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+--- Thread: AMA @ VIR This Weekend (/showthread.php?tid=4643)
AMA @ VIR This Weekend - Ginger - 08-18-2006
Well, it's upon us. I thought I saw another thread for this but I couldn't relocate it right away, so here's our new one. This should be a very good weekend - the Soup (<!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.superbikeplanet.com">www.superbikeplanet.com</a><!-- w -->) is already posting up a storm of times and information. If you're down there then enjoy your three day drunk fest. The rest of us, forced to watch from our living rooms, will actually be aware of the motorcycles on track... and who'd have thought, the traditional fast men are at the front already:
Leading the way are Ben Spies, Mat Mladin, and Neil Hodgson in the top four of superbike. Eslick is strutting his stuff, and so are DiSalvo and hacking in the various 600 classes. There's more, but just bust a nut over to the Soup.
Something amazing has happened this weekend already, though. Anybody familiar with motorcycle racing already knows that the AMA has made a joke of themselves over the past couple years. This year in particular the organization has degenerated into something that actually makes my heart sink. Everything was done poorly and the riders complained about huge safety issues left and right. At the end of the day the AMA didn't accomplish a damn thing and the riders were left with an unpleasant taste in their mouths over the reasonable expectation of safety in their racing. Things are looking up, though, check this out:
Superbikeplanet.com Wrote:The track took up some Armco barrier overnight in the final turn to make the track safer. Jake Zemke and Jamie Hacking made the request on Thursday and the AMA and VIR made it happen.
Could somebody really be trying to turn things around? Or maybe it's got more to do with the VIR management and less with the AMA....
.... hey Gerlad, have a beer for me while you're down there.
- stevegula - 08-18-2006
I'd bet it has more to do with VIR management. VIR recurbed part of North course this year to make it safer for motorcyclists, so hopefully this time DiSalvo doesn't rip his kneecap off again going around the track.
I'd say ask Jay Hannam when the DCSBN crew gets back from VIR, he'll probably have some good info.
- .RJ - 08-18-2006
stevegula Wrote:VIR recurbed part of North course this year
Which part?
- Maengelito - 08-18-2006
.RJ Wrote:stevegula Wrote:VIR recurbed part of North course this year
Which part?
T4 and T5 had some fresh patches on it, and the cut through in 7 looked newer (even though the seam on the pavement was still there and still bumpy)
- .RJ - 08-18-2006
Uh oh
hock: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://superbikeplanet.com/2006/Aug/e/n060818d.htm">http://superbikeplanet.com/2006/Aug/e/n060818d.htm</a><!-- m -->
Quote:Spies Injured In Qualifying Crash
by evan williams
Friday, August 18, 2006
Suzuki's Ben Spies just injured his hand in a qualifying crash. The championship leader crashed with Cory West in the opening moments of the session.
Spies leads teammate Mat Mladin by 45 points with five races to go.
More info as we get it.
ENDS
- G.Irish - 08-21-2006
Whew this was a good weekend. It was estimated that this was the biggest crowd at VIR ever at approx. 50k over the weekend. I have to say I believe it because there was a ton more people there than I've ever seen at VIR.
This time out I interviewed Josh Hayes and American Honda's Data Technician. Hayes rode a hell of a race only to get sniped by EBoz at the end. It was a fantastic scrap to watch, hats off to Bostrom.
The Superbike races were actually pretty good too. Race 1 had a good battle for 4th and race 2 had a great fight for the lead for the opening laps before Mladin dropped the hammer.
The Superstock race was pretty good too but I was trying to eat and get in and out of the media center while it was going on so I didn't see all of it.
It was an excellent weekend of racing, and I got some good info from the interviews. Camping worked out pretty well too, saved me some cash and a drive in the morning. I didn't even know VIR had several shower buildings around the course.
- stevegula - 08-21-2006
.RJ Wrote:stevegula Wrote:VIR recurbed part of North course this year
Which part?
