End of Nelson Ledges as we know it?

[RedMisted]

Anybody hear the rumors about NLRC? The place has been sold, apparently to one of these groups that is engaged in the business of building new road courses or reconstructing existing ones that aim to service an "elite" clientele. Think of the country club set-up now in place at Lime Rock and you get the idea.
Not trying to cause any alarms here, but the track is supposed to be shut down early this year for a total re-do, possibly to include circuit configuration changes. It won't open again until after May 2009.
Again, everything at this point is speculative. I've talked to folks who should be in the know on Nelson's future and they each have described different scenarios.
My opinion on country club road courses? Use the idea for the pro circuits. Keep it the hell away from the club facilities that cater to the grassroots guys who don't have $5K-$10K to spend on an annual membership.

[dj10]

Anybody hear the rumors about NLRC? The place has been sold, apparently to one of these groups that is engaged in the business of building new road courses or reconstructing existing ones that aim to service an "elite" clientele. Think of the country club set-up now in place at Lime Rock and you get the idea.
Not trying to cause any alarms here, but the track is supposed to be shut down early this year for a total re-do, possibly to include circuit configuration changes. It won't open again until after May 2009.
Again, everything at this point is speculative. I've talked to folks who should be in the know on Nelson's future and they each have described different scenarios.
My opinion on country club road courses? Use the idea for the pro circuits. Keep it the hell away from the club facilities that cater to the grassroots guys who don't have $5K-$10K to spend on an annual membership.

I'm racing there this weekend and on the 7/11 weekend. I haven't heard anything but I'll be talking to some people that should know.

[AjG]

No, please no. Not Nelson...

[R2 Racing]

Good. Having gone to VIR for the first time this year, I'll gladly pay an extra $50 in entry fee to not race at a shit hole.

[dj10]

Good. Having gone to VIR for the first time this year, I'll gladly pay an extra $50 in entry fee to not race at a shit hole.

LOL, Kevin did you have a bad experience there? It's not a Mid Ohio or VIR but a shit hole doesn't do it justice either. There is certaintly a lot of history there and I'd be happy to see someone with money bring it up to modern day standards. It would be a great track.

[joeg]

It's a great track...period.

Fastest 2 mile road course around. Anyone who thinks it's a "sh*thole" probably hasn't been there in a while.

[trhoppe]

LOL, Kevin did you have a bad experience there? It's not a Mid Ohio or VIR but a shit hole doesn't do it justice either. There is certaintly a lot of history there and I'd be happy to see someone with money bring it up to modern day standards. It would be a great track.

I dunno. I was there last year for the 24h. Since the bathrooms broke, if you needed to poop, you needed to go to a "shithole".

While there was "history" I'd be surprised to hear that anyone wouldn't want the place torn up and rebuilt to be better then when it was new.

I wonder if anyone said the same thing when VIR originally went under the knife. Look where it is today.

As long as the management realizes and still caters to the club racer, like VIR does, the place will rock out in the future.

-Tom

[tdw6974]

How is/was turnout for this race? Fingerlakes region is looking at it since it has been a money losing race for a number of years. Seems like it had been traditionally on father's day weekend. We skiiped this year because of going to Pocono next weekend(2 hrs) vrs (5hrs) haul. Plus back to back weekends. I knew track has been for sale for sometime. Scot and Carrie have done much to improve the track but at what point do you continue to spend money on something you don't own? Time will tell. TW

[mkahley]

there was over 100 cars there on sat and i think more were supposed to be there on sun and for the enduro

[KelleyHux]

I haven't been to Nelson Ledges in years due to relocating to the true midwest of the country (Kansas). Now that the 24hour event is back on the schedule, I keep hoping to get there again.

I know many have complained for lots of years about the primitive nature of the facilities, but the track layout is one of the best in the country. I'm truly sad to hear that the track has been sold. I only hope the new owners can capture the same energy and love of the place that Scott & Karrie Lane, John & Martha McGill, Dennis Gulyas, and many others have had over the years.

As a second generation racer, I spent many summers at Nelson. There were many seasons we spent 14, 15, 16 weekends a year there. I made many, many friends, and I have very good memories of the place. Yes it wasn't perfect, but few places were in the late 70's and early to mid-80's. We were just glad to have a place to go racing! And, it was a good place to grow up as a kid. I learned alot of life lessons there.

YMMV,
Kelley Huxtable
Mahoning Valley Region member 1974-1989
Des Moines Valley Region 1989 - present

[iambhooper]

i went to school there back in '04. i thought the facilities were perfect.... they did have 1 flush toilet, if you knew where to look.

yes, safety could be enhanced, especially on the back side... however, concrete culverts offer excellent protection to the workers.

country clubing will help the place. i'm sure they will only improve the layout, much like they did with VIR.

hoop

[ITZ34]

It may not have the nicest facilities, but it's got character and they have really made a lot of improvements the past few years. It's a fun track to drive and I always look forward to racing there. I don't mind roughing it a little. (although the johns at the 24 hr. were brutal)

I hope the new owners don't ruin that character .

