VIR Schedule?

[Wes Allen]

Hi Mike,
Any idea yet for the VIR schedule? If not can you give us a rough idea? Spring break scheduling conflict ???
Thanks Wes

[Michael Rand]

Hi Wes,
Nothing definitive yet but I am sure it will roughly follow the past 5 seasons.
Something like this:
Wednesday, load in virtually all day, let's say 9am-6pm. We urge anyone interested in a garage to contact VIR directly, 434-822-7700, try extension 104, Kevin Massey-Shaw. There are also suites above the garages that some teams have stayed in, ask about that if you are interested.
We will be doing the paddock parking, it will not be free style and we need all the F2000 and F1600 teams to be efficent with real estate.
Thursday, we will have street car course familiarization from 8-8:30, no helmets, no racing, street legal speeds.
Each group will have 5 dedicated [F2000 only, and F1600 only] on track sessions over the course of the day.
Each session to be as close to a half hour as possible.
BMW will start the rotation at 8:30 so the earliest one of our groups will be on track is 9AM.
Friday, both groups will have a 25 minute session in the morning and again in the afternoon, timed but not counting for grid positions.
Sat and Sun each group will have a 25 minute qualifying session in the morning and race each afternoon.
Using the template of the past 5 years we will be the final races of the day on Sunday with our second race for each group and will be done before 5PM.

[Wes Allen]

Wow, lots of track time!
How long are the races? Will the tires last all weekend? Can you use an old set for the test day?
Thanks Wes

[Michael Rand]

Wes,
Yes, that is exactly the point, track time, seat time.
No need to do every minute of every session though, lots of opportunity to experiment.
The test and Friday sessions can be on any tires, though by the second weekend of the series we will encourage all to be on the series spec rubber for all sessions.
Obviously, VIR being the first, we won't demand you run sticker spec Hoosiers to test.
I know many will to refine their setups etc.
The 6 tire rule kicks in as of 1st qualifying, Sat morning, from that point through the 2nd race of the weekend only 6 new tires are allowed.
Then used for the following events Thursday or Friday.
How long lived the spec Hoosier 45's will be is really an unknown right now, but there is reason to believe that they will last more than the 2 quals and 2 races with life left over for the next event.
Race lengths are always laps vs timed, x number of laps or 30 minutes, whichever comes first.
For the entire season all sessions are time exact, if a black all situation arises in practice or qualifying the clock keeps running.
That is the reason for session stoppage penalties in our rules, it discourages foolishness to maximize track time.

[andyllc]

Mike
Once the weekend comes and we have to use the 6 tires, we can use them in any fashion we want is that right? Could be 4 fronts, 2 rears or 3 fronts and 3 rears or 2 fronts and 4 rears, is that right?
Also, can we swap through the 6 tires as we want throughout the weekend or once we put on our 2 extra tires do we have to keep them on?

[Purple Frog]

Andy,

This is how it usually works. A team will declare 4 tires before the first qualifier. Then as they need them they will declare the other 2 tires. The reason most only declare 4 at first, is to have the option later to pull in two rears, or two fronts, or one front and one rear, based on what happens with the first four.

You only have to run the "declared" tires during Qualifying and Race sessions. Any practice or test session you just have to be on the spec tire, it could be used or new or pulled out of the Hoosier dead pile. We will not allow club tires during official F1600 testing or practice sessions, only the spec tire.

[JC Racing]

We will not allow club tires during official F1600 testing or practice sessions, only the spec tire.

Does this include VIR?

[Michael Rand]

I'll jump in here regarding F1600 tires at VIR.
Since it is the inaugural weekend there obviously is no reserve of used 45's, and the tire rule doesn't come into play until Saturday for first qualifying.
It is common sense to let folks run the Thursday test sessions as well as the timed practice sessions on Friday on other rubber.
But, and it is a significant but, if your first time on 45's is in qualifying you are starting with one leg tied behind your back.
I realize budgets come into play but Hoosier will be in the paddock for sales and service starting Wednesday by noon at the latest.
All tire prices include mounting and balancing but Hoosier does collect applicable state sales tax.
It seems that a fresh set of 45's sometime Thursday, if not Friday morning, would pay dividends come qualifying Saturday am.
If that sounds like a Hoosier ad , so be it, they are there to sell tires, you are there to get ready to race on a most likely new to you tire.
Until we have this first weekend under our collective belts there really is not much known regarding life, cycling, etc of the 45 compound.
The entrant who ran them at the ARRC last November was very pleased with them.
That said, there is always a learning curve with a new tire.
Actually, in thinking about this topic, it applies to the F2000 guys as well as Hoosier has produced an upgraded tire for F2000 .
So, we will allow any entrant to run what they want on Thursday, even Friday, remember those times are not official and do not count for grid and any bragging rights about times set on non-spec tires will be bogus to say the least.
And in time sheets anyone running non-spec rubber will be noted as not to series spec.
Mike Eakin, anything to add ?

[Mike Scanlan]

Mike
I've not been able to reach Bruce Foss about availability. Will any of these tires be ready for the Rd Atlanta National in March?

[Purple Frog]

The Road Atlanta double national is on March 18-19-20.
Last i talked to Bruce he was hoping to have tires ready to order March 1.
Rand is checking on more recent news.

[RussMcB]

I hesitate to ask, because the chances of me doing the VIR race are becoming slimmer, but ...

Is there a chance the series will "look the other way" if someone runs on older used Hoosier R35 rain tires at VIR?

I am assuming the series' spec rain tires will have specific markings, like the slick.

