2009 NOVA Dulles Town Center Friday Nights
10-13-09, 10:27 AM
#228
HOOAH!!
11-02-09, 08:16 AM
#237
How was it? I came close to signing up for the event but there was so little information about it on their website and what there was kind of made it sound like it wasn't an like an HPDE/open track day. I don't know anyone who's done a PDX in this region so enlighten us!
11-06-09, 06:44 PM
#243
How was it? I came close to signing up for the event but there was so little information about it on their website and what there was kind of made it sound like it wasn't an like an HPDE/open track day. I don't know anyone who's done a PDX in this region so enlighten us!
Interestingly, the classroom sessions go into the hows and whys of racing line/handling a lot more than FATT did. I suspect this may have been due to SCCA's sporting focus versus BSR being more of an "educational entity." My instructor was a Spec Miata guy, so having him ride along was helpful to me. Shenandoah was a big step up in complexity from Main(?) [don't know if I have the name right]. I can visualize that couse in my head, but Shenandoah, not yet.
Something was dragging on the Karussell nearly every time I went through. Instructor thought exhaust, I'm guessing undertray, we'll see next time its on a lift. Glad the season is done, looking forward to a break before doing some more driving next year...
11-07-09, 04:55 PM
#244
Ah good info thanks, I may have to check it out next year. I've never done a FATT so not sure how it compares to that, but the racing focus in class might be helpful for future LeMons events.
I've said it many times before but Shenandoah is my favorite track so far (I've driven Main, Jefferson, Shen, VIR Full, North, Grand East, CMP Full, West, and Nelson Ledges). The FD even in mostly stock trim really shines on that track against new cars costing 5-10x as much. It's all about the balanced handling and not outright power there
Regarding learning the track, yea there are more than twice as many turns to remember as on Main and every driver you talk to has a different way around but nothing practice won't solve 
FWIW, I honestly believe that Main, even though it only has 10 turns, is more technical track than Shen is and is also more dangerous. I have been caught out in just about every turn on Main, gone off in many places, and had my only bad crash there. The high speed corners coupled with the ever changing surface conditions on Main just make it more treacherous than the jersey barriers surrounding Shen ever did. Just look at the number of cars that go home on a flatbed after an HPDE weekend on each track.
Don't know if you've seen this, but here's a video I made earlier this year from Shen. Watching videos before going to the track is a good way to get the turns back into your head
http://vimeo.com/4716544
About the dragging -- is your car lowered at all? One time I had that problem in the karussell with the tire contacting the fender liner when one of my bumpstops disintegrated. Once I replaced that everything was fine again. My car isn't lowered at all though.
I've said it many times before but Shenandoah is my favorite track so far (I've driven Main, Jefferson, Shen, VIR Full, North, Grand East, CMP Full, West, and Nelson Ledges). The FD even in mostly stock trim really shines on that track against new cars costing 5-10x as much. It's all about the balanced handling and not outright power there
Regarding learning the track, yea there are more than twice as many turns to remember as on Main and every driver you talk to has a different way around but nothing practice won't solve FWIW, I honestly believe that Main, even though it only has 10 turns, is more technical track than Shen is and is also more dangerous. I have been caught out in just about every turn on Main, gone off in many places, and had my only bad crash there. The high speed corners coupled with the ever changing surface conditions on Main just make it more treacherous than the jersey barriers surrounding Shen ever did. Just look at the number of cars that go home on a flatbed after an HPDE weekend on each track. Don't know if you've seen this, but here's a video I made earlier this year from Shen. Watching videos before going to the track is a good way to get the turns back into your head
http://vimeo.com/4716544
About the dragging -- is your car lowered at all? One time I had that problem in the karussell with the tire contacting the fender liner when one of my bumpstops disintegrated. Once I replaced that everything was fine again. My car isn't lowered at all though.
