at VIR! I am as excited as heck, and a bit nervous. Picked up a helmet as required, borrowing a '13 Mustang V-6/manual with "performance package" (19" wheels, Pirrelli summer Z-rated donuts, limited slip).

Always been a dream of mine to do some real laps at any track, especially VIR.

Anybody else been thru one of these novice driving schools?

No, but that's pretty awesome! Keep us posted and take lots of pictures!

Will they teach more than just left turns?

If not, I'm gonna be in the grass at turn 1.

Looking forward to the pics from your time on the track.


Wheels

Weasel Keeper did this IIRC. He started racing rfactor with us circa 2006 I think and the next thing you know he's doing it for real.



The Jedi Master

Oh, I'll bet that will be fun! I haven't done it myself, but have been seriously considering going to the Bondurant school in Arizona.

I've thought about it. I hope I don't get bit by the driving bug too bad! I just can't imagine having time+energy+money to keep up a car, get to the track and drive more than once or twice a year. Maybe when the kids are older I would consider picking up a cheap older car as a dedicated track machine.

Enjoy it, nothing beats the real racetrack. Looks a bit straight for my taste, but just right for a car.

Four-Wheel racing sure is expensive, much easier on two wheels. But a bit more dangerous, obviously.

Indeed. I do have a Ninja 250 in the garage that is beat but runs well. Would be an excellent track bike. But, I never have enjoyed getting near the limit cornering on 2 wheels.

...I guess the track does look a little straight on the map. But there are some good elevation changes that made it one of my favorite tracks to drive in GTR2/GTL. Visiting the track during the American LeMans race last year, it looked plenty twisty.

Found a video here:

Looks much nicer than from the overview! 2:20 laptimes in a Porsche, that's a bit of driving alright.

I guess no Four-Point Harness, so no HANS for the helmet?

This is where I run at, one of the most twisty circuits around:


I was recently looking into four-wheel prices, and the starting price for an older Formula 2000 or such isn't much higher or even with a decent sports bike, 10K or such, which is about what I paid for mine. For 10K you can also get some slightly older but decent tintop I guess. The problem starts if you make non-road legal modifications... and of course tires, fuel, repair. Also they run fewer cars per session than bikes, so each participant carries a larger share of the day costs.

And in the end it always entertains me to see that I paid much, much less for a bike doing the same speeds and acceleration as the Porsche in that vid

Yeah, that's correct. We'll not be racing or hot lapping, just driving.




Nice! I hope that one makes it into Assetto Corsa.

Sounds like fun, VIR is a terrific track, one of my favorites from driving it in iRacing, just be careful with that T10 segment after the esses, pretty tricky cresting turn where I crashed virtually many times when pushing too hard.

I would love to run flat out at VIR through T7/T10. That's "seat of your pants" stuff there!

I never did track days but would love to have a chance in a high performance car. I did an SCCA road course racing school to get my racing license, then raced an ITA Dodge Neon for two years in the SCCA. Fun little car and I got it up to about 130 a few times. Got way too expensive for just a hobby as an amateur racer (no prizes) so I retired and just concentrate on sim racing now. At least it's off my bucket list.

You're going to have fun for sure!

Thanks WK!

So sim-racing still has appeal after you've done the real thing? That's a relief!
Coincidentally, the week before I knew I was doing this I finally got my Logitech G27 and dove back into Assetto Corsa. I've really had driving on my mind for the past few weeks...

I bet the Neon would be a perfect inexpensive race car. I think they handled pretty well stock. I know a guy who races an older Ford Focus. Looks fun, but I know he still spends a good chunk of change doing it.

So, uh, I will give yall my impressions later... right now i just wanted to share that i just rode 4 fast laps at VIR in a Porsche GT2 with a professional race driver. I am speechless.

Hehe, sounds great.

So are your shorts still clean?


Wheels

Yes, but oh my God i could not stop smiling and envisioning my impending death. My mind could not comprehend the physics that i was experiencing. My instructor is a straight up alien. Someone said he runs 2:04 on the course. We were passing Vipers and 'vettes like they were sitting still.

Awesome experience.
So, because I can slide a car a bit on some mtn roads, heel-toe downshift, know what an apex is, do okay at some driving sims, I thought I would be pretty good at the track, maybe even middle of the group. How wrong I was. I was in the novice group, but I was the only one there who'ld never driven on track before. I got passed so many times. I passed nobody. I could use the fact that my V-6 Mustang was no match for the GT500's late model BMW M cars, etc. as an excuse, but no, I was just not prepared for that feeling of my car un-weighting at 100mph while trying to turn ever so slightly to the right (this was at the start/finish) while my instructor firmly commanded me to keep the throttle pinned. I knew that lifting would shift weight forward, lightening the rear wheels, possibly leading to a high-speed spin, but dang my body was scarred and wanted to lift and even hit the brakes. And then, bringing the brakes to antilock at the last possible moment, and bending into turn 1. Oh I fergot! A good driver like me would then downshift, and not try to exit the turn in fifth gear! Embarrassing. Also, cresting a hill on the back stretch at 100 when you can not see what is on the other side, even though your instructor is totally cool because the flagger ain't flaggin' , is frikkin terrifying. (continued)