NewCaddy
Seasoned Member
I had the white 4BW in your pic when I was there 2 wks ago. And yes, good food.
V academy
- Thread starter Rich
- Start date
dstewart51
Seasoned Member
Ill be there! Driving up so Ill have my BW there as well.
Tall Steve
Head Goat Herder
Did you run the full east track?
FLYARMY
Seasoned Member
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- V-Series Cadillac(s)?
- 2022 CT5-V Blackwing
I get into Las Vegas around noon time. Pick up my rental and then will stop somewhere for lunch before heading out into the desert. I have a reservation to stay at the facility with my wife. I know that I can make myself comfortable around anyone and talk cars all day long with other car people. I told my wife to bring her iPad and her knitting. She likes to make blankets for people. I believe they have a gym there that she can use their treadmill. Hopefully she will find some other person to hang out and do stuff with. After the course is done, we will be spending the rest of the week in Vegas and losing some money. Going to a Golden Knights hockey game to hopefully watch them beat the NY Rangers (we are NY Islander fans). Have tickets to see Cirque du Soleil "Ka" and maybe take a ride to see some local scenery. I'm looking forward to it since I retired a year ago.
FrankRizzo
Seasoned Member
^ Im registered April 20-22. I'm bringing my wife also (retired Army 06, 37 years). She zoomed in on the Massage part of the hotel "things to do".
dstewart51
Seasoned Member
What dates will you be there? Ill be there Feb 14th for the 15th-16th class. Trying to bring my wife since it is V-Day and all, but she is concerned she will be board just waiting during the day.
M2Cto4BW
Seasoned Member
We ran a longer version of one of the usual V Academy tracks. On the site it's called Villenueve, but I guess it is effectively North+. It was really fun:
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OldGoat
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Got my dates booked May 30-31 2023. Can't wait
Kanetch
Seasoned Member
That’s the same layout we ran in late August. Like driving on on griddle. So f..n hot. What were your lap times in the 4 approximately?
travysh
Seasoned Member
In the 5 manual I ran a 1:51.5 this time and a 1:52.42 back in late July (same layout). Really enjoyable. Not very punishing and really good to learn on. The cooler temps this time were noticable.
The 4 is similar times? Within a couple of seconds?
The 4 is similar times? Within a couple of seconds?
We usually go straight to Pahrump. There’s a pretty good and reasonably priced Hibachi place by the Walmart. After that we go grab supplies for the visit at the Walmart (drinks, alcohol, snacks for the room).
We usually go early Spring when it’s still cold back East. My wife likes to sit by the pool or in the chairs in the sun out behind the clubhouse.
That looks like the configuration we ran in April. My best was a 1:48.2 in the manual 5BW. I can’t wait to go back and try the 4BW.
pkincy
Seasoned Member
Nice lap. He was having to pedal that CT4 BW to keep ahead. The instuctors love to have experienced students as it is the only way they get to really run the course. What was the demo lap time they ran on this configuration?
I presume you let Rick know your experience level as he is happy to group experienced folks together as it is more fun for the instructors. But it sounds like you were leaving the others in your group well behind anyway.
I have done the Corvette school in the C7Z and the V Academy in the ATS-V and will do the 4BW in early March. For those choosing dates there are only two reasonable months for weather in Pahrump. October and March.
I presume you let Rick know your experience level as he is happy to group experienced folks together as it is more fun for the instructors. But it sounds like you were leaving the others in your group well behind anyway.
I have done the Corvette school in the C7Z and the V Academy in the ATS-V and will do the 4BW in early March. For those choosing dates there are only two reasonable months for weather in Pahrump. October and March.
Kanetch
Seasoned Member
I was the only 4 (manual) in my run group and our group was the fastest of three on Aug 23-24. The fastest time was a 5 Auto with a similar 1:52something. I was only able to to turn 1:54s in the 4. Just couldn’t hang on longer stretches. I did however win the autocross at least.
M2Cto4BW
Seasoned Member
IDK TBH. Poor? Lol.
My 1 big complaint is they didn't do a good job of grouping by experience. When they divided us (24 folks) into 3 groups of 8, I assume they did it that way, but nah.
Now I'm no fast driver, I'm like advanced novice, with ~15 track days/HPDEs spread over the past 15yrs, but I ended up poodling along behind noobs a fair bit & when I did get my stint behind the instructor 1 guy had an off trying to keep up and in a separate session 1 guy complained about 'shuddering'
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M2Cto4BW
Seasoned Member
Yup that is what we ran. Hopefully that is what they'll have for us when I do the V Academy proper.
Shame it's a ways away, as I'd love to be able to do HPDEs on it.
travysh
Seasoned Member
IDK TBH. Poor? Lol.
My 1 big complaint is they didn't do a good job of grouping by experience. When they divided us (24 folks) into 3 groups of 8, I assume they did it that way, but nah.
Now I'm no fast driver, I'm like advanced novice, with ~15 days spread over the past 15yrs, but I ended up poodling along behind noobs a fair bit & when I did get my stint behind the instructor 1 guy had an off trying to keep up and in a separate session 1 guy complained about 'shuddering'
When I did the full 2 day, they did a great job grouping us on that.
They didn't even bother for this larger group. Also the 2 day gave 3 laps behind the lead per person, vs the 2 laps per person we got.
The 1 day / larger group simply wasn't as good of an experience of the full 2 day. Which I was a bit worried about.
I'm probably just a bit bitter, but my biggest complaint was the way they did autocross. My 4th place finish in my group would have been 2nd in both of the others. So like 6th overall but I didn't get to run in the top 9.
When you do it, you'll also see that the coaching they provide is out freaking standing. You got a taste of it, but the full 2 day blew me away with the level of coaching and has also totally changed my opinion on the value of such coaching/driving classes.
M2Cto4BW
Seasoned Member
Oh sure. I knew the difference and was expecting the equivalent of a 1 day M School and it was spot on in that regard. As I said above it was fun! And I'm sure glad I went as it definitely served to hold me over till the Spring
Tall Steve
Head Goat Herder
Oh wow, I bet that was fun! Never run that part....
Thanks. The instructor was driving a 5BW as well for us and when I was behind him I never felt held up. The demo lap was a 1:49.38 but I am a lot of ballast in the car.
That was my 5th or 6th time there so Rick and everyone knows me by now. I didn't get a lot of hot laps but when I did it was a blast and it was actually kind of nice to take it down a few notches in between when I was behind the other drivers.
FLYARMY
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Is there a Walmart near the track ? Or should we pick up some supplies before we leave Vegas? My dates are Dec 5th/ 6th. Arriving 4th.
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