Mohawk-Hudson’s third annual PDX/track day, this past Oct. 20, benefited from great afternoon weather after a thick fog delayed the first two morning sessions. Densely patchy throughout NY-Mass-CT, Lime Rock Park ended up in the soup. With the opposite side of the track obscured, novices ultimately did some parade laps — helmets optional — before the fog quickly lifted in the span of about 10 minutes. The rest of the day was dry and sunny.

There were still some nice splashes of foliage in the hills around LRP (you can see leaves swirling off the track ahead in my video recorded grille level) and the morning’s lost track time was made up as best as possible for the affected run groups in the afternoon thanks to some leeway from The Club running alternating sessions that day.

The event was near or at capacity as far as I know, with only a handful of no-shows I do believe — MotorsportReg lists 80 drivers final. About half the student drivers were novices, with many it being their first track event.

Mostly old British cars did parade laps during lunch, with a Miata for caboose creeping along and then playing catchup.

I had fun for my part, with plenty of open track and quicker drivers to tail. The Exp/Adv group sorted themselves out well and everyone was courteous. As per classroom discussion that day, I brought my braking much further into Big Bend through the course of the event, trailing off at the first apex. There’s still plenty of more speed to carry all over but it was an enjoyable day that ended with a drive home. The MINI performed like a champ and seemed balanced everywhere but for when I might have gone too shallow entering the Left Hander. Regretted not taking the NT01s after the sun broke through early on. The weather was warm and the mid-October scheduling was little problem (another separate event the previous day got soaked).

Expect more PDX text and photos in the next regular Knock Off.

An Evo escort around the track