LAKEVILLE, Conn. — On April 10, Lime Rock Park held a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate a new era as track President Skip Barber announced changes to the track, beginning this summer.
After 50 years, the road-race circuit in the quiet Northwest Corner of Connecticut is making changes to three of its corners.
“When Lime Rock opened, the race cars had to brake for the corners,” Barber said. “But the cars have improved so much, drivers now put their foot in it at West Bend and don’t lift until Big Bend.” 
When the main track construction is finished, in time for the American Le Mans Series race in July, sanctioning bodies will have the choice of using the original circuit, (“Classic Lime Rock”) or the new configuration, known as “Optional Lime Rock.” The original track will be completely repaved, and run-off areas will be added.
While changes are necessary to slow the cars down, Lime Rock did not want to create chicanes. Rather, they feel they can accomplish this with changes to the Left Hander, creating a sharp left-right combination; changing the approach to the Uphill, creating a hard right then a left had turn; and West Bend, which is still being decided, but will lead to a slower entry into the Downhill.
In addition to the changes to the corners, No-Name Straight, which was never straight, will be straightened out and widened, and a new pit lane will be created, starting on the Downhill section, and a paved runoff area on drivers left and right on the Downhill.
When the new turns are added, there will be eight or nine configurations to choose from, with only cones demarcating the track of the day. Barber mentioned that perhaps the Vintage Festival might use one configuration on Saturday and a different one on Monday.
Many of the changes are rumored to be at the behest of ALMS, which should benefit from the new layout, while the NASCAR Camping World 200 drivers may decide to stay with the original layout.  The track, now 1.53 miles (1.54 miles with the chicane that was installed to slow the cars down after John Morton’s horrifying accident in a Camel GT Nissan GTP car), will probably be only a tenth of a mile or so longer.
Also in the works are a new entrance and ticket-taking area, along with a new media center, upgraded bathrooms and other amenities for the fans.
The cost of the changes is estimated to be in excess of $5 million, the money coming from the newly formed “The Club at Lime Rock,” created to raise capital and to give members the opportunity to drive on Lime Rock.