Corvette racing at road america: Spoiler alert
 

CORVETTE RACING AT ROAD AMERICA: SPOILER ALERT

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1595309414

Maybe going to Road Atlanta for the Petit LeMans race
 

Hello!

I'm in the planning stages of a trip to Road Atlanta for the Petit Lemans season finale. It looks like I can still purchase a Corvette Coral ticket and the race date works with my work schedule. Does anybody have suggestions on where to stay? I'll probably arrive mid day Friday and leave Sunday. Also, I welcome suggestions for race viewing. I'm also very much into photography so I'd love some suggestions on good areas for on track shots.

Thanks in advance!

Gary F.

I had a few friends stay at the Holiday Inn Express on 211 across from Chateau Elan a few years back.

Plenty of places for the camera, the entrances to 6 and 10A make for great rotor shots at night. I also like spending some time at the beginning of the Esses on the hill behind the bathroom around infield camping A. I would very much recommend getting to the track for Thursday night practice as you can get around much easier than you can a race day.

Bring some good walking shoes or hiking boots and be warned the red Georgia clay will stain anything.

Last year we stayed at the Hampton Inn at Lawrenceville, GA. It was near Atlanta but the traffic was always going the other way so no problem.. it was about a 30 minute drive but we like that as we get to see the sights both ways while we drive the Vette. Plenty of places to eat right around there when we get back from the track plus we get free breakfast there
Two years ago we stayed at the Hampton Inn at Commerce just north of the track. Again about 30 minutes away. We like the Hampton Inns and try to stay there at most of the 6 IMSA WeatherTech races and Corvette Corrals we attend each year. Good luck!

The advantage of Road Atlanta is that there are so many places to stay, unlike Sebring. There are a lot of places even close to the track.

https://www.roadatlanta.com/fan-guide/accommodations

As for photographs the track has a list of places for you to see and take photos: Make sure you wear good stout shoes as there are a lot of hills to walk to take these photos. If it rains the clay mud will stain your shoes and socks and if it is dry the clay dust will still stain your shoes and socks. So don't wear any of your favorites.

To take photos:
https://www.roadatlanta.com/roadatla...nta&Itemid=181

Try to come Friday morning so you don't miss any of the activities held in the corral. There will also be another autograph session around lunch time at the paddock. On Saturday morning you will want to be at the corral no later than 8:30 am. Otherwise you will be stuck outside the track in a long traffic line.
I love this track, it is beautiful, lots of good places to take photos, but lots of walking!

VIR BoP is out, and it is good news if you root for the yellow cars.

Corvette to get a .5mm restrictor increase, and larger fuel restrictor. No other GTLM car changes, but BMW and Ford see more restricted fuel flow.

Ok that's good news! Go vetts!!

CORVETTE RACING AT VIR: In Search of a Repeat on GT-Only Weekend
 

Press Release:

CORVETTE RACING AT VIR: In Search of a Repeat on GT-Only Weekend
Garcia, Magnussen defending race-winners in No. 3 Corvette

No. 3 Corvette duo leads GT Le Mans Driver’s Championship
Chevrolet looking to regain Manufacturer’s points lead
Gavin, Milner eager to score second tandem VIR victory

DETROIT (Aug. 22, 2017) – It’s getting down to crunch time for Corvette Racing. With the end of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season quickly approaching, endurance racing’s premier GT program hopes to tighten its grip on another GT Le Mans (GTLM) Driver’s and Manufacturer’s championship.

The next opportunity comes this weekend in the Michelin GT Challenge at Virginia International Raceway – a 3.27-mile, 17-turn circuit in southern Virginia that has a knack for taking the breath away from the world’s best drivers. It has a mix of mid-speed and diabolical high-speed corners, significant elevation changes and of course the famous Oak Tree Turn … still sans the mighty Oak that fell in 2013.

Corvette Racing’s Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen return to VIR with the No. 3 Mobil 1/SirisuXM Chevrolet Corvette C7.R after claiming an overall victory in the 2016 race. They hold the lead in the GTLM Driver’s Championship while Chevrolet is a single point out of the lead in Manufacturer’s points.

A carbon copy of last year would suit the Garcia/Magnussen combo just fine. They dominated by leading 84 of 90 laps, and Magnussen also led a 1-2 qualifying effort for the team with a GTLM track record lap of 1:41.557 (115.8 mph). Garcia (who set the fastest GT race lap in 2012) and Magnussen have won twice this year – tied for the most in class.

Oliver Gavin and Virginia native Tommy Milner, teammates in the No. 4 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C7.R are itching for another victory at VIR, as well. Their triumph in 2012 victory wrapped up the American Le Mans Series GT championship, and Gavin set the race’s fastest lap a year ago.

