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05-21-2016, 02:37 PM | #1 |
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Shenandoah track weekend
Last week, I went for a two-day weekend event with Trackdaze at Summit Point's Shenandoah circuit. It was my first time there as that is normally too far from NYC, but I had something work-related going on in Pennsylvania afterwards, so I grabbed the opportunity.
Shenandoah is a twisty and tight 2.2 miles circuit with 22 corners (!). It also features a replica of the Nürburgring Karussell as a special party trick.. The track is a great fit for lighter cars, so my expectations were moderate for our heavy beast, but it worked surprisingly well. There is one corner combo (the corkscrew) where you look bad seemingly no matter what you do, but otherwise the M3 slithered around the track in just the right way. Special bonus was getting a point-by from a Cayman GT4. It rained quite a lot on the first day, so there were a few wet sessions, but otherwise it was a great driving environment. I did experience the biggest tire pressure differential yet; I aim for 38 hot for the Nitto-05s, but starting with 34 cold I got to 44 hot after the first session... After that got adjusted I felt the tires were working really well. This was also the first time I switched off the traction control in each session (not in the wet, and only after the tires/brakes had warmed up). It's not a night-or-day difference, but it does feel somewhat different and ended up a little faster even though it feels slower; it certainly makes for an extremely engaged and tactile driving experience.. It did not feel unsafe, I guess because the M3 is such a forgiving and easy car to drive on the track. I only power-oversteered once, when trying to enter the Bridge straight, but that was easily corrected with some throttle feathering and light counter steer. So, if you are near it, I thoroughly recommend trying out Shenandoah. Last edited by Candide13; 05-21-2016 at 04:59 PM.. |
05-21-2016, 08:39 PM | #2 |
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never heard of it until now, but it looks like a really fun course.
interesting about the karussell replication... i have fantasized about winning the lottery and creating an exact replica of the nurburgring in the united states. hehe
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05-22-2016, 08:10 AM | #4 |
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Yeah, that would be great! The most difficult thing about the karussell is entering it neatly at the right angle; once you are in it everybody just plonkers around it with neutral throttle at some 45 mph. The corkscrew combo that follows it is a different proposition...
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05-22-2016, 08:14 AM | #5 |
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05-23-2016, 12:35 AM | #9 | |
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05-23-2016, 09:08 AM | #10 | |
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Just before the Karussell at Shenandoah is an uphill straight with a peaked crest affectionally named the ski jump; cars going faster than 100 mph will get air there! The M3 can get up to 120 there, which I know because an advanced driver gave me a ride in his E90 M3, but I did not like the feeling and kept it at 100... Last edited by Candide13; 05-23-2016 at 12:20 PM.. |
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05-26-2016, 04:14 PM | #13 |
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I am no expert and have only been to a couple track days, but I disliked Shenandoah.
I went for a SCCA track day and the head instructor stated in the initial meeting that this is not the best of tracks, none of it flows together, but I promise you will have fun. I did have fun, but there are better tracks. One thing I disliked is none of the straights are real straights. |
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05-26-2016, 07:09 PM | #14 | |
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Shenandoah flows. You just need the technique, vision and experience to get it flowing. Yes - Shenandoah throws a lot at you. Blind apexes, on and off-camber turns, combination turns, elevation, throttle steering, the Karrussel...... In places you can be very fast with the right technique timed and applied just so. IMO - that the fun of it. It ask a lot of a driver and penalizes a blown line. NJ BMWCCA runs Shenny with 2 more turns factored in (almost no-one else does that configuration along the hot pits). Skidpad right in the paddock. I have heard the "It doesn't have long, flat straights" complaint before. Personally I find long, flat straights to not be that interesting. They only require the right pedal to the floor. I can go out on the highway and do that. No track is everyone's cup of tea I suppose. But I think Shenandoah makes a more skilled driver when driven well. IMO |
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05-26-2016, 08:33 PM | #15 | |
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About the flat straights, I was always taught that straights are where you can compose and relax. (A reason people love the longgggggggggg straight at the 'Ring) |
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05-26-2016, 08:39 PM | #16 |
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Shenny as a training course in my opinion. It's narrow and very technical and it will teach you a lot about yourself and your car (or bike.) that's the reason no pro level races are held on it and they use Summit Main instead.
I have not had a car on the course but raced my old bike on it about 15 times. And to the comment about flat straights and relaxing, you're on a racetrack you don't relax. Relax when you're off the track. |
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05-26-2016, 11:11 PM | #17 | |
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Even the non-pro vintage racers quit Main for 3-4 years because the track surface wasn't being maintained well enough to support their races. Thats been fixed and they ran their vintage races most recently a week ago. |
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05-27-2016, 03:56 AM | #18 | |
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I am really hoping now that Dominon is done that it will encourage summit to refinish some of their tracks and improve its facilities. Last edited by turbo_joe; 05-27-2016 at 05:06 AM.. |
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05-27-2016, 09:00 AM | #19 | |
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I hope you are right - but the final status of the DOS contract and whether they leave for their own dedicated facility in Va. will be the #1 factor determining whether SP has the money to do improvements. The majority of money at SP is federal. |
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05-27-2016, 09:08 AM | #20 | |
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Eventually the enjoyment of this track probably comes down to seat time, I think. I had 14 track days before I went to Shenandoah, but I am a slow learner so that is probably comparable to 7 days for many other drivers. Still, I think there are several parts of the track where you pretty much have to use slightly advanced techniques like throttle steering and threshold breaking to get the car around smoothly and fast. Otherwise the track just does not make sense. Same with the straight straights and the important mental breathing space you get from those; with more seat time you can relax your fingers etc in shorter straights, like the first part of the bridge straight. Anyhow, I am not trying to be clever here, just relating experiences. And whilst I enjoyed Shenandoah I love Watkins Glen... |
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05-27-2016, 09:12 AM | #21 |
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Just noted that we met at the track, you were driving the beautifully-blue E46? I was the guy packing 4 wheels and the farm tools back into his E90 at the end of the event...
Last edited by Candide13; 05-27-2016 at 02:34 PM.. |
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05-27-2016, 12:54 PM | #22 |
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