John Shiels

LIMEROCK CHANGES- LimeRock has changed all club rentals to half days. We have been given three half days so far ( 2 in April and 1 in Nov ) In the best interest of time allowances, we have decided to make the first day in April for Novices (Group 1(green) and 2 (white) with an Instructor group) and the second day for upper intermediate and advanced (Group 3 (blue) and 4(red) )

Wicked Weasel

I had a half day with SCDA. Actually I think I got more time on the track than a full day with less wait between sessions. Its all good if nothing goes wrong with your car.

John Shiels

Guess I ran my last event there. I will not drive 165 miles for a half a day of running.

AU N EGL

Does Skippy think he will make more money by renting one day to two clubs? One club in the morning and one club in the afternoon?

ghoffman

What it means to me is I am 50% less likely than before to bother going there. I have 10 acres, maybe I will make my own little track and actually have 2 left hand turns!

BrianCunningham

Which half? Morning or afternoon?

What one of the nieghbors likes to sleep in?

What's up with people who buy a house by a track and then expect it to shutdown?

Scooter70

It's not the neighbors. It's "The Club".

What's the latest info on NHIS (NHMS??)? Herb posted that COM has 3 dates there though only the October date is a weekend. I had heard a rumor that the new owner could shut the track down after he moves the Cup races to Vegas or Texas.

Is this the end of HDPE in New England as we know it? Is everybody going to have to join the Club at Lime Rock or Palmer just to be able to run? If so, I'm glad I'm in Michigan where we have 3 regional tracks within 2 hours drive that don't cater to the almighty $.

FasterIsBetter

I just heard this from the Ferrari club as well. The "LR Club" membership entitles its members who are putting up over $100K to join to 30 track days per year. Since every available date at LRP has been rented out for years, essentially what they are doing is stealing time from the car clubs to give to their members. FCA has run a great 2-day event at LRP for years. Now, starting this year, it is going to be two HALF days. And even if no one from the LR Club membership shows up, they will not allow the renting club to have use of the track during the time reserved for members. So basically, we would end up sitting there looking at an empty track.

Highly unlikely I will be going to LRP this year, if the events are ending up being half day affairs. The cost is remaining the same to rent the track. But the clubs are getting half as much time. This sucks, bigtime.

And keep your eyes wide open folks. I suspect that if this works at LRP, it will start happening at a lot of other tracks around the country. It means big, big buck for the owners, and with so much demand for track time, they are not likely to lose too many of the sponsoring groups with others waiting in the wings to grab available time.

This is how a good thing comes to an end.

Wicked Weasel

What if oyu get the same amount of track time as you would for the full day?

Based on what PDA said they will limit the groups to 2 instead of the usual 4. This means you get just as much track time.

It also means that instead of getting up a 3am or having to get a hotel you can now do it all in one day if you want.

I am just throwing ideas out there. My mother and step father happen to live close to the track and that is the main reason I go there 2 times per year. Well that and it gives a chance for my step father to be in the car on the track which he enjoys. I guess this year I might have to take him out at WGI and really scare the poop out of him

MistressMotorsports

That would mean only half as many cars at an event, which would double the cost (assuming rental fees, insurance, ambulance, etc all remain the same.) So, instead of $200-$300 per event, it's now like $500 or so for a half day. You get a flat or have a problem, and there is no time to fix it.

Wicked Weasel

based on the PDA website the costs have remained the same. My only guess is that LRP is charging 1/2 the day rate. No one would pay double the rate especially at LRP.

And I agree with the no time to fix a problem issue (I mentioned that in my first post). We help many people at the track (customers and others) and this would most likely limit that time thus the people suffer that could have gotten more track time in.

95jersey

I agree just another reason not to go to LRP besides the course sucks anyway. The only reason they are booked is their promiximity to NYC,NJ and CT where most of the "money" is...once Thunderbolt opens, we have another very close alternative!

John Shiels

Part of the fun to me is seeing everyone, bench racing, and looking at other peoples cars. In four hours I won't be able to look at my car. Then some cars that run hot will never have a chance to cool. Half a day is BS for the same price they can keep it. Run up and rush all day and if you need to do anything to the car you are screwed.

Doubt Skip dropped the price much if any to PDA. Guess I will not be running there anymore. If the session is in the afternoon I still need to leave early or be buried in traffic for hours as a three hour trip could turn into 5 or 6 hours Track is fun but the facilities suck, no where to change and the bathroom is third world at best. If this is the wave of the future I'll be turning to a waxer Stick it SKIP!

ghoffman

On a related front, here is an interview with the new GM of NHMS:
http://www.wmur.com/video/14848574/index.html

Wicked Weasel

Well it seems that many of the tracks are becoming Club Tracks. If that happens who knows what it will be like to get on one. Look at semi-private golf clubs they are almost impossible to get out on and when you do it costs a fortune.

John Shiels

1:00-5:00 pm $295 bucks Leave early in the morning to beat NY traffic to run at 1 pm Even if it works time for dollar the travel time is horrible I usually leave at 3:45 am to get through with no traffic.

Z06 Whisperer

Boo! This does sound like a yucky idea I hope other tracks don't start copying!

I think we can all imagine some of the obvious problems:

-Having to take a full day off work
-Travel time--I think few people live close enough to a track to just pop in. I don't even like doing one day events if I have to travel 2 hours each way
-Car fatigue
-Driver fatigue
-Prep time/hotels/meals--a lot of work/money for less possible return
-Weather-it would seem more likely to maybe at least get a few sessions in when weather is issue during a full day event. Morning sessions in the late fall/early spring could be less favorable too I would think--cold, damp track and all.
-Track time lost to incidents-less time to possibly even out later sessions all around

Bah Humbug I Say

John Shiels

Skip Barber I hope you get a stocking full of coal this Xmas

Rogue Wave

I've only been to LRP once, and once was enough for me. I can add the track to my list of tracks visited, end of story.

drivinhard

Since taking over Panoz Racing School here at Road Atlanta, they've pretty much thrown the old open track events out the window. Gotta keep them $4000 race schools going I guess.