VIR Open House --- Who's going?
03-29-2013, 02:10 PM
#1
Staging Lane
Thread Starter
VIR Open House --- Who's going? The annual Charity Laps at VIR to benefit Victory Junction Gang Camp is Wednesday, April 3rd. I'll be there bright and early Wednesday morning.
Anyone else going?
Long-range forecast:
Anyone else going?
Long-range forecast:
Wednesday April 3rd
Partly Cloudy
High: 55°
Low: 35°
Chance of rain: 10%
Wind: NNW at 7 mph
Partly Cloudy
High: 55°
Low: 35°
Chance of rain: 10%
Wind: NNW at 7 mph
04-01-2013, 07:52 PM
#2
Staging Lane
Thread Starter
On another board I got the following question:
In case anyone is thinking of going, but doesn't know what to expect, here's my reply:
You buy wristbands for $25 per session at the gate. Most of the time they limit you to two at the gate, but you can buy more later on inside. You don't need a helmet and you can bring a passenger along. Each wristband gets you a 20-minute session.
They direct you randomly into run groups of 25-30 cars. It helps to be in a group that came together. That prevents you from being behind grandpa in his MGB.
There is a pace car, usually a Maserati, that keeps the speed down to a sane level. There is no passing, but most people drive pretty hard. Sometimes you have to resign yourself to whatever speed the guy in front of you can do. Sometimes you're behind Mario Andretti and all is good. Some people overdo it. A guy totalled his SN95 Mustang last fall. A guy hit the Armco with his Terminator Mustang the year before that. I had a S2000 spin off right behind me. He was in my mirror and the next second he was gone.
They tell you not to lag back so you can take sections at speed, but almost everyone does it. I've done 135 up the back straight which isn't too much slower than what I've done in HPDE. It's not racing or even HPDE, but it's a good chance to drive a world-class road course, occasionally at speed, for a reasonable price and for a good cause. Get there early if you want to get in more than two runs. The gates open at 8:00 am.
Most of the time there is a photo outfit that gives you a free picture of your car out on the track. Be sure to stick around for that. You can also buy them online. I'll post a link when the pics are available.
Morning All,
Is anyone planning to attend the charity laps at VIR on Wed or has gone in the past? I plan on going and I was wondering what it'll be like. This will be my first time at VIR.
Is anyone planning to attend the charity laps at VIR on Wed or has gone in the past? I plan on going and I was wondering what it'll be like. This will be my first time at VIR.
You buy wristbands for $25 per session at the gate. Most of the time they limit you to two at the gate, but you can buy more later on inside. You don't need a helmet and you can bring a passenger along. Each wristband gets you a 20-minute session.
They direct you randomly into run groups of 25-30 cars. It helps to be in a group that came together. That prevents you from being behind grandpa in his MGB.
There is a pace car, usually a Maserati, that keeps the speed down to a sane level. There is no passing, but most people drive pretty hard. Sometimes you have to resign yourself to whatever speed the guy in front of you can do. Sometimes you're behind Mario Andretti and all is good. Some people overdo it. A guy totalled his SN95 Mustang last fall. A guy hit the Armco with his Terminator Mustang the year before that. I had a S2000 spin off right behind me. He was in my mirror and the next second he was gone.
They tell you not to lag back so you can take sections at speed, but almost everyone does it. I've done 135 up the back straight which isn't too much slower than what I've done in HPDE. It's not racing or even HPDE, but it's a good chance to drive a world-class road course, occasionally at speed, for a reasonable price and for a good cause. Get there early if you want to get in more than two runs. The gates open at 8:00 am.
Most of the time there is a photo outfit that gives you a free picture of your car out on the track. Be sure to stick around for that. You can also buy them online. I'll post a link when the pics are available.
04-03-2013, 07:07 PM
#3
Staging Lane
Thread Starter
Pretty awesome day. I hope somebody here got to go.
I got in five sessions, but the highlight of the day was a ride in the Taggart Autosports GT3 Porsche. Three outfits were giving rides in track cars for a $15 donation. What a freakin' ride!
For those of you who know VIR, we were doing 135 in the short chute between turn 6 and the Climbing Esses, 125 all the way up the esses, and 110 in the short straight between turn 10 and Oak Tree. I've never experienced brakes like these. We "only" did 147 up the back stretch, but he waited until the 4 board to lift and start braking. I haven't been pulled forward in my harness so hard since my last carrier landing. The sequential gearbox was killer. The only time he was on the clutch was to launch the car from a dead stop. The cornering grip was incredible. It's hard to imagine a two-hour stint in an endurance race like Sebring or Daytona doing that lap after lap.
I got in five sessions, but the highlight of the day was a ride in the Taggart Autosports GT3 Porsche. Three outfits were giving rides in track cars for a $15 donation. What a freakin' ride!
For those of you who know VIR, we were doing 135 in the short chute between turn 6 and the Climbing Esses, 125 all the way up the esses, and 110 in the short straight between turn 10 and Oak Tree. I've never experienced brakes like these. We "only" did 147 up the back stretch, but he waited until the 4 board to lift and start braking. I haven't been pulled forward in my harness so hard since my last carrier landing. The sequential gearbox was killer. The only time he was on the clutch was to launch the car from a dead stop. The cornering grip was incredible. It's hard to imagine a two-hour stint in an endurance race like Sebring or Daytona doing that lap after lap.