After this weekend I now have enough credits for a track day. I'd like to do one before it gets to hot where I'm more likely to run into heat issues. So, I was leaning towards the April 1 and 2nd event at Shanendoah, but some people have said thats not a good track to do your first HPDE on. Why is that? Not enough run off room? To technical? I was thinking a slower technical course might be good for me since its similar to autocrossing. I have even heard the course described as a high speed autocross. Thoughts?
CCVT VP 05-06
1991 Sentra SE-R w/ SR20VE
1994 Yamaha Seca II
Shanendoah is an amazing track. There is no reason why you should not do it. You cannot listen to internet talk. I have driven the track several times, you WILL have a blast, do it.
Shenandoah is a fantastic track. The reason some may think its not a good "first time" track is that it takes a long time to learn, even for veterans, and there are a few turns that are very tricky (but every track has those). Thats not a huge deal IMO, so if you are itchin' to get out on track, then by all means come out to Shenandoah.
I am also trying to decide on my first track event. Shenandoah may end up being it. Just gotta do a few more things to the car to get it ready.
Nick
Anyone have track videos of Shenandoah?
Two feet.
I know it is very technical and can bite you in the butt if you aren't careful. I went on track as a passenger in a E30 M3, it was invigorating.
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Andy Wrote:Anyone have track videos of Shenandoah?
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Scroll down to shanendoah. They are all big files. Those are all in cars videos of Eric Rosen running in SE-R cup.
CCVT VP 05-06
1991 Sentra SE-R w/ SR20VE
1994 Yamaha Seca II
Andy Wrote:Anyone have track videos of Shenandoah?
Right click, save as.
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(09-25-2019, 03:18 PM)V1GiLaNtE Wrote: I think you need to see a mental health professional.
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mpg9999 Wrote:After this weekend I now have enough credits for a track day. I'd like to do one before it gets to hot where I'm more likely to run into heat issues. So, I was leaning towards the April 1 and 2nd event at Shanendoah, but some people have said thats not a good track to do your first HPDE on. Why is that? Not enough run off room? To technical? I was thinking a slower technical course might be good for me since its similar to autocrossing. I have even heard the course described as a high speed autocross. Thoughts? Nevermind the Internet noise you heard about shenandoah. It is a cool track. It is 1 foot wider than the main course. There is a lot of jersey barrier on the property and it is very white so it looks intimidating, but it generally is a good ways away from the track where cars might go off. Bill scott bought all of it from some race that was run in a city so he just put it there. We ran a test session there 2 different times and a real race/HPDE weekend there last year with great success and mostly positive comments. Jon Felton did stuff his E30 there in turn 7 into the jersey barrier but even he said it was not the tracks fault. I also worked an EMRA event there where on the friday everyone seemed to be complaining about why it was on that track....and by Sunday they all wanted to book another weekend there for an Enduro. This track IS NOT and autocross! It does have it's unique challenges but all tracks do.I had a blast driving it and did not feel unsafe at all there. It is probably a little hard on brakes so be aware of that. If you want to use credits.....Contact Laura ASAP as there can only be 5 worker credit spaces per weekend.
Sean Thompson
NASA Mid-Atlantic Registrar
I have not driven Shennendoah, but I have some questions regarding having that track as one's first event.
I feel the first big hurdle for a first-timer is learning the layout of a track. Once you start remembering which turn is next you can start having fun. My first event was at Watkins Glen, which is a fairly simple layout, and it still took me about a day (3 sessions) to remember what was next, and that was with a bunch of visualization, videos, and studying. Only then did I really enjoy myself. Before that I was struggling just to turn the right direction, much less to follow the line...
Shenendoah is complicated, at least from the videos and as a passanger, with more than twice the turns of Summit Main. I have ridden @ Shennendoah with Chad and by the end of the session I was only about 50% accurate on anticipating the next turn.
I'd be worried that for a first timer, that's thinking about so many things at once, that Shen. Circuit would be asking a lot and could very easily become frustrating rather than fun. It's improtant for a first timer to have the time of their life on their first event, it's what gets them hooked. Had I left Watkins Glen feeling defeated or disspaointed I wouldn't still be driving on track. Instead I felt on top of the world, that I made a big dent in figuring out the major points of the track, and that I couldn't wait to go at it again.
I have no doubt that it's an awesome track and I can't wait to drive it, I just want to make sure it's the right choice for someone's "first" track experience.
Pete
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PDenbigh Wrote:I have not driven Shennendoah, but I have some questions regarding having that track as one's first event.
I feel the first big hurdle for a first-timer is learning the layout of a track. Once you start remembering which turn is next you can start having fun. My first event was at Watkins Glen, which is a fairly simple layout, and it still took me about a day (3 sessions) to remember what was next, and that was with a bunch of visualization, videos, and studying. Only then did I really enjoy myself. Before that I was struggling just to turn the right direction, much less to follow the line...
Shenendoah is complicated, at least from the videos and as a passanger, with more than twice the turns of Summit Main. I have ridden @ Shennendoah with Chad and by the end of the session I was only about 50% accurate on anticipating the next turn.
I'd be worried that for a first timer, that's thinking about so many things at once, that Shen. Circuit would be asking a lot and could very easily become frustrating rather than fun. It's improtant for a first timer to have the time of their life on their first event, it's what gets them hooked. Had I left Watkins Glen feeling defeated or disspaointed I wouldn't still be driving on track. Instead I felt on top of the world, that I made a big dent in figuring out the major points of the track, and that I couldn't wait to go at it again.
I have no doubt that it's an awesome track and I can't wait to drive it, I just want to make sure it's the right choice for someone's "first" track experience.
Pete That is an interesting view Pete...And I think you are right in a way. I actually have had this same conversation with Cobetto about the remembering the turns thing....I had no problem at all figuring out where I was and what was next on shenandoah...I talk to myself out loud in the car. Chris was saying that knowing where one is on the track is really easy for some people and really hard for others. It just varies from person to person. touring laps are a great idea for every HPDE student to do, you get to go around many times at a much slower pace than a real session, no instructor making you nervous and you will not have to worry about pointing cars by so you can concentrate on the track and forget about the traffic for a few minutes.
Sean Thompson
NASA Mid-Atlantic Registrar
PDenbigh Wrote:I feel the first big hurdle for a first-timer is learning the layout of a track. Once you start remembering which turn is next you can start having fun.
Did you have an instructor at the glenn to tell you the turns? That's the good thing about NASA, HPDE1 and 2 may not have the experience learning a new track quick but they will have an experienced instructor in the car with them telling them where to go. When you rode w/ me it was my second weekend on the track and third actually going around it (I rode w/ someone prior to actually attending a weekend myself b/c I had the same reservations about safety at first).
An HPDE1er isn't going to be fast on any track their first time out. Shen is a very technical course, buts thats not always a bad thing. Just listen to your instructor and your own instinct and you will be fine on track, but thats true of ANY track weekend.
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