TR: Lime Rock Park

[ctenidae]

Holy buckets. Such a good time.



That's not me driving (I'm in the back trying to hold onto the camera). I drove for 4 hours, though, and when my wife came back to get me my instructor guy took her for a few laps to see what I'd been up to.

Car: 2011 BMW M3, straight off a dealer lot on lease (be careful if you buy one off lease, I guess)
Max speed attained: I saw an indicated 130 while I was driving
Pucker factor: High
Desire to do it again: Extrememly high

It's really great- you go out with the instructor who drives a few laps first to get you situated adn a little familiar with the track. Then you switch off, and away you go. First you learn the lines, then you learn the speed. Really great experience.

 

[Glenn]

That was awesome! Loved the engine sound.

Did BMW put that event on?

 

[ctenidae]

That was awesome! Loved the engine sound.

Did BMW put that event on?

BMW's the track sponsor, so those are the "loaner" cars the Drivers Club uses. There's a Skip Barber school on the track as well, but they use Mazdas

 

[gmcunni]

i attended a customer appreciation event (i was a customer) @ Limerock's Skip Barber school several years ago.

we drove a viper around a small track, a pickup truck on the skid pad, dodge neon with ABS disabled on the braking course and the mini open cockpit type cars on the big track. so much fun that day!!!

when on the big track we were in packs of 3 or 4 following an instructor (who was driving a Neon). When we weren't driving our cars we could go for ride-a-longs with the instructor (much like your vid) and that was amazing.

 

[Glenn]

I'd love to take a course at the Skip Barber school. Unfortunately, I think they're moving the business out of state.

 

[gmcunni]

I'd love to take a course at the Skip Barber school. Unfortunately, I think they're moving the business out of state.

i heard that too.

try to get your company to do a team building exercise with Skip Barber!! ;-)

ours was just a fun outing from a vendor but they gave the "team building" speech to us to make it somewhat justifiable as a day out of the office. :lol:

 

[ctenidae]

I'd love to take a course at the Skip Barber school. Unfortunately, I think they're moving the business out of state.

Just administration- the school stays:

http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/Racing-School-Leaving-Connecticut-119759284.html

 

[drjeff]

I'd love to take a course at the Skip Barber school. Unfortunately, I think they're moving the business out of state.

FYI Glenn, the Audi owner's association usually has an event or 2 at Lime Rock each year And the quiver of Audi's (should you choose not to drive your's has in the past usally been some S4's and TT's. Last year they even had an RS8 that folks could get a lap or 2 in (with the instructor in the car) too!

S keeps telling me that one of these years, she's going to pay the $$ and go and do this. And i'm thinking that that time is getting closer as she's been watching more and more Top Gear with me and really liking the touring and super car segments as the original TG British guys are having a blast around some of those incredible looking roads that they just keep seemingly find all over England and Europe!

 

[bvibert]

Living the dream! Well, my dream at least. I can't seem to get the video to load though... :-?

Doing a few hot laps around Lime Rock is definitely on my bucket list...

 

[o3jeff]

Doing a few hot laps around Lime Rock is definitely on my bucket list...

In my younger days I remember them letting the Cub Scouts ride their bikes around the track

 

[Glenn]

It would be fun to really push a car to it's limits in a controlled environment. Especially one with a lot of horsepower.

 

[bvibert]

In my younger days I remember them letting the Cub Scouts ride their bikes around the track

That would be pretty fun too! 8)

 

[ctenidae]

It would be fun to really push a car to it's limits in a controlled environment. Especially one with a lot of horsepower.

It totally is. Funny how hard it is to get to the limits on something like an M3, though. When we got in, my guy turned on the AC, and said, "We've got 500 horsepower. We won't miss it. Unless you like being hot."

Hardest part of the day was realizing that the car would hold. Once I quit worrying about that, it was a lot easier to concentrate on my lines.

 

[Glenn]

That's a riod! With the A/C on...now that's excellent.

 

[bvibert]

Hardest part of the day was realizing that the car would hold. Once I quit worrying about that, it was a lot easier to concentrate on my lines.

That's gotta take some getting use to!

 

[kartski]

Nothing against Lime Rock, if your budget can handle cars go for it. If your budget is a little less try:

http://www.ovrp.com

Their track is 8 mi north of Port Jervis, where PA, NY and NJ meet.

Some video, not one of my Karts, I don't have a helmetcam:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJw_GPIUpDg

If it has Racing in it's name, it can cost a lot of money, but a whole lot less than a car.