He and Milner were race-winners earlier this year at Long Beach, and a second victory would help the defending GTLM champions salvage their season.

Corvette Racing on Display in Virginia
Chevrolet is bringing its Corvette Racing Display back to VIR as part of the Michelin GT Challenge weekend. On Saturday and Sunday in the fan midway, spectators on-hand can view and learn about a variety of Chevrolet vehicles, accessories and attractions including:
• The 2018 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and Equinox
• The 2017 Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback and Silverado 1500 Redline
• Samples of Chevrolet performance parts and accessories available to fans for purchase from their local Chevrolet dealer
• A variety of Chevrolet and racing related activities for adults and kids
• Commemorative t-shirts for fans who sign up with Corvette Racing.

The Corvette Racing Display opens at 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

The Michelin GT Challenge at VIR is set for 1:35 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 27. FOX Sports 1 will air the race live starting at 1:30 p.m. ET with live audio coverage from IMSA Radio and a Corvette Racing In-Car feed available on IMSA.com.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “VIR has always been good for us in terms of pace and how the Corvette behaves. We’ve been fast over the years there. The No. 4 car has won once, we’ve won another time in the No. 3 Corvette; pretty much every year we have been competitive. It definitely would help in the championship to have another good race there. We know it will be super-tight. It was last year with several cars. It’s never easy in this class or at that track. Hopefully our car is fast enough and good enough to repeat what we did last year.”

JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “A repeat of last year at VIR would be fantastic. But it’s so close. We go into every race thinking we have a chance to win, but we also know that we can’t make any mistakes. All year, the whole field has been split by less than a second most times. So that means no mistakes and you have to be on it every time you are on track for every lap. I’m really looking forward to going back to VIR. It was a fantastic win last year and pole position. Even if we don’t win it, hopefully we can keep our lead in the championship and extend it a little bit.”

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “The key to getting right around VIR is having a car that changes direction well but is also stable at the rear. It also has to have good traction off the corner. There are a lot of slow- and medium-speed corners there with good flow. Last year, we seemed to make the Corvette and Michelin tire work there. We were very strong through toward the end of the race, and the sister car had a very good run to a win there last year. Hopefully that means we can get back there and have another good weekend. It’s a circuit that’s great fun and one we really enjoy driving.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “What’s special about VIR is how there are certainly areas that are broken up in certain ways but there is a really good rhythm to it. When you get each of those sections right, it’s an incredibly rewarding lap. But it can also be super frustrating when the car doesn’t really go well in a certain area. The track has a great mix of everything… what the European guys in the series think of a classic American circuit. You have an increasing radius corner at Turn One, a bit of a decreasing radius in the last corner. You have some really fast, rhythmic high-speed sections at the Uphill Esses. The final left-hander at the Uphill Esses is incredibly fast and fun to drive. VIR is a track where if the car is good, it’s very fun. If it’s not the best, the track is super challenging.”

DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER: “We go to a lot of great tracks on the IMSA calendar, and Virginia International Raceway certainly qualifies. This is a FUN, proper track that presents all kinds of challenges to driver, car and team. What stands out the most about VIR is the number of places that require total commitment on any given lap. That means the communication conduit between the engineers and crew is extremely critical for things like chassis setup, engine calibration, and tire compounds and pressures, among other things. It takes all those elements plus truly focused execution by the drivers to get around VIR quickly. Corvette Racing did that well last year, and we are looking forward to doing it again this time around.”


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...ef3d9b22a5.jpg

Michelin GT Challenge at VIR Info
 

Michelin GT Challenge at Virginia International Raceway
August 25-27, 2017
Danville, VA

Track: Virginia International Raceway
Race Duration: 2 hours 40 minutes
Circuit Length: 3.27 miles

Entry by Class:
GTLM: 9
GTD: 16


Race Broadcast:
US: 1:30 -4:30 PM ET 8/27/2017 FOX Sports 1

Outside US: 1:25 -4:15 ET 08/27/17 http://imsatv.imsa.com/


Live Qualifying:Saturday August 27, 2016
12:20 to 12:35 pm EDT GTD
12:45 to 01:00 pm EDT GTLM

Online Qualifying Coverage
http://imsatv.imsa.com/


Radio: IMSA Radio
1) Streaming on IMSA TV & Radio Le Mans:
http://imsatv.imsa.com/
http://radiolemans.0157.org/nplayer.php
2) Scanner frequency 454.000
3) Sirius 118
4) XM 201 (or 202-205)
5) SiriusXM Online 967


PIT NOTES:
https://twitter.com/search?q=IMSA

http://twitter.com/ @CorvetteRacing, @IMSA, @IMSAlive, @VIRNow


TICKET INFO:
https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/790088...en&cobrand=vir


