There is going to be a HPDE/TimeTrial for NASA at VIR. It will be on Saturday, March 23rd ending on Sunday the 24th. Who is going? I will be there in the HPDE 3 group.

Here is the information page:
http://www.nasaracing.net/?page_id=2353

Cheers,
Mike

 

I'll be running TTB. It will be my first event of 2013!

 

Nice, good luck. This will be my first event for 2013 as well. This is going to be a blast!

I'll try and watch your runs. I'll be in HPDE 3. This is my first NASA event. I was going to join the Time Trial, but by the rules. I can't join until I proven myself in the HPDE.

Btw, what mods do you have to bump you up to TTB? Was it the R-compound tires? I have about 7 points left until I am in TTB.

 

Its a long story!!!!! Basically, my car was so heavily modded (none of which added much to performance!), I would have been classified in TTA. I ended up getting a Dyno reclass, and then by adding 50 lbs of ballast, managed to stay in TTB.

 

I'd like to hear it sometime, maybe at the track. I am struggling with mod for my car. Trying to stay in TTC. I might be able to compete in TTB after some long tube headers and plenum spacers. I already have my suspension fully modified.

Update: I don't think I have a choice at this point about being bumped to TTB. I'm fine with it. I think I spotted your results for last season. You ran a 2:18.774 on Saturday at VIR OktoberFast 2012, didn't you? I am wondering if I can be competitive in TTB. I think the long tube headers and plenum spacer will give me the top end I'll need to be competitive.

 

The friend I race with here in Ohio was talking about going to this event in March. I really really want to go, but it is just not feasible for me right now. I did hear about the event in October and I think I will be able to make this one.

I will be running TTB. Reserved, you and I will have to duke it out sir.

Never been to VIR though, so I will most likely be slow, but I've always wanted to go to this track.

 

Just make sure you guys beat TTC .

 

A fast TTB time should at least in the 2:07 range. Considering this weekend, pole for Sunday in GTS2, which is basically a restricted, heavy ttc E36, is a 2:09.0....and it is about 30 degrees out there.

 

Whoa!!!! Track record in TTB is Eric Wong in an M3 at 2.08.3. Fastest time anyone did last year in TTB was 2.10, again in an M3.
Generally, anyone in the 2.15 range will at least be competitive (and unfortunately I'm not there yet )

 

LOL!!! Well, at least that gives me several months to come up with some credible excuses for when I get my a$$ kicked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When the time comes, make sure you register for Friday, as well as Saturday and Sunday. You can run in the "open track" sessions on Friday.

 

It's all fun and games until I let DJ run the 350z in TTB. He thinks it would go 2:06-2:07 with him behind the wheel. Given that he has driven my car a bunch of times and is ridiculously fast....I believe him. We'd have to detune the Z in its current state a bit, but we'll see.

I've seen TTD cars lap around 2:15.

I'm not being judgmental, just pointing out where I think a TTB car would top out in terms of lap time.

 

I can attest to DJ's skill. He tore it up at Nationals in 2011. However, in 2012, there were 4 TTC cars that ran the same time as him or faster at Mid Ohio at Nationals. A lot of it is having a good car with good setup and being a great driver. There are guys with ok setup cars that are awesome drivers and are still competitive. 350Z's are very tough to be competitive in with NASA IMO unless you have spent a lot of time tuning your suspension and finding the perfect setup. In TTC I don't think we would stand a chance because there are S2000's that are about the same power/weight yet 500lbs lighter running aero and A-6's with coilovers that are already good out of the box. Tell me that is not a class killer? They pretty much dominate TTC. In TTB, unless you have a lot of engine mods, you will not even be close to the top of power/weight, so to make up for that you can run massive tires and aero which is what I am doing. I am very under powered for TTB. Power/weight around 11.8 and the cap is 10.25. TTC is 12 to put that in perspective. I use my aero and big tires to carry much more speed through the fast corners where higher HP cars with no aero would go slower to try to close the gap.

Based on what I've seen from going to RA, I think I can run in the 2:10's or 2:09's my first time at VIR if I can get enough courage to smash it through the esses. I got within about 2.5 seconds of the lap record at RA my first time there. That track definitely rewards HP down that massive back straight though. I know the guys car that has the record and he pulled me big time down the back straight at MO at Nats in 2011. He could easily pull 2 seconds on me at RA on that back straight.

I will def be doing the Friday to get some practice. Either way, it will be a new track and that is always fun and that's the most important thing for me is to enjoy it.

 

I hope to be here running in Thunder. Be fun to watch the TTx times. Just a hint the Esses gain you very little time. 1-5, 11b, and 14-16 are the keys to VIR full.

 

On top of that, he barely got to turn a lap at Mid-O in 2012. In truth, his car really wasn't all that great in 2011. He beat his Summit Point track TTC record in a car he had never driven before last year when he hoped in for a few sessions. I would be surprised if you didn't sneak under 2:10.

 

Thanks! I've never been so I was guessing. I heard the esses are a really fast section. I can't wait to try out VIR.

 

I did not see what DJ ran in 2012. He was running in GTS2 or 3 right? Either way, that dude is a beast behind the wheel.

 

Yes, the Esses are fast and quite the ball size checker but you actually spend little time there and there isn't much to gain due to T10 slowing things down. But if you get 11B right, carry speed 14-17 and/or 1-6 and you can gain a lot of time.

I think it's the best track on the East Coast, with Road Atlanta a close second.

 

His car broke on the first lap of practice and was unrepairable.

 

I'm gonna miss this one with the z. Maybe I'll come down to watch and prod you along Crawford.

 

Bummer. I was looking forward to seeing the new car.