New Road Course in CT - 2014 - Thompson

MANY people attended this NER club racing meeting, largest number EVER. I think our regional race chair has found the formula to improve attendance... ;)

Interesting track. From the exit of Turn One, it's tight. T1 is a tight corner, with increasing radius, and from there it wiggles around left and right, into the oval, and back out of the oval. Decent width, some places four Miatae wide, but the tight turns will require some "cooperation".

However, once you leave the oval things start to straighten out. There's a short left sweeper into a tighter right hander, but from there the track opens up. I predict that most cars will get on the loud pedal out of that righty and just keep it flat all the way down to T1. The right-hander entering the front straight has some serious camber, then the track rises to a crest as it passes by that new paddock area, then starts to head obviously downhill for the remaining length. The "dog leg" on the front straight looks like an easy flat-foot for everyone, so that by the time you hit T1 you've got some serious gumption going on.

I'd suggest given the full acceleration length you have as you round the paddock, that straight is every bit as long - and thus, as fast - into T1 as Summit Point. In fact, I'd characterize the place as a lot like if you combined Summit's front straight going directly into about double the length of its Carousel area, and connecting it directly from T9 to the main straight.

Meet me in T1 for the Miata race, I'll bring the popcorn.

My impression of the track is "very fun to drive, not sure how it's going to race".

It's obvious that they are spending some serious coin to make this happen. Garages look very nice, base asphalt (except for the paddock, which is currently covered in an earth mountain) is mostly laid down, and there's heavy equipment and digging everywhere. The conference area where we met (part of the golf club and will likely cost extra to rent) is very nice, with a bar right off it. The drive there is very easy, just 15 minutes or so off I-395. And it's obvious they're very eager to make this successful.

Our first official event is scheduled for July 12-/13. See you there!

- GA
 
I saw the pictures and the link from Erik's feed. Looks like a fun track, and it's about time you guys get something closer.

tEH making tGA laugh... priceless:D
 
I have to agree with Greg, I think it will be a nice little club track. Much of it follows the 66-75 course although there have been places where it is “pulled back” to give extra runoff and then an extra loop thru what was the paddock to gain the length back. The main straight will be quick but some of the corners are tight. I do not think it will exact huge penalties for small mistakes. The group I was hanging with guessed it would anywhere from the same lap time to 10 seconds slower than NHMS. There are some long corners.
And of course it is 2.5 hours closer to the civilized world that NH.
All new lap records come July.
 
The uncivilized woodchucks came up with the thought that with the lower HP cars, Miata, RX7,VW Golfs, The straight will actually be a LOT longer than anticipated. Thinking we will be starting the long run at the Right INSIDE the oval. The Chute is banked as well as the diving turn, With the lower initial speed of our cars, those appear to flat out.

5th gear 8500 rpm, so faster then LRP, into turn 3 at NHMS.

Thoughts are the toughest turn will be Clubhouse, due to relatively no banking and the fact it falls away under accel to the bridge.

100 to 125 entries will most likely fit, 200 will be tight on paddock space. Especially when the toter homes show up with the one Miata
 
100 to 125 entries will most likely fit, 200 will be tight on paddock space.
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I have to imagine the July event will be packed. Think it'll draw upwards of 300 entries? I assume the NER is hosting that event? Good time to start getting creative on how to distribute paddock space.

Have it been determined how many SCCA races will be there next year?
 
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Good question. I wonder if NNJR will come up this far to host. The October event is shared with MoHud, so we know they aren't hosting their own.

I assume we're going to have to limit entries to the first event. If turnout is anything like the meeting, we may have too many cars.

The section following the oval and leading to turn 1 looks like it's going to be a blast to drive. Turn one is definitely going to be hairy and the drive under the bridge looks to be pretty fun as well (I assume).

I climbed up to the top of the mesa in the back section of the track and boy is it nice up there. You can see essentially the entire track from up there. It's going to be a pretty hot spot for viewing.
 
I am very sad I couldn't attend. Thanks for all the pictures and posts about the day. One thing that hasn't been spoken about is the curfew... any talk about that? Looks like a lot of new lights are being installed...
 

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There are plenty of lights to run at night, and aside from the CT state law that says no-one can race before noon on Sunday, they say we can race as late as we want on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Here's to glowing rotors and fiery exhaust!
 
It's "no race engines" before noon on Sunday.
What we can do is still being discussed.

Track belongs to NER, meaning any SCCA event must be approved by us!

300 is too many cars! We should be good up to 350 :D
 
Not sure if your looking for ideas but here are two. (Again sorry I couldn't attend)

1) FREE worker autocross. Street cars only, workers only. If attendance is low then charge for other street cars with $$ going towards worker fund.


2) kinda stolen from NC region. Have a breakfast instead of Saturday night beer party and race later Saturday night. Charge $10 per ticket to non workers and the money goes towards worker fund.


On another note. It would be cool to have a Thompson endurance series on Saturday night. Make it a 3 or 4hr race into the dark and let them advertise and sell tickets... free advertising for SCCA NER, you never know we could get some new members out of it!
 
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ner88 said:
It's "no race engines" before noon on Sunday.
What we can do is still being discussed.

Track belongs to NER, meaning any SCCA event must be approved by us!

300 is too many cars! We should be good up to 350 :D
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?? Can you elaborate on the sentence I bolded? This is the first I heard of NER "owning" Thompson? Did I miss something?
 
StephF said:
?? Can you elaborate on the sentence I bolded? This is the first I heard of NER "owning" Thompson? Did I miss something?
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As I understand it, all regions "own" or "control" intra-SCCA access to tracks geographically within their region. In other words, since Thompson exists geographically within NER, then any other SCCA region that wishes to hold an event there must coordinate with/get approval from the 'controlling' region. This, of course, does not affect any other org (NASA, PCA, etc) that wants to negotiate with the track for events.

Starting next year, NER will be the only region in the country with four tracks (LRP, NHMS, TSMP, Palmer).

- GA
 
Like Greg said, NER owns the rights to race at all tracks in our geographic boundaries. Other regions need to Ask Permission from NER to hold races at these tracks.

Its in the GCR or Operations manual
 
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