VIR 03 and 04 July

Just finished a two day event at Road Atlanta. What a track! I’ll post up pics in a separate thread in this section when they become available.

Chin Racing is hosting a two day event this 04 July weekend on Sunday and Monday. I’m signed up and the car is back in the shop for brakes. Turn 10a at RA is brutal on brakes!

VIR is a friendly track (iMO) with lots of runoff space and not too many off camber turns, so anyone that wants to try, c’mon on out!

VIR is a long drive, so I’m gonna keep an eye on the weather before I load up the trailer. Been almost too lucky in that regard so far, but it’s full summer now and after this I’m going go take a well-deserved break to save some powder for a 5 day event at WGI in September.

 

VIR is one of my top tracks, but it is a veritable cow pasture with regards to runoff space.

Road Atlanta OTOH takes the difficulty crown - eight ways from Sunday. Many, many off camber and blind turns. And concrete walls adorn most of the track. I felt blessed to run off at the best location, missing the braking zone coming into T10A.

Watkins ranks up there, primarily due to the tight blue barriers, but it flows very well and it’s mostly on camber; the esses are considerably easier (just breathe on the wheel going through).

Sebring is bumpy and long, but flat, with only a few truly blind turns. But it took awhile to put it together in my head.

Dale, my goal is to run as many tracks as I can muster, then I’ll publish my ‘best of’ summary. I think I have 7 or 8 thus far, and headed back to VIR tomorrow with Chin. I want to do the Ozarks in October, and Pitt and Mid Ohio as well

The 458 has been a rock star all year long, and keeps rocking. I wish there were more Fchatters out there, but I’ll continue to carry the flag out of ahead enjoyment.

 

Lol, then please, please do NOT attempt 11 and 12 at Road Atlanta!

The Hogpen can be run WOT in a 458, it actually flows nicely.

 

Dale,

Funny you say that, every time I’m in that section, I get the tires squealing really hard, and I think I’m Jimmy Olsen.

So……Required homework for you, if you ever run the switchback at VIR again…..watch this episode where they cut Jimmy Olsen’s brake lines in his ‘49 Nash. He’s running the equivalent of the switchback!

Adventures of Superman: Season 6 - Episode 12: "The Perils of Superman".

 

Okay, here’s my take after a full day of instruction……

1) hard brake coming off the main straight, then trail brake at the “2” sign as you ease the car track left into T14. You do have to scrub a lot of speed to avoid entering this series of turns ‘rollercoaster’ too quickly (so I’ve found).

2) from track left, get the car slowed sufficiently to quick right turn (T14A), hugging the right side curb along and past it. Stay all the way right, and hold it late! Do not give into temptation to start tracking in just yet! This will set you up nicely for T15, which shouldn’t be much of a turn at all.

3) Feather on throttle, quick left to the other side at T15, run in the curb and track left, letting the car follow the natural progression of the track towards the right. Don’t move the wheel!

5) touch the curb before T16, then on the brakes, always straight braking, prior to 17. The amount of braking depends on your proclivity for speed coming in to the Pen (which is a compression turn).

6) Coming into the Pen, set the wheel to the right and run over the right curb entering the Hogpwn.

7) Once in “the Pwn”, hold the wheel, let the car track out, and start to unwind the wheel as you get through, at Apex, I am at WOT on the throttle.

I’m finding the secret to this is really getting set up properly between 14a and 15. A great instructor makes a huge difference.

Tomorrow we’re continuing work on the uphill esses. You cannot carry too much speed from the bottom, but you can open the throttle pretty wide at the three top curbs. They are “early”, “mid”, “late” apex curbs……

 

Dale, your memory is quite good. I just finished two full days there in the 458, earning solo driver status in the process. I must say I have a lot more respect for the course after a day and a half of intensive instruction, a checkout ride, and happy hour (as Chin calls it) with all run groups that’ll eat you alive.

There are a number of turns that can be a bit tricky in a higher horsepower car, and T10 is one of them. Also, throttling up through the esses, you cannot lift the throttle as it unsettles the car. Stay on it!

Had lots of fun playing cat and mouse with a high horsepower C7…..no match for him in the straights, but I was a bit more agile in the turns.

My closest call of the day came when giving a point by, and the guy was overly eager to get back on line, and almost took me out - close call! The 458 again was magnificent, did every session and now back to FL for R&R. I never envisioned doing this with the car.

I’m taking a summer break from tracking and my next event is 5 days at Watkins Glen in September. I’ve done 21 track days already this year (!)

 

I’ve had the benefit of outstanding instruction with Chin Racing, and that’s what has really helped in my progression up the learning curve, along with seat time. T10 is a mini version of T11 and 12 at Road Atlanta!

I can use the entire car’s capabilities on these tracks, just incredible…..

 

A Miata must be a lot of fun, I’m sure. A lot of the instructors have at least one for the track. Me, I’m kinda stuck with the 458. It’s heavenly if you learn and respect its limits. Not as powerful as a lot of the cars out there, but lively and engaging.

Couple of pics from yesterday, including some traffic pics, entering the uphill esses, coming into T10, and one into T12 (Oak Tree). And one more coming down the rollercoaster (sorry about the image)

All in all, a fantastic experience, and other than @FerrariCognoscenti, there aren’t many of us with Ferraris running on tracks. I’m gonna take a short break (and enjoy the new F8S) until September, when it’s five full days at The Glen!
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Wish you were there as well. As usual, the lone Ferrari out there (you know the feeling), but folks were super polite. Had a blast with a guy in a yellow C7 Z06.

And my thanks for the blue tape idea, it is now part of my staple!

Burned through a set of rears (!) and decided to go with GiroDisks all around. Cup2 tires were great once again, but dang it was hot there,

Maybe Watkins in September if you feel like making the drive? And I heard great feedback about Ozark from Chin (finally got solo status). That would be an October event.

 

That is super helpful, my sincerest thanks!

I’m going to make the switch to Giro and the brake pads and lines, and also install the Novitec springs and the Kline 200 cell cats that have been sitting around for awhile. And then it’s just maintenance, unless something breaks.

Not a whole lot more I can do to the car after this, the Cup2s have held up pretty well after 6 hard track days and are highly recommended!

Eeeks! I’m at 21 track days this year, with 5 more scheduled for Watkins in September, and I’d like to visit Road Atlanta at least once more.

It’s always great meeting up with other warriors on the track of life, hope to see you again soon!