Latest news on LimeRock "club"

[EACIII]

Having taken the downhill flat in T644HU01 and T644HU02, I can tell you it was a blast

[stonebridge20]

Try the place "flat" all the way around (circa 1994) except from the first apex of big bend to the track out in a Swift DB4. It produces a lap time of about :47:4?? One of my fondest memories!

Agnif

[HazelNut]

Try the place "flat" all the way around (circa 1994) except from the first apex of big bend to the track out in a Swift DB4. It produces a lap time of about :47:4?? One of my fondest memories!

Agnif

too freakin cool!

[Roger Eade]

To read what is going on at Lime Rock, like I guess many others in this forum, I have read about Lime Rock in magazines, and is a track I would liked to have raced on, if I could ever get to the States to do a raceing holiday, by what has been said here, that dream has now gone,who is this Skip Barber, some kind of failed race driver turned teacher, they always say "those that can, do, those that can't teach!" or am I being a little hard? to fast down hill race like gentleman, what bulls***t, most of the old guys I know are going faster as they get older, the reason being, it hurts being strapped in a race car, so they have to finish the race quicker, to get out the guts of this is, if things like this are allowed to happen you all might be racing zimmer frames soon.
Roger

[T644HU05]

If you look in the right hand column at their text, this is what gives it away....

"Participate in "gentlemen's competitions"

That leaves out 85% of the Forum members here

[Joefisherff]

If Skippy feels the down hill is not meant to be taken flat then I suggest that in the redesign they simply bank it. Problem solved and we get to pull even more G's.

Skippy may also have a vested interest as in my skippy schools there that seemed to be the one that claimed the most cars and parts. They would either hit the outside wall or the end of pit entrance. In my classes I saw 4 cars lunched there.

[FVRacer21]

With due respect, taking the downhill "flat" is a function of tires and car set up. Not all classes can take it flat, and in FV right now buying a new set of tires allows most to take it "flat" while a few heat cycles and there is a lift somewhere...

And if you ever want to see excitement, watch Mike Rand in the downhill in the rain- amazing....spectacular....but not "flat".

After the track was paved in the early 90's it was so smooth that the FV record was in the 59s! With the same track and today's FV development, we would be in the 58s.

I will reserve comment until I have seen the changes. I have "driven" (don't ask how) the golf course at Bridgehampton and it makes me sick . I miss the old Bryar and Thompson (the last one, not the origional, I am not THAT old). I hate the bus stop at the Glen, but I am sure no one has stopped racing there becuse of it - and it may have taken way a turn even greater than the downhill at LR.

If I get priced out of Lime Rock - oh well - it was a great 30 years. If Palmer takes it's place, or the new NJ track that's life. Right now I would be more worried about NHIS in 2009.

PS - As far as Skip's driving talent - maybe Mike Rand can chime in on that. There have been driving schools started by people with less that stellar credentials, but I don't think Skip is in that catagory.

ChrisZ

[Roux]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skip_Barber

Some privateer races in F1 and of course the Formula Ford titles in SCCA. According to Wiki

[Michael Rand]

Regarding Skip, he really was as good as America produced in the mid-late 1960's, all pretty much on a shoestring and bad checks, just like the rest of us. From early Can Am days in an outdated McLaren Mk1B through FB in borrowed Marches to the FF double National Championships in 1969 and 1970 then on to F1, and F5000, with that same car [F5000 then allowed 3 liter racing engines, ie Cosworth DFV F1 motors, against 5 liter stoock block pushrod motors] he was ranked right there with all but the very best like Gurney et al.
So while I have significant issues with the direction he is taking Lime Rock, to the point where I will not be involved there anymore, I can take nothing away from his driving career.
His few appearances in F1 were as much a function of money as anything else. A privateer March in 1971 was hardly sharp end of the grid stuff and it did respectably over here in F5000.
Nope, I can say nothing even remotely disparaging about his driving skills and career.
Wish I could say the same about his Lime Rock efforts but we, he and I, seem to be on quickly diverging paths right now.

[LolaT440]

I mentioned I'd rather see the track go 100% private than semi private and the layout changed.

Agnif has some experience with track day customers. And while I used to do it with an MGB. Jumping into todays cars with no safety equipment is pretty dumb. Especially the Porsche, Vette and Ferrari level cars. Add to it "I have the money to fix it if I crash it" mentality and I feel it could be scary.

