." I couldn't resist the invitation from this group of drivers for the dyno, so I put my car on the hauler too - I was promised some more ponies for my home track event - still looking for a set of "gonads" though - I need all the help I can get. See ya all at LRP if we survive Pocono.

[Rabbit05]

I pose this question :

8 race groups...Usually you get , what, 3 race groups in before lunch, then 5 more after that . How many racing laps are you going to get per race on Saturday ?



If someone wrecks, your race is done. So then you get one more ,what 8-10 lap race in the afternoon ?
Trying to stuff a double in on one day at Lime Rock will be a trick , especially when you have Conn. finest cruising around to ensure motors are off by 6 pm. I would hate to be the last race group. But I hope everything does go well , I am just a bit skeptical on the whole deal.

I might cruise down to watch. But even if I had a car , I would pass on this race. And like Tim, this is my home track too. And I would hate to lose Lime Rock as a place to play.

And, as a side note, hopfully , if all goes well ($) , I plan to have the new car out later in the year...



John VanDenburgh

VanDenburgh Motorsports
IT......?