I wrote a little something about my VIR event last weekend. If you're bored and want something read, please go here: https://www.evolutionm.net/features/article.php?id=75

 

I am glad you liked it

 

Nice write-up. I had a great time there too. I was hoping to see my car (maroon Camaro) in one of your videos, but no such luck. I saw that you are going to Shenandoah in a few weeks. I'll be there too. Maybe I'll make it into one of your next videos

 

Make sure you are in his video when you are passing him and not when you are being passed

You really don’t want to be in the later one lol

I am brining my EVO to Shenandoah for sure on the second day so we can all go out and play.

 

No worries about that. As a GM driver, I won't ever point by an Evo on the track

One observation: I just re-watched the videos. They really make it look like the track was crowded and full of slow traffic, but that was not my experience at all. Cars like that red E46 3-series, the slow blue Z06 and the super conservative black C4 were definitely in the minority. The black E46 M3 with the taped off lights, the red C5 Z06 with the black hood and the Evo9 MR were all quick for green group and there were a number of sessions where I had nearly clear laps. I think the key is to get to the front of the line at the beginning of the session. In a couple of sessions I had about 1-1/2 clear laps as the first car out before I had anyone in front of me.

I would think that the Shenandoah track would be perfect for your E30 being a technical non-HP course and a great venue to practice RWD car control at manageable speeds. My instructor at this past event drove a Miata and he said he loved Shenandoah because it was the great equalizer between the high and low HP cars. Besides, you've already done Shenandoah in your Evo.

 

The traffic was pretty bad for me. I don't have the entire video online but if you were able to see it, I wasn;t able to get a full clear lap in any of the sessions I went out in. I kept catching up to someone who wasn't going very fast, like a shelby cobra replica...

Also don't worry about the point by. You're instructor will make you do it.

Mhyer, bring the E30. You've got a nice set of tires, you might as well use them now before the season ends.

 

I find it extremely boring if there were no cars around on the track. I like to go out and play around with the cars and get passed and pass people too. However, Sometimes I look for space so I pit in for a sec to make space and then I go out, it always worked out great for me.

I completely agree with you that my bimmer would be a lot of fun However, I have never taken my 9 to the track and I just want to get a feel for it and enjoy it for one day. Furthermore, I have over 13 days on Shenandoah with my bimmer so its time for the EVO to hit the track. Trust me I will be bringing my bimmer the other 2 days especially after just buying a new set of Hoosiers PRO racing and a set of rims ... I can’t wait to see how these tires will act with -3 camber plates

 

Yeah...that guy in the Cobra was ridiculous in holding up a lot of people. It was exacerbated by the fact that he had good power on the straights. I heard from my instructor that it was very difficult to see traffic in his one little tiny rear view mirror.

Next time, try to be one of the early folks in line. That really helps a lot for the early part of the session. And just because you are held up doesn't mean that the fun has to stop. Get creative! When I got stuck in traffic, I just made a point to drive off line for practice, which my instructor encouraged since that's what you have to do in a racing environment anyway. No point in playing follow the leader single file on the "line" when you can practice setting up a pass for fun (of course backing off at the last moment). Especially in braking zones when behind cars that you know are much slower, it's fun to come in offline as if you were going to pass on the inside of the turn. You get some funny looks from drivers out their side windows too when you they see you pointing at their door as they turn in. Tends to encourage a quick pass signal at the next passing zone as well. No aggressive driving laws to worry about on the track

Did you have any close calls this weekend? I had one guys put two wheels off at over 100 mph in front of me on the front straight. I came up on him right around the right hand kink in the straight. He threw out the pass signal but simultaneously neglected to turn the car, so he put two wheels way off just as I was starting to go by. I backed off and after several seconds of slowing down to about 50 mph with 2 on and 2 off, he steered back onto the pavement (he handled it very safely). That was a bit hairy because he could have easily looped it at high speed where there isn't too much run off, but I stayed back and he slowed it down to about 50 mph before coming back on the track so all was well. That was about it for me.

Hopefully we won't have traffic issues at Shenandoah. I think all of us will be in the same group, so we should make a point to line up as the first 3 cars in each session. Then we can have video of a Camaro pulling away from an Evo, a Camaro passing an Evo, etc.

 

I'm really hogging this thread, but I'm still very excited about this past weekend so I'll just keep typing away...

I pitted in twice this past weekend for that reason, but I like having open track when you are trying to learn the track.

Ack! 13 days on the track and new Hoosiers? White group for you!

 

I volunteer to be the first Evo so you can pass me, EVO8LTW, and then our friend in the blue car can pass you. Since this will be my first run at Summit Point, I can assure you that I won't be running fast the first day!


Bret

 

BTW, dude, nice article! Thanks for the pic of my car (green taped headlights)!!

 

Glad to hear that you are going to go? This will be my first event on the Shenandoah Circuit as well, so I'm also looking forward to ramping up the learning curve.

 

I put four wheels off at turn 5 and 6. I was driving like I always do but I started to feel that my tires are getting greasy. Stupid me I said screw it and threw the car in the turn. Lucky me everything was fine but while I was adding gas things went out of hand and the car started to drift side ways (over steering). I corrected my steering and I was back straight but suddenly the car let go again and I was all over again so I had to correct it again and I managed to take control back but the third time it was the final and I lost complete control and went off about 30 feet away from the tire wall.

See my fault was that I was soo stingy to breath off the throttle and kept my foot planted thinking that I will save it (as it happened many times before) However, my tires were greasy, the track was tired and I was an *** so I end up with 4 wheels off.

 

The only close call I had was with a burgundy 944. At the passing zone right before the S's he gave me a point by a little late but I could of made it. As I approached he decided to change his mind and cut me off! My instructor got so mad that as we passed him on the back straight he started to shake his hands at him, outside the window.


Will everyone be in the yellow group? If so then the video should be interesting.

Thanks and no problem.

 

Yikes. On that back straight I didn't make much of an attempt to cut to the right side of the track before the esses if it was at all close. Easier and more challenging to just enter them from the left side of the track.

I'll be in yellow.