Motorsport Ranch

[Supercharged Vipermad]

I've only run out there a couple of times, but it is a fun, not too fast, safe course.

Up by the pit entree down to the pit exit is an elevation drop that takes a couple of laps to get used to. Then after those S curves, there is a hill to climb that crests something like 75 feet from the next turn (it seems like it's slightly off camber, but that just may be my remembrance of it). Next you have a good straight before the ~ 270 degree turn back up a slight hill, the back series of turns onto the next straight. The next turn (before the longest straight) sometimes has mud, if there has been rain. It seems like the lowest spot on the track. Then back up the hill to the pit entree.

That's the way I remember it....(Dean, Bob, Paul, Kingman, SW, et al...what did I get wrong?)

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

HERE GOES..........
The start finish line is the long straight on the top left of the map - using this as a reference to begin. We ran the track counter clockwize last year and am assuming the same this year.



Coming down the front straight into what is referred to as the rattlesnake complex you will go from fourth gear down to second , taking the first turn in this corner with a late apex, then early apexing the next two wiggles ( technical racing term ).At the carousel turn, on the far western end, you will want to pivot right at the far edge of the course and the car should carry to the outside edge as you go down the short straight, preceeding the turn into the second long straight. This short straight is a rush, as half way through there is a slight rise and just after you go over the rise , a short stab of the brakes is needed to settle the car; since the left turn prior to said straight can be taken at 90mph!Going down the middle straight you are in fourth gear and you brake fairly heavily, downshifting to third , as you hussle through Little Bend. Let the car carry out to the edge on the short straight, coming up to the 90 degree right hand turn - you will have downshifted to second as you braked for this turn. Approaching the back section of turns, it is imperative to enter correctly and envision this part of the course as ONE COMPLETE TURN. Descriptively, this is the most critical portion of the track and was the site of many an off course excursion. At the last left hand turn preceeding the back straight, you want to practically run over the berm, letting the car drift out to the edge again. The back straight can be done in third in a stock Viper ( though you will be close to redline ) , or you can short-shift into fourth. You will need to get into the brakes entering the Big Bend corner ( enter at close to 90mph ) , as you will exit this turn at close to 110, before heading back down the front straight - hitting 135-140 in a stock Viper. Big Bend is a rush, but the corner is also critical to maintaining alot of speed down the front straight.

PS - The course is VERY SAFE, and virtually all you can hit is cacti, tumbleweeds, rocks, lizards, etc. Most damage here, is to your pride, but it is a fairly technical course to many.

 

[GTS Dean]

Bill gave a very good narrative of the course. I would add these comments:

The hill directly across from the pit lane is a blind verge - both on uphill approach and downhill departure. The parallel straight across from start/finish leads into "Little Bend," followed by "Buzzard Neck." This left sets you up for the left-hand drifting turns on top of the other hill that Bill mentioned. The first apex is also blind. If you don't get the approach right and early-apex, you will track-out in the weeds. I tried the "Big Bend" turn in both 4th and 3rd. With a 275 front tire and 4th gear, I just couln't get down to the apex curb no matter how I tried. I finally dropped down and took it in 3rd. With a _lot_ of rear steer, I was able to nail the apex late and carry enough speed to catch 5th before the braking zone into "Rattlesnake."

I hated the track when I first got there, but after a couple of sessions, I began to work into a rhythm that flowed well.

Best of luck to all the finalists - wish I could be there too. First Viper Days Finals I've ever missed......

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