Me and my buddy Luke were at Summit this past weekend for a WERA motorcycle race. We were talking to the guy at OG about the new circuit, and he was telling us how they are paving it this week. We decided to walk over during lunch and see what everything looked like. We didnt wander around too much, pretty much just looked around the "nurburgring" turn area. Luke took some photos, we tried to represent just how severe this turn is for people who have not had a chance to see it in person.

Here's a shot from the infield looking directly at the center of the turn:


From the top of the turn, looking down towards the flat:






Note the ruler, good representation of the angle from flat to bank:


Same thing, with the top:


Me laying on the bank, I'm about 6'1:


Again, I'm 6'1, the top of the turn is about 4' off the ground:


The transition from flat to bank in the turn is abrupt, but so is the transition from flat to bank leading into the turn:






I don't want this thread to turn into a betting contest as to when the track will be complete. There's 3 or 4 other threads like that already. I can say that the paddock is paved, and they are putting up walls around turns. The dirt was about as dry as a desert, I don't know what effect that has on paving.

Edit: does anyone have a track map? It looks like there is going to be a configuration that bypasses only this turn, that's what the motorcycles are supposed to run on, I'm sure all car races also. Was this turn built for karts or something?

 

schools. that turn is only legal for non-competition driving. I guess the planners feel that school traffic is much quieter than race traffic...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Adrift &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">schools. that turn is only legal for non-competition driving. I guess the planners feel that school traffic is much quieter than race traffic...</TD></TR></TABLE>

Is it not legal because it is so close to the road?

 

i don;t think the planners told them what track the could use in race conditions, only that the race length could not exceed 1.9 miles. i think this turn was probably axed for numerous reason, one being the fact that it's design allows it to be chopped off fairly easy

 

So is there a trophy or plaque for the first person that leaves their oil pan on the top of that banking?

Scott, who remembers somebody around here saying that turn wasn't going to look like that when things were all finished.

 

I would hazard a guess that that turn won't be used in races because of the risk to oil pans, etc. Like the original, it just ain't a passing turn. In a school, it could be designated a no passing turn and it wouldn't be an issue unless you really had a date with Darwin. In a race, particularly on a &gt;10 mi. course, I'm sure somebody would try to pass there.

Personally, I'm looking forward to the novelty of it. Without anyone having even driven the turn, it is already among the most famous on the Right Coast.

 

looks kinda like one of the turns on a certain course in Germany

 

Except that the turn you speak of on the Nordschliefe has a lot more asphalt at the top of the turn and is at 10 degrees.

 

looks like the racing equivilant of mini-golf to me.

or possibly a launching pad for arial manuevers.

 

yes... hence my use of the work 'kinda'

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tnord &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">looks like the racing equivilant of mini-golf to me.

or possibly a launching pad for arial manuevers. </TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It looks like there is going to be a configuration that bypasses only this turn</TD></TR></TABLE>

This will be a HPDE turn only.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Solracer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
This will be a HPDE turn only.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ok, I'll be the first to admit to being more than a little intimidated by that turn... especially from the passenger seat.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tnord &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
or possibly a launching pad for arial manuevers. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Here's my *artist's rendition* for the completed project:

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by travis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Here's my *artist's rendition* for the completed project:
</TD></TR></TABLE>
lol!!! Now the corner makes sense!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JeffS &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Ok, I'll be the first to admit to being more than a little intimidated by that turn... especially from the passenger seat.</TD></TR></TABLE>

yea, I would be scared crapless of that turn in a car.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Catch 22 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Scott, who remembers somebody around here saying that turn wasn't going to look like that when things were all finished.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Scott, you are correct. The original plan was abandoned:

 

Yea, I guess the Target sponsorship deal fell through.

It's going to be a little hard there... I'd move it to the left.

 

hahaha you guys crack me up

 

Looks fun.

 

It HPDE only because the first time you try to do a wheel to wheel race you are going to have everybody slamming into each other for position since that banking is only one car wide. My guess is that the car on the banking will be going about 20 mph faster than a car on the bottom or top, which would effectively end the race on the first lap. I, for one, am THRILLED that we don't have to race on that turn. I'll enjoy it during the DEs though!


Matt

 

Even in just DEs that turn is going to tear up cars.

My office poll pick is event #3. It likely won't happen in the first 2 because people will be intimidated. But after folks start getting comfy and pressing things there will be some shitty things happening there.

"Yeah, have fun with that." - Karl Shultz

 

I'm not sure a WRX could make it over that hump if say, something happened at the bottom of the track and they needed to press the "abort" button on the one line through there. I mention a WRX since it probably has as much/if not more ground clearance than any other track car...

 

In all seriousness it doesn't appear that folks will be able to get up enough speed to do any real "launching" there. But there are definately going to be some mangled oil pans and header collectors left on that ridge.

They should go ahead make a sand trap inside the turn and just fill it with oil dry.