From my understanding of a story of a track day customer, there is a dad home for Christmas because of Agnif's racing experience and demanding a rollbar be installed on a track day car.

Maybe the airbags would help more than an old MGB, But they don't help when you are upside down or when someone Tbones you because they were changing the radio station while going under the Bridge.

[Larry C]

I just saw an announcement over on e-formulacarnews.com about Skip Barber Racing School and LRP extending their relationship until 2021 or so. One small item jumped out at me. It says that by 2010 SBRS will be the exclusive karting event provider on a track to be built in the Sunoco paddock. Why wouldn't they use or modify/upgrade the existing kart track up in the infield? Could it be that this infield area will be where the "member" pit lane will be? Could the member's track turn into the infield at the uphill chicane, go through the area where the kart track and skid pad are now and then rejoin the track after West Bend? That would slow down the poseurs into the downhill and keep their very rare Disco Volante Whizbang Douchebag GT's off the tire wall. This is of course only conjecture or maybe wishful thinking on my part, but given the tight property lines and the water surrounding the track, this may the only way to do it without completely ruining the aesthetics of the place. If I were a track designer, that's what I'd do. Like I said pure conjecture on my part. Any other alternative makes me puke in my mouth a little.
Happy New Year!

Larry C.

[stonebridge20]

Rumor is that the "clubhouse" will be where the medical building is and the "member only" (must turn shirt collar up to enter) pit lane will be in front of that. Or just follow the smell of cheese and you'll find it!

[johnd]

Mike:

Stop typing and tow south.



John D.

[Jim Garry]

Just came from a regional membership meeting last night. Talk was that the Lime Rock member-only pit lane is to extend into the inside of Big Bend. But given how wet that is, it would require lots of drainage and fill.

The Downhill apex is to be squared off as per Skip's direction.

There was no talk about the kart track, but my take is that while it is nice, it is not of the quality desired for a top notch kart circuit. Don't know if they'll build a better one somewhere else, or pull up the current one and rebuild on that site.


Jim

[PRS56]

I'm curious with all this talk of substantial changes to the track, how does the pro races they have factor in? Maybe this only relates to F1, but I thought that FIA or ACCUS had to approve changes of this magnitude. I can't imagine the sanctioning bodies will be too keen on squaring off the down hill as has been suggested.
Also, with prospect of repaving the entire track, don't you think the better drivers will regain the speed in other parts of the track for what may be lost in the downhill?
Regards,

Greg Kokolus
NCF#56

[tstiles]

This thread is bringing back lots of memories.

I've been on Skips side of the deal with golf courses instead of race tracks. Of course , I would never change the 18th @ Pebble.

I don't know anything about LRP , but it sounds like the racing community is getting a lot better deal than they could have gotten . Sounds like Skip's attorney's did a little financial engineering that allowed Skip to drag some cash and keep LRP as a racing facility....... I especially like the part about the " membership " being good for 50 years .

If LRP was in Texas , Skip's team would not even bother telling anybody , they would just quietly do the engineering , file the permits , close the gate and bring in the dozers ..... 12 months later , there would be Mc Mansions everywhere.

Having said that , I watched LRP on TV for 20+ yrs ...... I may need to tow up there do a do a race while I still can ....... I don't think we have anything like LRP in Texas.

Trey

[stonebridge20]

The latest "promo email" from Camp Skippy.



Subject: ABC's "Cashmere Mafia" and Boulevard Magazine

Members & Prospective Members:

Our momentum and excitement continue with great news on The Club and Lime Rock Park!

Lime Rock Park race track has invited the cast and crew of ABC’s new comedy series, “Cashmere Mafia” to shoot an episode at the track. During the show’s first episode on January 6th, high-profile New York City Magazine Publisher Jack Cutting, played by guest star Tom Everett Scott, tells a business associate, “I’ll catch you up tomorrow; I’ve booked us some track time at Lime Rock.”

The Boulevard magazine has a terrific article titled, “Around the track with Skip Barber and the Club at Lime Rock Park”. Take a look at www.limerockclub.com.

Please email or call me if you have any questions!

