New VIR surface and layout
 

Did the Zone 2 DE last weekend at VIR to check out the new track layout and surface.
The surface is glass-smooth, after 6 sessions my new Hoosiers still looked like new Hoosiers.
Turns 1,3,4 + esses + oak tree are all slightly different but much faster. More rumble strips and run-off coming out of oak tree and tracking out of turn 3 allow for a LOT more power to be put down more quickly.
There are 2 very unpleasant dips on the rich side of the back straight on the top of the hill the really unsettle the cars. I assume those will be fixed before race season starts in full. All in all it's a great new layout and much faster. I put up a lap time on Friday that was .05sec FASTER than my fastest race or qualifying lap at the club race last year. It's going to be a fun race later this year.

-- Speedracer

Event info and VIR perceptions
 

Thank you for the update. We need to hear about the track and the event from more attendees, please! Thank you!

It is faster for sure. Wider in places, but the additional 6ft is on the outside of the corners. You can be on the throttle earlier in 3 and use the gators for extra room to track out. 1 is wider and smoother and new surface gets rid of the understeer a lot of us had experienced in the past. Still fast up the climbing esses. Oak Tree is way different looking without the Oak Tree and the corner worker station at the apex. They moved it to the outside. With the stickier surface you can brake later at the end of the back straight. Also with Hog Pen being faster with the new surface, you'll be going faster at the end of the front straight.

Let Mike Skeen show you around the new layout in an E36...heard he's an OK driver. ;)

I'm headed down there this weekend for the NASA race weekend...can't wait! As long as it's dry, I see just about every track record falling.

Thanks; looks awesome and can't wait to drive it. A track resurfacing done right! Looks smooth and fast, basically a straight line! :wink:

Loved it! Faster lap times coming for sure. I think the sloppy line will be rewarded most but even the traditional line should be quicker due to the new surface.

New paving had more grip than I expected.

Braking into T1 and T14 was noticeably better due to the smoothness and grip.

Lack of paint took some getting use to especially in the approach to T3 and Oak tree.

Curious that they widened a lot of curbing but didn't widen the exit onto the front straight.

Oak tree is just sad but still a fun. Flagger stand isn't ideal for the checker in DE's, IMO.

Only complaint I had was uneven pavement at entry of the upper esses. The hump into T7 is still there but I was getting unsettled just prior to the hump when taking the wide entry just past the North Course cut through. Less of a factor with a narrower/earlier entry to T7.

We had some wind and no dust in the paddock which was SWEET! But it's gonna be hot in the summer.

SmartyCam failed me again. Broken connector on Friday and recording errors Saturday afternoon when I was trying to put down some laps (trying to repair the files). Mrs B got a couple to record.......girl was cooking and broke into the 2:10's :cool: Fabspeed exhaust, Guard Diff and bolting down the transmission made a big difference in the Cayman.

Yes! I was wondering whether anyone else was experiencing this. Very unsettling.

ed

Thanks to Vranko for letting me "calmly" drive his car during the charity parade laps; gave me the opportunity to drive the track (couldn't spare the entire weekend unfortunately). It sure is SMOOTH. Almost deceptive: what bumps there are caught me somewhat off-guard because I almost didn't expect it.

Anecdotally, I really liked the ~4' of runoff on the outside of some curbing, such as on exit of T3. Hopefully it works as designed.

Wish i coulda made it down for this. sounds like everyone had a good weekend.

is the start finish stand up yet, im interested to see where they put it/how visable it is from the straight.

how are the curbs just before the extra run off room....do they destroy the underside of the car or are they less aggressive then they look.

No Start/Finish stand yet. It looks totally different now because the tree is gone too. They added curbing at the kink.

I think the new curbs that will get used a lot will be the exit of T3 and Oak Tree and they are not very penalizing, so it's going to be a free for all there.