On Thursday, May 26, SCCA Track Night in America Driven by Tire Rack will hold a very unique TrackPass event at Lime Rock Park during the Pirelli World Challenge® event scheduled at the circuit. This VIP experience for racing fans and automotive enthusiasts offers the chance to mingle with pro drivers and teams, watch all the action of a professional race weekend and have on-course Track Night in America sessions at Lime Rock.
How awesome is Lime Rock? We put that question to PWC driver Bryan Heitkotter who, incidentally, will be joining Track Night for the very special TrackPass guided course walks. Heitkotter first made his mark in SCCA Solo Events as a multi-time National Champion before taking a path created by the Nissan GT Academy to professional road racing. Now a full-time driver in a Nissan GT-R with the Always Evolving Motorsports Team, Heitkotter is a fixture in the PWC series.
“I'd driven Lime Rock Park in simulators for years, but it wasn't until 2014 that I got to visit the track in person,” Heitkotter said. “That year, I was racing the CA Sport Skullcandy Nissan Altima Coupe alongside Steve Doherty. It was one of the more fun races I had that year.”
“I enjoy the flowing nature of Lime Rock, the two big elevation changes, and how green everything is!” Heitkotter continued. “In a real car, nothing prepares you for the feeling you get when you dive downhill into Lime Rock’s last corner. All your instincts say you're going too fast, but you make it. It's one of the few corners I've experienced in racing where there's a real gut-check fear factor going in. When you start to get more familiar with it, it's a lot of fun!”
And how important is a pre-event track walk for someone about to take to a circuit?
“I find pre-race track walks very important as they allow me to see more details, such as locations of bumps, which curbs I can use, where the track may be slippery or in standing water if it rains,” Heitkotter explained. “Also, tracks change from time to time. Maybe a section was re-paved, a curb was re-profiled or there's a new bridge for example. Getting there and seeing things for yourself is a big help in understanding some of the nuances of the track as it will be that day.”
Have your own questions for Heitkotter? You can ask him in person by signing up now for SCCA Track Night in America Driven by Tire Rack’s TrackPass event at Lime Rock. Spots are limited, and filling up fast, so visit www.TrackNightinAmerica.com now to reserve your slot. The event price is $295 and includes a guided, behind-the-scenes PWC paddock walk Friday night, as well as passes to watch all the racing. And of course, all participants get three (or more) 20-minute sessions in their own cars on the Lime Rock circuit.
Picture Courtesy of Pirelli World Challenge
