Van

Had a good day at Monticello.



I'm sure others will chime in about the "spartan" conditions and design/layout/execution of the track!

bauerjab

If you enjoy averaging between 40 and 100 mph (take a close look at Van's data), enjoy giving your transmission a nice workout in 2nd gear, and find nirvana in going over a blind crest only to find some cones that pinch off the corner, then this is the track for you.

On the other hand, if you like a high speed track with fast sweeping corners, then this is also the track for you! Unfortunately, we were only allowed to do a couple of parade laps on the North course. At least we weren't charged $2500 for a "taste of the track" (But to be honest, I got a good "taste" of the South Course and let's just say it was not a 5 star meal)

To be fair, the full track has tremendous potential. It puts the "technical part of the track" (the one that we ran on -the South course) in proper context.

RJay

If I lived within an hour or so of the track, I'd probably do a day or two a year there at the most. Driving three-forty, doubtful I'll ever go back, unless they open up the north course. The section we were on was challenging, technical and pretty entertaining once the traffic cleared enough to get a decent run. But at 8350 feet, its just to short and frankly gets a little irritating as you simply never get a chance to stretch your legs. I've yet to look at day 2's data, but top speed from yesterdays data was 108, lowest was 39. Truly makes you appreciate the genius of the original LRP layout.

I refused to do the parade laps around the full course. I'd seen enough of how the other half lives and frankly, given the piece I got to run, they can keep it. If you ever do go, make sure your bring the small trailer, the paddock setup was ridiculously small. And be careful, there were a number of aspects that struck me as dangerous.

Supreme Kudos to the CVR folks; despite a number of huge logistical challenges, they managed to run a super event. Although the track was disappointing (and quite abrasive without its final top coat) it was a very fun event!

95m3racer

I was just paroozing Youtube for Monticello vids, and I saw one clip of what looked to be an "instructor" and he was wearing a Hans device, but did not have a harness in the car...

The Full Course is fun, but its not made for racing. I was getting a tour of the track in a truck before it was finished, but even in that thing it was "fun," definitely needs to be wider though.

RJay

Track map data from a 1:20.1 lap on Friday afternoon. LatG top, Speed bottom.

Alan G.

Nice video Van.

Got me giving you a pass up the hill. Now that we're formal I hope that was a passing zone. It was much better than trying it coming back down the hill.
The speed info was informative, it was a little busy out there to look down.

Thanks to Monti for giving us a chance to check it out. It is absolutely amazing how much they got done so fast. The track is a work in progress, but they certainly spare no expense in their efforts to make it a first class venue foe their members.

Geoffrey

That's funny, I was hitting 130 at the end of the straight in 5th gear and only went to second in turn 2.

Gary R.

Looks like it would be great in a Shifter kart! Kudos to CVR for pulling off an event at a new track that many said wouldn't happen (due to the exclusive private track status). Sounds like Geoffrey got the rhythm down..

DanR

Its funny, we were saying that a shifter would probably go round faster than anything else!!!! Also add a big well done to CVR for working with what they had to make the days as fun as possible!

RJay

I can believe it. I was flagging at 4A on the return loop and you had to be carrying 10-15 mph more speed than any of the 996+ cups through there. Very impressive!

Qwickrick

Geoffrey was definitely getting around the track faster than anyone else.

CVR was the first club to to get to use the track, and you have to accept that this track is still a work in progress. Tony, the C.I. of Monticello, assured us that the track will be considerably better next time. T7/8 will be changed, the course will be longer, they will have the top coat put on, there will be more trackout with rumbles, etc. CVR ran a super event giving what they had to deal with.

I was out in green, yellow, white and red run groups, and everyone was courteous, not many trains, and only a few minor incidences.

Best part was arriving Wednesday, and in the parking lot, being loaded onto a trailer, was a Ferrari 275 GTB Competition, one of 12 every made. Aluminum body, plexi windows, Borrani wheels, factory side exhaust etc, and when the owner started it for us, music to our ears.

Other highlight of sorts, was on Friday, there was a lady on the member's north course, in a new Bentley Continental GT Speed, and she knew had to drive. For those who don't know, the Bentley GT Speed has 602 HP, will do 203 mph, and can do 0-60 in a little over 4 seconds, and weighs over 5000 pounds.

fhp911

Many of the participants said they didn't like the track -- too short, too slow.

