Lime Rock Recap: Curbs, Confidence, and Close Calls
Sometimes race weekends feel like a vacation. Other times they feel like 72 hours of chaos, caffeine, and questionable life decisions. Lime Rock managed to be a little bit of both.
We hit the road Tuesday after work, truck full of tools, parts, and just enough optimism to keep us moving forward. First stop: IAG. The car needed some love before we dared to dance with Lime Rock. Dylan worked his magic on the Dyno, squeezing out a spicy extra 8 horsepower and torque (hey, we’ll take every single pony we can get). From there, it was onto the alignment rack. Road America’s curbs had thrown the car out of whack, and with a rear toe arm swapped out, dialing things in before Lime Rock was a non-negotiable.
Thursday: The Calm Before the Chaos
We rolled into Lime Rock surprisingly early Thursday. Pro tip: if you’re in a big rig, you’ve gotta sneak into paddock before the track goes hot or you’re stuck outside all day. Luckily, we made it in and grabbed a prime spot between Turns 2 and 3. The rest of the day? A mix of setup, hanging with friends, and soaking in that track-family energy that makes these weekends special.
Friday: ABS Adventures & Coilover Confessions
Friday morning, confidence was… let’s call it “developing.” I was curious how the new Delta ABS motorsports system was going to behave. The knob was set to 9, so naturally, I thought that was fine. Wrong. Turn 1 greeted me with tires locking like I was auditioning for Tokyo Drift: Lime Rock Edition. Dropped the dial to 5 and was better, but still not quite right. After some trial, error, and a lot of brake pedal prayers, I found out “2” was the sweet spot.
Of course, mid-session I realized my coilovers were set to full soft. Checked my notes. Nope, that wasn’t the plan. Quick fix, and suddenly the car felt more alive. By the end of Friday, I was throttle-steering through 1 and 2, getting braver on the Uphill, and figuring out how to manhandle Turn 3.
Friday Night: Splitter Science
Somewhere between adrenaline crashes and swapping stories, I noticed a couple GLTC 86s with their splitters angled way down. Seemed worth a try. A couple hours of wrenching later, and with some fresh stickers thrown on for good luck, the car was ready for Saturday.
Saturday: Shaving Seconds
Saturday morning was prime time: cool temps, fresh adjustments, and new tires. Immediately, the splitter tweak made a difference. The car rotated sharper, stayed more stable, and just felt faster. Knocked a full second off, down into the mid 58s. By the second session, I squeezed a little more pace, but not past the mid 58s barrier. Third session? Nobody improved. Sometimes, the track just says “nah.”
Still, I clung to P3 by a razor-thin .082 seconds with a 58.701. To put it in perspective, P3–P5 were separated by less than a tenth. Club TR never disappoints—it’s tight, competitive, and keeps you humble.
And just like that, it was over. No track time on Sunday. By 7 p.m., trophies were handed out, and I was staring down the 20-hour haul back home.
Reflections & What’s Next
Lime Rock is a wild one: high risk, high reward. Horsepower doesn’t matter here, corner speed is king. Club TR cars were clocking faster times than some of the big-power classes. I walked away with hardware, stories, and a reminder that there’s still speed to be found.
I’m sitting P3 in the season standings now. Last shot to hold onto it, or climb higher, is Pitt Race in October. Plenty of work left to do, but the goal? End the season on the podium.
See the GridLife fam in October at Pitt Race, but stay tuned! Next up is a recap from our weekend at Barber Motorsports Park with ALSCCA and TVR for some time trials action.