Stephan Condodemetraky

President, Club Member Sales
The Club at Lime Rock Park

[EACIII]

I recently got a email from Lime Rock telling me about a ski jumbing event they were sponsering. I couldn't resist and replied back "are you going to make the ski jump "slower and safer too"". Here is the response to that I got:

Fortunately for the ski jumps, the sanctioning body IMSA doesn’t have a say in their program. :O)

So no, they won’t be making it “slower and safer”. And as I am sure you know, we have to adhere to the safety of the cars that race on this track. We look forward to an interesting season this year. Hope to see you at the track!


Was she trying to say IMSA required the track changes?? Not sure. Hey but I did get a response.

Ed

[Michael Rand]

The track is hiding behind IMSA/ALMS as far as altering the layout. Actually McNish, and if not Roger himself someone of influence at Penske Porsche camp. were very vocal about the speeds and track condition in 2007, with good reason as the braking zone for Big Bend approaching at 180+ in hard sprung prototypes must be brutal. Nothing a ground up repave wouldn't solve. The fact that those cars and drivers are there for 2 days per year appears to make no difference as far as altering the historic layout for the thoudands of other track users.
This is a smokescreen to justify his need to slow it down for the Club primadonnas as both that group and the Ferrari Challenge guys, who refused to run LRP in 2007 due to, among other things, the lack of runoff and their lack of ability to safely drive their cars on any given stretch of asphalt [they also whined about the lack of nightlife in the area. Seriously. Isn't that what we all go racing for ? ] have Skip's ear.
Now, if the track is serious about applying for Historical Site status then they can't change the original layout, just add to it with alernative layouts like the chicane option at the uphill. But a rough drawing, far from an engineering study, that I have seen includes altering the lefthander, tightening the Righthander onto No Name Straight, a completely different Uphill, inside the existing corner, with the abrupt crest removed, an alternate Backstright that completely changes the approach to West Bend with at leat one slow corner preceding West then a sharp squaring off of the Downhill.
Bah, humbug.
Nonetheless, slightly encouraging someone there seems to have some sense of humor regarding Eddie Callos Ski Jump email !

[HazelNut]

The Downhill apex is to be squared off as per Skip's direction.

UPDATE!!!! Apparently most 13 year old girls have bigger balls than Skip Barber.

[Steve Maxwell]

There is a word for what is happening to LRP: Emasculated

Imagine if Skip owned Mosport! what would he do with turn two?

[captaineddie1975]

My thoughts on the possible "NEW" LRP that Mike Rand has laid out...yuck Very interesting PR blurb by Mr. Condo de-me-tracky..I wish I could afford a Condo at de my track not yours LRP....

[stonebridge20]

Date: Fri, 18 Jan

Subject: Reception in Manhattan January 31st - Skip to update on paving -


Dear Members and Prospective Members:

On January 31st The Club at Lime Rock Park will host a Cocktail Party reception that will include an update on the Club at Lime Rock Park from Skip Barber, including more details about upgrading the track surface. The reception will be held at the Classic Car Club Manhattan at 250 Hudson Street, New York, NY, 10013 from 6-9PM, please RSVP via email to reserve your spot today.

At the event on January 31st we will announce two track days that the Classic Car Club Manhattan will sponsor for its members to enjoy the Club at Lime Rock. The Guest Member Days begin with a chalk talk at 9:00 AM followed by track operation from 10AM to 3PM with a break for lunch at Noon.

Bring your helmet and drive the track on a Guest Member Day!

You are invited to join us as a Guest Member for an exciting day at the Club at Lime Rock Park. The Club is open and the cars will be roaring around the track sooner than you think. If you’re ready to experience the thrill of road course, no-speed-limit driving at its best, sign up for a Guest Member day at www.limerockclubvip.com.

We are currently accepting Guest Members for 2008 on a limited basis. A one-time guest fee does apply and is credited towards your initiation fee when you join. Individuals interested in joining the Club at Lime Rock Park are able to enjoy all of the amenities that the Club has to offer for a single day before they decide to become a member!

The Classic Car Club Manhattan, classiccarclubmanhattan.com, started in London in 1995 and is the first club of its kind to give members the keys to the most staggeringly stylish fleet of cars ever assembled. Whether it is modern supercars or vintage cruisers, Classic Car Club Manhattan has the right ride for you. During our last event with Classic Car Club Manhattan we saw many of these great cars at their 10,000 square foot facility in Manhattan.

We will have instructors and Spec Miata’s at the track on the Guest Member Days, and Classic Car Club Manhattan will be bringing some of its fantastic fleet of vehicles for you to have a look and maybe test drive.