If I'm not mistaken T10 was the first area redone last year I believe. I think that's where diSalvo jacked his knee. I'd bet 14 got recurbed as well - on a motorcycle you've only got about 6 inches (maybe a foot) of usable asphalt for turn 14 which puts your knee over the curb.
Maengelito - that seam in 7 will always be there. You can't pave something like T7 in one piece.
- .RJ - 08-21-2006
Did anyone see Roger Hayden in the supersport race sunday? :lol:
*shove*
*walk away*
- G.Irish - 08-21-2006
DiSalvo hurt his knee in T7 last year. I don't know where they put the extra armco though. I still think they need to put a little bit more airfence up. I don't think anyone got hurt in crashes this year though.
- Ginger - 08-21-2006
I think the 16 year old racing for Graves in Supersport banged up his wrist pretty good in the pre-red first turn incident.
Roger Hayden was the highlight of the race! That was awesome to watch. "Fuck you motorcycle!" *push*
- stevegula - 08-22-2006
asteele2 Wrote:I think the 16 year old racing for Graves in Supersport banged up his wrist pretty good in the pre-red first turn incident.
Yea, that was Josh Herrin. He restarted the race but only made it to lap 10 before pulling in.
- Maengelito - 08-22-2006
stevegula Wrote:Maengelito - that seam in 7 will always be there. You can't pave something like T7 in one piece.
yeah, i know but it seems like they could atleast smooth it out some more. turn in there seems so bumpy because you can carry so much speed up the hill but i hate the way it unsettles the car when you hit it.
- stevegula - 08-22-2006
Maengelito Wrote:stevegula Wrote:Maengelito - that seam in 7 will always be there. You can't pave something like T7 in one piece.
yeah, i know but it seems like they could atleast smooth it out some more. turn in there seems so bumpy because you can carry so much speed up the hill but i hate the way it unsettles the car when you hit it.
I'd bet the only good way to smooth that out is cut it up and repave it. Grinding it will just make it like Road Atlanta's turn 5 and 7 which is retardo on a motorcycle in the wet. I've never gone through North's turn 7 in a car, so I have no idea how it feels for you, but on a motorcycle I have no complaints about turn 7. Personally I love the turn, and coming up over the top of it and forgetting to let up on the throttle is always a fun ride - high sides for the win.
- Maengelito - 08-22-2006
stevegula Wrote:Maengelito Wrote:stevegula Wrote:Maengelito - that seam in 7 will always be there. You can't pave something like T7 in one piece.
yeah, i know but it seems like they could atleast smooth it out some more. turn in there seems so bumpy because you can carry so much speed up the hill but i hate the way it unsettles the car when you hit it.
I'd bet the only good way to smooth that out is cut it up and repave it. Grinding it will just make it like Road Atlanta's turn 5 and 7 which is retardo on a motorcycle in the wet. I've never gone through North's turn 7 in a car, so I have no idea how it feels for you, but on a motorcycle I have no complaints about turn 7. Personally I love the turn, and coming up over the top of it and forgetting to let up on the throttle is always a fun ride - high sides for the win.
dont get me wrong, i love that turn too. you can carry so much speed into the turn. its just that i get that slight feeling of panic if i hit the bump and it unsettles the car. but i just keep my foot to the floor and hope to not swing too wide and end up going sideways off into the grass a la chad.
- Evan - 08-22-2006
maeng VIR is the smoothest track you will ever drive.
the transition to t7 can be smoothed out with a wider line
- Maengelito - 08-22-2006
i'm only talking about the cut through at 7 for VIR-N. the rest of the track is silky smooth. especially compared to slummit
- Evan - 08-22-2006
Maengelito Wrote:i'm only talking about the cut through at 7 for VIR-N. the rest of the track is silky smooth. especially compared to slummit
Evan Wrote:the transition to t7 can be smoothed out with a wider line
- Maengelito - 08-22-2006
Maengelito Wrote:but i just keep my foot to the floor and hope to not swing too wide and end up going sideways off into the grass a la chad.