VIR Track notes wanted
08-13-2004, 05:32 PM
#1
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VIR Track notes wanted
Can anyone point me to some track notes for VIR? I think I can sneak away to do the club race in Oct, never been there, I'd like to get studying now...
Any other words of wisdom appreciated.
Thanks,
Brandon
Any other words of wisdom appreciated.
Thanks,
Brandon
08-13-2004, 05:57 PM
#2
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Pretty technical track, very flowing. If you are running the full course, its very easy on tires and brakes. IF it rains (and it always seems to rain at some point at VIR), look out for two rivulets down the front straight (the larger is near the kink at S/F), three rivulets on the back straight (none are too bad but they are unnerviing) and don't pay attention to what anyone is doing, keep the car track right all the way around hog pen (from entry) - I cannot count how many folks have either taken a mud bath using a normal line in the rain there and an almost equal amount that have collected the track right armco.
Fortunately its a very forgiving track (although I have seen plenty of high HP rwd cars get very bent out of shape entering the flat esses).
In the dry, there aren't a lot of tricks to the line - most folks will take no-name straight somewhere mid track lining up the car on exit w/ the barn for braking into Nascar Bend. Left Hook is probably the slowest you'll go all track (I'll use the entry curb as the car starts to push to rotate in). Entering the flat esses, seems like most cars benefit from biting a bit off the right or left side curb to help entry and from there, depending on what side you bit off, its relatively straight after a bend or straight and a bend at the exit. Under the bridge you'll want to get full track right and take a slightly latish apex into the first climbing ess, the second ess has a rise and plateau so find that and make sure the wheel is straight there - staying off the curbing, you have two more esses and as you track out, start pulling the car back to the right to set up for South Bend. SB - you get out of shape here, ride it out, don't try to catch and pull - you will have to build up a little confidence here as the exit is not visible on entry. Down and up the short chute entering Oak Tree and I personally take this mid-track - bend the car into the right mirroring the curbing and straightline brake like you are going off the track at a 45° angle. Turn in as you reach the exit curbing and then 4000 feet of boredom ;P oh 911, I mean fun
Try figure out your shift points so you are atop the hills not climbing (might not be improtant for your car, is for mine). Entering Roller Coaster, we get on the brakes at the bottom of the last hill - from there, we dip the brakes, drop a gear turn in and back on as much throttle as you can manage. This line will take you in w/ the curbing on the direct left of the car and you are braking very hard into this (we drop another gear here) - warning that if you touch the left side curbing under braking it will start to pull the car. Turn in earlyish (which I can never do enough) to the right and as you track out, you will want to pull the car back to the right to make the next left. Exiting this (short short straight), take your pick on a straightline brake, late turn-in, off brakes the rest of the way to Turn 1 OR trail in (to the left) brake prior to the right a bit and no brakes til T1. Lastly, on the front straight, apex the big oak tree - your right side tires should just touch the blend line - this shortens the front straight pretty noticably.
Best of luck
Fortunately its a very forgiving track (although I have seen plenty of high HP rwd cars get very bent out of shape entering the flat esses).
In the dry, there aren't a lot of tricks to the line - most folks will take no-name straight somewhere mid track lining up the car on exit w/ the barn for braking into Nascar Bend. Left Hook is probably the slowest you'll go all track (I'll use the entry curb as the car starts to push to rotate in). Entering the flat esses, seems like most cars benefit from biting a bit off the right or left side curb to help entry and from there, depending on what side you bit off, its relatively straight after a bend or straight and a bend at the exit. Under the bridge you'll want to get full track right and take a slightly latish apex into the first climbing ess, the second ess has a rise and plateau so find that and make sure the wheel is straight there - staying off the curbing, you have two more esses and as you track out, start pulling the car back to the right to set up for South Bend. SB - you get out of shape here, ride it out, don't try to catch and pull - you will have to build up a little confidence here as the exit is not visible on entry. Down and up the short chute entering Oak Tree and I personally take this mid-track - bend the car into the right mirroring the curbing and straightline brake like you are going off the track at a 45° angle. Turn in as you reach the exit curbing and then 4000 feet of boredom ;P oh 911, I mean fun
Try figure out your shift points so you are atop the hills not climbing (might not be improtant for your car, is for mine). Entering Roller Coaster, we get on the brakes at the bottom of the last hill - from there, we dip the brakes, drop a gear turn in and back on as much throttle as you can manage. This line will take you in w/ the curbing on the direct left of the car and you are braking very hard into this (we drop another gear here) - warning that if you touch the left side curbing under braking it will start to pull the car. Turn in earlyish (which I can never do enough) to the right and as you track out, you will want to pull the car back to the right to make the next left. Exiting this (short short straight), take your pick on a straightline brake, late turn-in, off brakes the rest of the way to Turn 1 OR trail in (to the left) brake prior to the right a bit and no brakes til T1. Lastly, on the front straight, apex the big oak tree - your right side tires should just touch the blend line - this shortens the front straight pretty noticably.Best of luck
08-13-2004, 07:33 PM
#3
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Ckeck out the VIR track info on their web site at http://www.virclub.com/track_info/index.html. Under "Track Layout" is a good track map; under "Photo Tour" is a corner-by-corner description with approach photos.
--- Tom
--- Tom
08-13-2004, 09:23 PM
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Hmmm...
Take Big Bend through the Left Hander from LRP (Turns 1-NASCAR), then 4,5A-B from Mosport (South Bend through Oak Tree), mix the fast flow of Watkins in places, and its smooth surface and beautiful facilities, throw in the athleticism of Mosport and Lime Rock in others, and the wild switchback nature of 7-12 at Mid Ohio (Snake & Uphill Esses), and you're pretty close to having a mental picture. I don't know what to tell you about Roller Coaster. Let's say two Corkscrews in reverse order (right/left, left/right), back to back!
Got it?
Take Big Bend through the Left Hander from LRP (Turns 1-NASCAR), then 4,5A-B from Mosport (South Bend through Oak Tree), mix the fast flow of Watkins in places, and its smooth surface and beautiful facilities, throw in the athleticism of Mosport and Lime Rock in others, and the wild switchback nature of 7-12 at Mid Ohio (Snake & Uphill Esses), and you're pretty close to having a mental picture. I don't know what to tell you about Roller Coaster. Let's say two Corkscrews in reverse order (right/left, left/right), back to back!
Got it?
08-16-2004, 01:46 PM
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