Mikelly

It's wet out, big time and we're doing OK with minimal damage to but a few cars, mainly Mazdas. My "tire" selection has been interesting... I'm running MPSCs, which are pretty much a slick, and I'd not planned to drive the car today. But then I saw the fun everyone else was having and said "Screw it" and went out for two sessions in the red rungroup.

I'll be glad when tomorrow and sunshine arrive!

Mike

DoingOK

After watching my Dad spin (my vette in Blue Group) and all the other guys "driftin" practice, I cut my session with the Red Group short. I'm hoping for better weather tomorrow because I think this course is fun. Nice meeting you today Mike.

Rich

Aardwolf

I recently had my first rain track event, it was fun! I ran until there started to be large puddles. Had a few death wiggles, I should have ran video.

Mikelly

There was a lot of carniage today, until the track finally dried. Although My stepson didn't spin or damage his car, and I didn't spin or damage mine, I can't say the same for others. One mint black 3rd gen RX7 did a number to all four sides of his car, and there was the 350Z Nismo that packed it in hard. On Friday there was a Miata and an RX7 who both made contact with the concrete at Shenandoah.

My car had a BAD POP occur on the first dry session today, and after that (about 8 laps into the session) the handling went to **** and I had to bring it into the pits and call it a day. I'm pretty sure my days at Shenandoah Circuit are over. I'm clipping the bridge straight at above 120mph, which is causing the car to get serious hang time, and I'm pretty sure that's how I broke whatever let go under the rear of the car, either a control arm, ball joint or end link. This track is extremely hard on your car and the tires are getting killed on the Karrousel. Especially the driver's rear...

The rain sucked the first day, and the 1st run of day two was an experiment in finding dry patches, but overall the second run made it worth it all, until the "pop"!

Glad to meet some new faces and I look forward to the next outing!
Mike

sothpaw2

What do you mean by "hang time"--over steer? I don't see how it relates to a ball joint busting.

I'll agree with you about Shenandoah though--I've never been there but heard about the concrete walls.

I've done Summit in Hurricane Ivan. No need ever again to drive in the rain--"see that river over there? Run normal to it!"

wallyman424

hang time = ski jump.

on the bridge straight, any fast car can get some serious air. vettes get all 4 wheels off.

CHJ In Virginia

If I hit the top of the SKI JUMP on the bridge straight on Shenandoah at more than 115 I get 4 wheel air. I purposly back it down there to save car damage. The designer really could have done a better job on that section of the track. If you are not careful that track EATS cars. Last event that I attended had 3 major offs (tow the car away bad) before I left.

tmak26b

the rf of my front air dam is missing from the three crazy sections I had in the dry. the karusssel chewed it up pretty good.

I have a lot of pics from the event, I will link you guys.

I think there were 2 c4s a c5 2 c6 and 2 z06

Mikelly

Yup, Hang time, as in all four wheels off... I was trying to find the sweet spot of just getting "light", while keeping momentum, and still got serious air.

Mike

tmak26b

u are a brave man. I lifted at 103 and coast over at 95. you missed the last 2 sessions. they were great. no traffic and dry track. I ended up going 36 sec faster in the dry.

sothpaw2

I hope never to get any air ever. That can't be good for your suspension.
I find that unacceptable from a vehicle maintenance perspective.

JaxVette

I know Mike and I ran our Z06's as hard as we could up the Bridge Straight, hang'em up high, enjoy the jump, then smash down onto the asphalt and brake like hell. But, suspension components tore up, air damn gone, tires shot, ends up you slow up to save equipment. Turns out you need too much self control to save your equipment at Shenandoah. That's one thing I've always had a short supply of, self control! By the looks of many of the other Vettes at Shenandoah after a weekend, it doesn't appear that any Vette owner has much in the way of "self-control"!

sothpaw2

Well--as with food--my method of self control is avoidance--I'm never going to Shenandoh.

outnumbered

Certainly not the ideal track for Corvettes. But still very entertaining with plenty of challenge.

Mikelly

No doubt it's hard on the suspension and the wheel bearings... But I look at it as an excuse to upgrade everything on the 996TT. It's only money!

Mike

Gray Ghost GS

That's why I don't take my vette there either. I take my 1993 Celica GT 2.2 and try to give much faster cars a hard time out there - way more fun! However, the comment I usually get is, "Do you realize one of your rear wheels comes 12" off the ground and comes to a complete stop?? in those turns"

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...deoid=12263221

willhaveC6

Friday was a day of learning and meeting a few of the good folks of this forum and that is the only good thing I have to say about it. I went to the hotel cold, tired, wet and ornery but... Saturday was a great day with a damp track first session to warm things up but three dry track sessions which go progressively fast. MDA ran another good event although I thought Friday in the rain and all their events were a bit much - but they couldn't control the weather.

I like the track except for the bridge straight and the off camber turns. I hit the top at about 105 took lots of air and things were a little hairy. Could easily hit that at 110+ but lifted from there on to keep it below 100.

I too lost a good part of my lower air dam. Going around the carousel listening to a pulsing whoosh, whoosh, whoosh and now I know what it was...

Mike hope it is nothing serious with that beautiful machine you have.

Car worked great but is a mess. Will take a week to clean it up.

I am done for this year. Can't wait 'til next year and some suspension \ brake \ tire improvements.

tmak26b

Is there such thing as a "bad" track for the C6?

The rain definitely tore up a lot of cars and killed a lot of time, but then there is nothing we can do about the weather. I know some people don't like to drive in it, but it is a high performance driving school. It's a great time to learn how the car handles. I only have my car for 3 weeks. With the exception of some minor issues, I can honestly say the C6 is a great performer at the track. I will definitely take it back to Shenandoah again, but I will limit myself to two events there. The track is tough on the track and on the body. I have bruises on my left knee and right knee from the high Gs on Saturday.

I got some pictures, I will try to post it later.

Cobra4B

Mike what broke on that German POS?

outnumbered

I didn't say bad track for the c6. IMO it is not of the most desirable tracks for a large car with a bunch of HP, which means Corvettes.

I myself will still go to this track for seat time but would much rather go to a larger track more suited for the car.