View Full Version : Shenandoah Circuit
urtoslo
12-11-2004, 02:42 AM
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I spent the day driving around SC in Summit Points cars and their own (salaried) instructors teaching us the "line". The goal was for us volunteer instructors to learn the line that we would then teach FATT students. It was a wet, cold and miserable day, and I had a fantastic time.
The track is very challenging, a newbie hitting a track for the very first time would have a nightmare trying to drive it fast. It has over 20 turns and almost as many blind apexes, tons of drop offs, sweepers, kinks and a straight or two, but once your get used to it, it is a hoot! The course is setup to be driven in both directions, we only ran it counterclockwise today.
The carousel (the one from Nurburgring) is a HOOT! Try it in a Crown Vic with three other passengers all critiquing your pass! You come out from under the bridge entrance to the track, accelerating up hill to about 85mph (in the rain) and over a drop off, where if you are not lined up for the carousel, you gonna have some splainin to do. The track dips here (like the back straight at VIR, but more pronounced) and this is where you brake hard. You come out of the dip, straddle the entrance to the carousel with the right wheels on the upper flat and the left wheels on the carousel. You wind down to the whole carousel and ride it out the other end, making sure you are centered on it when you come out! 23deg banking in the center with 10 deg banking at entrance and exit! There is a lot of traction in there, even in the rain! It sucks you in and pops you out like nobodys business! I have no idea how fast we were going in there, as it seems to wind up like it has a decreasing radius turn and you ain't got any spare time to be looking at the speedo in there!
The track really has some very fun turns that will probably let a SpecMiata give a Z06 a hard time and not enough straights to let the Z06 get away before the next set of turns either. This is definitely a fun track!
Having spent the day there, I am certainly not an expert, but am looking forward to driving it again, and again, and again! [:D] [:D] [:D] [:D]
Black396
12-11-2004, 03:03 AM
So when are you going to take the Corvette on it?
Do you think you can straddle the carousel in a vette?
urtoslo
12-11-2004, 06:55 AM
The Corvette is running pretty good. I had it out there today and would have driven it, but it was their cars only. They're going to give a couple of days later in winter to practice with our cars, so I may take one one day and the other the next!
You only straddle the entrance to the turn. Once you start the turn (straddling), then you immediately drop down into the heart of the turn. The Vette shouldn't have a problem...
wazzzup
12-11-2004, 01:51 PM
That's probably the most detailed information that I've heard on that track other than "It's Scary", or "It's a hand full".
jbeaupre
12-11-2004, 08:28 PM
Man I am jealous. Sounds like you had a ball!!!
Almost sounds like a high speed/low speed AX!!!
urtoslo
12-11-2004, 09:38 PM
Man I am jealous. Sounds like you had a ball!!!
Almost sounds like a high speed/low speed AX!!!
Most of the instructors there were characterizing it more like an autox course than a race course! I'm still grinning from ear to ear!
As I had my Corvette jacket on, they all pointed out where the Z06 slammed into the barrier at 130mph. It was at the bottom of the dip before the carousel. Apparantly he got sideways because he hit the brakes at the top of the crest (where the car was the lightest) and that got him sideways. Another version said he was trying to avoid a slow car in the dip, and made a choice of the slow car or the wall.
The paid instructors were emphazing all the problem areas they have discovered so far. Some of the problems are driver generated, and that's where we instructors come in, and the other problems will be cleaned up by track adjustments. It is a very technical and unforgiving track, but if you get it right, a ton of fun.
wazzzup
03-20-2005, 05:57 PM
Hey Andrej, I'm thinking about signing up for a couple FATT classes. Is this a track that I would be interested in or should I stick to the main track for the first couple of times? [:-/]
How are the concrete barriers next to the track edge. Walking past on the outside, it seems that they are rather close.
Ebein
03-21-2005, 02:17 AM
How are the concrete barriers next to the track edge. Walking past on the outside, it seems that they are rather close.
I made this video just taking a slow drive around shenandoah,
Not a track I would want to drive in my own vehicle.
http://bill.lintons.us/Corvette/Shanandoah%20(%209%20Oct%202004%20)%20cruise.mpg
wazzzup
03-21-2005, 02:45 PM
That's an interesting track. [;)] It seems more of a formula 3000 track than a SCCA track though. A lot of turns, and not much straight of ways. Thanks Bill! [B-)] [;)]
StompAndGo
03-22-2005, 12:06 AM
The Corvette runs great all over the track - I loved it!!
I spent a day out there last November with NASA doing testing, in our own cars, running both directions. Very few passing zones - yes, lots of turns - yes, and lots of things to change - definitely.
Andrej - did they take out the downhill "waterfall" or "range esses" area yet? That area made me carsick almost every time I got there...and BSR stated they were going to remove it alltogether.
