VIR Review - Tuner-Junction

88 rex · #1 (**permalink**) June 10th, 2007, 10:14 PM

So I'm at VIR right now for the Expo and the track is in the middle of NOWHERE. It borders NC, and you actually have to go into NC and back into Virginia to get the track. The track and facilities are top notch! I'm staying at the Lodge which is right on the track on the third floor which gives a great view. They also provide little directors chairs for each room so you can sit right outside your room and watch the activities. This is my first track experience but so far I am really impressed. Based on the facilities alone I would come back down here. All the pictures of the rooms and track and facilites on the web page are EXACTLY like what you will actually see. Rooms are double full beds with a jacuzzi. There are also rooms on the front stretch with accompanying garages.

So far being surrounded by a bunch of Type R's, a couple older honda's, a few S2k's, and one NSX which I spied in a nifty garage.

I'll let you know how my first track experience goes tomorrow.

charliemopps24 · #2 (**permalink**) June 10th, 2007, 11:03 PM

I can't wait to get to a track. One of these days i'll get to one.

88 rex · #3 (**permalink**) June 11th, 2007, 05:53 PM

I'm addicted!!!

4 sessions under my belt and it was a blast.

Quick notes about the day before I head out to banquet:

1) Azenis are nice track tires and just about 3/4 of the guys/gals here have'em.

2) I spun out once.............

Learned a lot about losing the back end.

3) No brake fade issues at all.

4) Didn't point anyone bye

5) Was glued to an Arial Atoms bumper but he wouldn't let me pass.

Had to pit and make room.

6) My instructor is awesome and took me for a ride in his old mustang with some work......

7) This track is beautiful.

and lastly...........

8) This sport is highly addictive and this won't be my last track day!

triniskill · #4 (**permalink**) June 11th, 2007, 10:12 PM

sounds great...we are going down to VIR on july 28th..for teh nasa time attack..

jadkar · #5 (**permalink**) June 12th, 2007, 03:11 PM

I keep telling you guys!! Once you're on a road course you're done!! It's so much more fun than the 1320'.

About your spinning out, I'm sure the indtructor already warned you but I'll reitterate because I've been driving a Rex (and crashed a few) for years.

1) Trail braking is dificult in any car, in a Rex it's down right dangerous. I don't trail brake my Rex at all. Do all your braking while your car is traveling straight, BEFORE your turn in cone.

2) Don't snap off the throttle in a Rex, the tail on our cars is so light and it's made worse by the super short wheelbase. The rear will rotate very easy and because the car is front wheel drive it's hard to catch once she's rotating.

I'm glad you're having a good time. Be careful, drink a lot of water!! and watch out for the "red haze". I'm sure your instructors told you about that as well.

Next stop is the Glenn!! That's a nice high speed track!!

88 rex · #6 (**permalink**) June 12th, 2007, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jadkar

I keep telling you guys!! Once you're on a road course you're done!! It's so much more fun than the 1320'.

About your spinning out, I'm sure the indtructor already warned you but I'll reitterate because I've been driving a Rex (and crashed a few) for years.

1) Trail braking is dificult in any car, in a Rex it's down right dangerous. I don't trail brake my Rex at all. Do all your braking while your car is traveling straight, BEFORE your turn in cone.

2) Don't snap off the throttle in a Rex, the tail on our cars is so light and it's made worse by the super short wheelbase. The rear will rotate very easy and because the car is front wheel drive it's hard to catch once she's rotating.

I'm glad you're having a good time. Be careful, drink a lot of water!! and watch out for the "red haze". I'm sure your instructors told you about that as well.

Next stop is the Glenn!! That's a nice high speed track!!

It was interesting because my instructor kind of apoligized for the line he had me taking through the beginning of the roller coaster because that's the line he takes in his mustang. In a later session were able to get behind a car who was running a decent line and he had a different approach to that turn. His line was so much smoother for my FWD honda. After that it was smooth sailing through there.

The photographers here at the track got the whole incident in still frames. Once he/she/they put them online I'm probably going to buy them. It doesn't look as bad from the pictures but it sure happened quick.

I ended up paddocking next two other novices and they were both in RSX's. Once was fairly prepped, and he had some experience. The other was a first timer from arizona. Both were 05 RSX's. Of the novices we were moving the cleanest/quickest around the track. A few type R's were running good lines, but couldn't keep up with speed on the straights. The Red RSX was too much for me and I didn't even bother trying to keep up with his speeds. Beautiful cars. 125 mph is the limit of my comfort level so I didn't push it pass that today. Also, my last two sessions were solo and the loss of the extra weight was immmediately noticeable as I was carrying more speed into turns. I had to adjust becuase I wasn't use to coming in that quick and came off line.

Watkins Glen is a must!!!! I really want to upgrade my spring rates and repalce my RTA bushings. The backend sure gets squirrly and the car was doing quite a bit of rolling.

A note about the azenis, they are a pretty quiet tire. They didn't make a lot of noise the whole time. Once in a while I get a little screech out of them but other than that they are silent. They also got slippery after pumping heat into them after a long hard brake (125mph down to .....) but it was predictable and I just got use to it and started braking earlier and running slower smoother lines. I was happy with them, especially in this heat.

I want more track time! Maybe something a little closer so I don't have to stay over. Poconos maybe? Watkins maybe in the spring?

This is way too much fun

Also, trailbraking with the CRX was a definitel no no. I accidentally did it a few times coming into the oak tree and stoped that quickly. Brake and downshift then turn and throttle. Heel-toe shifts got MUCH better my last session. I could hit them much more smoothly.