SARRC or MARRS ??? VIR MAY 6th-8th

[RSTPerformance]

I am going to be running the VIR event on Mothers day weekend. From what I understand every race actually has 2 races going on. A SARRC and a MARRS. so you get trophies for being first in either series in the same race.... So which one is more attended and tougher than the other? I think I am leaning towards running SARRC just becasue it costs the region more if I run in the MARRS series. I really don't care about running for points for either series but I want to race in the more competitive/ harder group. Any suggestions? Who else is attending the event?? I heard this was a big turnout event.

Thanks,
Stephen Blethen
ITB Audi Coupe

PS does anyone know where to get footage of the "grand Course" I am not attending the test day and I have never driven the track before. I would love to have it memorized or at least get to see what direction it goes before I get on track.

[murphyd]

The races are run at the same time. Each car will display either an M or S to designate Sarrc or Marrs. Very large fields and usually great competition. As for video of the Grand Course, contact Peter Krause at Krause and England in Raleigh NC.

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David Murphy
Murphy Motorsports
ITS 240sx
www.murphymotorsports.net

[Mike Spencer]

Originally posted by murphyd:
...As for video of the Grand Course, contact Peter Krause at Krause and England in Raleigh NC.

David -

Has the Grand Course EVER been run??? Not to my knowledge, but I could be wrong.

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Stephen -

For a REALLY GREAT video of the Full Course go to http://www.specmiatavideos.com and download the Debbie Buras race. What's nice about that one is it has sound, so you can hear gears and shift points. Maybe not exactly like an ITB Audi, but close!

See you there. I'll be running a blue and red IT7 car.

*** EDIT: Spelling ***

*** EDIT: Learned not to use 'less-than' and 'greater-than' signs around my "EDIT". They don't show up!!!

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Mike Spencer
NC Region
ITA/7 RX-7 #60
1990 RX-7 Convertible (street car)

[This message has been edited by Mike Spencer (edited April 18, 2005).]

[This message has been edited by Mike Spencer (edited April 18, 2005).]

[Ron Earp]

As I understand it the Grand Course has never been run in SCCA competition. It was run however at the BMW's Drivers School last month. I've tried to find some in car video from a couple of people I knew but have been unsuccessful.

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Ron Earp
NC Region
Ford Lightning
RF GT40 Replica
Jensen-Healey ITS
1/2 a 260Z ITS

[murphyd]

That is correct. I have seen video from the BMW club. Looks interesting. 28 turns???

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David Murphy
Murphy Motorsports
ITS 240sx
www.murphymotorsports.net

[Knestis]

I understand that the video will be posted at ncrscca.com but I haven't checked in the past few days.

K

EDIT - those M and S stickers are supposed to tell you who to race with but we all know how well THAT will work. It'll be great to see the Audis added to the ITB field. I expect that they will probably suit VIR pretty well. We'll be debuting the new gearbox so the car will be less "a bad SSC car with a trunk kit" (S. Giles, who knows from personal experience)...

[This message has been edited by Knestis (edited April 18, 2005).]

[RSTPerformance]

Only 1 Audi

Looks like the track is very very high speed... with lots of sweepers. Should be an outstanding track for the Audi, much like Pocono and Road Atlanta

Have fun all, and good luck

Raymond

[seamus88]

Is this race not on the same course as last year?

[jcmotorsports]

raymond
the track is FAST and also surprisingly technical. i was there in march with the rest of the guys from the northeast. you will have a blast VIR is an awesome track!!! just watch out for those guard rails!
john costello

[Ron Earp]

Seamus,

The track is the same but VIR is a very large facility. It can actually host multiple events on the track with no issues. Most weekends motorcycles or a driver's school are running on some course while we are running on another.

The Grand Course that will be run for the first time makes it the largest road course in North America - I think. One lap is something like 3.5 to 4 miles long, but I am not certain. So, while a good portion of it will be what you saw last year a large bit you will not have seen before. Should be a lot of fun!!!!

Here is a link to the facility as a whole:
http://www.virclub.com/cms/

The Grand configuration is not shown but here is a map:
[URL=http://www.virclub.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=23&It emid=106]http://www.virclub.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=23&It emid=106[/UR L]


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Ron Earp
NC Region
Ford Lightning
RF GT40 Replica
Jensen-Healey ITS
1/2 a 260Z ITS

[This message has been edited by rlearp (edited April 18, 2005).]

[This message has been edited by rlearp (edited April 18, 2005).]

[Knestis]

The entire Grande Course is 4.2 miles, I believe. The new part is going to be an interesting addition because it is so NOT like the rest.

From where you turn right off of the "back straight" - the uphill run out of the very slow Oak Tree corner - it drops steeply downhill through a twisty little mess, goes left into another set of twisties over a couple of little hills, then left again trudging uphill to the top of Rollercoaster. (I'm so hating that last part already.)