Event Schedule:
https://competitors.imsa.com/sites/d...vir_081617.pdf


Entry List:
https://www.imsa.com/sites/default/f..._entrylist.pdf


VIR BoP
https://competitors.imsa.com/sites/d...nd_gtd_bop.pdf


Maps:
http://virnow.com/track/configurations/


Spotters Guide:
http://www.spotterguides.com/


WEATHER:
http://www.myweather2.com/Motor-Raci...l-Raceway.aspx


Hotels:
http://virnow.com/lodging/


Corvette Corral: Tenative schedule
see jpeg below


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...74abcb4f9a.jpg

CORVETTE RACING AT VIR: Third-Row Start for Milner, Magnussen
 

Press Release:

CORVETTE RACING AT VIR: Third-Row Start for Milner, Magnussen
Pair of Chevrolet Corvettes to roll off side-by-side at VIR

ALTON, Va. (Aug. 26, 2017) – With the race for the GT Le Mans championships heating up, Corvette Racing’s pair of Chevrolet Corvette C7.Rs will start side-by-side Sunday for the Michelin GT Challenge at Virginia International Raceway. It’s the ninth race of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with two more remaining in a close title fight.

Tommy Milner qualified fifth Saturday in the No. 4 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C7.R, just ahead of teammate Jan Magnussen in the No. 3 Corvette. Corvette Racing will go for its second straight VIR victory and third since 2012 when the GT-only race starts at 1:35 p.m. ET on Sunday live on FOX Sports 1.

Magnussen and teammate Antonio Garcia lead the GTLM Driver’s Championship while Chevrolet is one point out of the lead in the Manufacturer’s standings.

Both Corvettes were more than a half-second quicker than Magnussen’s pole-winning time from a year ago. Milner set a lap of 1:40.758 (116.834 mph) on Saturday in the No. 4 Corvette that he shares with Oliver Gavin. The pairing won the 2012 GT race at VIR in the team’s first trip to the venue.

Magnussen was right behind Milner at 1:40.802 (116.783 mph) as he and Garcia look for back-to-back VIR victories. In 2016, they led 84 of 90 laps, and Magnussen also led a 1-2 qualifying effort for the team with a then-record lap of 1:41.557 (115.8 mph).

Corvette Racing has won three times in 2017. Garcia and Magnussen won at Sebring and Circuit of The Americas while Gavin and Milner claimed victory at Long Beach.

The Michelin GT Challenge at VIR is set for 1:35 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 27. FOX Sports 1 will air the race live starting at 1:30 p.m. ET with live audio coverage from IMSA Radio and a Corvette Racing In-Car feed available on IMSA.com.

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – FIFTH IN GTLM: “Ultimately in looking at the lap times, it was a good qualifying session for us. The Ford looks quick, Ferrari as expected was quick; we were a little surprised at the pace of the BMWs. But our Corvettes are good. We’ve done a good job with car setup and making the right changes. There’s still some work to do as we aren’t totally happy with things yet. It’s nice to see our lap times and being in the mix during the weekend. I think we look good for the race. VIR always has good racing, and hopefully tomorrow will bring more of the same.”

JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – SIXTH IN GTLM: “All in all, we’re not happy with the final result. We need to find a bit more in order to find with some of our quicker competitors. The run was pretty good. Even though we didn’t get the pole like we wanted… man, this is a fun lap when you are on new tires and low fuel! We have to have a good race and try to be faultless, quick and smart. That will get us as many points as we possibly can.”


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...ec3fb4e6a0.jpg

Official GTLM VIR qualifying results:

http://autoweek.com/article/imsa/gtl...rtech-race-vir

After race interviews should be quite entertaining. All in all, it was a fairly entertaining race. Coverage was great too.

Just got home. Great weather. Huge crowd. No full course yellows. The Corvette Corral was the size of Connecticut. I'll post pics when I go through them.

In for pics! :cheers:

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...8280551ae3.png

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...d083131bf4.png

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...3382a0e3ae.png

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...75114b1f29.png

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...377fe65847.png

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...21e40e02f2.png

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...c7e503233f.png

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...d4a62f32e0.png

Full slideshow.

Great race! :thumbs:

Thanks for the pics! :cheers:

Corvette racing at vir: Spoiler alert
 

Thanks for the great suggestions and information. I just can't make Road Atlanta work this year. With no IMSA or WEC race at COTA next year, I am starting my planning for year 2018. I will make at least one race.

I will be in the coral at the WEC race at COTA next week. There will be no Corvettes in the race field, but it will still be fun. If anyone else is attending, please say "hi"!

Gary F.

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca BoP tables released
 

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca BoP tables released:


https://competitors.imsa.com/sites/d...nd_gtd_bop.pdf


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...96845ea6a3.jpg

Doesn't look too bad...:thumbs: