PCA or FCA VIR events in March?

[krzkrl]

I'm taking my Elise up to VIR on 3/18 with the Porsche club, and again on 3/31 with the Ferrari club.  I think Ross is going with the Porsche club.  Anyone else planning to attend either or both of these?

[Y2K SILVER BULLET]

I might try to make one of these.  Especially since I'm out for tomorrow, can't slip out of work.

[Byronn5]

I'm actually planning on going to both the PCA and FCA events.

[xeeeej]

I'd love to, but I can't do it on a Monday or Tuesday.   

[Byronn5]

I'm actually planning on going to both the PCA and FCA events.

Edit- actually I'm onlt planning on the FCA event 3/31

[krzkrl]

Just got back from the event.  Porsche club did a solid job of running the event - I'd been warned that they can be a little wild, but everyone was good about their track etiquette, and it ran very smoothly.  They used more passing zones (5) than I liked, but they actually worked well. 

I grabbed my camera last night, but apparently put it down and forgot to pick it back up again, so didn't get any pics   There was a -beautiful- black GT3 RS with orange trim, and several other very pretty porsches (a couple gt3s and a gt2).  As well as a very nice 2005 black elise with quite a few modifications (supercharger, rear wing, pretty wild 7-way rear diffuser, light wheels, etc.).  Very nice fellow driving it named Bob ...something... from Cape Hatteras, NC.   

And in somewhat exciting news, I put my car into its first (and only) spin    or  , reader's choice.  Coming around turn 10 there's an elevation change (goes from uphill to downhill), and it's banked slightly towards the outside of the turn.  Anyhow, the backend got light and just slid out from underneath me to the right.  I spun 180 and stayed on the track (and got a nice view of the porsche that was trailing me - should have waved), then swung it back around and came to a rest just off the left side of the track.  Pretty wild time.  I changed my line the next lap  

Anyhow, looking forward to the Ferrari event on the 31st.   Hope to see a couple of you all there.

Ross, I said hi to Eddie, who said to say hi and was disappointed not to see you today. 

[xeeeej]

5 passing zones?  yikes.  Was this VIR north or?

[talon]

Hey Karl - which Ferrari club is sponsering the event later this month?

[krzkrl]

5 passing zones?  yikes.  Was this VIR north or?

It was on the full course (3 1/4 miles, give or take). 

Zones were:
(1) front straight
(2) between turns 2 and 3 (yikes)
(3) between turns 6 and 7 (the straightaway that goes under the bridge)
(4) between turns 10 and 11 (the downhill section before Oak Tree)
(5) the back straight

Hey Karl - which Ferrari club is sponsering the event later this month?

The North Carolina chapter: http://www.fca-nc.com/calendar.htm (includes link to registration)

[krzkrl]

I was talking with a guy I met at this event, and he pointed me towards this video of a C5 corvette spinning at the same place I did.  The video starts out of turn 6 into the upper esses and ends between turn 10 and turn 11.

He didn't do the same thing I did to lose control - my right rear wheel lifted, while he went 2 wheels off the track on the turn - nor did he try to recover the same way - i let the car go around into a 180 and then swing back around forward, while he just pinned the steering wheel - but it's an interesting video.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Fqfv2tYhkDk&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/Fqfv2tYhkDk&rel=0</a>

[Burple_X]

He hit the grass pretty quick.  At that point, there is nothing you can do to correct.  Best thing you can do if the car gets away from you is put both feet in... "when in a spin, both feet in".  That means brake and clutch to the floor.  That usually minimizes damage to your car and cars behind you trying to dodge your attempts to correct.  The locked brakes sends you off in pretty much one direction (towards the outside of the turn) and the full clutch saves the engine and tranny in case you wind up rolling backwards with the engine still running.  I've seen cars that would have harmlessly spun off to the outside of the turn try to save it and J-hook around and hit the armco on the inside of the turn. 

Flat spotted tires or body work?    ... that's a no brainer! 

[Byronn5]

So how many of us are going to the 3/31 Ferrari VIR event?  I'm signed up, and I know Carl is- anybody else???

[BobsElise]

I was talking with a guy I met at this event, and he pointed me towards this video of a C5 corvette spinning at the same place I did.  The video starts out of turn 6 into the upper esses and ends between turn 10 and turn 11.

He didn't do the same thing I did to lose control - my right rear wheel lifted, while he went 2 wheels off the track on the turn - nor did he try to recover the same way - i let the car go around into a 180 and then swing back around forward, while he just pinned the steering wheel - but it's an interesting video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqfv2tYhkDk

That is the exact same spot that an Exige S driver I was riding with in last July's Lotus event crashed.  Looks like almost exactly the same spin too.