Please email me at xxxxxxxxxxxx or call me at xxxxxxxxx to reserve your spot today.

Stephan Condodemetraky
Member #229
President, Club Member Sales
The Club at Lime Rock Park


I guess Skippy doesn't want to turn these Wankers loose in anything faster than a spec Miata until he makes the track idiot proof. All this bull$hit to "save" the racetrack makes me sick. If he's going to change the origional layout so ANY nutless wanker can go there and drive without concern for consequence or challenge, then bulldoze the fu<king place and stick checkerd flags on all the greens. If Jim Vaill was around, he would punch Skip in the throat for this!

[D.T. Benner]

Try saying Stephan's (above member #229) last name REAL fast 10 times!

[rickb99]

LOL. Located right off the Avenue of the America's in the financial district! Talk about $$$$$

Classic Car Club of Manhattan? Average check book balance $350,000. Average annual Trust Fund income $12,000,000? Average age of members 68. I wonder if they'll wear their ascots while "racing"?

Their web site is so fancy, it won't even load for my dial up service. Or else, I've already been excluded from membership.

http://classiccarclubmanhattan.com/

Ahh, it loaded:

Cheap membership $9,000. All out super membership $39,750. Now, just appreciate your annual $80 to SCCA

[LolaT440]

Very queer, the whole thing is.

What is next .a green line painted around the track to show the racing line?

Or maybe John Fitch can design a slot in the track with a bolt on assy. for the bumper,as in a full scale Aurora slot car to keep the poodle in the back seat safe.

Mike has it. I would rather see the place stay the same, build some condo's around it. At least if you race a historic car there or something you could compare your laptimes to the history of the place.

What do I know.

[John Merriman]

This is a fun thread to read, it really is. So the great old Lime Rock is being changed and because of people's nostalgia for it and their love of its very fast, daunting and challenging layout, everybody's bummed out about it. But hey, things change and this is America so money is the thing that drives a lot of changes. (money drives a lot of things - like it costs $100,000 to win a little silver cup in Topeka?) I'm as put off as many of you by those guys with all that dough down in NYC too. Heck, my race car is worth $7,000 and not $7,000,000! And I don't have help to polish it! But: there may be a "silver lining" to all this! The best news would be that long-time Club Racer Skip Barber takes in all that money, pours it into the facility - finally smoothing out that absolutely horrendous track surface - and then gives back to the Club he started racing in by reducing the entry fees for ALL CLUB events - that is, if there's any room on the calendar for a club event at all! (Does anybody know if there will be any club events there ever again?) But, you know, as far as the changes to the track go, they might be good in the long run. I mean, keep it all in perspective. How friggin' dumb is it for an 800 HP ALMS car to go down that straight at 180 MPH, the whole time bouncing up and down like a car on the rumble strips at a GM test track? And what is the margin of safety when that same car goes 'round West Bend and then down the Downhill, flat out, on the hairy edge and about to be launched into outer space if something breaks? It makes the old Nurburgring or the original Spa look like a safe place to race! And if there ever is another Club event there - at an entry fee of less than $500 - think about how much less intimidating the place will be to your average Club racer! Oh, it'll be less "challenging", alright and, yeah, maybe the "usual suspects" (Mike?) will have to learn it all over again. But who's to say the "new" Lime Rock will not be a great track in its own right? And what exactly does "slower" mean? Sounds like the fear is that the average speed will be 55 MPH! Skip's no dummy. So what if the previous FF average speed drops from 105 to 95 MPH? Losing a classic track that has been driven by the likes of Stirling Moss, Roger Ward, George Constantine and a whole host of world class racers - not to mention Walter Cronkite - is not easy to swallow in some ways but change is inevitable and, on balance, may not be such a tragedy after all.

[Jim Garry]

... that is, if there's any room on the calendar for a club event at all! (Does anybody know if there will be any club events there ever again?)

Yes. First one is June 7 hosted by Mohawk Hudson Region. A great event.

http://www.flr-scca.com/race/nediv.html


Jim

[stonebridge20]

This is NOT about 800hp ALMS cars going 180mph into big bend and bouncing from one bump to the next. They do that for 12 hours at Sebring every year! This is about Skip lining his pockets and porking up his will before he goes to the "big racetrack in the sky" (which he won't get into after this!) Skip HAS to "dumb down" the track to match the new "clientele". In the end if the track configuration is changed, it WILL be a travesty to the history of US road racing and there will be NOBODY to blame but Skip! Skip's greed and lack of business skill will go down in history along with the "ghost tracks" that made road racing what it is today.

