For those of you who have driven on both of these courses - which is your favorite and why? This past fall I attended the Phil Wicks course at VIR and had a great time! Can't wait to do another track day event. Phil has a course scheduled at Summit Point in the spring and I was wondering how that track compares to VIR.

 

I'm interested in hearing this, too - I'll probably do Summit Point regardless... and am thinking about making the pilgrimage to Watkins Glen...

 

I'm seriously considering Watkins Glen too!

Torn between Summit Point and VIR. Don't know if I could afford to do them all. The South Course at VIR was a lot of fun and the VIR facility is top notch. If responses for Summit Point are favorable I might have to go there in the spring and put VIR on my birthday wish list for the fall.

 

I attended my first Phil Wicks at Summit Point, and to me, it was more challenging than the VIR south course, though you will not see the same top speed as you do at VIR's long straight. There is plenty of elevation change at Summit Point and many more turns!




I will try to attend this event on April 27, then head down for the Dragon

 

More challenging sounds good to me! The high speed on the long straight is no big loss, I'm more interested in the turns and elevation changes, that's where the real fun is. Which couse configuration did you drive at Summit?

Track day and the Dragon in the same week - now that's hard core! Sounds like a plan.

 

The track I posted above is the Shenandoah Track.

Damn straight!!!

 

what he said, just check to see what course you're running, I've been on main a couple of time, its a ton of fun (T3 is a nice fast off camber uphill left, quite challenging to do right, definitely one of my fav's); just make sure its been repaved recently, I was there over the summer and they did a lousy job repaving it the winter before (paved right over some concrete patches and it didn't stick at all) and several of the corners (T1, T5 & T6 particularly) required a "modified line" to put it nicely due to all the pulled up pavement (there's some roads in Manhattan that were in better shape). I've heard that they repaved it this fall I just can't confrim it.

 

I'd say if you haven't done a track day yet and the three options are VIR, Summit Point Shenandoah or Watkins Glen -- do VIR first. If you're comfortable on VIR and its' more wide open speed, then take a crack at the Shenandoah's more technical twisties and breathtaking repro of the Nurburgring's Karussell . My hope is to do all three this coming season, culminating with a Fall trip to the backwoods of American road racing, Watkins Glen. Really crossing my fingers that Phil can pull this off.

 

We (www.MVPTrackTime.com) haven't been to VIR, but we are hosting an event the in September '09. I've run both the Shenandoah and Main Course at Summit Point and really prefer the Main Course.

Feff

 

I've done both but really like VIR more. It's a higher speed track. I was only at summit a couple days last year and VIR for 20. That might be why i like it more. Closer to a city and it has better hotels. a nicer facility too. Back to VIR, if you get a chance to do other layouts than south course. It's fun but the full and north course are more fun. The only advantage of south course is that you can master oaktree in a day so the next time your on full course you can really nail it. I'll be at VIR the last two weekends of this month if you wanna come. Both full course with a little Patriot thown in for fun.

 

bluesmini - What is going on at VIR last two weekends of Feb? I drove the full course in the rain during the Charity Laps event this past fall. Fun, but scary. Would love to take a crack at it on dry pavement!

 

TrackDaze (http://www.trackdaze.com) runs both VIR and Summit Point (Main and Shenandoah). You get 4 hours of track time over 2 days, an instructor is included and top notch classroom instruction. Plus some of the best folks around always willing to lend a hand or answer questions in the paddock.

As for the courses...honestly its tough to pick which one's better. Each track is built for a different purpose. VIR is a great WOT track made more for high HP cars. It is also great teaching tool for the lower HP/momentum cars. The facilities are top notch, but of course that also comes with a price.

Summit Main is a quick course with some technical sections and some might say mirrors VIR in a lot of aspects, but on a smaller scale. Facilities are sub par so bring a tent and a comfortable sleeping setup. There are hotels near by if you're not the outdoorsy kinda person.

Shenandoah is a great track as well, very technical, and a lot to take in if you are new to DE's. I had an instructor once tell me that if you ever hear anyone complain that they don't like Shenandoah Circuit its because they don't know how to drive. Anyone can stomp the gas on long straights of VIR and Summit Main...but it takes a skilled driver to perform consistent laps at Shenandoah. Its also the HP equalizer track, i've seen Miata's stick to the rear of a Z06 like glue.

In the end you have to decide what you want out of your experience. Are you looking for just a bunch of seat time and to mash the gas, or are you actually looking to learn something about the performance aspects of your car and your abilites as a driver.

Best of luck and hope to see you at a TrackDaze event.