NSXpo at VIR, part two.

So, it is time for my first session at VIR. Since I wasn't instructing, I was making sure that I got to grid early or at least on time. I got to the grid and I noticed that I was going to be third or fourth in line, so I held back and let every car possible go by. It originally worked well because I was about eight or nine cars back from the front. Then, they released us to go out on track. VIR Full course is 3.27 miles long and the first lap was yellow, which was good. But, the bad thing was, the person in the front of the grid had their hazards on going 50mph around the whole track. I thought "great, this isn't a good way to learn the track!" Some played really nice and let me go coming to the green, I wasn't going to pass that up. I picked the track up quicker than I had expected and the pace followed.

The first session went better than expected, but I had A LOT to pick up in the next couple days. On the Midwest tracks, you can rotate the car early and hammer down. There are a few corners at VIR that don't like that method or style. So, that was one of my big adjustments, waiting and turning in later. Going into Hog Pen was something that I really needed to work on because I was way early into T16. Overall, I was happy with the session.

The second session, I still wanted to "take it easy", so I could gather up the rest of the track. That would have worked well, but the TTB NSX was in front of me. So, it became "learn the track and keep up with him." haha. It was basically a blessing in disguise and that session was better than the first. That was also the first session where the car got a bit loose in the esses due to bombing the first right side curb. And, yes, I did scream! haha.

For lunch, Chris aka TeamNextGenChris cooked hamburgers and hot dogs. It was a pretty rad time. There was a bunch of us #IntegraFriends over there. Tons of laughs, not enough time to catch up with some. But, it was a great idea by Chris to say the least. Chris if you read this, thanks again, that was awesome!!

The one thing about VIR that I enjoyed is it has curbs and lots of them. Most of them have a lot of surface area, so using a lot of them is really fun. Well, in the third session, that came back to haunt me. This session as you would guess also got better than the previous ones. I'm learning the track, I'm waiting on certain apexes, and feel better up the esses. I had a decent amount of open track, then I caught up to the #IntegraFriends. Ryan, Dave, Jeff, and Joespike were always running in a line. It was awesome site to arrive to. These guys are all clean, have many years on track, and even better to be around in the paddock. Anyways, I catch up to Jeff on the front straight, but as I'm going by the kink, I notice out of the corner of my eye, my fuse box is hanging there. What the heck!! I get by Ryan coming out of the lower esses and I literally laugh out loud and point. Up ahead, Dave is running with the hazards on, it was too funny. I wish my GoPro got the session, but for some reason, the only footage I have is from South Bend before I catch up to Joe. To my pleasant surprise, Joe is also running his hazards. We come out of Oak Tree and Joe points me by, but I can't catch him. haha. I flash my brights a few times to no avail, but he finally lifts at the crest on the back straight. I love the Roller Coaster section into Hog Pen, so I hammer through there and coast into the pits.

With the use of zip ties, I get the fuse box mounted back up. There was a 25 minute gap between our third and fourth session, which is combined with the instructors. I decided that the day was a success, so I hung it up for the day. I took it easy, watched some of that session, and took at shower for the night's festivities. 

During the day, many were talking about BW3s because they were having a karaoke night. But, since we had left Indy, Adam kept talking about Aunt Millie's that the Penn brothers had taken him to. We basically threw in the towel to go with the rest of the group, but then Jack said Millie's, too. So, one group with to karaoke and another to Aunt Millie's. VIR is right on the Virginia and North Carolina. We made the seven minute trip to Milton, NC and ate at Aunt Millie's. This place looked like an absolute craphole. There was probably 20 of us which made them under staffed. I was hungry, so I complained to the table. I got asked if I wanted a Snickers, well of course I did. The first bite that I took of the pizza, HOLY SMOKES!!! It had a New York style crust with Chicago like style toppings, thick cheese, not a lot of sauce. Wow, I was so stoked that we went there. That sure beat the mini corn dogs that I would have got at BW3s.

The building next to Aunt Millie's. Yes, those are trees.

Once we were back at the track, I sat around the garage with the guys. But, I was worn out from the prior day, so I hit the sheets early. It was nice because normally my track sleep schedule is terrible to say the least. Enough of that, day two will lead off part three!