Anyone driven Road America?

spearfish25

We have a track day scheduled for Road America this October. Looks to be a fantastic, fast track but clearly more treacherous than some of the other local options (Autobahn, Gingerman). Has anyone driven Road America? I'm curious as to your thoughts on track difficulty and risk to one's car with mistakes. Granted, driving 7/10ths should keep you out of trouble, but you never know.

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m4a1mustang

iracing.com.

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spearfish25

Interesting site. I have a mac so it's a no go. I'll have to give it a go on Forza 3 though just for kicks.

It still begs the original question from anyone who has actually driven the track. Watching YouTube videos...those walls aren't very far away!

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m4a1mustang

Too bad.

Anyways, its high speed and pretty straight forward. Wrecks are usually big there.

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speedworks

I have never raced on RA, but have driven it. It can be a dangerous track because of the speeds you can get. Honestly, if you are a novice, I would run Gingerman. When I lived in Detroit, I used to race at Gingerman, and loved it. It was challenging enough to have fun, but when you screwed up, there was nothing to hit. The wide open run offs allow all kinds of fun, with no damage.

spearfish25

I've done a number of track days now. At this point, in the relative scope of tracking cars, I'm probably a novice. However, I join the Intermediate groups as I know the basics of the track days and have a good feel for my car. My last track day was great for this as it was raining in the AM and dried out completely by the last session. You can't ask for better conditions to see how a car responds to a multitude of wet-->dry condition. With the Z, the traction difference is huge.

I'm confident I can do the RA track day without an incident if I'm conscious of driving at 7/10th and don't get the competitive 'bug'. It's just a great opportunity to drive a fantastic, famous track. Gingerman sounds like a great place to advance your skills to new levels (push the envelope a bit) and perhaps RA is just an experience that should be approached with caution and conservatism (at my level).

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GT Motoring

The track is a little less unforgiving than the other two local tracks you mentioned. As Gingerman is nearly impossible to wreck a car unless there is a mechanical failure. Autobahn is about the same unless you are really driving out of control.

Driving 7/10ths you should be fine but remember the straights at Road America are VERY long and the course is very high speed. Don't try and be amazing your first time there and drive within your limits and you should be fine. Get faster throughout the day, don't start fast and end up slow because you wrecked your car

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kannibul

"Practice" with forza 3 and all the assists off and from the interior view.

That may give you more of an idea at least of where you need to watch yourself, but I wouldn't depend on it for braking and so on.


I also would strongly advise getting some track pads put on the car!

speedworks

Also, if you do go, do more inspections and work on your brakes. I know of various drivers who have been killed at RA because of brake failure, and these are race cars with racing brakes. Overinspect every brake line, part, etc. Also, conduct a brake check before the braking zone, to know you have them, before its too late. I know sound obvious or crazy, but better to be prepared and safer, then sorry. It is a very fast track.

Ricochet48

I've driven the Autobahn several times and have watched many races at Gingerman. The only time I've driven Road America is in NFS Shift haha (but I do have a G25 wheel with clutch etc). I'm going to race it this summer and would also like to hear what others have to say about it.

Oh and I have an RSX-S. I did spin off once at the Autobahn on the 2nd off camber turn (my new 25mm rear sway threw me off and I got huge oversteer ironically in my FWD).

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spearfish25

Yep, I was just thinking today that I need to upgrade the pads for RA. I don't need to pull a Car and Driver Nismo crash at the end of one of those long straights.

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1slow370

i was on RA "racing" at 35mph in an electric car back in high school so the only relevant thing i can contribute is that that hill is fookin steep.

Island_370

I have been to RA many times....same with ABCC and GMan. Here is my opinion......

ABCC North----very safe. Fairly slow, the most dangerous corner there is the turn 1---if you take the race line, not the school line. Good beginner course.

ABCC South. A bit more technical than North. The back straight is best for eating brakes. Nothing really to technical there either.


GMan---as mentioned...great newbie track. Very safe, decent technical.

RA....aaaahhhhh...My beloved RA. RA has a special place for me as it was my first ever track. I have since been back many times and instructed there. The right seat really helps find the pucker spots....

No down to business....

From turn 14 to 1.....WOW huge elevation that eats HP. Great place to check the status of the car....water temp, oil temp, fuel, etc.

Turn 1 is more open and faster than you think. Gradually and safely build speed. Fairly safe corner. Decent run-off.

