I hear that Lime Rock is becoming a private club. Any one have more details.
There is a Private Club at Lime Rock that allows you 60 days per year with other Club Members. Details on their web site. There is also a very cool Totally Private club in Monticello, NY http://www.monticellomotorclub.com/road-course-map.html
Tru dat. The problem is that on open club days there is a wide range of talent participating and when you have have someone who is going to prove once and for all that their, Ferrari,Lambo,Corvette, BMW, Porsche, Supura,etc. is faster than your Ferrari, Lambo,BMW, Porsche, Supura, etc. the results are not always pleasent. At a private club there is much more control and separation of drivers should you want it. Those that want to race can race and those that don't want to be taken out by someone who really isn't as talented as he thinks he is can run and have fun as well. Very few of us have gotten a Rolex Daytona the hard way...
I would like to disagree the myth proffered here that somehow money and Ferrari only yield capable drivers at the track or that BMW drivers are all yahoos. I would agree that the outright expense of the car can limit the poor judgement calls for "some" drivers. Usually those aren't the sort of drivers which are problem anyway. But, I've seen well meaning nice guy Ferrari owners (challenge cars) put their cars into the wall because of poor judgement. I also had a a guy in a $70K Viper dispatch my car because he was an idiot but that situation was exacerbated by even dumber, green corner workers. I've had excellent instructors who were "BMW" drivers at Ferrari events and one of them was only about 25 years old. I've also had the "I'm going to show you" types and it's quite delicious when they leave the track trying after disparaging your car or driving skills because you're smart enough to warm up you car/tires properly and they are not. What I've walked away with from my incidents at the track is that no matter who is running the event or driving in it the things you need to determine before flogging it around the track is: you and your car's condition, current condition of the track, competence level of the corner workers and then capabilities of those driving with you on the track. That can take a few sessions to figure out. I've never seen it done and probably never will because of time constrains but it would be great if at the drivers meetings we could get a briefing about the corner workers/track officials and maybe even meet them. Bob S.
I was just up in Monticello for Thanksgiving - went by the track and took some pics of the construction progress. I'll try and post them up later today. Going to be great to have a track 5 minutes away from my house up there...Until now, the only track that we've had up there had a 1 horsepower (literally) limitation...
Totally agree that it's not about the value of the cars but about Judgement. The Event I was at where the driver in front of me was killed, in a very valuable car, was well controlled and this didn't become an issue for me.
Similar but you get much more track time in Monticello and the club houses/garages will be super. The track is also IMO more interesting. If anyone is interested or needs info pm me.
It's about 10 minutes away from the racetrack, just off of Rte. 42 right next to a small airport (not sure if it's still operating). If you do head up there, try driving Rte. 42 from Monticello to Hawk's Nest. It's a great road with lots of nice turns, but keep a lookout for deer. Hawk's Nest is a nice twisty road along the side of a mountain overlooking a river. Several car commercials have been filmed there... As for track fees - If I recall correctly, there is a $100,000 initiation fee and a $7500 yearly membership fee...That being said, you aren't likely to see many 'worked' Honda Civics on the track...You'll be more likely to see Ferraris, Lambos, Porsches (and perhaps that incredible P4/5?) circling the track...Looks like the whole complex over there is going to be top-notch...
Been to Hawk's Nest, neat road. While there there was an Apache helicopter flying overhead, missiles and everything.
+1 No club has found a way to effectively exclude yahoos/idiots. With LimeRock going private all that is happening is that those with lesser wallets are going to be excluded so that those who can afford it can play by themselves. Its a sad direction that Skip is taking the track in. I almost prefer losing Bridgehampton over the way we will lose LimeRock. With Bridgehampton it was a relatively quick loss (open one day, gone the next). With LimeRock it will be a slow painful process.
