Oh, Joy... (to watch, not so much to drive unless you are good). |
Watched the ALMS race here on TV. V.I.R. was dimly in my conciousness in the '60's, but I never saw a track map. It didn't host any of the big SCCA pro events then or into the early '70's. When it arose from the dead, so to speak, a few years ago, I thought "what a neat little track!"
Well, it's not little: 3.3 miles with lots of elevation change. And, in a fast car, fast. Turns 1, the 7-12 ess complex, and 14-17A are as challenging as can be found in North America. Racers complain that V.I.R. is narrow, with few places to pass. But its technical difficulty makes it a charmer. It's also lovely to watch at, on TV or (I'm sure) in person. Lots of green grass and those afore-mentioned elevation changes. It deserves to be a regular venue for top-rank road racing, along with Laguna Seca, Mid-Ohio, Mosport, Road America, Road Atlanta, and Sonoma.
Off topic: the current C.E.O. of ALMS says that the merger with Grand-Am won't mess with the rules governing the GT class. "It's a fan favorite, and a no-brainer: why mess with something that ain't broken?" We shall see.
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