Turn 2 is really a slight bend, aim for the bottom point of the Briggs diamond.

Turn 3 is down hill, but fairly wide. very good run off, nice exit. nothing special.

Turn 4 is another bend in the straight. Aim for under the rear tractor wheels on the Sargento tractor trailer. Once you crest the hill, you will see a BIG tree in the distance (actually the tree at turn 14). Try to use this for a good reference point to line up the entrance to turn 5.

Turn 5....the brake killer #1. For me, this was 2nd fastest part of the track. Steep down hill and hard braking. The corner is more than 90 degrees, so you really need to burn speed, but keep as much speed as possible for the uphill to 6. Think of Patience on ABCC South (feeding the long back straight)

Turn 6. A bit tricky. If you are slower with good brakes, you can break after the crest. If not, tap the brakes before the crest, go nuetral over the crest and then brake hard for the left hander just after the crest. At track out, keep the wheel on a left hand turn to feed over to the turn in for 7

Turn 7. A bit less than 90 but if you drop a tire, welcome to the beach. Nice track out down the hill ("the hurry downs"). Depending on tires, temp, track and skill----you just need a tap of the brakes or a lift to settle for turn-in.

Turn 8. Brake killer #2 (rank of #3). Steep down hill with a tight left turn. This feeds the Carousal so exit speed is not 100% critcal. More can be lost than gained. Last time I was there, the track out dragons teeth were HARSH!!!

Turn 9. The Carousal. About 270 degrees of patience. I straddle the pavement seam while watch forward at the armco on the inside (~50 feet inside) of the corner. Once you can see the end of the armco, start to feed more steering to get to the apex. Very slowly creep into the apex. maintenance throttle for most of the corner with gentle application as you near the apex. Track out and get ready for 10.

Turn 10. The Kink. Considered by to be one of the most technical/dangerous corners in North America. Respect this corner and check you ego. Tell anyone that says real men take it flat, to grow up. It is the most dangerous corner at RA. no run off. The walls pinch in at just past the apex. Trees shade the whole area, so the track heats slowly and dries even slower. Drive with confidence and never lift in the kink. Build speed slowly and if the car feels weird, go slow. This corner has a very small window to hit the turn-in correctly.

Turn 11 and the Kettle Bottoms. Really just a big flat "v", but the track wanders more than your line should. A big smooth arc with a pinch in the middle (hence the "v") will set you up for Canada.

Turn 12...Canada Corner Brake killer #3--same as turn five). A lot folks go to the beach here. Hard HARD braking for a bit more than 90 right. Hold the turn at track out to come over the curbing on the right to set up for 13.

Turn 13....much harder now that Billy Mitchell bridge is gone. At the end of the curbing, smoothly throw the car into the apex that you can just see. The apex is right before the crest of a hill, so the car will go light and float over about half to a full car width. So you need to be in tight on the apex. A cross over road is at track out, so you can cheat and get a bit more track. Bring the car over the left for turn 14. You will now see the big tree mentioned in turn 5. Good reference point for getting lined up for 14.

Turn 14. Almost done with 4.1 miles of AWESOME. Turn 14 is like turn 6 at ABCC North. The track bends before the turn in, so you need follow the egde of track as it bends to the right, but you DO NOT start your turn it yet, or you will be early and lose exit speed at this critical feeder to the front straight. So follow the bend of the road, pause and then turn in and get the apex. Put it to the floor and start checking out the car, gauges, other cars, the trees, etc.


I really like RA, but it is HP track and is a good to teach on since you can talk between corners. The speeds at RA mean mistakes are a bit harder to correct and carry you off the track. The kitty litter at most corners will keep you off the walls, but will ruin the front bumper. The kink can destroy your car. The BMW club has a speed limit for the kink to keep egos in check. Focus on the road and not the walls, you will be fine.

I do prefer other regional track for their technical and feel. Grattan is awesome. BHF is fun also. RA brings out the big boys, so it is fun to share the track with Carrera GTs, Audi R8s, Ferraris, etc. Plus you can watch pro races where you drove. For big tracks, I prefer to drive Mid-O and Sears Point. But RA will always be "home".

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spearfish25

+ Rep. Thanks for that...exactly what I was looking for. Man oh man, my blood is pumping for that track day in October now!

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JB1

Thanks Island_370!

I'll be at RA in October as well, plenty of time to memorize your "turn-by-turn"

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