This entire loop is very narrow and light cars are going to love it, shifting the lap time advantage - if not the racing advantage - more their direction than is the case on the "Full Course." It creates a passing opportunity at "Bitch" - that sharp right off of the straight - that might not be terribly hard to defend, since it gets pretty one-line for the next mile.

Be very glad that the inner loop is run the way it is, so as not to screw up one of the best turns on the track - South Bend, the fast left at the top of the Esses.

K

[zooracer]

I'm registered for the SARRC 1 race, but dont know if that means only one race or two. The fee was 180 bucks.
Be first time out with a welded diff on my suzuki swift in ITB. I'll either be really fast, or pushing like crazy thru all the long sweepers.
Keep my fingers crossed.
It'll be nice to be on track with some really fast ITB cars like the audi. Give me a chance to see what I need to win at the ARRC.
matt

[JeffYoung]

Zoo, you need to register for both SARRCS, to run both Saturday and Sunday.

RSTP, as Kirk indicated the Grande Course is 4.2 miles. LONG. They've taken the end of the longest straight sheared it off about 3/4 of the way down, but it is still a decent one as is the front straight. There are two uphill sections that reward smooth flowing lines (the uphill to Rollercoaster and the uphill esses) and torque, which your car should have.

At VIR, the Volvos and a Dodge Charger, but really the Volvos are dominant in ITB because of torque/power. The Audi should be an interesting competitor.

You should sign up for both SARRC races if you are not racing either the SARRC or MARS series. You will have more "competitors" although we all race each other pretty hard - there is a bit of a regional rivalry and (friendly) and we don't liking losing to the MARS boys.

Last, this is a HUGE event. I think 420 cars last year. ITS/ITA/IT7 run group was about 55 cars. Great racing. You will have a blast.

[Knestis]

I don't think ANYTHING in ITB will make as good time as a reasonable Swift in the new inner loop. That's exactly the kind of car I was talking about the new section favoring.

K

[madrabbit15]

Zoo,

Just a little friendly advice,speaking from a lot of experience with welded in a front wheel drive I would not show up to the track with out testing it first unless you have already done something to make the car extremely loose. If you go to a welded from a limited slip situation or open, it will push so bad, be prepared to be 1-2 seconds off what you would have been. Atleast make sure you have a lot of adjustment available to make it much more loose, like bigger rear bar or stiffer rear springs, adjustable rear stocks, etc. Not trying to tell you your business just trying to help you not waste a weekend.

[zooracer]

Hey madrabbit, I completely understand where your coming from, and this was a really big worry for me.
I did a lot of research on this before going this route. Spoke with people on here, many of whom run a welded on a FWD.
My car actually runs stock, non-adjustable swaybars front and rear.
The only, and I mean only reason, in the end that made me go with a welded was after I spoke with J. Goodale. Mr. Goodale runs a swift in GP and usually runs in the top ten. He is actually running the exact same set up as me, same springs, swaybars, etc. and runs a welded. He recently went to a LSD from england, but said he didnt think he picked up any time.
Also Andy Deatherage, who was running in the top three at the last years runoffs in GP before crashing, also runs a welded diff.
I am thinking it is something special about the suzuki swift that allows this set up to work so well.
I really couldnt tell you what it is...
I do know this. I have driven just about every type of FWD car you can imagine, and nothing spun up its inside front tire like my little swift exiting corners. With a stock motor I had wheelspin in fourth gear corners! And in third gear corners I could smoke it to the belts if I wanted to.
I know they have a relatively high center of gravity for their track width... Or maybe something in the suspension design...
Anyways, in case you hadnt guessed it is a big worry for me that it wont work or will be undriveable. I tried to find a track day beforehand for testing, but just didnt have the time.
matt

[wbp]

I think the Suzuki Swift is pretty unique among FWD cars in that it lifts the inside front wheel in corners. This can make the welded diff the best choice.

[zooracer]

yep, I think your right.

Anyways, I hope it works and I get to do some close racing with other ITB cars.
Anyone have any idea how many ITB cars usually show?

[RSTPerformance]

Wow a bunch of responses since I posted!! Looks like a lot of interest in this race!! I think I have ordered all my repair parts from the ARRC. I'm even going to change the oil for the new year If anyone sees the video for the full course post it here ASAP so we can all learn from it. I won't be able to attend the test day so if anyone is maybe you could helpo a fellow competitor by giving me some more tips when I get to the track I am leaving around 5:00PM on thursday after work and should arrive around 6AM if all goes well. Never made the trip and I can't wait.

PS I am going to run the SARRC since it will save the devision money.


Stephen Blethen
ITB Audi Coupe (Silver/Blue)
www.RSTPerformance.com

[seamus88]

Stephen & anybody not in my class(ITA):0).I have not driven this course yet but I have done 2 of the sections.I would like to have a get together Thurs. night."Maybe" have a few adult beverages and meet other IT.Com people and help each other out and do a track walk.