V4kerker

I broke down and joined NASA For the first time. They seem to be the best think going in the mid-Atlantic region to help me get a HPDE fix I got my first HPDE NASA event at VIR in 2 weeks.

I still need to make a hotel reservation could use some reccomendations.

I've been watching some in car footage of VIR and it looks like the esses get a driver or 2 sometimes. I got a question is VIR or Summit Main harder on the brakes when driven at the same level?

1ED1

VIR has more places to brake and from higher speeds.

Black89Z51

I agree. The back straight is nice and fast.

CHJ In Virginia

It would be ideal to stay in the lodge or one of the garage apartments at the track. VIR has gotten greedy and now requires a 3 night stay in any of the onsite facilities. That makes it very pricy if you go on Firday. The Sleep In in Danville is about the closest decent hotel at a reasonable price. They were about $86 a night last year with free breakfast. See you at the track !

V4kerker

Yes 1ED1 VIR does look faster and I guess that means more braking.

My first time at VIR I need to just learn the line around the track. I'm just a little worried about boiling my brake fluid like I did at Summit Point in Novmeber. I don't have any brake duct cooling on my C6 base coupe. If I do enough HPDE I'm going to have to invest in some brake ducts.
My son and I just flushed the whole brake system with fresh fluid last week. I had a shop do it last July and the stuff that came out looked pretty dirty. I don't know what the rating was for the fluid the shop used. We used Valvoline SYN DOT 3&4. Hope this does the trick for now.

Thanks

jaa1992

If you can't get reservations at the Sleep Inn there are other options in downtown Danville. Wife love the Hampton Inn so thats where we stay.

The Valvoline brake fluid should be good. If you boil it you need to use your brakes differently and/or get some air to the brakes.

Work on using your brakes harder for a shorter distance. That way they can have time to cool before you need them again.

Look for the "On the Hill gang", it will be obvious when you get there. Good guys to know.

BEZ06

You will be going to the NCM event at VIR, right???

A couple hundred Vettes, dozens of Corvette Forum friends - it's an event you can't miss!!!

Check out this thread, and be ready to sign up as soon as you can after registration opens the morning of March 21st:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...istration.html

C'ya at the track!!

Bob

JimbeauZ06

Valvoline Syn is not great brake fluid. I would suggest you use a racing fluid like AP, MOTUL, or ATE Super Blue which are formulated for higher temps.

sothpaw2

Having driven both the Main and VIR Full several times each year for the last several, the Main is for sure MUCH harder on brakes. I know this from my rotor life, pad life, and condition of the brake fluid (Motul is a MUST and still needs to be bled after a day at the Main). The reason is that there are so many braking zones separated by only small distances on the Main. The brakes don't have time too cool off as at VIR. In addition, the main is much shorter than VIR full so you get more laps/session on the Main which means yet more braking zones / time.

Now question for you: what organizations have you run with before? FATT? I always like to see where the local MD guys are going.

Andy

rfn026

Take a look at the Chin Motorsports calender as well. They run VIR. They're a great group to run with.

Richard Newton

V4kerker

CHJ and Jaa1992 I'll check out the Best Western first. I'm driving the car down and don't have to worry about parking a trailer. I'd tent it but it's still to cold.

BeZ06 havn't checked it out yet but it's on my list of things I'd like to do with my 14 year old son. I go back on rotating shift work in March and don't know my schedule yet.

JimbeauZ06 I want to give the Valoline fluid a try first not sure what fuild I had in my system before I flushed it. Also I'm pretty sure I'm riding the brakes like a old lady. Still building up my faith/knowledge the cars braking capablity.

Sothpaw2 thanks for your personal braking input of the 2 tracks. I've only done 2 FATT events and I plan on doing some more. Summit main is only about 2 hours away from home so it saves me hotel money. Last summer I did some Drag racing at Capital about 5 miles from the house. I hooked up with some of the guys from work that like it fast short and strait. I'd like to make it to NJMP sometime time down the road not sure if being in the NASA mid-Atlantic region I'll be able to?

rfn026 Chin Motorsports looks pretty good but for now I'm going to try NASA and Summit Point FATT first and work towards a solo and if I get the bug real bad maybe TT. You know how it goes once you break the seal the money starts to flow but there's only so much that will bleed out.

Looking forward to meeting some good people on the road ahead.

jlutherva

I like the Best Western in Danville.

PM your e-mail and I'll send you a couple of turn-by-turn descriptions of the full course and a checklist.

In addition to NASA and Chin (I really like Chin) there's also TrackDaze that runs events at VIR, Summit Point and New Jersey Motor Sports Park.
Most drivers get more track time with Chin than they can take. I've never finished out the "Happy Hour" with Chin w/o running out of brakes, gas, tires or something.

Also you may want to consider track insurance. A search will bring up threads with various options.


Jim

waddisme

Stayed there my last 2 weekends at VIR - pretty nice. Indoor pool is cold in April, but hot tub is nice. I would recommend upgrading to the ATE/Castrol/etc brake fluid now, especially seeing you can do it yourself. Why waste expensive track time saving brakes over $15 brake fluid. Now that you are hooked, it will be one of the cheaper upgrades. Also, if manual, repl clutch fluid with same. Also, I think raftracer has a turn by turn description of VIR and how to drive it that is pretty much spot on - hopefully search will find it for you. Have fun.

V4kerker

Waddisme just made my reservations with BW. I'm working towards the TOP SHELF brake fluid but, I think I'll be running the car 50-60% Saturday being my first time at VIR and see how it goes from there. I'm running an automatic. My first HPDE I was just using D mode and my second HPDE I used S mode. S mode (paddle shifters) is a lot more fun. I actually liked the paddle shifters because I didn't have to worry about the toe heal thing and having the rearend come around on me. Yes the paddle shifting could be a lot firmer/quicker on the up shifts.
For now I'm having fun and learning as much as I can and keeping it safe.

sothpaw2

Please change the brake fluid to at least Ate. I have a few bottles of unopened Motul if you need it in a hurry and don't have time to order.

Yeah I've been to NJMP. NASA-mid doesn't go there. You can sign up with the Schattenbaum PCA club in April at Summit and then run NJMP with this same group for the rest of the year. I went to NJMP with a Ferrari club and I think that is available in October if interested. Empire State Ferrari.

2 GTOs

If you are looking to run at NJMP you can do one of the events sponsored by scda or hooked on driving. SCDA already has it on their calendar. The hooked on driving north east events are not yet listed. Neither require any membership. Both are well run.

There is also an event being run at NJMP at the end of march by modern day mopar. It is open to all makes and is $250. I believe NASA is actually going to run it for them. Might still be a little chilly up here.

crimlwC6

Listen to the experience, change the brake fluid now with motul 600 or equivalent. Nothing is worse than paying and devoting the time to a track weekend and not being able to run.

sothpaw2

Hitting a tire wall is worse.

V4kerker

I broke down and ordered some brake ducts and brake cooling kit from http://www.lapponline.com/ Uncle Sams given some of my money back for last years taxes I payed, time to spent it before the wife does The next upgrade will be Suspension. What I'm I going to pick?

Sounds like a good deal depending on the amount of track time you get.

2 GTOs

The track time with most of the groups seems to be 4 - 25 minutes sessions. Sometimes 5. Combine this with some class room instruction and lunch, and it is a pretty full day.

Let me know if you want me to connect you up with any of them. I go to a lot of the NJMP events. Always fun to have new people around.