The little lift you get after the bridge is seriously-freakin'-scary if you don't know exactly where to hit it, it's no surprise at all that that's where the Z06 (or any cars) went off. The Ring is really cool, just as Andrej projects...I saw 70mph when I went through there, the G forces are incredible! Going in wasn't near as difficult to do as exiting...if you come out strong (accelerating into the ring) you have to pay close attention to coming out - the transition is abrupt and I got squirly several times. I can't imagine too much more speed in the ring and be able to come out cleanly - but 70mph felt like 150 with the g forces!!
The downhill corkscrew is my favorite section though: a little off-camber right/left, but if you hit the left correctly it allows you track out to the right and then across a left kink for a nice lonnnnnnng straightaway - challenging with fast turns - my kinda track!
Andrej and I agree on this though - it's most definitely an Advanced Course!! I really have no interest in Instructing a Novice on this course - I'd probably do everything I could to talk them out of it!! [>:)]
zz502
03-25-2005, 06:21 AM
TELL ME THIS ISN'T THE NOVICE TRACK FOR PRACTICE !!!!! [:-/] [:-/] [:(] [:(] [:(]
urtoslo
03-25-2005, 06:23 AM
No, the June 20 HPDE is on Jefferson Circuit.
zz502
03-25-2005, 06:26 AM
THAT'S COOL.. THOUGHT I MIGHT HAVE TO BRING A PACEMAKER ALONG JUST IN CASE. [:D] [:D] [:D]
zz502
03-25-2005, 06:28 AM
STILL AN OXYGEN BOTTLE MIGHT BE NICE... [:D]
zz502
03-25-2005, 06:35 AM
[=D>] THANKS FOR POSTING THE VIDEO, VERY INTERESTING. [=D>]
Ebein
03-25-2005, 07:25 AM
[=D>] THANKS FOR POSTING THE VIDEO, VERY INTERESTING. [=D>]
Your welcome
Might wana try turning the caps lock off [:p]
Ebein
03-25-2005, 07:31 AM
TELL ME THIS ISN'T THE NOVICE TRACK FOR PRACTICE !!!!! [:-/] [:-/] [:(] [:(] [:(]
This is the novice Track
Jefferson Circuit (http://bill.lintons.us/Corvette/JeffersonCircuit_Oct04/Jefferson%20Circuit%204%20(%209%20Oct%202004%20).m pg)
You can see a few more video's at
Bills Website (http://bill.lintons.us/Corvette)
LilRedCorvette
03-25-2005, 05:22 PM
Your welcome
Might wana try turning the caps lock off [:p]
Might want to use spell-check, Bill. [:))] http://forums.corvetteforum.com/images/smilies/jester.gif
Ebein
03-25-2005, 06:23 PM
Your welcome
Might wana try turning the caps lock off [:p]
Might want to use spell-check, Bill. [:))] http://forums.corvetteforum.com/images/smilies/jester.gif
It was 1:30 in the morning, you'll just have to bear with it [:p]
Black396
03-25-2005, 06:45 PM
Your welcome
Might wana try turning the caps lock off [:p]
Might want to use spell-check, Bill. [:))] http://forums.corvetteforum.com/images/smilies/jester.gif
It was 1:30 in the morning, you'll just have to bear with it [:p]
My question is "What were you doing up AND on the forum at 1:30 in the morning?"
...and on a work day as well... [:))]
LilRedCorvette
03-25-2005, 07:05 PM
Your welcome
Might wana try turning the caps lock off [:p]
Might want to use spell-check, Bill. [:))] http://forums.corvetteforum.com/images/smilies/jester.gif
It was 1:30 in the morning, you'll just have to bear with it [:p]
How does that explain your spelling during the day? [:o)] [:))]
Sorry, couldn't resist... [:p]
wazzzup
03-25-2005, 09:13 PM
Forget it Bill! Your not going to win with them! Plead the fith, and move on! They never mispell, or leave caps on! [:))] [:))] [:p] [:p] [:D] [:D] [:p] [:p]
LilRedCorvette
03-25-2005, 09:56 PM
Forget it Bill! Your not going to win with them! Plead the fith, and move on! They never mispell, or leave caps on! [:))] [:))] [:p] [:p] [:D] [:D] [:p] [:p]
Or use BOLD TEXT for the entire post, either... [:))] [:))] [:))]
wazzzup
03-25-2005, 11:03 PM
SEE WHAT I MEAN !!!!!!!!!!!! [:))] [:))] [:))]
Ebein
03-25-2005, 11:30 PM
SEE WHAT I MEAN !!!!!!!!!!!! [:))] [:))] [:))]
The truth is its an excuse for 'them' to wrack up thier post count.
[:))] [:D]
be [B-)] and enjoy the [\:D/]
zz502
03-26-2005, 10:50 AM
I've walked the jefferson, I helped work the corners at Spooktacular last year. I want to run in spook this year. You video of the jefferson is also a good one . Thank You again.
[B-)] [B-)]
77 red ZZ502
2001 white Z06
zz502
03-26-2005, 10:54 AM
I am blind in one eye and can't see outa the other. Besides that I got everyones attention didn't I.. [:))] [:))] [:))]
zz502
03-26-2005, 10:57 AM
It's easy, I sleep a couple hours a day standing up. [:D] [:D]
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