In general, is enough performance enough?
Race Director
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From: Central Illinois
2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray on Lightning Lap at VIR
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Racer
Joined: Jul 2025
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From: Evansville(ish) Indiana
Here's an ERay track article.
https://www.caranddriver.com/feature...ning-lap-2024/
https://www.caranddriver.com/feature...ning-lap-2024/
I was surprised to read that they were doing the laps with the transmission in auto instead of paddle shifting.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Indian Harbour Beach
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2025
Posts: 412
Likes: 243
From: Evansville(ish) Indiana
That is not the impression I got at the Ron Fellows school, although manual shifting when you are attempting to go fast may be more of a safety thing as far as I know.
Edit: Upon re-reading it wasn't about speed neccesarily. Swine memory.
"Hello!
It is something we teach and encourage in all our driving programs. The reason for paddle shifting is to engage the corner entry process, to emulate driving a manual. However, if someone in the program has a hard time with it, we can go auto mode too.
One of our goals in teaching on the track, is not just about speed, but learning to use your eyes, Gather the info and process it quickly, to get your points on every corner, consistently. You won't be racing on the freeways/highways, like on our track, but the skill set you get introduced to, and practice here, you can use to better plan and execute on a regular road. Getting onto/off a ramp, roundabouts, passing people, looking ahead and spotting trouble, is always one of our big hopes you take away! as well, learning avoidance, ABS and how it helps you in those situations. Trust us though, it is way more fun than driver's ed!
The other exercises, and classroom sessions, teach you the car, systems, and review track sessions too.
hope you enjoy!
Vic."
Edit: Upon re-reading it wasn't about speed neccesarily. Swine memory.
"Hello!
It is something we teach and encourage in all our driving programs. The reason for paddle shifting is to engage the corner entry process, to emulate driving a manual. However, if someone in the program has a hard time with it, we can go auto mode too.
One of our goals in teaching on the track, is not just about speed, but learning to use your eyes, Gather the info and process it quickly, to get your points on every corner, consistently. You won't be racing on the freeways/highways, like on our track, but the skill set you get introduced to, and practice here, you can use to better plan and execute on a regular road. Getting onto/off a ramp, roundabouts, passing people, looking ahead and spotting trouble, is always one of our big hopes you take away! as well, learning avoidance, ABS and how it helps you in those situations. Trust us though, it is way more fun than driver's ed!
The other exercises, and classroom sessions, teach you the car, systems, and review track sessions too.
hope you enjoy!
Vic."
Last edited by NewOldFart; Mar 28, 2026 at 06:59 AM.