[Cobrar05]

VIR was long out of business and grown over when it was rescued to become a country club. It is now arguably the finest road course for club racing in the United States.

Carolina Motorsports Park is going thru the conversion now and the improvement in the facilities are significant.

I've never been to Ledges, but IMO many of these older race courses will remain viable businesses thru this way.

I dont think there is any chance that SCCA or NASA or PCA is going to get kicked out of Ledges because they upgrade the facilities and build some condos and garages.

The only thing that may happen is the fees are increased to pay for the improvements.
I don't know anyone that complains about VIR

[RedMisted]

I dont think there is any chance that SCCA or NASA or PCA is going to get kicked out of Ledges because they upgrade the facilities and build some condos and garages.

The only thing that may happen is the fees are increased to pay for the improvements.
I don't know anyone that complains about VIR

I'm not worried about accessibility to Nelson as a racer if it becomes a country club. Rather, I'm concerned for all the Joe Blows out there who just want to have an informal day on the track with their automotive toys. Nelson used to have approx. 20-25 "Fundays" a year where you could just show up and wheel your car to oblivion. Once Nelson goes elitist, will that number dwindle to something like 5 or 6?

[CCDangie71]

My opinion on country club road courses? Use the idea for the pro circuits. Keep it the hell away from the club facilities that cater to the grassroots guys who don't have $5K-$10K to spend on an annual membership.

Don't forget the initial membership fee! There's a country club track being built (maybe?) in Kansas City by the airport and the pricing is as follows:

Founding Member: $85K pre-production price
$100K post-production price
$0 for dues per year

Elite Member: $35K pre-production price
$40K post-production price
$6000/yr. annual dues

For that kind of money I could buy lifetime memberships to MAM for me and half of the Midwest Division to run test and tune days.:eek: That is obscene pricing especially in this market and they would need groups like SCCA and NASA to help pay for some of the costs to run the place.

[Bryan KF8G]

At the rate we were going with monies coming into the track and entries being way down, we're probably 35% under normal revenue for the year. At that rate, the track would likely have closed outright within two years because the money just isn't there for improvements. I'm looking at the future with mixed feelings. On the bright side, the track will be completely renovated and new buildings erected. It has a huge potential be be as good or better than Mid-Ohio when it was redone. The facilities are going to be first class and the track will be repaved and widened. On the other side, smaller events may be a part of the past because they will be cost prohibitive to the smaller groups. The flip side to that may be that the smaller groups will get more entries due to it being a first class facility. SCCA races will increase in car counts due to the track surface being better for formula cars. And the plan is at this point to have the "more interesting" races such as MARRS, the WOR Games and the Longest Day with more to follow.

At this point, as with the past, we are still working hard to do the best as we can with what we have to work with. Sure, the track may be rough in some places, (I finally found my braking point for turn 12 with the new Mazda), but I grew up at the track and will always call it home as well as the racers and workers being family to me.
Thank you for my say and I hope to see you on the track for the final year of Nelson as it is now.

[tdw6974]

Bryan, Looks like the schedule for balance of year to remain the same?? Hope things work out for the best Scott,Carrie, and employees have always made us feel welcome. We Plan to be back for the Pumpkin. Even though we spent time on a tire pile. Now have new nose splitter etc. TW

[Bryan KF8G]

Bryan, Looks like the schedule for balance of year to remain the same?? Hope things work out for the best Scott,Carrie, and employees have always made us feel welcome. We Plan to be back for the Pumpkin. Even though we spent time on a tire pile. Now have new nose splitter etc. TW

Unless plans change, the Harvest double and the Pumpkin may not happen. After early September, the track will be torn up and paving is to start. So it looks right now like the WOR Games will be the last SCCA race this year. Of course, that all depends on the studies they did last week at the track. But for now, they want the pavement down by November.
Also, Scott, Kerrie and I will remain on board to run things. So the faces shouldn't change.
Remember this officailly unofficial!!!

[RedMisted]

Unless plans change, the Harvest double and the Pumpkin may not happen. After early September, the track will be torn up and paving is to start. So it looks right now like the WOR Games will be the last SCCA race this year. Of course, that all depends on the studies they did last week at the track. But for now, they want the pavement down by November.
Also, Scott, Kerrie and I will remain on board to run things. So the faces shouldn't change.
Remember this officailly unofficial!!!

Bryan, Thanks for putting us in the know. I'm also looking to the future with a combination of trepidation and excitement. We'll just have to see how things pan out. Glad to know that they are keeping Scott and Kerrie at the track. The Lanes are good people.
And, another "you're welcome" for racing you cleanly at the Westward Ho event!