V8 Juice

VIR was awesome and Road America has the potential to be just as great, albeit the oil companies expect a windfall from our journeys from distant points. The NCM events are a success for many reasons and top among them are people such as Tom, Roc, Mike and all the participants that have become a family of gypsys traveling from track to track just to see Tom demonstrate point-bys; ironic since he never has to give one.

Sign in and speak up if you will be part of the NCM Corvette family making the haul to the lake in Wisconsin for August 11th meet and greet. Any of you that have run this track, how about some insight for those of us never having ventured into Green Bay land. Room reservations have been tight but some have extra rooms, so maybe we can accommodate those in need.

Aardwolf

I live only twenty mins from Road America and attend as many events per year as I can afford. I have hours of video if that helps, here is one:


Click here to watch MFBA1-4-13-08-Road-America

The cone chicane from track work will be gone now. If it rains beware right after the kink, a water stream develops there.

TmillerC5

I am sure others will chime in but I LOVE Road America. I go twice a year from St. Louis. It is just such a cool track with lots of history to it. You can carry great speed on the front and back straights. It might not be the most technical track but it sure is fun. Are you going to go to the ALMS race on the weekend?
My avatar is turn 14 going into the front straight, black flag was not for me lol
See you there
Tim

Short-Throw

Art,

Here we go again!

Now that you've announced your participation I'm sure it will be SRO!



No matter how bad you want to, no matter how fast you're going, don't, I repeat, don't, lift in the kink!



Mike

davidfarmer

I'm coming to instruct, hopefully will have something to drive. It's not my favorite track, but like you say, it has lots of history, and it's BIG!

I've got race video also that I need to upload....look for it soon!

V8 Juice

Sorta like the kink at CMP. I follow your advice and don't slow down for anything kinky!

JDIllon

Can't wait, I love RA, great history. I was there when Duntov unfailed the Shark. And Roger P. was running the Grand Sport. I will be there instructing and driving what ever I can borrow. I'm sure the it will be another Super NCM event. I'm flying in, just can't handle the 1700 oneway drive. JD

C5 XTC

I'll be in the paddock with Art, JD and Gary just like we were at VIR. It will be a long haul from central Virginia, but cannot pass up the oopportunity to run Rd America. As others have said, it has great history.
Looking forward to seeing the NCM gang and of course the imposing Mike Newlander.......wonder if he'll have a car to drive???
Anyone with an extra gasoline credit card they would like to donate to an old retired corvette guy, let me know (the old retired corvette guy is me of course).
We will also be out for the weekend ALMS races; that should be fun. See y'all there in a month or so.
C5 XTC

varkwso

I hope to be there - for those who think I do not work - it can be real problem with track time if you let it. Jake will be there for sure - thanks to V8 Juice .

RA is a great HP track - which means there will be some serious braking also. Road America, Sebring and Watkins Glen are almost a post WWII trinity for all the track junkies.

Been many years since I drove the track "angry" (I just love using those RAFT terms).

So who is doing the airport shuttle on Sunday Night?

gonzalezfj

New DTC-70s installed = Check!
Complete set of extra rotors = Check!
Complete set of extra pads = Check!

Yep, Old Yeller 97 and I are ready for Road America. See you guys there.

Frank Gonzalez

dvandentop

so you would suggest atleast 1 set of rotors and pads for the RA experience, that is what i had planned on atleast. anything else?

Short-Throw

I would suggest that for any track event lasting two days. Wrap your tie-rods with fire sleeve and run DOT 4 or 5 (Castro SRF) brake fluid.

Road America does have some heavy braking areas but it also has plenty of room to cool the brakes. Going downhill into turn 5 will require the hardest braking.


Mike

dvandentop

are hawk hp + pads ok or should i get another set of carbotech 12/10's or order a set of dtc70/60 combo?

Short-Throw

What run group are you registering in?

AU N EGL

rasrboy

I'll be there instructing! I am there 2 days before the event for the ALMS event so why not just stay right.

Going to put the T1 car in top of the Kumho semi and display it during the ALMS event too.

See you all there,

Aaron Quine

bowtiguy

Well I got my registration in Blue group...maybe bumped up to black but its been 8 or so years since I last raced Road america. I'll be driving the car ( 454 LS7 JSB C6Z) out from North of Denver, bolting the race tires/pads on and having some safe fun. Got a few questions...

Is the ALMS race on starurday?

