I'll be doing my first DE event in the CS, first time at Lime Rock and the first time with temps this low. The day time temps are predicted to be in the mid 50's for both days. I have done numerous DE events in the past but never this late in the year. What can I expect in the way of grip. I assume the tires will heat up after a number of laps but how about the pavement? Will the cold pavement be an issue even if the tires get hot?

Funny - a friend of mine was there last weekend. It was colder than 50. To quote:

"A word of caution about LRP in the cold. 4 cars found the tire wall and there were many spins. One guy in our group completely balled up his new Z4 on the warmup lap of the 3rd session coming out of big bend (yes, he balled his car on the first turn of the warmup lap)."

He goes on to say that his RA1's stuck like glue once warmed up and that there were some sketchy drivers in the event (run by PDA, not PCA). I guess the lesson is build up speed slowly and learn the limits of the track and your tires on that day.

Look forward to seeing you there! Grey Cayman #33 with Vermont plates...

Oh Boy, just what I wanted to hear..Well I guess as long as you creep up on the limit, it'll be ok. What run group are you in?
I have driven with Trackmasters a number of times and found them to be VERY safe. On the other hand I know PDA has had at least one bad incident this last summer that shouldn't have happened. I'd be a little nervious to drive with PDA. I wreck my CS and I'm walking for a few years..

Its a non-competitive DE. non-competitive means there is no prize for 1st place, so take it easy and have some fun. DE means its probably covered by your insurance...check with your agent. If so, relax and have even more fun...just be careful on the end of the down-hill it bites many people.

dw

I am running in white. CVR is VERY safety conscious. I have had many great experiences with them. Probably Traon par with Trackmasters.

I was at the PDA event and on track when the incident you are referring to happened at Pocono. Scary scary scary. I did actually go back to a PDA advanced-only day and had a good experience (open track for 6 hours! ). It really depends on the other drivers...

I wouldn't worry about this weekend. Just build up speed gradually. Look forward to seeing you there.

You know I've had a few people tell me that about the downhill section of the track. While I've never driven it, it looks like a pretty fast corner leading onto the front straight.
My intentions are to take it easy and slowly bring up the speed as I get comfortable with the handling and traction I'm getting on a cold track.

I was at LRP on Friday with SCDA. Temps were in the low 50s. The cars running R dot had no problems. I was pleasantly surprised with the stock 18" Bridgestones. They comunicated well and had alot more grip than I expected. Had a great day, finally let the car off the leash, unlike my previous two DEs in the rain. What a super car; balanced, quick, tossable and, catchable! I was grinning all day. There were two other Caymans there running in the green group - one black, one silver. The only off track excursions were the result of a vintage Alfa GTV dropping oil from Big Bend through the left hander. No damage done to the four cars that got caught out!

Cheers,

Friday weather is looking better with temps around 60F, But Saturday is starting to go south, temps around 60F but rain late in the afternoon. Might just miss the last session. I'm scheduled to be on the track around 4:30pm on Saturday in the yellow run group.

Well just got back from LRP after two days and we really lucked out, the weather was great both days, 60's and sunny. Grip was not a problem at all for me and I felt I was pushing pretty hard by the end of the second day. The only cars passing me had turbo's or a GT3 on the back bumper. This was my first time at Lime Rock and was surprised and a little disappointed with how rough the track was, your car takes a good pounding going through the "big Bend" but the most unnerving part was the down hill section coming onto the front straight. The track was very uneven and the car is moving all around from just before the apex of the corner all the way to the track out and you have to keep your foot stuffed in it. My second to last run I had a white 968 come up on me hard, on the "no name" straight so I gave him a point by and as we were going down the "down hill" he went off the left side of the track into the guard rails then shot back across the track in front of me into the fence on the right side of the track. This was the first time I saw this car on the track in two days and I'm guessing this was his first lap and he just about destroyed is car.
Anyway I was very happy with the CS, as hard as I pushed it always behaved. By the end of the second day I was starting to lap most of the other cars in my run group.

lime rock is bumpy but that is part of the challenge of the place. there is bump on the front straight. just before start finish. in the rain my old M3 would actually break the tires loose going over that at 110. the downhill is definitely a gut check, you can carry ALOT of speed through there if you are good and brave. if your line is correct the car "compresses" as the road levels out at the apex which gives you a ton of grip. the fast guys, even in hipower cars, just do a little brake tap before turning in. it's a momentum track, and fast corner entry is key to get around there quickly. most of the corners are faster than they appear. thats why spec miatas can turn sub 1:04s there. but there is not a lot of runoff (don't ask me how i know)....

Let's have a moment of silence for that poor 968.......

What group were you running in? Was that 968's owner just being a bone head or what? I'm kind of pissed at him for taking a classic car out of circulation.

I was solo'ing in the yellow run group and I feel I have advanced enough to step to the white but my instructor felt I should wait until next spring as this was my first time at LRP. I was consistently catching and passing most of the other cars in my group other than the high powered cars. I can wait, catching and passing, especially going into turns off line makes it that much more interesting.
The 968 was, I repeat, was in perfect condition, inside and out. It really caught my attention when he passed me because it looked so nice. I took a closer look at it later and it did look like show room condition other than all the damage just done to it.

Jayman - Good to meet you at LRP this weekend! It is always fun to meet fellow Cayman Clubbers! Morefun was there also...

I actually watched the 968 go off. It was ugly. It is the 3rd time this year I have watched someone do the same thing (first time I was on pit in duty and he landed about 10 feet from me - talk about scary). If you are new to the track, the dips at the apex make you second guess your ability to make it through the turn. Many people lift right at the apex as a result and, of course, start to spin. Other people don't lift, but feel the bumps and "correct" steering, which sends them off line and off track. Once you get the line and trust the car, it is no problem. I was running through the downhill at over 95 mph and there was plenty left.

Hope to see you at the first spring event back at LRP!