Here's a question.........How is it that as of last week there's 104 paid "members" of the "LimeRock club" but the guy with 19 letters in his last name that sends out the press release emails is member #229 ?

[Don Denomme]

With all the talk about Lime Rock, those who don't know the track should check out the following. Good in-car video from JD King in a combined formula car race last year.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mz_RegNic0


Don

[Don Denomme]

In-car is great so I bumped it up again.

[stonebridge20]

Rumor has it that Skippy is raising the price of membership prior to the 300 member cut off. I wonder how many fat cats will buy memberships for the sole purpose of flipping them for a profit?

It sure looks like the Millville, New Jersey "club" is a MUCH better value!

[stonebridge20]

Subject: Member Update - Lime Rock Park to Pave in June of 2008!


Members and Prospective Members:

I am very pleased to announce that due to the success of the Club at Lime Rock Park that Lime Rock Park will be paving during the month of June of 2008! We currently have 118 member commitments.

The current Lime Rock Park configuration will not change other than having brand new asphalt!

A number of additions will be made to Lime Rock Park that will allow alternative usage configurations, these will be fun and will be used by professional racers, i.e. ALMS, and of course will be available for use by the Club.

We will have the detailed engineering plans for Lime Rock Park soon and are expecting to break ground on the additions sometime in March of 2008.

We currently have engaged Mohawk Engineering, more specifically it’s principle Al Heinke is a former owner and partner of Skip’s in Lime Rock Park, to develop these detailed plans. He has an excellent reputation and they are currently working hard, as the schedule to complete the required work in June is a tight one. The engineering team has already completed the required topography for the key track areas and the complete design of the track will be CAD based.

The paving company is O&G Industries, Inc. in Torrington, CT. They have an excellent reputation, and have extensive experience with road work. They are also local to Lime Rock Park to insure that the asphalt can maintain the right temperature profile as it is installed.

The team at Lime Rock Park is doing an exhaustive national search regarding the specific mix and type of materials and asphalt to use and its application to insure that the preliminary work is done correctly, i.e. drainage and earth work, so that is stands the test of time.

Please call or email me with any questions. I will be in touch directly with each of you over the next few weeks.

Thanks!

Stephan Condodemetraky
President, Club Member Sales
The Club at Lime Rock Park

In another genius move,...Skip paves the track in June so the ALMS cars can tear the $hit out of the place on July 12th. I wonder if he can get the NEW concrete down in time for the National in August?

[Beartrax]

Paving in June: Brilliant!

That name, Stephan Condodemetraky, had such an interesting look (such as "condo - my track") I had to do an internet search. It appears he was involved in the club track in New Hampshire. Here is what I found at http://www.clubmotorsports.com/press...ls&NewsID=354:

"TAMWORTH—No sooner had shrieks of protest begin to fade from track opponents who claimed Club Motor Sports, Inc.'s young president, Stephan Condodemetraky, couldn't raise tens of millions to build a race track, CMI announced a management shuffle last week, dropping its founding entrepreneur into a consulting role and replacing him with a more experienced member of the team....
Where two months ago Condodemetraky's moral fiber and finances were harshly criticized — when at a public hearing accusations erupted inside a jammed-full Tamworth gymnasium with the ferocity of close-discharging shotguns —his recent step aside has elicited only muffled nonchalance from detractors."

Hmmm. That Tamworth partnership began in 2002 and I do not think they have secured permission to build a track yet.

Sorry if this is a hijack.

[Michael Rand]

Not a highjack at all, Stephan is central to this whole drama.
I worked for him for a short time as a consultant back when he was trying to do the Tamorth project.
I fired him as a client.
There's a message there.

This latest announcement of a June repave/rebuild would seem to me mean there are unlikely to be any SCCA Regionals in June. The June 7 1 day and then June 20-21 probably not happening. That is 2 of the 4 dates SCCA has tentatively scheduled there for 2008, the others being the Aug National and the September NARRC Runoffs.

The only good news in this latest release is the stated aim of not altering the original layout, but adding optional use asphalt. Hope they stick to that.

