End of Nelson Ledges as we know it?

i went to school there back in '04. i thought the facilities were perfect.... they did have 1 flush toilet, if you knew where to look.

yes, safety could be enhanced, especially on the back side... however, concrete culverts offer excellent protection to the workers.

country clubing will help the place. i'm sure they will only improve the layout, much like they did with VIR.

hoop
 
VIR was long out of business and grown over when it was rescued to become a country club. It is now arguably the finest road course for club racing in the United States.

Carolina Motorsports Park is going thru the conversion now and the improvement in the facilities are significant.

I've never been to Ledges, but IMO many of these older race courses will remain viable businesses thru this way.

I dont think there is any chance that SCCA or NASA or PCA is going to get kicked out of Ledges because they upgrade the facilities and build some condos and garages.

The only thing that may happen is the fees are increased to pay for the improvements.
I don't know anyone that complains about VIR
 
Cobrar05 said:
I dont think there is any chance that SCCA or NASA or PCA is going to get kicked out of Ledges because they upgrade the facilities and build some condos and garages.

The only thing that may happen is the fees are increased to pay for the improvements.
I don't know anyone that complains about VIR
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I'm not worried about accessibility to Nelson as a racer if it becomes a country club. Rather, I'm concerned for all the Joe Blows out there who just want to have an informal day on the track with their automotive toys. Nelson used to have approx. 20-25 "Fundays" a year where you could just show up and wheel your car to oblivion. Once Nelson goes elitist, will that number dwindle to something like 5 or 6?
 
RedMisted said:
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.
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Don't forget the initial membership fee! There's a country club track being built (maybe?) in Kansas City by the airport and the pricing is as follows:

Founding Member: $85K pre-production price
$100K post-production price
$0 for dues per year

Elite Member: $35K pre-production price
$40K post-production price
$6000/yr. annual dues

For that kind of money I could buy lifetime memberships to MAM for me and half of the Midwest Division to run test and tune days.:eek: That is obscene pricing especially in this market and they would need groups like SCCA and NASA to help pay for some of the costs to run the place.
 
At the rate we were going with monies coming into the track and entries being way down, we're probably 35% under normal revenue for the year. At that rate, the track would likely have closed outright within two years because the money just isn't there for improvements. I'm looking at the future with mixed feelings. On the bright side, the track will be completely renovated and new buildings erected. It has a huge potential be be as good or better than Mid-Ohio when it was redone. The facilities are going to be first class and the track will be repaved and widened. On the other side, smaller events may be a part of the past because they will be cost prohibitive to the smaller groups. The flip side to that may be that the smaller groups will get more entries due to it being a first class facility. SCCA races will increase in car counts due to the track surface being better for formula cars. And the plan is at this point to have the "more interesting" races such as MARRS, the WOR Games and the Longest Day with more to follow.

At this point, as with the past, we are still working hard to do the best as we can with what we have to work with. Sure, the track may be rough in some places, (I finally found my braking point for turn 12 with the new Mazda), but I grew up at the track and will always call it home as well as the racers and workers being family to me.
Thank you for my say and I hope to see you on the track for the final year of Nelson as it is now.
 
Bryan, Looks like the schedule for balance of year to remain the same?? Hope things work out for the best Scott,Carrie, and employees have always made us feel welcome. We Plan to be back for the Pumpkin. Even though we spent time on a tire pile. Now have new nose splitter etc. TW
 
It may not have the nicest facilities, but it's got character and they have really made a lot of improvements the past few years. It's a fun track to drive and I always look forward to racing there. I don't mind roughing it a little. (although the johns at the 24 hr. were brutal)

I hope the new owners don't ruin that character .
 
tdw6974 said:
Bryan, Looks like the schedule for balance of year to remain the same?? Hope things work out for the best Scott,Carrie, and employees have always made us feel welcome. We Plan to be back for the Pumpkin. Even though we spent time on a tire pile. Now have new nose splitter etc. TW
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Unless plans change, the Harvest double and the Pumpkin may not happen. After early September, the track will be torn up and paving is to start. So it looks right now like the WOR Games will be the last SCCA race this year. Of course, that all depends on the studies they did last week at the track. But for now, they want the pavement down by November.
Also, Scott, Kerrie and I will remain on board to run things. So the faces shouldn't change.
Remember this officailly unofficial!!! :shrug:
 
