In all the years I've lived in Connecticut, I've never been to the racetrack at Lime Rock. I just always knew it as the place Paul Newman used to race and took it for granted.
Well, this past Saturday, I finally got up there. My dad has been racing autocross for a while and has been to Lime Rock probably at least a dozen times. So when he mentioned early last week that he was going up, I couldn't think of a better way to spend Father's Day (Eve).
It helps to know someone - and dad knew some of the guys who were staffing the races as well as a couple of the drivers themselves. That meant we were able to park down in the "Paddock" with the other racers. That's dad's car in the foreground. Friend Steve's car behind.
The yellow Solstice driven by friend Bobby D. We also met the owner of the suh-weet red Solstice, J Remy. Those Solstices sure do look nice all tricked out for racing.
It was cool to walk around and see the different racers/helpers working on their cars, getting them ready for the race. These are amateur racers, but that doesn't mean they don't take their racing seriously. There's a lot of money tied up in getting (and keeping) your car in race condition, entry fees are in the hundreds of dollars, and don't even talk about crashing.
Walking around watching folks doing their prep reminded me a lot of our pre-race routines in bike racing. The similarities surprised me a little, especially considering the much-publicized and talked-about antagonism between drivers and cyclists.
In fact, racing bikes and racing cars have a lot in common. You still have to make sure your machine is in top condition, since you'll be pushing it to its limit. You have to pick the best and fastest line you can through the corners. You can even draft.
Other than speed, the major difference is when you crash. Crashes in auto racing are WAAAAY more expensive than in bike racing. But we bike racers make that up in loss of skin and broken bones. It's amazing the crashes car racers can walk away from with nary a scratch.
Oh - the other big difference: the sound. All you usually hear in a bike race is the sound of tires on pavement, gears turning and labored breathing. The loudest thing in a bike race (other than the announcer) is a crash - all that metal and carbon hitting tarmac at speed.
Car racing, on the other hand, is SCREAMING loud - so much so that earplugs are highly recommended. But this sound is a lot of the attraction too. I have to admit, after getting a little tired of the distinctive sound of Miatas downshifting, I laughed like a crazy man when the Mustangs went by. Big bore Ford V-8s at speed, and with no mufflers to calm them down, have a sound all their own. And #50 (pictured above) was one of the loudest.
But pictures don't really do any of this any justice. You have to see movement and hear the sound to truly appreciate auto racing. While my camera wasn't the best for catching this type of action, it was better than nothing. Here are a few videos to illustrate my point:
Here's one of my favorite cars of the day - a very loud vintage Mustang. Sure wouldn't want to crash that.
This is from the same race. I really liked the mix of cars, from the Corvette leading, to the Mustangs, Camaros, there's even a Maserati in there (#24 I think). Makes Formula 1 racing look boring - or at least homogenous (though I expect that's part of the point).
As I mentioned, we were up there mainly to see dad's friend Bob race. So after a great lunch/cookout at Bob's trailer, we headed over to the start/finish to watch him line up:
And take off:
Here is probably the best location for watching the race - southeast(?) corner of the park, just before the hill. You get to see the cars coming at you through an S curve, then have to slowdown for the corner (saw a few right/rear tires leave the pavement), and accelerate up the hill.
The first pan shot is of red Solstice #8 - J. Remy. The second is of our host, Bobby D (yellow Solstice #1)
The worst crash we saw was at this location earlier in the day. It just looked like the guy's left rear wheel sheared all its lugbolts. He hit the wall and there was a little fire as the underbody scraped along the track, but he was fine. His car wasn't.
Bob had a much better day, as you can see here:
Winner in class.
After congratulating Bob and seeing everybody one last time, we said our goodbyes having to get home in time for a Father's Day weekend cookout at the house. Of course, we drove with the top down and (also of course) made record time from CT's northwest corner to Old Saybrook.
I have to wonder how anyone can watch these races and then be disciplined out on regular roads. Yeah, a lot of drivers aren't so great. But like I told somebody earlier in the day - I'd trust any of these racers way over and above some guy driving while talking on the phone and/or eating his Big Mac. At least when you race, whether cars or bikes, you're much more aware of what's going on around you. You have to be. That's your training and becomes your 6th sense.
But I have to admit, when I got to drive dad's Solstice the rest of the way home, it was hard keeping it reined in after all I'd seen and experienced during the day. Racing cars is a rush all it's own and I expect is just as addictive as racing bikes. It's just as well my bank account is more in line with bike racing. I could get in a lot of trouble - financially, if not with the law - if I had any one of these amazing cars.
Racin's racin' though - the adrenaline rush of cornering, the speed of the sprint to the line, the thrill of going to your limit, the cameraderie and community of your fellow racers. Bikes or cars, makes little difference. We can each appreciate what the other can do. It'd be great if we could all take some of that common ground from the track to the road.
There used to be a circuit race at Lime Rock. I rode it a few times in the mid-80's. It was my favorite race.
It was unsettling, but fun, hitting all the oil at the bottom of the hill.
Posted by: il Bruce | June 21, 2011 at 08:25 AM