<VV> Shootin the Beaver!

[Rick Norris]

Beverun Motorsports Complex, 
Wampum, PA.
http://www.beaverun.com/

I finally got to run the "Beve"!

Janet and I towed the Sunoco Corvair up to Beverun Friday afternoon for the Saturday "Flat Out Track Day". This event is much like our Corvair track events.
They have them several times during their racing season. For more information check out their web page.

We unloaded the car and dropped the trailer Friday evening at the track and spent the night in the local Holiday Inn which along with several other motels has a special rate for track events. All are very close to the track.

Saturday morning dawned as a very beautiful and crisp (at 38 degrees! ) fall day with the sun coming up brightly. However it didn't warm it up much and it was constantly breezy on the plateau that is Beverun but it was sunny all day. We arrived shortly after 7:00AM which is when the track opens. The Vair was a bit reluctant to run as it sat out all night and I don't have chokes in the carbs but it finally warmed up.

The event consisted of track familiarization laps at low to moderate speeds with an instructor. 

Next was the first classroom instruction period which was very informal and leaned mostly towards the first timers. After that we hit the track for the first session with an instructor. They do not assign you one. It is random as you park on the false grid and the instructors just pick a car. That will be your instructor for the day unless you prefer someone else. They have two female instructors one of which was there. My instructor by chance just happened to be Tim Silbaugh, the founder of the track! I like to think it was the attractive Sunoco Corvair that lured him to me.
I was in run group 1 which is where they put all the first timers and anyone who has never run at this track. Run group 2 is for those who have run the track before and are working toward their three times at the track so they can run solo ( with out an instructor ) and run group 3 which was the afternoon session.
The on track sessions are scheduled to be 30 minutes out of which you get about 20 minutes actual time at speed. The first session I was just trying to learn the track and trying to listen to the instructor showing me the best lines through each corner and especially the corners where people usually lose it. The tires were cold as was the track and it felt a little greasy. After the session it was back to the classroom for a more in depth talk but still steered ( pun intended! ) toward the first timers.
My second time out I was going faster as I became more comfortable with the track. During this session I was having a good time with a guy in an older front engine Porsche. I had to give him a point by as he was faster on the straights but I was all over him in the corners and he had to give me a point by. He never caught me after that. My instructor was enjoying it also.
We got a break while the second group did their track time then it was time for my last on track session. As usual I was faster than the first two times and the instructor didn't give me as much instruction as he did encouragement to keep the hammer down. It all ended too soon! I wanna play some more! 

This was the hardest I have ever driven my car and several things came to light. The brakes will fade after repeated hard use. I like my set up as did the instructor. It was very predictable after the tires warmed up. I like the BFG R1 race tires. My broken valve spring repair was successful and the engine ran very well. It doesn't take long to go through 12 gallons of gas. I still have carb cut out problems in tight corners. Those big-ass Porsches with steam roller tires can stop way quicker than I can!

The Corvair was very popular. I had to give all the instructors and others a show and tell! You all know how difficult that is for me....lots of favorable comments and no ignorant remarks about Corvairs.

It was a total blast and I think we should have another Corvair track event at this facility.

Almost forgot, the new Big Red Hemi Dodge is a wonderful tow vehicle! Gets much better mileage than my old truck too.

Rick Norris
#36 Sunoco Corvair