Track updates and rumor mills (LRP repave, Nelson new ownership)

[fairgentleman_Z]

Totally swiped from another source;

The LRP update:

http://www.improvedtouring.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24301

• Here are some pictures of the work at LRP. Does it look like they added some camber to the left hander??

http://www.skipbarber.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=1811

There is a race there in 2 weeks!

Bill

Nelson to become a country club…?

http://www.improvedtouring.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24292

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.

[JayS]

LPR = Lonesome Pine Raceway?

[MPD47]

There were no rumblings about this when chatting with the owners in June shrug
(Granted, as of 2 weeks ago, WGI wasnt supposed to be repaved… now my days in July are canceled).

The LRP repave looks nice (been watching it over on rennlist), but with the country club shit unless someone cuts a screaming deal back to the clubs I’ll never use it.

[fairgentleman_Z]

well, let’s hope it’s a change for the better.

@RX767

I got wind of something odd when I received a semi-cryptic email from NeOhio region promoting their double regional at the end of July as one of the last chances to race at NL this year with the old configuration. I jumped to the track website and to several region’s websites and there was no obvious reference to any changes. I did find a another remark buried in the June newletter for the Mahoning Valley region stating that this weekend will be their last event at the track for this year.

After contacting a few key people, here is what will happen:

• The track will close after Labor Day and therefore the events scheduled for Sept and Oct will likely be cancelled unless they can be moved to another track.
• The pit entrance will move to to where station 12 is located.
• The entrace to the carousel may change.
• All asphalt will be replaced and the track width will be increased to 10ft.
• All buildings will be razed and replaced.
• The tire wall will be moved back and restacked.I plan on racing this weekend if can solve my " I had brakes when I parked the car last October, now I don’t" problem. I ordered another master cylnder that is being overnighted. I have been going to Nelson Ledges since I was 7, and I think it is great if major improvements will be made. My only concern is that it remains open to the average club racer, and it does not become a “member only” country club.

All the best,
Bill Emery
ITB Triumph TR7
IT7 Mazda RX7 (still under construction)

[MPD47]

Yeah, it finally hit the guys who I expected to know a week or so ago. I’ll be there with NorOhio BMWCCA in August if I can.

[Coldaccord]

@MPD47

(Granted, as of 2 weeks ago, WGI wasnt supposed to be repaved… now my days in July are canceled).

how long is that gonna take? I’m supposed to do a 2 day event there in august

[MPD47]

They are saying for sure the track will not be done before August 1st when I was there last weekend. It’s not even a full repave, just sections like the top of the esses.