Lime Rock The Beautiful!

[Ben Howell <bhowell@rainbow.rmii.com>]

  Well, I am back and I am alive. After 4000 miles (round trip), several
hundred coffee breaks (which lead to several hundred potty breaks), 2
uncomfortable nights sleeping in the car and a stop in Omaha to see the
family, I am back from Lime Rock! 

  Last Friday I set out for the ilustrious Lime Rock park. Loaded up the
cooler, some changes of underware and the girlfriend and we were off. I
had no idea of exactly hoe long it was going to take, but it seemed like a
fair adventure none the less. We left at 10am MST on friday morning and
arrived at 8am Sunday morning EST. After getting VERY lost on the network
of foggy 2 lane roads that surround the park, my male ego gave in and
asked for directions. Finally........ a "Lime Rock Park" sign emerged from
the mist and it was like seeing the holy grail! After Driving none stop
from the Penn., New york boarder, nothing could have made me happier than
seeing that sign. With the exception of the gentleman that had all the
stuff for the event, I was the first one there and niether of us had any
clue as to how to get into the pplace without crashing the gate. Fianlly,
about 45 minutes later Thompson Smith showed up and set us both straight,
we has been waiting at the wrong gate. My next mission was clear.... find
a hotel room! 

  With sleeping arrangements set up for he next 2 nights, I was off to
the track again. Coming from Colorado, I was used to 2nd Creek and
Stapleton, so nothing could have prepared me for the beauty that layed on
the other side of the gates! What a magnificent place! Everything was sooo
green and lush. For those of you that live out there, you tuely have the
most beautiful place to play with your cars on this planet! Do NOT take it
for granted.
  

  Anyways, Sunday was the "get to know ya'" and concourse day. Track was
closed, so we just talked quattro and made some new friends. ABout noon
was the peak time for cars. I have never seen so many Quattro's in one
place at one time! At the last Stapleton event, we had roughly 31
participants and this event was the home to about 85 cars! What a sight!
Makes me wonder if Colorado is indeed the Quattro capitol of the country.
The cars were even parked in groups. The 5000's and 200's on one side, the
UrQ's on another side, S4 and S6's were over there, the wagons were in yet
another area. Still half stunned by the beauty of the place, I tried to
cast my ballot for the best looking cars (and for the ones that are most
likely to get pulled over). 

  The second day was lapping for the more experienced groups and
classroom/driving excercises for the less experienced/beginer cars. I
spent the mornig watching the cars go round and round and round and the
afternoon was spent driving around the country side with the little lady
(gotta accomodate her needs too!). Well, anyway, it is one thimg to see
cars going around the track on TV, but it just puts everything into
perspective when you are there. "Big Bend" seems that much bigger, the
"uphill" seems that much steeper.....well, you get the picture. However, I
now understand why the GTO cars from "The Unfair Advantage" were getting
that much air! 

  On Tuesday, I figured that I was going to make the best of this vacation
and I slep in untill about 9am. Letting my better half sleep in even more
i snuck out and went to the track. i was happily greeted by Kieth Anderson
getting ready to o out on the track and offering me a ride! Man, what a
ride that was too!  After getting things warmed up and and all set, he put
the hammer down and it was all I could do to hang on. Aside from Scott
Davis's 85 UrQ, that is the fastest UrQ I have ever been in. However, what
Keith's lacks in power, he more than makes up for it in brakin and
handling. Hands down the flatest braking and cornering Quattro around!
With that said, he managed to spin it for me too! Whoooops, caught a tire
right after big bend and around we went! What a fun ride though. 

  There were no major *incidents* the whole weekend and everyone seemed to
have a good time. My hat goes off to everyone that was involved in
putting the event on and I hope to be back next year with a car that can
compete with Keith! :) It looks like the Colorado region has a lot to
learn from you east coast guys.

Laters, Ben
bhowell@rmii.com
83' TQC #346 
87' 4KCSQ (4000 miles wiser now)