Virginia City Hill Climb (Nevada, Sept 17-18) | FerrariChat

Virginia City Hill Climb (Nevada, Sept 17-18)

Discussion in 'Tracking & Driver Education' started by dartagnan06, Jul 21, 2017.

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  1. dartagnan06

    dartagnan06 Rookie

    Aug 28, 2015
    14
    #1 dartagnan06, Jul 21, 2017
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Ever wonder what it's like to run the Ferrari full blast on the streets? The Virginia City Hill climb gives you that opportunity. For the last 48 years it's been put on by the Ferrari club and the Shelby club. It is a timed Hill climb, you against watch, really just yourself. Professionally run with the emphasis on safety. 5 miles, 1400 feet of elevation gain, 22 turns on a closed Nevada desert road.

    If you ran at 7-8/10’s you and your car will make it home safely. There are only a few really great racecar drivers. These are the guys running some 3:30s There are many more like myself like to track their car, and are much more interested in having fun, then testing limits. Most of us are HPDE drivers. And there are few inexperienced people who are just starting out. Practices is on Saturday expect to do five or six runs and another five or six runs on Sunday during the timed portion. I hit 130 mph on the uphill straightaway in my FF. I certainly would never dream of doing that in California on a public road.

    Glad to answer any questions. Were really trying to get a push to more Ferraris, like the old days.
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  2. E_Man

    E_Man Formula Junior

    Jan 21, 2008
    735
    USA
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    Eric
    This looks like it would be a lot of fun. Would love to drive my 458 Spider down from Wa state and participate. Where can I find more information on this such as registration and schedule of events?
     
  3. frefan

    frefan F1 Veteran

    Apr 21, 2004
    7,370
    Looking forward to it!
     
  4. TOOLFAN

    TOOLFAN F1 Rookie
    Rossa Subscribed

    Mar 23, 2005
    2,807
    California
    I will be there as always.
     
  5. lashss

    lashss F1 Rookie

    Nov 26, 2003
    2,564
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    LSJ
    Finally some info on this event! Spots still available?

    I am trying to work out my schedule to make it.

    Thanks
     
  6. dartagnan06

    dartagnan06 Rookie

    Aug 28, 2015
    14
    yes spots. Also room block at Silverlands hotel in Virginia City. Ask for Ferrari rate. Try to stay for the Sunday night dinner. Heaps of fun.
     
  7. dakharris

    dakharris Two Time F1 World Champ

    Jun 7, 2001
    29,441
    Sleepy Hollow
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    Cavaliere Senzatesta
    After this year I won't be a rookie anymore.
     
  8. Ingenere

    Ingenere F1 Veteran
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    Dec 11, 2001
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    Dino
    I ran this for quite a few years. It is a blast. I did it in a 308, 348 and TR. I think the CS would be a blast on that hill!

    I need to get motivated and do it again!
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  9. Ingenere

    Ingenere F1 Veteran
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    Times have changed.... I just saw that the FF did 130 through the trap that my old 348 did 102, yikes!
     
  10. cgfen

    cgfen Formula Junior

    Jun 1, 2015
    447
    vista ca
    Any idea if this will occur in 2018?
    The website does not indicate one currently.

    Cheers

    Craig
     
  11. PJxxx

    PJxxx Karting

    Sep 14, 2017
    129
    Full Name:
    PJ Cusano
    It’s planned for September 15-16


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  12. cgfen

    cgfen Formula Junior

    Jun 1, 2015
    447
    vista ca
  13. lashss

    lashss F1 Rookie

    Nov 26, 2003
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    LSJ
    Is this date confirmed? It seems that lately, VA City has been the same weekend as the Silver State Classic.

    I would love to tow a car out for both in hopes that there would be at least a week between the two events.

    LSJ
     
  14. lashss

    lashss F1 Rookie

    Nov 26, 2003
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    LSJ
    Any updates on this?

    I heard that it may not happen this year...
     
  15. dakharris

    dakharris Two Time F1 World Champ

    Jun 7, 2001
    29,441
    Sleepy Hollow
    Full Name:
    Cavaliere Senzatesta
    The director of tourism killed it. Then an end run was attempted that was said to have succeeded. But with no announced date at this point in time, it ain’t happening this year.


    Posted from deep in The Hollow
     
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  16. lashss

    lashss F1 Rookie

    Nov 26, 2003
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    Any idea if this will be back on for a later date or next year?
     
  17. open roads

    open roads F1 Rookie

    Jan 28, 2007
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    Stan
    I'd really love to do this. And I really do hope that it is a different time than the Reno Air Races. The weekend before would be perfect. Because the air racers practice and compete during the week leading up to their weekend races.
     
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  18. Manda racing

    Manda racing Formula 3

    Feb 25, 2015
    1,245
    Bakersfield, Ca
    Full Name:
    Mark
    Any updates for this year? I’d like to try it.