[stonebridge20]

Not a highjack at all, Stephan is central to this whole drama.
I worked for him for a short time as a consultant back when he was trying to do the Tamorth project.
I fired him as a client.
There's a message there.

This latest announcement of a June repave/rebuild would seem to me mean there are unlikely to be any SCCA Regionals in June. The June 7 1 day and then June 20-21 probably not happening. That is 2 of the 4 dates SCCA has tentatively scheduled there for 2008, the others being the Aug National and the September NARRC Runoffs.

The only good news in this latest release is the stated aim of not altering the original layout, but adding optional use asphalt. Hope they stick to that.

"Had to fire him as a client" Now that's funny !

Mike, Is this the deal your talking about ?

Conway Daily Sun 8/04/2004

How will CMI come up with the money?

—To the editor:
It's too bad the residents of Tamworth have been forced to spend thousands of hours and tens of thousands of dollars debating a racetrack that probably can't be built.
It's a shame Tamworth has been divided into pro-track and anti-track factions by a project that is simply too expensive to build and was an ill-conceived business concept from the beginning.
Is anyone else wondering how Stephan Condodemetraky, CEO of Club Motorsports Inc. (CMI), thinks he can raise $40 to $50 million to build CMI's proposed racetrack development?
CMI's projected costs have skyrocketed since the company first announced its plans for a $14 million development in July 2003. Even if CMI eventually succeeds in obtaining all the necessary federal, state and local permit approvals necessary to begin construction, it is not at all clear that CMI can raise the necessary money to finance its proposed race track.
After being forced to redesign its track to minimize wetlands impact, CMI announced in April 2004 that the total project cost had doubled to $28 million. Now it appears that the total project cost is going to be over $45 million.
Craig Lizotte of ESS Group, CMI's engineering firm, has reportedly told Condodemetraky that the cost of building CMI's redesigned racetrack will be above $32 million. When you add other upfront costs outlined in CMI's original business plan, the total cost of CMI's proposed race track development skyrockets to over $45 million.
Haley & Aldrich, an engineering consulting firm that has extensively reviewed CMI's new track design, estimates that 500,000 cubic yards of bedrock would need to be blasted and over one million cubic yards of soil would need to be moved. James Barrett of Haley & Aldrich estimates it would cost $15 million just to fracture the rock which would still have to be excavated, hauled and crushed before it could be placed elsewhere on-site, or trucked off-site at additional cost.
How does CMI plan to raise that much money? CMI’s original plan was to raise $5 million from equity investors and $15 million from member initiation fees. CMI targeted selling 1000 memberships during 2003 and 2004 at an average price of $15,000 each.
But between July 2003 and March 2004, CMI only sold 225 memberships at an average price estimated at $4,000 to $5,000 (CMI's current list price for a membership is $5,000). That’s only about $1 million from initiation fees so far.
Even if CMI manages to sell the remaining 775 memberships at $10,000 each (twice CMI's current Bronze membership price), that’s only another $8 million. CMI would still need to raise over $37 million from equity investors.
Can Condodemetraky convince new equity investors that CMI's race track will generate enough profits over the next 10 years to generate a positive return on their $37 million? It’s unlikely. Under CMI’s original investment model, a $5 million equity investment yielded a modestly attractive positive 27% return over 10 years. But that $5 million isn't enough anymore — it has ballooned to $37 million after the track redesign. Unfortunately, a $37 million investment yields equity investors a unacceptable negative 3.4 percent return over 10 years.
Investors will also see that none of CMI’s management team have any prior experience building, marketing or operating a racetrack.
Over the past 18 months, CMI has only raised an estimated $4 million in total capital from founders, equity financings, land mortgages, and membership initiation fees. In April 2004, CMI said it had commitments for about half of a new $3 million Series B equity round, but these funds appear to be in escrow and unavailable to CMI until the company has all necessary permit approvals to start track construction.
My calculations indicate that CMI has probably spent $3 to $4 million to date on land acquisitions, management salaries, public relations, marketing and sales, lobbyists, lawyers, Web site development, racetrack design, engineering consultants and permitting consultants.
If my calculations are correct, CMI may soon run out of money to pay critical expenses. It’s unclear how CMI can continue funding its current level of operations through Nov. 13, the date by which the Army Corps of Engineers must issue their decision on CMI's wetlands permit application. CMI will also soon need additional funds to refund deposits already paid to reserve 27 dates during 2004.
Condodemetraky doesn't have long to raise the necessary $40 to $50 million, either, since CMI has promised to refund members their initiation fees if the racetrack isn't open for racing by Dec. 31, 2005.
Alex Moot
President, Chocorua Lake Association
Note: CMI was shown the letter above and invited to submit a response. The letter below ran opposite Mr Moot's letter.

