MAVERICK
Viper Owner
I'll be there and was just wondering if any Viper owners will be there....
Anyone going to the 3 day Skip Barber course at Sebring on Sunday?
- Thread starter MAVERICK
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Chuck 98 RT/10
Enthusiast
This Sunday? I'm going to the St Pete Gran Prix with about six other Viper owners. Gotta support the Vipers in the GT race at 9:45.
If anybody wants to join us, we are meeting at Carinos restaurant parking lot on Dale Mabry and I-275 at 8:45.
Sorry for the hijack. Nope, not going to Sebring. Enjoy it and show me what you learned when Viper Days comes at the end of April.
If anybody wants to join us, we are meeting at Carinos restaurant parking lot on Dale Mabry and I-275 at 8:45.
Sorry for the hijack. Nope, not going to Sebring. Enjoy it and show me what you learned when Viper Days comes at the end of April.
MAVERICK
Viper Owner
Got to start somewhere.... and I will be at Viper days so I'll see you there.
1TONY1
Enthusiast
See if you can get Kieth Watts as your instructor. Tell him I said hi.
MAVERICK
Viper Owner
I will, Thx
Vipera Russelli
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Was it worth the money??? Did you notice a big difference in your track driving after the event? Maverick? Tony? Anybody? I'm considering it, but it's mighty expensive.
Janni
Enthusiast
Do Viper Days.
I just returned from a weekend at GingerMan Raceway.
I had access to Russ Myer at Archer Racing to discuss handling characteristics of the Viper and alignment and setup changes we should consider to correct some corner exit oversteer.
We had a long conversation with Bobby Archer on tire wear, safety stuff and race strategy, i.e. how to stay focused when you are out in front.
Matt Bejnarowicz - Lead Engineer - Road Racing for Dodge Motorsports, and Jeff Roselli, Development Engineer for Dodge Motorsports and Performance Parts were on site all weekend dispensing information and TONS of technical advice on tracking your car and, specifically for us, to get moer out of the Comp Coupe and take our program to the next level.
Viper specific instructors with lots of track time in a Viper - who have come up through ViperDays and driving on street tires were there to instruct and discuss everything from the right line, to unique handling characteristics of the Viper at this particular track.
Tons of real track time, access to the Viper Racing League drivers, technical Q&A sessions, receptions, trophies, etc.
VIR - July 15th, 16th and 17th - be there.
I just returned from a weekend at GingerMan Raceway.
I had access to Russ Myer at Archer Racing to discuss handling characteristics of the Viper and alignment and setup changes we should consider to correct some corner exit oversteer.
We had a long conversation with Bobby Archer on tire wear, safety stuff and race strategy, i.e. how to stay focused when you are out in front.
Matt Bejnarowicz - Lead Engineer - Road Racing for Dodge Motorsports, and Jeff Roselli, Development Engineer for Dodge Motorsports and Performance Parts were on site all weekend dispensing information and TONS of technical advice on tracking your car and, specifically for us, to get moer out of the Comp Coupe and take our program to the next level.
Viper specific instructors with lots of track time in a Viper - who have come up through ViperDays and driving on street tires were there to instruct and discuss everything from the right line, to unique handling characteristics of the Viper at this particular track.
Tons of real track time, access to the Viper Racing League drivers, technical Q&A sessions, receptions, trophies, etc.
VIR - July 15th, 16th and 17th - be there.
Vipera Russelli
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Thanks Janni. I did Viper Days at VIR last summer. Then I joined the VIR Club and have driven on member driving days. I’m still pretty new and have been on track only seven days, half the time with a very capable instructor (the one I first met at Viper Days). I’m signed up again for Viper Days this summer, as well as another dozen-plus track days with other clubs and the VIR club throughout the rest of the year. I understand the concepts of weight distribution dynamics, contact patches, etc. and have gotten pretty good at heal-toe shifting, which I get right about 97% of the time. I throttle steer consistently on one corner and have proven decent at recovering when I start to lose it (I get squirrelly once or twice a day at the track, usually due to upsetting the car). In all, I’ve been off the track four times--twice at Viper Days last summer, once in February after doing a 360 on the track, and once last Sunday which landed me into a guard rail (two actually) after another 360 at corner 17(a) (I caught up with someone and had to let off the gas in the corner just where the track dips and it was all over. Duh!). Experience is an expensive teacher, proving the lesson after the test, hehe, so I want to supplement solo seat time with more serious instruction and get better sooner rather than later. Skip Barber came to mind, but now I’m wondering if my experience is past or mostly past the Skip Barber three-days intro to racing school. Obviously, if I’m purchasing guardrails from VIR (which by the way are $200 per section), then I’m no pro, but at $3,695 for a three-day class, I want to be pretty sure that I’ll get my money’s worth out of it. I’m sure I would benefit from it, but to the tune of $3700?
You know, one thing I know I’m lousy at is recovering, or setting up to recover, from a full slide. If I start to slide, I can usually recover, it's just where the car is pointing 30 degrees plus off travel direction that I’m doomed, relying on gravity, friction and now guard rails to eventually bring things back under control (and with friends like these...). I KNOW I over-correct when this happens and when the car eventually does reconnect, I’m not set up to take advantage of it, or worse I'm set up to make matters worse. Maybe I need time in a skid car class. Know anyone offering that experience?
