Transparency in every project.
A country club for car people - that's the idea behind the Lime Rock Park Driver's Club. It's a place where owners of high-performance road cars, vintage race cars and modern track cars can meet in a relaxed environment and enjoy private track time at one of America's best and prettiest road courses.
... and I was fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of a generous invitation by Club director Simon Kirkby to join them for a track day. I certainly didn't have to think twice before accepting!
My wife and I arrived at Lime Rock Park on a beautiful morning with sunny skies and warm weather. We checked-in with the ever-present Jeanette, whose gracious hospitality was evident all through the paddock. Coffee and pastries awaited us in the air-conditioned chalet and if it weren't for the on-track activities, we could have hung around and eaten sweets all day. But the business of driving fast cars awaited us on track - so we moved down into the paddock to check out some cars, chat with club members and staff and get geared up for a great day.
We were met by Simon who paired me with Adam Burrows, an accomplished pro racer (with Kia Kinetic Motorsports) and seasoned instructor to guide me through Lime Rock's subtle nuances. I give a large dollop of respect to Adam for not only having the courage to climb in the passenger seat next to track novices such as myself, but also for convincing my wife that it was a important for her to get a first-hand view of the track at high speed! One minute she was politely declining the offer, the next she was being fitted for a helmet!
After a couple of amazing demo laps around Lime Rock's deceivingly fast and tricky 1.53 miles, Adam pitted the BMW M3 Sedan and handed the controls over to me. In less than a lap, I knew I was hooked! Adam was calm and cool in the passenger seat as he guided me around LRP's fast and flowing corners. Down the straight into Big Bend, through the tricky late-apex Left Hander, down No-Name and up the stomach-wrenching uphill, through West Bend and another gut-drop as you plunge down into the hair-raisingly quick diving turn and onto the main straight. It all happened so fast but Adam was right there to guide me through each corner - brake, turn in, off the brakes, on the gas, remember to look up! ,track-out, accelerate!! It's an intense, thrilling dance of focus and nerves. Not to mention an incredible amount of fun! And the Driver's Club really is really serious about their track time - I had almost two hours of seat time over 4 sessions - and could have gone for more!
Between sessions, we watched some spectacular machinery lap the track, with novices and experienced racers alike all honing their technique and car setup. Porsches, Ferraris, Aston Martins mixed it up with Spec-Miatas, a Caterham 7 and the Club's own BMW M3's. Speaking of which, the M3 proved flawless all day and was an exceptional driver's car with beautifully balanced and forgiving handling.
Mid day, we broke for a wonderful lunch happened to share a table and a delightful conversation with Lime Rock Park's owner and motorsports legend, Skip Barber! I was over the moon! We also chatted with Adam about his small collection of small vintage cars and about our shared love for things with chrome bumpers and carburetors.
And this truly summed up our experience with the Lime Rock Driver's Club. The members and staff are friendly and inviting, and the whole day intertwined with relaxed conversation and thrilling track time. It's a group of people who love cars and get together to use them as they are intended. Black Horse Garage's kind of people!
If you're interested in learning more about the Lime Rock Driver's Club, see them on the web at http://www.limerockclub.com/ or stop by the shop at Black Horse Garage and we can supply you with brochures and contact information.
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