Despite the seemingly relentless blob of green that was approaching BeaveRun, as shown on the Weather Channel radar at about six o’clock of the morning before EBR’s driver’s education event, there was no rain at the track. It spat drops at Roy and me as we headed out of the parking lot of the Beaver Valley Motel, but as we approached Penndale Road that leads to the track, it stopped. And never returned. The anticipated cold and wet day at the track never materialized, much to the delight and amazement of 65 plus students and instructors who were present.
The
day was overcast and a bit raw, but it brightened somewhat at the end. Best
of all, BeaveRun showed remarkable development since I was there in late July,
when dust and rough conditions dominated. The entry road was paved. A cranky
old man still lives beside the road, and has scrawled speed limits on the roadway,
but the tank trap is gone.
Now
there was grass growing around the track, a heated and lighted registration
building was in place, the PA system worked, and there were literally tons of
additional asphalt laid down in the paddock area. Only the absence of plumbed
toilets and a washroom facility made the experience remotely similar to a certain
aging facility we all know (and alternately love and loathe).
From
a driver’s point of view, the biggest change from late July was the presence
of concrete curbing in the apexes of the corners. And just inside the eyebrows
of concrete were yellow markers, made of sections of flexible plastic pipe or
tubing set in the concrete, that provided a visual reference for the driver
and probably are intended to keep us from cutting the corners inside the curbs.
Another track we know tries to keep the cars out of the unpaved areas with ruts
and old tires, but BeaveRun is run by drivers and enthusiasts. And therein lies
the difference.
“Fabulous Friday”, as the inaugural EBR event at BeaveRun was called, came off without a hitch, track-wise. Only the absence of the promised lunch vendor marred an otherwise good event that seemed to be appreciated by one and all. The track management did all that it could to accommodate our wishes during the event.
Casualties
were minor. A Fiero (the presence of which shows that we do not discriminate)
that spun out on the 7th turn of the first lap of the first session, resulting
in a tire and rim that needed attention, and one blown CV joint on Allan’s
944, were the only remarkable mechanical events that smudged the day. Pretty
minor when you consider that some 60-plus cars spent the entire day circulating
the 1.6 mile circuit, including an open lapping experiment that put as many
as 25 cars on the track at once. The gaggle of Porsches and other interesting
machines included a GT2 and our friend Carl’s RSR which was the hit of
the paddock and a dominant presence on track. As usual.
I will not revise the conclusions that I reached after my first exposure to BeaveRun. I will concede that the North Course is a bit short, but it is entertaining and will grow on you. Mastering some of its corners will not be easy. Shaving off those tenths of a second from your lap times will be a challenge.
And the simple presence of a new track in our neck of the woods, one that is the realized promise of a group of enthusiasts, should put a smile on your face.
See: www.bvmotel.com
And: www.beaverun.com
Copyright W. S. Cline/Roselane Garage 2002