Bryan KF8G said:
Unless plans change, the Harvest double and the Pumpkin may not happen. After early September, the track will be torn up and paving is to start. So it looks right now like the WOR Games will be the last SCCA race this year. Of course, that all depends on the studies they did last week at the track. But for now, they want the pavement down by November.
Also, Scott, Kerrie and I will remain on board to run things. So the faces shouldn't change.
Remember this officailly unofficial!!! :shrug:
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Bryan, Thanks for putting us in the know. I'm also looking to the future with a combination of trepidation and excitement. We'll just have to see how things pan out. Glad to know that they are keeping Scott and Kerrie at the track. The Lanes are good people.
And, another "you're welcome" for racing you cleanly at the Westward Ho event!:)
 
RedMisted said:
Bryan, Thanks for putting us in the know. I'm also looking to the future with a combination of trepidation and excitement. We'll just have to see how things pan out. Glad to know that they are keeping Scott and Kerrie at the track. The Lanes are good people.
And, another "you're welcome" for racing you cleanly at the Westward Ho event!:)
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I thought that was you!!! Whats your next race. I'm doing the Neohio double and thinking of WOR Games.
 
RedMisted said:
I'm aiming for the Neohio event, for sure.:eclipsee_steering:
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Chris,
I wished you would have come over and introduced yourself this past weekend, I'm always interested in meeting drivers I've never raced against before. Nice looking Mustang! Thanks for watching your mirrors this weekend.
 
lateapex911 said:
Just like Pocono! NOT!
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Jake,

How would you know these days? From your post on the other thread:

"I haven't been to pocono in years..."

Maybe you should give it a try again instead of just making a remark like this. The May Double Regional was a very good event. We just had another this weekend that sounds like it went pretty well, although we were a little short on entries and workers, probably due to the holiday weekend.

Brian
 
Brian Holtz said:
Jake,

How would you know these days? From your post on the other thread:

"I haven't been to pocono in years..."

Maybe you should give it a try again instead of just making a remark like this. The May Double Regional was a very good event. We just had another this weekend that sounds like it went pretty well, although we were a little short on entries and workers, probably due to the holiday weekend.

Brian
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Brian, you're right. I was there, and I found the Pocono staff to be much friendlier than in my previous visits.

I didn't, however, find that track to be all that enjoyable as a roadrace course, which is, of course, a personal opinion. And I saw a lot of off tracks result in too much "air". I know, keep it on the track and that's not an issue.

But, I did find the staff at Pocono to be very hospitable.
 
dj10 said:
Chris,
I wished you would have come over and introduced yourself this past weekend, I'm always interested in meeting drivers I've never raced against before. Nice looking Mustang! Thanks for watching your mirrors this weekend.
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No problem, Dan. You were fast as heck so I had no choice but to watch out for you and Aziz. Besides, isn't that what we are supposed to do?:)
Thanks for the complement, and congrats on bettering your ITR lap record.:happy204:
 
RedMisted said:
No problem, Dan. You were fast as heck so I had no choice but to watch out for you and Aziz. Besides, isn't that what we are supposed to do?:)
Thanks for the complement, and congrats on bettering your ITR lap record.:happy204:
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dang, hadn't quite got to his last ITR record, guess i am going to have to work a little harder this weekend, eh dan? :D
 
While we're talking about Nelson, do they currently have any running water? do they sell fuel at the track?

Thanks!

See some of you there this weekend.
AJ
 
ajn said:
While we're talking about Nelson, do they currently have any running water? do they sell fuel at the track?

Thanks!

See some of you there this weekend.
AJ
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Hey AJ,
Yes there is running water @ the track by the tech shed. Best gas to get is @ Newton Falls, Sunoco 94, about 6 miles from the track.
 
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