There?s a new racetrack about 65 miles south of our nation?s capital, in Thornburg, Virginia. And while Dominion Raceway isn?t fully finished out yet, it aims to offer a just-out-of-town alternative to Summit Point Motorsports Park in nearby West Virginia. Dominion has an oval track, and an 1/8-mile drag strip is in the works, but we went to try out the 2.0-mile road course, which is short and fast. We drove from the center of D.C. in a Volkswagen Jetta GLI. Joining us there was a Volkswagen Golf R, both cars courtesy of now Virginia-based Volkswagen. The Golf R, predictably, was better on the track than the Jetta.
The Jetta GLI was still fun, though?putting it on a circuit further illuminates the sporting character that sets it apart from workaday Jettas. But while the steering, body control, and suspension are wiling partners, the brakes were ready to call it a day after only half a day of hot laps. Fair enough; we were on factory pads and fluid, after all. The Golf R is a different animal altogether, with a nice, firm brake pedal that stayed that way despite repeated lapping. The Golf also is vastly more eager to turn in than the Jetta, especially when you use trail braking to rotate the rear end ever so slightly. Then there?s the power. The Jetta is willing to play along, but the R is made for tight tracks with multiple short chutes like this, where you can take advantage of its ready torque availability.
In any case, you won?t be rewarded for getting it wr...