CMI opponent presents biased, outdated information

—To the editor:
It is unfortunate that The Conway Daily Sun has decided to publish today’s letter from publicly acknowledged Club Motorsports opponent Alex Moot, particularly since Mr. Moot himself has admitted to the Sun that the financial numbers upon which he bases his arguments are outdated. While CMI respects the right of anyone to express a public opinion — for or against our project — we believe you should be aware of the following facts regarding Mr. Moot’s activities pertaining to CMI, so that you can judge for yourselves the credibility of his claims.
1. In November 2003, Mr. Moot posed as a potential CMI investor to obtain a Private Placement Memorandum (PPM) containing confidential financial information.
2. On the very first page of the PPM is the confidentiality agreement, which plainly and boldly states: This memorandum is not to be reproduced in whole or in part or used for any purpose other than the evaluation of an investment in the company.
3. In December 2003, Mr. Moot violated the confidentiality agreement by using PPM financial data to attack the viability of CMI’s project in letters to the editor and online forums.
4. Several newspapers — including the Sun — refused to publish Mr. Moot’s December 2003 letter because he obtained the information under false pretenses and used it to malign our project and the reputation of CMI employees.
5. Other newspapers in the valley region have refused to publish his current letter.
6. Mr. Moot’s current letter is based on outdated financial information, which has been revised in a subsequent PPM, as Mr. Moot has admitted to the paper.
7. Mr. Moot is not an objective analyst, as his letter would have you believe. He has publicly opposed CMI personally, and for the Chocorua Lake Association.
8. When directly questioned by CMI, Mr. Moot admitted that he is not an expert on motorsports developments and has no experience in this regard.
9. Mr. Moot’s letter contains several factual inaccuracies and misrepresentations. For example, the total estimated project cost never “doubled” to $28 million. We have said from the beginning that Phases I and II would cost approximately $14 million, and Phase III would cost another $14 million for a total of $28 million.
10. Mr. Moot’s letter relies on unattributed hearsay (reference to Craig Lizotte of ESS “reportedly told Condodemetraky…”) to make its financial projections.
11. Mr. Moot’s letter relies on the estimate of a tainted “expert” from the firm of Haley & Aldrich, which is being paid by opponents (FOCUS: Tamworth) to testify against CMI’s project.
Given the deceptive manner in which Mr. Moot obtained financial information from CMI, his status as a biased opponent, his admitted reliance on outdated numbers, as well as the numerous factual errors and misrepresentations in his letter, we urge you to consider the credibility of his arguments carefully.
CMI is pleased to have recently received a wetlands permit from the N.H. Department of Environmental Services. This is a major step forward toward our ultimate goal of building a world-class facility that will provide good new jobs and hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual tax revenue to the Town of Tamworth.
Stephan Condodemetraky
President and CEO, Club Motorsports Inc.

[Michael Rand]

That would be the one.
I was one of those consultants mentioned, but maybe the only one who walked away in disgust.
Though there were others who stuck around and regreted it later. Not much later either.

[stonebridge20]

That would be the one.
I was one of those consultants mentioned, but maybe the only one who walked away in disgust.
Though there were others who stuck around and regreted it later. Not much later either.

Looks like there's not a very good track record there (no pun intended) I wonder if Skip is shelling out the $240K per year going rate for defunct motorsport club salesmen. Mismanagement and poor planning is what got LRP to this point and it doesn't look like anything is going to change any time soon.

[EACIII]

Oh, you all have to stop being so negative. Look at the positives and be happy. The track will be repaved, the layout is not changing. Isn't that what we all wanted?

Oh, there are no dates left for SCCA events. OOPS.


Ed

[EACIII]

What I heard today is the track will be closed for paving from May 27 to July 1. That frees up 4 weekend for me I had planned to be at Lime Rock this summer. Wow, now I can do projects on the house. On wait, just checked the calendar there are Nationals at Beaver Run and Mosport during that period and a couple of Regionals at Summit.

Ed