HPDE Report: VIR-North Course

[celica73]

I spent a beautiful weekend in VA with the Tarheel Sports Car Club at VIR on the north course. This was my first time running this configuration, so it was an even better adventure.

VIR North is a decent track for low HP cars, 2.25 miles and 17+ turns. There is only one really long straight (top speed near 120 in the BRZ), and lots of turns to level the playing field. Most of the track in run in 3rd gear, with 4th being used on the back straight, briefly on the "crossover" section, as well as the main straight where 5th is also used. Suspension/stickier tires would net 4th in one other section (or a lot of rev limiter in 3rd).

I ran in the "Yellow" group (Green, Yellow, Blue, Red and White are the groups in ascending order). We had a ton of first timers in green group, so yellow had a pretty wide range of abilities. That made for some interesting traffic, but it wasn't any less fun.

Weather was good most of the weekend (cold Saturday AM), with highs in the 60's near 70.

Day 1 was pretty uneventful once I got my head out of my ass (drove it off twice in the first run group). No offs after that. I really just didn't have the right mindset in the first session. I was busy being "that guy." Day one lap times got down to about 1:54 (I didn't time the first two sessions, but I ran 1:55 in the 3rd, then a second faster in the 4th session). Day 2 was fantastic and lap times dropped to the 1:51 range.

Session 2 on Sunday was probably the most fun, as there were a few BMW's that I got to mix it up with (E46? M3 and some M5 variant). None of us had a huge advantage due to traffic. They killed me on the straight, only to have me catch back up in the twisties. I got an early point by from the M3, only to give it back a few laps later on the straight. I spent the rest of the session reeling him back in, earning a point by just as the checker flew.

I only did video one session, but it was the best one. It will be linked below.
Sorry that the exposure is so screwed up. Fastest lap is actually lap#2.




Anyone want to tell me how to embed a Vimeo video?