As a total newbie to the track, what a fun day this turned out to be. Phil ran just the kind of event I was looking for. I got two sessions on the skid pad and hit the track seven times including the lunchtime parade laps. After spending countless hours on NAM it was great fun to finally actually see some of this crew in 3D. Still wish that instead of Numbers on our cars we'd had our Screennames - would've solved some of the guesswork. Having the "Racers" and the NAMCC as part of the day gave us all a chance to see how it's really done. Also, seeing the well run MiniMeetEast nearby the following day made for a fantastic MINI 1-2. How we all don't end up owning both a classic and a new MINI is beyond me. We should all pat ourselves on the back for having such a wonderfully beautiful eclectic sensibility when it comes to these great little cars.

I ramble . . . .

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...56485417188997

 

Nice video, thanks for posting, I enjoyed that. Hope to run Shenandoah one day, it looks like a great circuit for MINI's.

 

Indeed it is! When I first saw the track I thought it would be more technical than I'd enjoy as a newbie. But I soon realized it has a lot of great characteristics over its 2.2 mile laps. The concrete Karrousel alone is worth the price of admission!

Word has it that Phil's been invited to bring his show back next year. I'll be there!

 

Its a very technical track, I had a good look at the video you could do with some help from some one who knows that track and the line, now do not take this the wrong way its not meant to be negative, its meant to help you really enjoy that track. Most of your radius on the course is just too tight, starting at turn #1 you really need to open up that radius with a very late apex to carry good speed wit a lot less understeer, the same for the hammer, and the hook, the back straight starts at the corkscrew, that means that the corkscrew is a slow in fast out late apex turn that set the tone for the paddock straight, big bend and the back straight, that's the only way to the MINI to hit upwards of 110 mph at the breaking zone at turn one.
Well enough of my rambling I just wanted to give you an idea of how much fun that track can be at very high speeds --- again a good instructor who knows that track would be of great help to you.

 

It would also help if they got rid of the standing water on straights and before apexs'. There is no excuse for that. I haven't run the new one yet, but it just doesn't look safe. (like the STi getting air over the top into the downhill to the carousel.)

 

dkstone . . . I'm wondering. My car is pretty wrung out in 4th gear at about 95mph. Given that, where and how on Shenandoah's two relatively short straights does one find the time and space to climb into 5th and attain another 15 mph?

 

Peace,
On the main straight a few turns after the carousel. If you exit the last turn before the straight the right way, 110 - 120 should be no problem.

 

The back straight starts at the corkscrew, thats the turn at the top of the hill after the karousel, this is a slow in fast out turn that means that you need to be in 2nd gear exiting the turn, the next turn which is the first left hander you should then be able to exit in 3rd and last turn before the straight should be a late apex exiting in 4th, that should give you enough to get to fifth about 3/4 the way down the back straight, remember the back straight starts at the corkscrew.