I have to say I had the best time in recent memory over the weekend visiting with the NH rennlisters. Andy and Laurie Sanborn's hospitality and friendliness was amazing- they basically run a summer camp for middle aged motorsports adolescents. Motorcycles and cars are everywhere, and the counselors are more than willing to put you into one that's faster than anything you have previously experienced (though my helper Jack was somehow not all that impressed with an Aprilia superbike that's much faster than his own Ducatis).
Andy's friend Dave actually owns his own racetrack - the surreal Craney Hill Motorsport Park! Wheel to wheel racing twice a year in the fastest cars you will find for $200 or less. I had to check it out as I could not believe it, so when Andy asked if I wanted to see it I said Hell Yes, let's go! To get there, imagine racing through the totally dark streets at midnight, half drunk, on quads and minibikes, some of which had semi-functioning headlights. Turn off onto a narrow dirt road past an old house, notice several cars on the sides of the road, quite battered, most with crudely painted numbers and sponsors.
Continue down the road until you cross a small ditch - with a banner overhanging the ditch proclaiming "Craney Hill Motorsports park"! The muddy, narrow ditch is THE RACETRACK!!! Oh my God!
Continue to the "infield" and the lights cause apparitions of "pits" between the pine trees, each with it's own battered "race car" waiting silently for the next race in several months, or the wrecker if it won't run at that time. There are piles of tires, some "for sale", and a tire machine and air compressor for competitors to use when the tires are eventually ripped from the rims (at least once a day, unless you run inner tubes which are highly recommended). We spy Ryan's AWD Audi, side mirrors handing by theads, every panel damaged, but ready for it's next competition (if he can get the broken motor mount replaced). Next to it we see Laurie's winged wondercar, the huge wing crudely welded on strong enough on which to do chin-ups. On the other side of the Audi is a Saab 9something, still with one space-saver spare after it's last tire demolition.
We take our ATV's onto the track, barely wide enough for a large car, and rutted, with huge mud puddles in places. Andy shows us which trees are hit most often and the places where cars will roll nearly every race. I can't imagine driving a car around this thing...
Getting back to the pits, Andy says the keys are in the Saab, let's fire it up! Keys are located and after a few cranks the sounds of an OHC 4 cylinder with exhaust pipe cut off just after the headers blares in the night. Andy calls Jack to hop in and they're off! I stand in the infield as they start to circle the track, keeping on the outside bank most of the way, avoiding trees and puddles. A lap is completed in what seems like 20 seconds (not a very long track!) though he is going about half race speed. I decline a ride, I'm not a very good passenger and still in disbelief of my own senses...
These people are TRUE RACERS, racing on a track older than Lime Rock, a secret society (until now!!!!). I really wanted to race with them until I actually saw the track, now I'm not sure that I'm man enough... but we'll see when September comes along, in the meantime I'll be looking for a Volvo Wagon for cheap!!!!! (I say they've got NUT, Dave and Andy disagree....).
Getting back to sanity, Sunday I ran the SCCA autox at NHIS and we all watched the SCCA races going on at the same time. My car felt great, handled better than ever. I think I was about tied for the fastest car with doors. So as soon as Damon is done with the body we'll be out and hopefully doing more autocrossing again as it's more fun than I remember (especially when the car is working well).
Thanks to the NH gang (including several of the best looking women I have seen) for a great weekend- I hope to make the trek back up again to grab my restored ride and get in an open track day at NHIS. Jens you better be ready by then!!! You too Damon ;-)
Can't take credit for the track, just a willing participant. This track was first run in the late 40's and early 50's by the present owner's great uncle. It was used as a time trail for some great guys looking for fun. The present owner (still trying to help him find the dough to get a P car) and 15-20 of us get together twice a year and engage in some very very traditional racing. At this point, there are 2-4 foot banks cut into the earth from time.
This is not a Demo or bog (in fact, there are 4 drains in the track to pull water out a couple of days before the event), something The Glen should do. This is just real bumper to bumper wheel to wheel. The challenge is the track gets very narrow in places (about 2 cars wide) and the entire track is lined by trees, most at bad places like on the outside of every turn.
This event is more organized than most DE's and SCCA events. Testing on Sat morning (testing is mostly tying a chain to the exhaust, stripping the interior, putting on snows and burning through a few cans of paint). Sunday morning is qualifying, one warm-up lap, two hot laps and one cool down. Then it's 8 cars lined up for a 10 lap race. Top two finishers continue to the 25 lap final, where typically the one standing wins. We don't try to hit, you just have to rub a little to get by in most places. The cars are all either free or most pay up to $200 for a car. Once you start doing it you spend most days driving around looking for the next car. the track is about 1000 feet, five turns 50 feet of elevation. We have corner workers, radios, real flags and a large farm tractor to drag cars or re-right them. If the weather is good, the race can draw 100 spectators.
As Dave said, there is nothing like the feeling of ripping around an old dirt track, knowing you will eventually hit a tree or roll your car at 20-40mph, and you know when that happens, you'll total it. And it will put a HUGE smile on your face when you do it.
Can't wait to get Mike up here in Sept. After watching him at the Auto-X this weekend, just to swap some paint and mirrors and laugh about it. Not to mention that he is stuck on the Volvo thing, and EVERYONE knows that if you wanna be fast at Craney Hill, you gotta bring a K-Car