Lime rock for the TVMRS ???

After reconfiguring a number of corners at the track in 2008, Lime Rock Park officials introduced what they promoted as a "new" Lime Rock Park.

It looks like some drivers from the True Value Modified Racing Series will be looking to test out and even newer Lime Rock Park.

True Value Modified Racing Series director John Hoyt confirmed Wednesday evening that the series has tentatively scheduled a test for Tuesday at Lime Rock Park, which comes as no surprise. Lime Rock Park owner Skip Barber said Wednesday afternoon that the track was looking to finalize a test date with the series.

The surprise is that the series will be focusing their test on running the 1.53-mile road course in Salisbury backward.

Running the standard configuration at Lime Rock offers drivers a majority of right hand turns. Turning that around would have the cars mostly turn left, what they're set up to do.?

"Its just more cost effective on paper to run it backwards," Hoyt said. "You'd then be doing it with just one right-hander. Your setups and your pickups and all that seem like they would be OK, but we've got to at least go there and try. We'll never know unless we do. That's kind of what this whole deal is about."

Reigning Whelen Modified Tour champion Ted Christopher tested at Lime Rock on the standard configuration in May 2002, the last test for Modifieds at the track. He had concerns about the idea of running the track backward.

"The one thing is you're climbing up a serious a hill doing that," Christopher said. "That thing is pretty steep. What you have to worry about, is once you hit the hill and come into that, is the lift you get after the hill."?

Hoyt said he was waiting on finalizing details on the test with series founder and regular competitor Jack Bateman on Thursday.

"Right now everything looks good for Tuesday," Hoyt said.

Hoyt said the test will involve Bateman driving and another driver that has yet to be decided. The True Value Modified Racing Series has never run a road course.

Added by Howie -
This has been cut and pasted from Shawn's blog which is in courant.com and can be seen here. http://blogs.courant.com/autoracing/...able.html#more

I would love to see a modified race there so bad. I think it would be great for them

I also think it would be cool.

IMO Its not what most of the TVMS competitors need the cost of this is just not feesible IMO for the average racer and thats what the TVMRS was suppose to be.But i gues they may be growing and thats a good thing but look at how many it will hurt or be a financial burden too JMO

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Originally Posted by 11skmod

IMO Its not what most of the TVMS competitors need the cost of this is just not feesible IMO for the average racer and thats what the TVMRS was suppose to be.But i gues they may be growing and thats a good thing but look at how many it will hurt or be a financial burden too JMO

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I agree. Stick to the small tracks. Let WMT have Lime Rock and Thompson.

i think the more tracks the better it might be just my thought but if the whelen tour is not going there but the tv mods go there i think the tv mods could be just as popular

Keep em on the small tracks!

Here's some photos from 2002 when TC and Todd Szegedy tested a Modified at Lime Rock. I was there that day watching and I remember Teddy wasn't enthused about Mods racing on the track, even with the chicane they put in at the top of the hill to slow the cars down. Racing backwards sounds insane for the same reasons Ted was quoted on.

Too bad Jack Bateman didn't know this when we was thinking about a second driver to test Limerock. One of his former TVRMS drivers has done it before. Back in the 90's, I'm not sure exactly when but before Tim Connolly got into the Gararino ride, Tim and his Maxwellhouse Car and the Evonsion Racing #35 were the onlt 2 cars to show up for NASCAR WMT test along with 2 cars from the then BGNN. We had a blast and I'm not sure who got moreseat time, S J , Mike Joy, or Dale Evonsion. They were nearly fighting for the next shot at the seat. This was actually Dale's very first seat time on a track. We had set-the-car-up as near dead neutral as we could, dropped LS weight to only about 51%. The only 2 issues that needed addressing at the end of the day, were the AIR of the top of the backstretch hill which less steep than the front and the wrong side oil pickup on the pan. Both S J and Daler really enjoyed themselves as did Mike who said he saw a future for MODS at LRPS.