So, what do you think? Does Skip’s three-day intro sound right for this admitted greenhorn? Any other thoughts?
You know, one thing I know I’m lousy at is recovering, or setting up to recover, from a full slide. If I start to slide, I can usually recover, it's just where the car is pointing 30 degrees plus off travel direction that I’m doomed, relying on gravity, friction and now guard rails to eventually bring things back under control (and with friends like these...). I KNOW I over-correct when this happens and when the car eventually does reconnect, I’m not set up to take advantage of it, or worse I'm set up to make matters worse. Maybe I need time in a skid car class. Know anyone offering that experience?
So, what do you think? Does Skip’s three-day intro sound right for this admitted greenhorn? Any other thoughts?
Vipera Russelli
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Yikes is right. But it is cheaper and more entertaining that hitting guard rails. The question is, does it teach you as much?
MAVERICK
Viper Owner
Don't forget that as a Viper Club member you get a 25% discount for the Skip Barber 3 day school...
Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder
Enthusiast
Hi Maverick,
You will have a Great time. Skip Barber is a great place to build on your driving skills. And a perfect way to get prepared for a road course event. FYI I try to do at least one Skip Barber program per year. After the three day event you can attend Car Control which is really intense and very tiring but provides great car control development, that is very useful at an event like Viper Days.
I do love Viper Days and their staff and consider this the best open track event for Viper owners. And encourage those who want to experience their driving limit or their cars limits on a race track it is the best program. And they have outstanding track side support.
You will have a Great time. Skip Barber is a great place to build on your driving skills. And a perfect way to get prepared for a road course event. FYI I try to do at least one Skip Barber program per year. After the three day event you can attend Car Control which is really intense and very tiring but provides great car control development, that is very useful at an event like Viper Days.
I do love Viper Days and their staff and consider this the best open track event for Viper owners. And encourage those who want to experience their driving limit or their cars limits on a race track it is the best program. And they have outstanding track side support.
Janni
Enthusiast
hmmm... sounds like you really want an intense car control school. If I remember correctly, there is a school in Las Vegas that was profiled in a Car and Driver (or another main auto mag) late last year that was billed as a "stunt school" but the way they described their experience, it sure seemed like a HUGELY FUN, car control clinic - sliding, spinning, and intentionally getting you 100% comfortable in those situations. I'll see if I can find the article, but I would suspect that there is a lot to learn at a school like that - when the spinning becomes routine - and could help us all! A race intro school will talk about actual racing - starts, passing, etc. and probably not focus as much on car control.
(And besides, we could say we're doing it to be "safer"... he he he he...)
(And besides, we could say we're doing it to be "safer"... he he he he...)
MAVERICK
Viper Owner
I had a great time at the Skip Barber Racing school and then a month later did Viper Days. One of the things that I defintely want to do but in the VIPER is a skid pad. My intent is to go to the 2 day advanced school for Skip Barber and then get my SCCA license and consider racing in their circuit. I think this would be a better way to increase my driving skills then beating up my car at the track..... also I understand that the Panoz school at Sebring is very good as well.
Maverick; Doug Levin from DLM was doing some adjustments to my SC. Note that you are having some upgrades on your motor. You seem to be getting up there on the power curve. Are you planning running the yellow SRT-10 in real competition?
MAVERICK
Viper Owner
You know I haven't made up my mind yet. I can have Doug work on the motor and get up to 1000 hp or I could focus more on road racing. In that case I would lower the car 1" with the Moton shocks and get the comp coup oil pan. Having 1000 hp on the track is not that useful and I've never taken it out to the drag strip yet.... the new law in FL that will go into effect in October where they take your car away and put you in jail for 1 year for street racing has me a bit nervous. I street race any and all comers but will have second thoughts about that soon.
What work are you doing to your car?
What work are you doing to your car?
Vintage Racer
Viper Owner
Vipera. Think serioulsy about getting yourself into a school. It's great to get the seat time you are enjoying, but it will be a lot more fruitful for you if you integrate it with professional training. Skippie schools are great, I've done three of them. You'll find the instruction to be very focused, lots of great feedback from experienced racers and they will quickly assess your skill level and dial in the training to suit where you are in your driver development. Schools coupled with the kind of track time you are talking about will turn you into a confident racer who can eliminate "learning by guardrails".
I've raced VIR several times and it's a good track to practice on. Lots of elevation changes, some neat turns and the back straight has to be a blast in a high HP car like a Viper. The manhood test (at least in a formula car) is flat up through the esses.
You kind of talked around the subject, but most of the guys I've raced with have very specific goals for each time they go on the track. I've raced several times with Bobby Rahal (waved as he went by) and you will still find him with other drivers, comparing notes and working on improving something. It's a good habit to get into and will advance your racing skill more quickly.
I've raced VIR several times and it's a good track to practice on. Lots of elevation changes, some neat turns and the back straight has to be a blast in a high HP car like a Viper. The manhood test (at least in a formula car) is flat up through the esses.
You kind of talked around the subject, but most of the guys I've raced with have very specific goals for each time they go on the track. I've raced several times with Bobby Rahal (waved as he went by) and you will still find him with other drivers, comparing notes and working on improving something. It's a good habit to get into and will advance your racing skill more quickly.
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