ITS at Virginia International Raceway (VIR), 1st event

[NoVA_Teggy]

Awesome stuff! Did they time your laps? Just curious what you were running.

They did, and I am still waiting on them. About a dozen or so of our transponders weren't working so Kaizen is trying to piece together times with what info they have. They said they'd e-mail out the times so hopefully we get something soon.

Kinda sucks, but I plan to head back to VIR sometime later this summer, and I'll use the stock timer next time.

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[StingertimeNC]

Bummer. Hope you get some times so you'll have a baseline.

My plan is to go to Trackdaze November event. It's grand course for day one and full course for day two.

I use the TrackAddict app. It takes video, has the track in the app already, and allows you to start it while in pit lane, it knows the start and finish and records everything. Then you can save the video to your computer via wifi, using the free version of Racerender software, and make videos. That's where my videos come from.

I use the Quadlock case and suction cup mount for the windshield. It's very robust and has never come off, and the phone locks into the mount on the suction cup arm.

Automatic timing is the way to go. The built in time is not something you want to have to use while driving.

I think the premium version of the Trackaddict app was like $8.00 or something. One time only fee.

It's a pretty good setup and fairly cheap, even with the quadlock stuff.

 

[StingertimeNC]

Hey gang, was back at VIR this week. Met @RamVA and he even rode with me for a session to give me some coaching. Always love that! He's a super nice guy and we had a blast. Ended up significantly improving my Grand Course time by the end of the day.

Also had the pleasure of some help from @Point by Patrol. Also a super nice guy. Honestly meeting guys like these two is one of the best parts about the track.

Ben put together a nice vid on his channel to document our day. Definitely looking forward to hanging with him again in the future. He's an instructor with a few other organizations, and of course knows our platform very well. If you're ever heading out to VIR, you may be able to catch up with him.

Sadly I just couldn't get a clean lap together and just as we started making some progress, our session was black flagged. Good friend of mine had a brake issue and ended up totaling the car at the end of the back straight. This guy is in advanced group and routinely puts down 2:09 laps on full course in his Camaro SS 1LE. Total shock. Not really sure what happened other than his brakes locked up at 140 mph. 5 point harness and hans for the win. Walked out of the crash unscathed. Unbelievable! Anyway, on to the vid.

 

[StingertimeNC]

Here's a vid from this past weekend. Got 3 seconds faster than my last trip. Ironically not really faster on the long straights, but much better at hitting apexes in most areas. I went out and just tried to hit my line and didn't even think about speed and ended up running 5 laps in a row within 1 second of each other, each faster than the last. Making progress. Still running the Continental Extreme Contact 02's, 275/30, Paragon R5 pads, and RBF 660 brake fluid.

 

[Victorofhavoc]

Good work! I can tell the confidence is much improved!

 

[optronix]

I swear every time I see a post about VIR, someone crashed.

You guys can keep VIR, I'll stick to Summit and Dominion!

 

[Victorofhavoc]

I swear every time I see a post about VIR, someone crashed.

You guys can keep VIR, I'll stick to Summit and Dominion!

Yeah Ozark international is even worse. I hate that track for fresh drivers because they spend the entire weekend just learning which way to go over the next blind turn/hill instead of focusing on driving technique.

It makes for fun driving, but confidence building becomes a big part of the education approach.

It's just a matter of time for us all honestly. At some point, with enough time spent out, we will all inevitably go off, spin, or meet a wall. The more you drive the higher your risk, and that's an acceptable part of high performance driving. While no one is "racing" in HPDE, the grass, curbs, and walls don't know that. There's a reason I'm always in fireproof gear.

 

[StingertimeNC]

I swear every time I see a post about VIR, someone crashed.

You guys can keep VIR, I'll stick to Summit and Dominion!

Depends how hard you push I guess. yes there's a chance, but chances are even better someone will run in to me around town. There are a few dicey areas at VIR, but also lots of runoff area. Also, average speed for a full lap is in the 80-85 mph range, most of the time you are sub 100mph.

