Officers Meeting Tour Bus Flying Lap at Homestead

[Bryan Savage]

The tour bus driver didn't want me to suction my GoPro onto the outside of the bus, so here's from inside. It's actually better, since you can hear everyone.

Track advice by local hotshoe Wes Angelotti from South Florida. Watch it fifty times before you hit the track next year, and you'll be a pro!!

[Bill Pemberton]

Thanks Bryan and this should wet the appetite of many attendees? Video was actually helpful as the transition to the banking is a lot smoother than on many road courses designed within an Oval. Quick question, though you may not know , but will the Homestead Facility also be the area for those who bring trailers down to Florida to park said?

Much appreciated ,

Bill Pemberton
Podunksburg, Nebraska

[Herrsss]

Thanks Bryan and this should wet the appetite of many attendees? Video was actually helpful as the transition to the banking is a lot smoother than on many road courses designed within an Oval. Quick question, though you may not know , but will the Homestead Facility also be the area for those who bring trailers down to Florida to park said?

Much appreciated ,

Bill Pemberton
Podunksburg, Nebraska

Hey Bill yes that's where those who trailer will park their rigs. There's plenty of room outside the actual track which is still inside the property with fencing.

[Bill Pemberton]

Fantastic , I know a lot of folks appreciated the extra security and ease of parking that attendees had in New Orleans, so kudos to the Officers for arranging this for VOA members again!

[Bryan Savage]

I've got a 30-minute 360° video tour of the track and the hotel in the works. It takes a bit longer to process than the above footage, so stay tuned!!

[RedTanRT/10]

Hey Bryan, thanks for posting, sounds like a good time on the bus!!

I don't know that track other than TV, here's a good video showing the track. This video shows there's a bus stop section from the high speed oval. I have another video below that doesn't show it. Must have a couple of different configurations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9HcDHHiWww


This video doesn't have that bus stop and it's a guy in a Porsche Cup car who must have lapped the field and goes flying through slower car classes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGXU0gntt-c

[chris1992]

Bryan, I enjoyed watching your stories on Instagram. NVE4 will more than likely be my first Viper event to attend-which I am really looking forward to!

[Herrsss]

Bryan, I enjoyed watching your stories on Instagram. NVE4 will more than likely be my first Viper event to attend-which I am really looking forward to!

Chris,
Please take a couple minutes to join the VOA because NVEs are only open to current members.
Beth

[XSnake]

So road course layout not the modified road course layout with the banking? :/

[Bryan Savage]

So road course layout not the modified road course layout with the banking? :/

Not sure who chose the layout. The banking would indeed be fun!!! We're basically bypassing it for the final turns.

Who's in charge here?? Beth! Make it happen!!

[1ststrike]

New record lap time 5.39!!!

For the bus anyway

[thetalonguy]

I swear it felt a lot faster in the bus than it looks on video.

[98intrigue]

Time to bust out Forza 7 and my sim rig. I have some practicing to do.

[Bryan Savage]

So road course layout not the modified road course layout with the banking? :/

Not sure who chose the layout. The banking would indeed be fun!!! We're basically bypassing it for the final turns.

Who's in charge here?? Beth! Make it happen!!

Lettuce continue to discuss this.

Here is the Full Course track layout: (Pay attention to Turns 10-15)
Homestead Full Road Course.png
By Will Pittenger - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9070356


Then, here is the Modified Course track layout: (Turns 9 & 10)
Homestead Modified Road Course.png
By Will Pittenger - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9070336


Now, I've driven on the banks at LVMS and Pocono Speedway, and as neat as they are, banked turns are YUGE wear on those outside tires, and are usually also very high speed.

We'll have LOTS of other driving to do at NVE4, especially if you're driving to Miami like I am (1,257 miles one-way), I'm most likely to run a more-streetable set of tires than my PSC2s for this event. So considering the average level of talent, and average age, type, & wearstate of tires in the likely group of participants, is it really a good idea to request to run the Modified Road Course and include this bank? Notice it's at the end of a straight, with another straight following it. It will be a super high-speed turn.

Anyone who's run the Modified Course track please speak up. Is this a good idea?