Is it known yet if the rain tire will also be an R45?

I sure hope to be able to race at the inaugural event. I know it is going to be fantastic.

[Purple Frog]

Short answer:

Spec tires only.

There might be some relaxing of that on Thursday and Friday test and practice.

[TimW]

Short answer:

Spec tires only.

There might be some relaxing of that on Thursday and Friday test and practice.

Isn't there only one Rain tire? It likely comes in a much softer compound than R25, no? The Hoosier website does not even show a compound for rain tires.

For brand G, the rain is an R065 versus a R160 slick tire and is the only compound available for FF (heavier cars it appears can get an R085 as a wet).

[Purple Frog]

The F1600 rain tire will be the standard Hoosier club rain tire.
Not to be confused with F2000 that has a spec rain tire.

[Mike Scanlan]

Will a set of the series tires bought prior a pro weekend be allowed on the pro weekend or do they have to be bought at the event?

[Purple Frog]

Yes, you can buy them prior to the pro weekend.

Pro tires are only available out of the Lakeview headquarters, not local distributors.

Hoosier hopes to have them in the system and ready to start shipping March 1.

[Ralph Z.]

Do I understand that there is only one Hoosier rain tire manufactured for Formula F?

Or, is there more than one?

Ralph

[Michael Rand]

There is just the one FF/F1600 rain and any Hoosier FF rain is allowed, that is, you have no need of buying another set of Hoosier Rains if you already run Hoosiers and have a set of rains.

[Matt King]

Will a set of the series tires bought prior a pro weekend be allowed on the pro weekend or do they have to be bought at the event?

Related question: Is there a requirement to buy a new set of four tires for each race weekend, or can you run a set as long as you want across multiple weekends?

[Michael Rand]

Matt,
Certainly no requirement, run them as long as you want !
Mike Rand

[Ralph Z.]

Thanks for clarifying the rain tire requirements.

Ralph

[Tom Sabiel Jr]

What is the closest major airport to fly into?

Thank you
Tom

[Bob Wright]

Tom-You can use either Raleigh-Durham or Greensboro NC. They're about the same distance to the track so its a matter of schedule and price.

[problemchild]

Where do people stay .... especially when they wait until 2 weeks before the event to worry about it? Thanks!

[Bob Wright]

Try:

http://www.expedia.com/Hotels?rfrr=-905&

Look for stuff near the Danville Regional Airport, then in town: Hampton Inn, Comfort Inn, Super 8. The Series is at the Sleep Inn across from the airport, but I think its full. The Holiday Inn Express is across the street and looks like it has rooms. The restaurants etc are all in towm anyway. The track is a 15-20 min drive east of the airport.

[Will Velkoff]

Speaking from experience, DO NOT stay at the Danville Inn if possible

[LenFC11]

i believe we are at the holiday inn express as we have stayed there before. clean basic room. close to food. no complaints

[stonebridge20]

i believe we are at the holiday inn express as we have stayed there before. clean basic room. close to food. no complaints

You two staying at a Holliday inn express. Now that's PRICELESS !

[LenFC11]

alright.. i'll bite.. why is this so funny mike?

[Roux]

So far all of my regular crew guys and gals are coming up with excuses. "I have to travel on business that week" " I don't have enough vacation this year".....

By the way this is the same bunch that look at me like I am a traitor because I am not planning to go to Montreal this year (assuming F1600 gets the nod to support the F1 event).

If anyone wants to jump on board I would welcome the help and will buy a dinner or two. No help, no problem, I just don't get the benefit of tire temps and mid session adjustments

Let me know if you are interested since I will have open slots on the crew list

Steve

[Brandon Hull]

By the way this is the same bunch that look at me like I am a traitor because I am not planning to go to Montreal this year (assuming F1600 gets the nod to support the F1 event).

whoa whoa whoa, what's this?!? I will search for a thread but is this really a possibility?

[TimW]

whoa whoa whoa, what's this?!? I will search for a thread but is this really a possibility?

Yes, it is that cool.

http://translate.google.com/translat...%2F%3Fp%3D1730

Note the F1 weekend is still TBD...but they've been on the bill for several years in a row (when Canada was on the F1 schedule)

Tim

[northarrowracing]

As far as where to stay, with everyone trying to book into Danville, most overlook Roxboro NC. There is a fairly new Hampton Inn which is clean and reasonable. That's about 20 miles south of the track and an easy stop over if coming in through Raleigh-Durham airport. Roxboro is small but has the usual fast food joints and a couple of good steak houses (Homestead is our favorite).

[RussMcB]

Anyone know about electricity availability and cost at the track? I'll be sleeping in my poor man's RV. I'm wondering if they have racer-friendly electricity (like Road Atlanta, Roebling), or unfriendly (Barber - big bucks fee for the weekend).

I'll plan to call the track tomorrow and ask, but thought I'd post here tonight.

[Jeff Owens]

they have electric....can't remeber the cost....pretty sure it less than 30.

[RussMcB]

they have electric....can't remeber the cost....pretty sure it less than 30.

Thanks, Jeff. I got confirmation that I should be able to connect and not freeze at night.

New question regarding "renting" some wheels for VIR:

The 10-day forecast is looking iffy and I have one set of wheels. I have both slicks and rain tires, but would like to avoid the scramble and expense of swapping back and forth during the weekend. If anyone has a set I can rent, that would be comforting.

I ordered a new set of Panasports a few months ago but they may not even be on the slow boat from Japan yet (understandably, considering their situation).

My DB-3 has center lock wheels.

Thanks.