Billy Posted November 6, 2021 Report Share Posted November 6, 2021 (edited) We're a new team (and new to wheel-to-wheel racing) and was pretty set on doing Road Atlanta; however, started doing a lot of sim time and research on Road Atlanta and VIR South and are torn. It seems like VIR South might be a better option for a new team to racing as it seems less technical than Road Atlanta. It also looks like from historical entries that VIR South will have a lot less entrants. The main downside we're seeing is there isn't the included test day for VIR. We are about the same distance from both tracks, so either is a good option for us. Wondering what more experienced drivers have to say about VIR South vs Road Atlanta - if you were a new team which would you start with? Thanks Edited November 6, 2021 by Billy clarification 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckyKid Posted November 6, 2021 Report Share Posted November 6, 2021 (edited) The VIR South has two different types of surfaces and one trickey gotcha corner (T7). Road Atlanta is technical but I think T12 is the only real gotcha corner. Road Atlanta is infinitely more fun. My vote is for Road Atlanta. Maybe ChampCar will track and share data on the risks of certain courses/configurations. For example the Roval at Charlotte is a minefield. Gingerman is pretty safe. Edited November 6, 2021 by LuckyKid 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhr650 Posted November 6, 2021 Report Share Posted November 6, 2021 27 minutes ago, Billy said: We're a new team and was pretty set on doing Road Atlanta; however, started doing a lot of sim time and research on Road Atlanta and VIR South and are torn. It seems like VIR South might be a better option for a new team to racing as it seems less technical than Road Atlanta. It also looks like from historical entries that VIR South will have a lot less entrants. The main downside we're seeing is there isn't the included test day for VIR. We are about the same distance from both tracks, so either is a good option for us. Wondering what more experienced drivers have to say about VIR South vs Road Atlanta - if you were a new team which would you start with? Thanks New team or drivers new to wheel to wheel racing, it makes a difference? For new drivers Road Atlanta is a terrible track to learn on. Lots of high speeds, lots of blind corners, the speed difference between an experienced driver and a true newbie is immense. This large disparity in speed and large fields is why every year we end up with a "come to Jesus" meeting at Road Atlanta,once the on track carnage gets too bad. For new drivers I would think that VIR South would be a lot safer. Every year there are lots of wrecked cars after Road Atlanta. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin9 Posted November 6, 2021 Report Share Posted November 6, 2021 As a new team 10 years ago that started at Road Altanta, I certainly wouldn't tabbed that one as the first one again... the cars are so much better and faster now that you can become the rolling roadblock fast there... not to mention it will probably rain/sleet/snow and be cold as hell.... I'd probably vote VIR... but i do love me some RATL.... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Posted November 6, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2021 18 minutes ago, mhr650 said: New team or drivers new to wheel to wheel racing, New to wheel to wheel. Added to original post. 43 minutes ago, LuckyKid said: Road Atlanta is infinitely more fun. My vote is for Road Atlanta. I agree for sure on the fun factor, but the 90 car field and many technical turns is concerning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Jass Posted November 6, 2021 Report Share Posted November 6, 2021 I think VIR-S would be a better track for noobs. My team started there 5 years ago. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuaTTro Posted November 6, 2021 Report Share Posted November 6, 2021 @Billy Be sure to check out the Mentor forum section. As a new team, I'm sure there's a mentor within our membership that would love to help you out as you start this journey into racing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted November 6, 2021 Report Share Posted November 6, 2021 27 minutes ago, QuaTTro said: @Billy Be sure to check out the Mentor forum section. As a new team, I'm sure there's a mentor within our membership that would love to help you out as you start this journey into racing. "Journey" yes I like that. Makes it sound a lot less like tripping headfirst into a black hole of sleepless nights, bloodied knuckles, and evenings spent laying on concrete with gear oil in what's left of your hair. 2 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimS Posted November 6, 2021 Report Share Posted November 6, 2021 As a new to Champcar racer I would vote for either and/or both. Get to the track, learn what it takes to race, fast/experienced drivers will find there way by you if needed, get some experience and get hooked/ have fun. You will be fine. People will be there to offer advice and help if you ask. Good luck and i hope to see you out there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Bill Strong Posted November 6, 2021 Administrators Report Share Posted November 6, 2021 VIR South. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASenna Posted November 6, 2021 Report Share Posted November 6, 2021 Road Atlanta 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clifford Beisler Posted November 6, 2021 Report Share Posted November 6, 2021 VIR South. Look at it as a long test day. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technical Advisory Committee Ray Franck Posted November 7, 2021 Technical Advisory Committee Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 Billy I love me some Road Atlanta but I had 27 years of wheel to wheel round track experience before I took up road racing. To break your chery there I vote H No. I had done 3 road races before going to R Alanta. Again I absolutely love it but VIR south is the place to learn. I want you guys to race often and VIR S is very forgiving but you cant fight it. When or if you make a mistake there is plenty of runoff "use it" to regain control and then take a slight angle and work your way back on. Turn 10 is one of the gotya corners but running the south corse you can not carry the speed into it that you will running wide open up the S's with the full corse but it still isn't easy. See you at the track. Welcome to Champcar... