[s-cars] Speaking of VIR

[manuelsanchez at starpower.net]

It's no R8 story at VIR that Wylie can speak to, but...

Just returned from VIR HPDE event last weekend....tons of fun as usual.  Ms Piggy did pretty well I'll say. I usually get a few folks come over and ask what the hell is under the hood. Of course there was plenty of more powerful iron there, but some of the owners don't let it all hang out I suppose.

I had a good time hangin with some e46 m3's, Vette's of all flavors, a pair of Elises, a few versions of 911, RS4, EVO MR, and an STi as well as some other assorted stuff. Just on paper, all of those surely can wax my poor ol urS.

First session was hairy, done in the wet. An EVO MR spun right in front of me at turn 5 ( http://www.trackdaylaps.net/VIR_Facility_map.jpg). Prior to his spin he was super loose on almost all the previous turns. Ms Piggy did not exhibit any of the tail happiness that the EVO dude was experiencing, she was almost downright rock solid. A bit later an Elise looped 3 times at the entrance to the front straight at the Hogpen, Turn 17A. He went off into the grass and mud. My Bro-In-Law, who is my track Pal, was so uncomfortable he only did 2 laps, came in under first to adjust tire pressure, went out an did another lap, then came in. He didn't have the unfair advantage in his BMW.

I managed to be the first car in another session and stayed there for the entire 25 minutes. Clear track never felt so good. I've discovered that I do that Michael Jordan tongue wiggle thing upon entering the Oak Tree (Turn 12) at the entry to the back straight, don't know why, just do, over and over again.

Later on a German dude in a red E46 M3 chased me down on the straights and pass me there, but I'd catch him under braking and in the twisties, score another victory in my mind for the ol pig.

I had a pucker moment entering the uphill esses (turns 7-10), my favorite part of the track, at somewhere around 110-115 (If you are not familiar with the uphill esses at VIR, they are Nirvana, it's a section of road that every car guy dreams of driving). I won't do that again, back end started to slide a little too much for comfort. I think I'll stay just under 110 in the future, that's fun enough for me.

Got over ( a little bit ) of my fear of the braking zone with a slight left hander at the end of the back straight, worked on trailbraking thru there (turns 14 and 14a). I can see pushing the braking zone further back the next time I go. One of the things I like about the ol pig is that she doesn't really scare me at those wrong moments. Gradual transitions (so far).

All in all a great time as usual. Only one car in our run group left the track on a wrecker, a late model Ford Mustang Cobra. My Bro In Law was right behind him when he bought it, he's not sure what happened but we think the guy must have lifted at Turn 3 when he shouldn't have.

Only one other urS at the event other than mine, a red sedan (Richard Harris I think), but we were in different run groups.

Not an R8, but the ol' pig is lots of fun. If you have been thinking of doing an HPDE and just haven't yet, consider this a stiff push....even in an overweight, undertired pig, you'll have more fun than you can imagine.

Manny
95.5 urS6 Avant (mostly RS2'd)