LRP announcement

[Magical Trevor]

where does the money go?????[/b]

Insurance and taxes, most likely.

[lateapex911]

But...every other track in the country has the same issues..why is Lime Rock the most expensive to rent, but at the same time the least able to afford basic upgrades. makes no sense....

[jjjanos]

where does the money go?????
[/b]

LRP is hampered somewhat by the peculiar rules under which it operates, but if the track isn't rolling in profit, it's being mismanaged. So what makes anyone think the new influx of cash will be used wisely?

Or perhaps it's simply an attempt to bind people/groups to the current track in the event a new track opens in New England. Nahhhh, couldn't be that.

[benspeed]

This all boils down to leadership or the lack thereof. I have seen little to give me any confidence. LRP used to be my favorite track but after participating at tracks all over the NE - LRP offers the worst ammenities, paddock, shortest sessions and the track is plain worn out. My racing dollars will be spent less at LRP and more elsewhere. We predict that the NARRC Runoffs will be moved in the next 5 years as newer, better tracks open and regions can put on events without stressing over bankrupting the coffers if it rains or another event competes for entries.

Tell me we wouldn't hold the event at Palmer or Thunderbolt?

[Doc Bro]

I think the only way to add to the "presitge" of the runoffs is to move it from LRP. There are way too many things that could be done to improve the format of the runoffs, LRP lends itself to few of these. Let LRP go "private", we've got bigger and better issues to deal with. I've never understood the arguement for keeping dates at LRP out of fear of never getting them back. If the dates are financial disasters why keep all of them? LRP knows what they're doing ....keep raising the rates till they stop coming. If they keep coming, great, if not we've got more days for the Ferrari guys. How many people have stopped buying gas lately????


R

[lateapex911]

. My racing dollars will be spent less at LRP and more elsewhere.
[/b]

Well, whether you instigate the turndown of spending or not, it seems like dates are disappearing (according to Skip, he needs cooperation from all to create enough club time)...you might not have a choice in the spending department.

Good points Doc, he has positioned himself in such a way as to force out the little clubs. My issue with that, though, is his stance that the history and the heritage of Lime Rock are so important, and the track must be protected against land developmet in the future. The very first, second (and who nows how many after that) events were SCCA. If it wasn't for SCCA, that track would have failed in the early 60s. SCCA is as much a part of Lime Rock as the Salmon Kill.

I know, it's just business. Pretty crappy business, in some ways.

[Andy Bettencourt]

The Runoffs makes money. Other events can make money - you just have to have interesting formats, points paying events for popular series and not too many events.

LRP will do fine this year. Only 2 Regionals and the Runoffs. Still no reason it can't rotate to Palmer or WGI if the NARRC expands.....

[gran racing]

Again, just from another perspective...

One thing Skip has brought up is how to continue LRP once he is no longer around. Having 100 + people invest that sum of money much more strongly protects the track from becoming something else such as a golf course or another Ghost Track.

Do I think the rental fees suck? Yup. I also do not believe most (if any) person here knows the whole story. It would be interesting to know. Hmmm.

[jjjanos]

One thing Skip has brought up is how to continue LRP once he is no longer around. Having 100 + people invest that sum of money much more strongly protects the track from becoming something else such as a golf course or another Ghost Track.[/b]

Perhaps, perhaps not. The people buying memberships are not investing in the track. They are buying a membership with no guarantee that 100% of the funds raised through memberships will be put into investments and I'm guessing that the track reserves the right to terminate a membership either at will or under specific circumstances as long as it refunds the unused portion of the membership.

I'd be real interested in knowing what they mean by "book" track time. I.e. Is there an extra fee for using "club" days?

[Andy Bettencourt]

No. You get 20 days per year for your $110K and $550 per month.

It turns out to be $440K over 50 years for 1000 track days. $440 per day if you average it out. Plenty of other 'perks'. The club is thinking about buying cars for the membership to drive. They are also going to create a 'track within the track' (very hard to explain) with modified corners (less dangerous) without changing the original config. Again, very hard to explain but they will slow down some of the scary spots and utilize some popular spots to lessen the danger of personal cars.

They are VERY customer oriented at this point. VERY.

[robits325is]

I just hope they fix that big bump in the downhill......

[JohnRW]

No. You get 20 days per year for your $110K and $550 per month. It turns out to be $440K over 50 years for 1000 track days. $440 per day if you average it out. [/b]

Not so fast there. You're counting a present payment for a future benefit. What would that $110K be worth if safely invested (oxymoron, huh ?) for the next 50 years. THAT amount is what you're paying for those 1000 track days.

[gran racing]

It turns out to be $440K over 50 years for 1000 track days. $440 per day if you average it out. [/b]

Jake buddy, I'm going to beat you to this!!! :P At $440 per day, that's a steal! If LRP keeps increasing track fees like it has, can you imagine what a bargain $440 will be in 5 years no less than 40 years from now? (Was that Jake or was that me? I so need to lay off these cold medications. LOL)

I respect that the track (Skip) needs to think about the future, but also really want it to be a place for the average person to enjoy. I'd hate it to become another exclusive club where only the rich can play. One part of me says screw LRP, while the other says I really enjoy the track and have a lot of emotional ties to it.

[Jeremy Billiel]

Not so fast there. You're counting a present payment for a future benefit. What would that $110K be worth if safely invested (oxymoron, huh ?) for the next 50 years. THAT amount is what you're paying for those 1000 track days.
[/b]

BINGO!! You guys are forgetting about the opportunity costs. When you include these it is significantly more expensive.

[jjjanos]

And Lime Rock Park is committing to the current monthly dues for the next 50 years or is it allowed to raise these dues?

[lateapex911]

Its on the web site, IIRC, but I think they commit for a while, but then increase. What I read seemed to have a lot of open ends.

[Doc Bro]

can you imagine what a bargain $440 will be in 5 years no less than 40 years from now?[/b]

No, I can't. $440 to drive a short narrow track with limited passing opportunity and 1 repave in 40 years. What a bargain.

LRP has done nothing to position itself as a premier modern road racing facility. It once was, and that's where its accolades lie. It's the Al Bundy of road racing circuits.

R

[gran racing]

I meant that with sarcasm. And there are plenty of places to pass, you're just too chicken. Just teasing ya Doc.

[Doc Bro]

you're just too chicken.
[/b]

Hey, how fun was the 06 season for you????

R

[cchandler]

One of the Skippy instructors (John Murphy) has a Busch car and has run it at LRP. He told me that he never knew there were so many passing zones until he ran with the Busch guys!!

BTW, the BMW Club does NOT have a race at LRP this year.