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuaTTro Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 The thing you need most is track time, so I'd pick the one with the test day so you get more seat time. Also, lots of people in this thread talking about which corners are risky/gotcha corners...your team is new so all the corners are risky/gotcha's. Don't worry about all that stuff just come out to race, learn, and have some fun. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodger Coan-Burningham Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 Do both. You’ll love both of them. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Posted November 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 Really appreciate all the replies. We're meeting tomorrow to discuss what we're doing exactly and I'll be showing this thread to the team to help decide. I'll update with what we decide. 14 hours ago, QuaTTro said: Be sure to check out the Mentor forum section. I've already reached out to Troy directly. 10 hours ago, Ray Franck said: When or if you make a mistake there is plenty of runoff "use it" to regain control This is a big thing I noticed spending a lot of time sim testing RA and VIR-S. Seems like there is a lot less stuff to hit at VIR-S. One of my other guys simmed Road Atl for the first time and was really concerned about the multiple blind and fast corners at Road Atl, especially T11/12. Personally, I love Road Atlanta too but I've got some people that haven't seen it before at all so that's what got me started questioning our decision. 7 hours ago, Rodger Coan-Burningham said: Do both. You’ll love both of them. That would be the way to go, just no way we can do both back to back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhr650 Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 11 hours ago, QuaTTro said: The thing you need most is track time, so I'd pick the one with the test day so you get more seat time. Also, lots of people in this thread talking about which corners are risky/gotcha corners...your team is new so all the corners are risky/gotcha's. Don't worry about all that stuff just come out to race, learn, and have some fun. Have you actually raced at Road Atlanta? It is one of the scariest tracks in the country, even experienced drivers have a lot of respect for the high speeds and blind corners. One of the best features of VIR is all the beautiful grass runoff. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazmarc Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 ^^^^^^^ He is not wrong. VIR South has only one "blind" corner and that is a cliff that is very manageable because of the reduced entry speed. VIR South then Daytona to get your speed fix. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Infiniti Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 Have yet to run VIR south but have run Rd Atl 8 times, it is not a noob track, the blind, off camber, high speed downhill turn can take quite some time to adjust to, it would be best learning road racing without this the first time out. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karman1970 Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 No way would I run Road Atlanta as a first timer. If for no other reason than the carnage and chaos that seems to happen every year. I'd pick somewhere close to home, cheap, with a lowish car count since, as was said above, it'll basically be a test weekend for you. We trekked all the way to Road America for what happened to be the Chumpionship that year for our first race. For the whole two hours before our engine let go, it was pretty hairy being our first time out with a slow car. I had done a little wheel to wheel before, but the speed differential and some of the aggressive driving is something you can't really prepare for. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aleric Sanders Posted November 8, 2021 Report Share Posted November 8, 2021 (edited) VIR South is a good new team track. My team did this back in 2017. Relative to Road Atlanta, the car count will be lower (car density might be close to the same though) and average speeds will be lower. It's a good technical track that doesn't send first-timers above 120mph. VIR South will ease you into the feel of endurance racing without the dangers (such as speed differentials) that other higher speed tracks might bring to new teams. Edited November 9, 2021 by Aleric Sanders 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Posted November 9, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 Thanks all for the insight. We decided last night to do VIR South. As soon as my team gets all their membership dues paid, I'll be registering us. See you at the track! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhr650 Posted November 9, 2021 Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 (edited) 35 minutes ago, Billy said: Thanks all for the insight. We decided last night to do VIR South. As soon as my team gets all their membership dues paid, I'll be registering us. See you at the track! Good deal. Registration trick, the people you list to make up the minimum number of drivers so you can enter don’t have to be the people who eventually drive the car. If you know anyone else who has a paid-up membership you can put them down as a placeholder then switch them out as your actual drivers get paid up. Edited November 9, 2021 by mhr650 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Jass Posted November 9, 2021 Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 @Billy if you need someone to join your team temporarily so you can register, PM me. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technical Advisory Committee Ray Franck Posted November 9, 2021 Technical Advisory Committee Report Share Posted November 9, 2021 4 hours ago, Billy said: Thanks all for the insight. We decided last night to do VIR South. As soon as my team gets all their membership dues paid, I'll be registering us. See you at the track! Good call. Tip,use these guys offer as I feel that VIR south will sell out again, so don't delay once registration opens. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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