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Lime Rock Park Announces Projected Schedule
for Track Improvements with Club Revenue
Lakeville, CT - (26 July 07) Skip Barber, President of Lime Rock Park, today announced the projected schedule for track and facility improvements, funded by the revenue that will be raised through the sale of memberships in the Club at Lime Rock Park. Barber last week unveiled the Club at Lime Rock Park which will enable just 300 members to have unprecedented access to the historic track where it is currently impossible to rent even an hour.
"We have made many upgrades to the track and the facility over the last few years, and with the launch of The Club at Lime Rock Park, we plan to make even more significant improvements in the immediate future that will guarantee Lime Rock Park remains the premier race course in the Northeast for the next fifty years," said Barber.
The Club at Lime Rock Park is an opportunity for a limited number of people to have significant track time to choose from while also enjoying the company of like-minded enthusiasts. Members will be allowed to choose twenty dates, out of a possible sixty dates annually.
Lime Rock Park is nestled comfortably in the lush green foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, and is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and historic road racing facilities in North America. A perfect setting for a motor sport club and the only one currently open in the Northeast.
The new and improved Lime Rock Park will feature:
- Member Clubhouse and Press Facility. Lime Rock Park has received permission from the building inspector to rebuild the current press building and create a first-class Club House for The Club at Lime Rock Park members. Renowned architect Sam Posey is designing the new building, which will also serve as a press facility four weekends per year.
- Temporary Clubhouse to be fully operational by summer 2008. Permanent Clubhouse to be completed late winter/early spring 2009.
- A "Green Facility." "We've made a commitment to make Lime Rock Park the greenest, most environmentally friendly racing facility in the country," said Barber. "The new clubhouse will be entirely self-sustaining through renewable energy sources such as solar energy panels and efficient design. The design will utilize traditional New England architecture, while at the same time allow for modern renewable energy sources."
- Exclusive Members Pit Lane. "We have identified the new location for the members' Pit Lane which will begin at the middle Big Bend and re-enter in the left-hander," said Barber.
- Projected completion - summer of 2008.
- New Water and Drainage Systems. "The first step in redesigning these systems is to engineer the whole property - focusing on water and drainage," said Barber. "This was never done in the past, and this time it must come first."
- Projected completion of engineering - spring 2008.
- Projected earth moving and drainage systems - fall 2008.
- Repaving Track. "We are talking to the sanctioning bodies and drivers about some changes to the track. We have four objectives: slow down the faster corners, make the track more fun to drive, eliminate the bumps, and greatly reduce the chance of vehicle damage," said Barber.
- Projected paving of new runoff areas - 2008.
- Projected final paving - all at once in summer 2009.
- New Entranceway. "We're going to build a new wider entrance," said Barber.
- Projected completion - 2008.
- Family Friendly Facilities. "Our plan is to provide air-conditioned facilities in the chalet so that the entire family can relax in comfort and enjoy the activities on the track. We're also including a children's play area," said Barber.
- Projected completion - summer 2008.
- Renovated Bathrooms - rebuild all bathrooms throughout the facility.
- Projected completion - 2008.
Barber noted that it is critically important to him that the Lime Rock Park facility is significantly improved without losing any of its charm or character, something he has strived to achieve with the many improvements made at the track.
According to Barber, more than $2 million has been invested over the past few years on facility improvements:
- Eliminated the brown. "We have focused on eliminating the 'brown' -- the dust and mud -- and instead make everything black or green. We've paved virtually all of the main paddock - and the roads through the parking area."
- Created better barriers for driver safety. "The Armco barriers have been raised; trees and barriers have been moved further from the track at the esses; barriers have been moved further back from the track on the uphill on the left; we've widened the escape area and paved it; and catch fencing has been added up the back straight on the outside of the approach on the downhill and main street," said Barber. The track has recently been inspected by Charlie Whiting, the F1 race director, and granted an FIA grade B license. This is one step below a F1 license.
- Irrigation system is fully operational. Much of the grass at Lime Rock Park can now be watered.
- Extended the pit lane and the false grid.
- Improved drivers' sight lines. "We've pushed back the earth on the driver's right going up the back straight, improving the driver's sight line, and put new barriers there for spectators. We've done additional earth moving to increase the view of the back straight and the entry to it," said Barber.
The membership cost at The Club at Lime Rock Park is $100,000 and the length of membership is 50 years. Membership can be passed down in the immediate family or resold through The Club. The membership dollars will be used to improve the entire Park. The Club at Lime Rock Park's first full season will be 2008. However, there are four dates reserved this fall for qualified Club applicants to sample the facilities.
Barber will be offering personal track tours, including lunch, a presentation, and a questions-and-answers session at Lime Rock Park for prospective Club Members. He will be providing all the details of club membership, privileges and amenities, as well as a preview of the planned improvements that will make The Club at Lime Rock Park the premier motor sports club in North America.
Track tours will take place from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM on the following dates: Saturday, August 4; Sunday, August 5; Sunday, August 12; Saturday, August 25; and Sunday, August 26.
Contact:
Scott Tranchemontagne
The Club at Lime Rock Park
scott@limerockclub.com
(603) 540-4380
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