I found one major problem -- no berms at all -- they are coming, though. The place isn't finished yet.

The effect of the no-berms is that there was dirt and rocks on many/most of the apexes, and occasional bursts of dust which could obscure your vision. The debris on the track was bad.

Speaking for myself I really enjoyed the 2 days and found the track very engaging -- there is NO time for rest or relaxation on it - the straights are so short, which brings me to an observation:

This track (the short course) is not ideal for DE -- there are only 3 straights, none of which is long and 2 of which are SHORT, so that passing is very difficult. It requires a very cooperative spirit in the air to avoid long trains.

As for top speeds, I maxed out 3rd gear in my '04 GT3 at the braking point for the 1st turn after the pits, meaning about 120.

And YES -- kudos to the CVR organizers; they had to make lots of decisions on the fly because it was the first time at Monticello and everything worked out very well.

RJay

I too had a great time, but I must add that nothing about this venue was favorable let alone ideal for a DE, given the lack of any real paddock area, a dangerous pit exit, the lack of any food concession, no gas and a mere two porta-potties (admittedly very high end ones, wood paneled!) for all present. Presumably most of these thing will be fixed over time if the track decides it actually want business from the clubs.

dan212

The subset of the track we used was small and didn't offer as many good passing zones as one might wish. When I got there on Wednesday, I expected the worse. It looked like a go-kart track. But it was actually a lot of fun.

I drove on street tires day one while I learned the track and figured out what I wanted to do. Switched to cups on day two and had a blast. Carried a LOT more speed. Huge elevation changes and tight turns made this a fun experience. A track where you can mix very fast technical sections with hard second gear corners I think is a lot of fun. No easy tricks for people working just with grunt power. I like that in a track. Turned out to be quite a work out. I was tired and sore when I got home. Hard work.

So this is a track that takes some time to learn. We all picked up a lot on day two. Who wants a track that you can really master in two days?

The management was the first to admit that the track was a work in progress. The pit out that we used needs to be changed. The track surface only has its first coat. The lack of shoulders and berms meant that we tossed more stone and debris on than we might want. The two hard rights on the back straights definitely suffered because of this. But it was still a lot of fun to drive.

I know I can squeeze out a lot more from the course than I did. The best I did was 1:20 and that was because I didn't press in some places and just didn't have the ***** to blast through the tight (thread through the cones at the top on the club house straight) as fast as I probably could. But day two on a tricky course I was pleased with the experience.

Thanks to QuicklRick for riding with me and giving some pointers and Scott for giving me some suggestions before my last run on how to take thread the needle onto the front straight line faster. I experimented with his line in the last session at lower speed and it can be done. At least once I grow a pair.

They gave us a "touring lap" on day one and day two. Wow.... The full course is insanely fun. I don't blame them for not letting us drive it. We'd get ourselves killed if we didn't spend time carefully learning it (never mind that they wanted to keep it open for members) It is fast and tricky dangerous.

The downhill back straight is SUPER fast followed by a very tight set of linked 180 degree turns. One guy went OFF on the FIRST TOURING lap at the end of the back straight. Surprise!! ANY car will probably hit its max speed on the back straight. A lot of fast sweepers followed by tight second gear turns including one deceiving off camber sweeper.

Worth 100K plus annual fees? I'll never have that kind of money, so its moot.. But I really do want to thank the folks at CVR for giving me a chance to drive a really fun track and take touring laps on at a spectacular facility. I'd love to go back.

dan

richard glickel

Rick,

That was no lady, that was Mary Tietjen - she and husband Ron of 944 Turbo Cup collection fame (I think Ron had something like 11 or 13 cup cars at last count). Both very nice people and yes, the girl can drive!

I wasn't too crazy about CVR's alotted segment of the track for this event, but as someone else has already written in this thread, when you take the entire track into perspective, the south portion makes perfect sense and from our slow lap of the whole track I'll admit it is an awesome circuit; one I may never get to drive, but a very impressive track for sure.

CVR did a very good job for a first event with a lay-out not yet conducive to a sold-out D.E. (140 cars).

Richard