    (perhaps make it a one day event ?)
     
  19. Ingenere

    Ingenere F1 Veteran
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    If you get the opportunity to do this event, it is a blast. I ran it every year for 5-8 years, I just don't recall... but it was great!
     
  20. F12finally

    F12finally Karting
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 21, 2020
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    San Francisco Bay Area
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    Lonnie Robinson
    I did this back in 2002. Here is my experience.


    Viginia City Hillclimb

    Has anyone heard of the Virginia City Hillclimb? It is in Virginia City Nevada outside of Carson City. 5.2 miles of 2 lane starting at 5,200 ft and finishing at 6,400 ft. Steep drop off on the left and rock wall on the right, no room for error. I am running it this weekend to see how it is but I'm not sure if I'll really go for it knowing if you crash your done, maybe dead. Crazy, maybe but we'll see. A guy in a Ferrari F40 is going to try and set the course record. I ran with him at the OTC (Open Track Challenge). I will be running street tires the stock F1s for this event. I'll post when I get back to let everyone know how the Z06 did. Later.


    Well that Hillclimb was pretty freaky. I was in the first run group of the day and went up on my first run around 3:55 for the 5.2 miles. I hit a jackrabbit in turn 2 on the first run. The road was pretty slick. I ran the second run of the session at around 3:50. Then our first morning session was over. We went to the staging area to walk up a hill to watch the second run group go. We got up the hill and had a vantage point where we could see the last 6 corners. We watched a few cars come through and then I was looking at this black Viper coming up the hill. It looked like he early apexed corner 16 and was going to go off, then he got into the power to try and save it. Then his car pointed straight off the road and he went off. He was above the tops of the trees when he went off, flew right over a couple of them. The car then hit the tops of the trees and started to cartwheel. He first hit the ground from about 40' in the air. He went down about 150'. The car was not even recognizable. It was a small twisted hunk of metal. We watched the paramedics go down the hill and check on the people, we heard there was also a passenger in the car. The paramedics took about 30 seconds checking on the condition of the people in the car and then they all just stood around. It was then just a matter of waiting for the coroner. This was the craziest, most spectacular wreck I have ever seen, even from TV or movies. I could not even believe it was real while watching it. That was it for me for the event, I quit and will never run in this kind of event again. That is just my personal opinion. When you are on a racetrack and go off you have an excellent chance of just messing up your car and not yourself. I am still freaked out by what I saw. I am not sure what the rest of the event was all about because we just hung out with some friends in town and didn't go back to see what was up.

    Here is a story I found about the incident. I guess it was 250' down the hill. I also do not believe the part in the story that the people were not wearing seat belts.


    June 16, 2002

    Two dead in hill climb race accident

    by Brian Corley

    VIRGINIA CITY -- Two people were killed Saturday when their vehicle plunged 250 feet over the edge of the Virginia City truck route during a car rally practice run.
    The victims were identified as driver Patrick Jemison, 42, of Incline Village, and his passenger, Virginia Davis, 43, of Show Low, Ariz.
    Officials said the accident occurred at 10:22 a.m. when Jemison misjudged a corner and went over an embankment at moderate speed, clipped a tree, then landed 250 feet down a slope, according to Storey County Sheriff's spokesman John Tyson.
    Jemison, driving the Viper, and Davis were trapped in the car as it tumbled down the hill.
    By the time it came to rest, the Viper was unrecognizable and both people had to be cut from the car. The race was stopped and the road was closed for four hours while rescue personnel pulled the victims from the Viper.
    Neither of them was wearing seatbelts, but because they weren't thrown from the vehicle, it appears seatbelts would not have helped protect the victims, according to the Nevada Highway Patrol.
    Both the Patrol and Storey County firefighters responded to the accident.
    Dean Benz, chairman of Audi Club International which organizes the event, said it is very rare for a fatal accident to occur during the race.
    "Accidents like this are extremely rare," he said. "We've only had three fatalities in this race. The last accident was in the early 1980s."
    Tyson confirmed it has been some time since the last accident.
    "We all understand the risks and as a racing family we feel the loss deeply," Benz said. "We belive the participants would have wished us to go on and continue the race and hope the communities will consent to it."
    Benz said racers have experience on closed and road courses like Thunderhill and Sears Point.
    This is the 31st Virginia City Hill Climb, which follows Alternate Highway 341 from Silver City to Virginia City. The road has an elevation climb of 1,210 feet, 20 turns and a cliff area.


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  21. Ingenere

    Ingenere F1 Veteran
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    Dec 11, 2001
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    Dino
    That is terrible.... but we all know the risks. Every year I ran it, there was always someone that would go off. No fatalities, just bent metal and bruised egos. We would always have a driver's meeting reminding us that no money was at stake and the most you would get out of it is a .25 ribbon...... so use our heads!

    Hopefully, they will be able to keep it going.
     

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