I heard Summit is tighter with lots of close walls. Never been there though.

VIR is heaven on earth as they say. You would love it!

There was one crash this weekend. No injuries and just body damage to car. Driver was back out on track in another car within a couple hours. Must be nice having two cars with you.

 

[StingertimeNC]

Also, forgot to mention, I was there with @pointbypatrol (youtube) and he knocked out his personal best, 2:09 something. Lots of mods on his car but he knows that track well. he made a really cool video (most recent on his channel) with 4 different cameras on the car and a microphone inside of his air intake. check it out.

 

[optronix]

It's just a sense I get when I think of VIR. The anecdotes add up sure, but even driving it in Forza, I can't quite put my finger on it but that track doesn't "speak to me" (like, for example Laguna Seca... I've of course never driven that track but I feel like I already know it).

I've seen people crash at Summit, and an almost-crash at Dominion. Extenuating circumstances for both- Summit was a race car, Dominion was an old fart in a clearly non-trackworthy piecemeal ancient Corvette. And to @Victorofhavoc's point, the chances of crashing are never zero... but I just feel like I can make active choices to reduce those chances incrementally. Track choice is only one of them. I 'm also aware that "comfort" can be misleading and actually lead to overconfidence. But "familiarity" is an advantage.

Also being almost 6 hours away doesn't help. I really don't think it's worth the investment in time and energy overcoming my pre-conditioned anxiety of the track to ever make it out there, I'm just being honest.

 

[StingertimeNC]

I get it, I'll probably never go to Summit either, just too far. Maybe one day I'll start traveling further away from home for this crazy hobby.

 

[Victorofhavoc]

Anything over 2 hrs away i trailer, even if it's just a street car for some fun runs or HPDE.

You guys highlighted some of the reasons why... Distance and time for a back and forth, bringing more tools/tires/consumables, chance of an accident stranding me, and having portable shelter. I have a stackable rolly bin toolbox thing to bring extra wheel bearings, brake pads, rotors, brake lines, fluids, duct tape, all the tools you can imagine, safety wire/pins (this is crucial to always have on hand with aftermarket seats/harnesses @StingertimeNC), and so on. It's really nice to just roll it on, instead of tetrasing into the back of a car.

I don't own a trailer because I have nowhere to put it, and at the cost of renting for 200$ per weekend (Friday afternoon to Monday morning) for a 24ft enclosed I just can't justify the cost to buy it for 14k, maintain it, and spend 160$/mo storing it.

 

[SilverRocket]

It's just a sense I get when I think of VIR. The anecdotes add up sure, but even driving it in Forza, I can't quite put my finger on it but that track doesn't "speak to me" (like, for example Laguna Seca... I've of course never driven that track but I feel like I already know it).

With how much I played Gran Turismo and Forza over the years, I can visualize most tracks and I know exactly what you mean about Laguna Seca vs. VIR.

I can visualize a whole lap of LS clearly in my head but everyone always comments how crazy the corkscrew elevation change is, and how no video game prepares you for the reality.

I'm sure it's the same for all tracks to a certain extent but like Vic said, it's a huge boost when you already know the bulk of it.

 

[StingertimeNC]

It is much crazier in person. Mainly the elevation change and the subtle off camber turns and stuff.

wish more of you guys were closer.

 

[Victorofhavoc]

It is much crazier in person. Mainly the elevation change and the subtle off camber turns and stuff.

wish more of you guys were coser.

Yeah I need to make it out there at some point. NASA Nats are in my neck of the woods this year so a lot of people will be here later in the year. You should come out! It's a drive out, but it's one of the best tracks in the country. "little nurburgring" is an appropriate name.

In two weeks I'll have a 325i and m4 as my students and one of my friends will have two civic type r. My friend will be driving my Z that weekend to shake it down while I drive the its. Brand new track! Only a handful of people have been on it so far. I've driven some type r on track before, but I'm curious how the novice students will do. It's a lot more car than the average person is capable of handling.

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