[Bill Pemberton]

Since we will likely have cars from all Generations, and therefore different stresses based on the age of the suspension dynamics ( just to name one situation), I think it behooves VOA to stay with the first track layout. If one goes back over the years, remembering many of the Viper Conventions, there has been some nasty carnage at many of the venues where a large part of the banked ovals were used. Transitioning down from steep banking to the flats of an infield portion of the track can be daunting and difficult on a car's adapting suspension - let alone to a driver not used to this type of dramatic course change. Add to this the unique pressures on tires, shocks, and other chassis components that banking requires , safety concerns should dictate the initial course. Frankly with 15 turns it is more indicative of the type of tracks many Viper owners are a bit more accustomed to, and it looks challenging and fun - imho.

[FSTENUF]

I must agree with Bill on this. There will be a lot of newbies and Gen owners riding on older tires. This is not a PURE TRACK event for most it will be about the only time they have their car on a track. The last thing anyone wants is to have a Gen 1 or 2 try to run with a ACR. I went to the meeting and road the Super bus around the track. You will be able to get your fill of tracking on the course along with the Autocross's.

[Fatboy 18]

Quite frankly, if owners expect to go on a track with old tires they should not be allowed in my book.

I guess it all depends on overtaking rules. When we run charity days on the UK Top gear track, overtaking is only allowed on the LHS and on two sections of straight track, also the driver in front has to acknowledge that you wish to overtake by moving over to the right of the track. It is not a race of my car is better than your car.

A couple of years ago I was on track following a TVR Tuscan, he saw me and moved over to the right but then tried to outrun me on the straight, leaving his braking late, he hit the brakes, the car went into a spin and he went into the tire wall backwards with a paying passenger! the car was a wreck! I have it on Video as I was running a camera, but its not something I would post up.

I did send it to the driver so he could see what he did wrong.

Also just thinking of the Homestead Miami track heat, Hi Temp brake fluid would also be recommended

[Viperenvy]

Might want to revive this thread in 51 weeks. This will go in one ear and 3 x's faster out the other.

[XSnake]

Less braking zones and less turns = easier but that's just my opinion. Banking is very easy as there is barely any input but people will get to enjoy some speed.

You shouldn't have old or worn out tires for any time you go on any track no matter what the configuration is.

[ViperSRT]

For a general Viper event you will have many people with out of date tires. No question. Add to that the downforce that some of the cars make, in addition to the downforce created by the banking, and you could have a disaster.

[Luisv]

Having driven both, and in my very humble opinion, I'd say go for the 15 turn full course track layout.

Homestead is an 18 to 20 degree bank turn oval. Banking is steeper at the wall. Very cool, but can get very hairy if you are not used to being on that banking. It is steeper than it looks and is more "involved" to drive than many think. Most don't carry as much speed as they would think through there.

Given the different skills levels coming, the different gens coming, the different ACR's, etc. I'd keep it on the safer side and go with the 15 turn.

The modified course gives you much more speed on the front straight, obviously, but makes turn 1 more interesting and tougher on the brakes. You're on the brakes almost at the start finish line.

As for the full course you bring in some great turns. Turn 10, 11 & 12 are a blast and not easy to get right to drop lap times. Both versions use the turn 3, 4 and 5 which are a blast. The dip in turn 4 is awesome to ride through and let's you really power in at the apex and try to straighten turn 5 as much as possible.

I am by no means a pro driver. I am not at the homestead track weekly, but I have driven it a few times in various & very different cars. Again, just my humble, local, opinion.

I would reach out to a couple of Vipers down here in SoFla that have been on there more.

I am sure you all will split us up by skill set, desire, ect. so I would not go nuts with all that. I am sure you all have thought about that.

This is going to be a real great time. Can't wait.

[98intrigue]

Bumping this up. Was a decision made on the track layout? I just got done doing about 30 laps on the full course layout in Forza 7 on my racing sim setup.

[ACR Steve]

I would bet the set up with less banking (option 1) - 18-20 degrees is very steep for most skill levels. Besides the drive aspect the down force loads with an ACR will eat the outside tires up in 1-2 sessions for fast guys then we have to think about all the other driving events.

Just my 2 cents

[TheWessss]

Just to confirm: We will absolutely be using the FULL course layout (No Banking) that has always been the plan since day 1. We are trying to squeeze in 4 x 20 minute run groups, drivers need to be ready 5 minutes before their run group starts and lined up in the hot pit. If we keep our schedule on time we have planned a few spirited parade laps around the NASCAR oval course. But that is strictly TBD, based on time, as the Homestead crew has to move cones around and obviously shut down the road course.

[Luisv]

Awesome! Looking forward to a great few days!