After yesterday's American Le Mans race series, I thought it would be appropriate to pay tribute to one of the most storied tracks in America. In the very northwest corner of Connecticut lies 1.5 miles of twisting asphalt. Welcome to Lime Rock Park. The track opened in 1957 and has been home to numerous car clubs and race series events. Nascar, SCCA, BMW CCA, PCA, Grand-Am and ALMS are among the many groups to partake in racing at this beautifully storied track. Currently owned and operated by Skip Barber it has made many new modifications to improve safety and drivablilty. One that stands out is the relatively new asphalt surface. Before this, there were patches of material in the corners different to that of the rest of the track. It was very difficult because all the grip was lost and then gained again due to the inconsistency in the track surface. The track was completely redone in 2008. This spring I had the privilege to come to Lime Rock Park for the annual PCA race. This being my first time, I didn't know what to expect and as we pulled up, rolled down our windows at the main gate, my ears were filled with the "sound of horsepower". Pulling down into the track area, I saw more cars that I wanted to own in the last 30 seconds than the previous years of my life. Just seeing these beautiful machines pounding around such a historic track was making me grin from ear to ear. We walked around, exploring the track a little and taking in the scenery. There was a break after qualifying and an announcement saying, "Any of you who would like a ride around the track please report to pit lane". My friend and I looked at each other and bolted. Porsche of Danbury CT was kind enough to bring eight of their showroom cars to give people a ride around the track. I hurried my way to the front of the line so I could get a ride in a Porsche Cayman S, the actual pace car for the race. I jumped in the passenger seat and my wonderful instructor Nancy showed me the way around LRP. After one lap we pitted and then she told me it was my turn. If you could imagine the look on my face, that still wouldn't fully explain my excitement. It was my turn to give it a go, and that's what I did. I had two laps in this great machine and with my instructor's help I was mastering the turns. This was one of the best days of my life. Since this April I've gone back five times, still wanting more. There's something special about racing and about Lime Rock Park, and whatever it is, I'm hooked.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
The Hills Are Alive...With the Sound of Horsepower
After yesterday's American Le Mans race series, I thought it would be appropriate to pay tribute to one of the most storied tracks in America. In the very northwest corner of Connecticut lies 1.5 miles of twisting asphalt. Welcome to Lime Rock Park. The track opened in 1957 and has been home to numerous car clubs and race series events. Nascar, SCCA, BMW CCA, PCA, Grand-Am and ALMS are among the many groups to partake in racing at this beautifully storied track. Currently owned and operated by Skip Barber it has made many new modifications to improve safety and drivablilty. One that stands out is the relatively new asphalt surface. Before this, there were patches of material in the corners different to that of the rest of the track. It was very difficult because all the grip was lost and then gained again due to the inconsistency in the track surface. The track was completely redone in 2008. This spring I had the privilege to come to Lime Rock Park for the annual PCA race. This being my first time, I didn't know what to expect and as we pulled up, rolled down our windows at the main gate, my ears were filled with the "sound of horsepower". Pulling down into the track area, I saw more cars that I wanted to own in the last 30 seconds than the previous years of my life. Just seeing these beautiful machines pounding around such a historic track was making me grin from ear to ear. We walked around, exploring the track a little and taking in the scenery. There was a break after qualifying and an announcement saying, "Any of you who would like a ride around the track please report to pit lane". My friend and I looked at each other and bolted. Porsche of Danbury CT was kind enough to bring eight of their showroom cars to give people a ride around the track. I hurried my way to the front of the line so I could get a ride in a Porsche Cayman S, the actual pace car for the race. I jumped in the passenger seat and my wonderful instructor Nancy showed me the way around LRP. After one lap we pitted and then she told me it was my turn. If you could imagine the look on my face, that still wouldn't fully explain my excitement. It was my turn to give it a go, and that's what I did. I had two laps in this great machine and with my instructor's help I was mastering the turns. This was one of the best days of my life. Since this April I've gone back five times, still wanting more. There's something special about racing and about Lime Rock Park, and whatever it is, I'm hooked.
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Enjoyed this piece, Dan. Great ALMS GT win for BMW Team RLL at LRP. I look forward to visiting this track in the near future. Keep up the good work on your blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks Misha, kind words like yours really keep me going. I'm lucky enough to be going to LRP five times in the next three weeks. Its definitely a place you want to visit when you can. Thanks again!
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