What hotels are in the area and what extra rooms do people have currently?? I'd be looking for a saturday/sunday/monday stay for 2 people My father ( who is also registered with his 99' Blue FRC)

-=MIke

AU N EGL

Lodging

MikeFleischer

OK I just bought a C6 this week but I ran at RA for the first time at the end of April in my 01 M3 (BMW event). I have had plenty of experience at other tracks and raced Spec Miata for a while in the past, and drove my 01 Z06 like I just stole it at many tracks also: so my take on Road America.

RA is a HP track. Looong straights From 3 to 5 and the kink to 12 14 to 1, many places where a mistake will mean bent metal (sorry shattered plastic).

The track (from memory).

Turn 1: Decent runoff area (gravel trap with tires and wall at the end), Right hand sweeper turn very fast.

2: Not really a turn so much as a bend, no lifting needed here (in the M3 at least)

3: Right hander (~110 degree?), some moderate braking leads to first straight less runoff than 1, but enough grass on both sides

4: A kink in the straight, I placed it 2/3rds to the right going under the bridge and pointed straight you end up to the left a bit as you approach 5 but will still be on the outside for it

5: Downhill left hander (~90 degree) very heavy braking, no where to go except tire walls if you miss this, exit of 5 has some wicked rumble strips on the outside.

6: uphill left hander, maybe a light touch of the brakes to set the car, a bit blind on exit from the bridge, again not much room for run off.

7: Right hand sweeper, pretty turn to a short straight, good place to setup a pass, in my M3 I could get away with a mild lift on track tires i would take it flat out, not sure in a Vette probably lift a bit more on stickies.

8: Left hander, downhill braking zone here, moderate to heavy braking depending on entry speed.

9: Carousel, this one is a lot of fun, steady throttle increase all the way through, I think you will have oiling problems if you don't have a dry sump or special oil pump setup (my 01 Z06 would have bought the farm on this turn after a day or two running)

10: I think this is the kink, its a very fast turn (maybe 100 to 110) and if you mess up you will ping pong off the walls down the straight (check the wall scuffs down the back straight)... They have a little section to slow you down that can be coned in or out for the kink also. The BMWCCA folks set a radar limit at 85 for all run groups at that turn.

11. A little bit of a left hander before 12, probably take that flat out

12. Right hander, seems like a decreasing radius, I was taking it a bit early and was able to manage it but again not much room for mistakes here, gravel at the exit followed by a wall.

13. Left hander, uphill entry, lots of space on exit since there is a bit of driveway there, flat out in the M3 from exit of 12 probably want some braking in a Vette

14. Right hander, entry to the main straight which starts with an uphill section. Most critical turn on the track for a race.

To give an idea, I ran my 01 M3 (stock) and was running past 120 mph at Start Finish, I had a C6 Z06 (sticky tires) go by at about 150) my best entry speed into 1 was probably about 140 to 145, the Z06 was likely way higher than that...

The entry to 5 is downhill at the end of a long straight so probably a Z06 could be over 150 on entry there. Entry to 8 is also downhill. Several spots to gain a lot of ground on entry to turns, straights will be a HP fight and of course good setup for the exits to 3, the kink, and 14 are pretty critical. I only ran there for one weekend so I did not get a good feel for the track or into a comfort zone to start pushing it too hard. 5 cars in the DE that weekend went home on trailers (1 C5 Z06, 2 E46 M3's, 1 BMW CCA racecar, 1 Panoz Race car). Its a tough track, for a Vette, it will be hard on brakes, suspension joint heating, trans heating, diff heat...

The entire track is very scenic, the drive up is awesome also, and the food trackside is the best I have had at a racetrack (which may not be saying much ). Would I go again? Yep, but only to play at 8 or 9 10ths, it reminds me a lot of Texas Motor Speedway mainly for the speeds and braking zone stresses, and the unforgiving nature of the track if you make a mistake or exceed your own skill level.

BR,

davidfarmer

Not my favorite, or most successfull track (usually nearing engine freshening time mid season), but some fun laps nonetheless.

http://www.davidfarmerstuff.com/vide...-rdamerica.wmv running with Jeff Altenburgh in a BMW, then Derek Bell in an Audi

http://www.davidfarmerstuff.com/vide...-rdamerica.wmv running amongst the then-brand-new Viper Comp Coupes...bit crash near the end

Let me know if you have problems, they are pretty large files and my ftp server was choking on them.....

and about the king, the trick is to lift BEFORE the kink, not DURING the kink.....