Its like VIR with big fangs and sharp claws.

Respect it at all times. Road Atlanta can hurt you faster than any track on the east coast. Its big, fast, technical, and very unforgiving. Its also a fantastic track, one of the best.

But turn in too early for turn 1 or lift off the throttle at the apex of 12 and ten minutes later you're very likely sitting in medical contemplating the parts car you just created. And thats a good outcome. A bad one is that ten minutes later you still aren't contemplating anything.

I didn't post this to scare you guys. I posted it because its the truth.
Stay focused and keep your head screwed on tight and you'll be fine. But like a caged animal, if you start giggling and poking it with sticks Road Atlanta will bite you... Hard.

Scott, who has watched 3 friends ball up cars in turn 1 and has always been spooked there.

 

the truth will set you freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.....


thank you scott for the heads up!!!

 

Very true. Walls everywhere. This track is what made be get a roll cage before I set foot on another road course.
It's also one of the best courses I've ever driven.
See everyone there!

 

I can only imagine how the degree of difficulty increases logarithmically at RA, going through the ranks of HPDE 1,2, & 3, and then to wheel-to-wheel competition. Negotiating RA while in the midst of a race pack must really test one's mettle. I've not ever driven RA, let alone gone for a lap as a passenger. From watching in car footage, and talking to many who have run there, I already feel intimidated. Good luck to all who are running there this weekend.

 

thanks for the heads up!

i think chad and i are gonna try to walk/bike it tonite to get a feel for it.

definintly a course i'm going to work up to speed on!

 

Yup, RA can serve up a nice big helping of wall sandwich with side of gravel trap if you are not careful. I know, I have tasted it before.

 

If you guys need any help, I'll be happy to show you what I can. I love the place. Turn 1 is fun, the down hill esses are better than any roller coaster, and the g pull thru 12 is the best. I get all excited just thinking about it. SEE ya there.

 

Renee has equipped herself with a portable DVD player and a copy of Blake's in-car footage from last year's ARRC. She'll be charging $1 a minute to watch it this evening .

Seriously, its highly recommended footage. Watching a great driver (did I say that?) pilot an ITC car around Road Atlanta is a fantastic learning tool.

 

I agree but disagree.
Its a great track! Fast corners, slow but still fast corners. Breathtaking turns.

All I can say is there IS GRIP in turn 12! I didnt believe it till my brakes went out! Its there! so use it! And turn 1 is one of those things... You can push in harder than you would think and still be ok.. Actually it just helps you get up the hill!


ENjoy it and stay safe!Watch for cars sideways in 1 and sideways half way out of 12!

For my first time out there I didnt make many mistakes. (turn 3......) but I also didnt get fantastic times.. So go on that!

 

I'll agree with Scott on this one. I've been there several times over the last few years and seem to always see a few cars get balled up. So far, I've been lucky and haven't had any incidents. If it rains, the esses are particularly hairy. I did a school there several years ago in the old 300ZX school cars and nearly lost it at the bottom of the esses after a pretty heavy rain...scary stuff.

PS - I still think Road America is the scariest. Maybe I've just turned into a puss over the years, but when I did RA last year it freaked me out. High speeds and lots of walls...a bit intimidating...especially when you're in your street car.

 

Road Atlanta can hurt you faster than any track on the east coast


all you need to do @ RA is stay away from the T12 track out wall, drivers left..


Watkins Glen is where you'll end up on a rollback faster than you can say "BoBerry Bisciut"

 

I love Road Atlanta. It flows nicely and is pretty fast. Because of the concrete walls in close proximity to the track surface there are a few places of note that you just have to be SMOOTH and committed.
\
The one that seems to make most people pucker is turn 11 and 12. Coming out of T11 you drop what, 110 feet in about 100 yards. Steep downhill that TV just can't do justice. When I crest the hill at T11 my goal is to stay in the throttle all the way down the hill and keep the same steering input without moving the wheel all the way down the hill. In other words don't upset the car. Because the downhill is steep if you check up/wuss out significantly and back out of the throttle you WILL spin. The grade of the hill will cause a big longitudinal weight shift (weight shifting forward) and the rear will come around. In the worst case scenario that means you loop it off to the right and hit the wall backwards on the driver's side. I have a ugly picture of a Lamborghini Diablo totaled out at T11 that did just that. Ouch. I have crested over T11 several times to see a BMW M3 and a Boxster in front of me spinning pretty crazy. So learn the limits slow on the turn sequence.

At turn 12 (which is a huge blast at triple digits depending on the car/driver) I breath slightly for a second at the very BOTTOM of the hill to get the front end set and turn in again staying with one steering input and on the gas. If you get "scared" in T12 and pinch up with the steering wheel close to the limit well that makes you a good candidate for hitting the right wall on the front straight. Be smooth, be confident, and don't drive over your head. Believe it or not T11 and T12 are about my favorite turn sequence there.

Turn 2 can get you a little squirrely because you are arcing slightly left while coming off throttle and started to brake right when you crest the hill up from turn one. That can make your tail end step out on you. Just don't go in too hot.

The one turn that may surprise many new to the track is how many people bang up there cars coming out of turn 7, the slowest corner on the track (90 degree right hander) which precedes the long back straight. People get so hell bent on getting an early throttle and good exit speed out of there that every blue moon somebody loses it on track out and heads driver's right into the concrete. Last DE there somebody managed to roll a ZO6 out of turn 7. Go figure.

It is an awesome track and a lot of fun if you drive smart and within your limits. I was suppose to be there this weekend but am looking for a tranny to put in my car. Wish I could join everyone.

Barry H.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Watkins Glen is where you'll end up on a rollback faster than you can say "BoBerry Bisciut"
</TD></TR></TABLE>

That's what I'm talking about...

Good luck to everyone at RA. I'll be sweating my *** off at the other end of Georgia (Roebling).

Drink water. Lots and lots of water...

 

I've never driven any tracks, but of the three major ones I've spectated at (Mid-Ohio, Road America, and Road Atlanta), Road Atlanta definitely looks like the scariest!!

 

Thanks for the heads up!
Its rare that people are so passionate about a track. I can't wait to run there in August. Sounds like a great track. Have fun guys.

Mr. Show,

 

If you booger up Turn 12 you can run through the grass on the outside of the corner to gather the car up. Seen it done a few times. I've also done this in the esses when I turned in too early for Turn 4. Straight through the grass and came back on the track to brake for Turn 5 and continue on. Don't lift.

Neither of these is recommended, but remember there are a couple of "outs" if things get real bad and going through the grass beats hitting the wall.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Road Atlanta can hurt you faster than any track on the east coast
all you need to do @ RA is stay away from the T12 track out wall, drivers left..
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Actually a lot of cars hit the inside wall coming out of T12 (driver's right) for exactly the same reason a lot of people hit the only wall (inside T9) at Roebling. Best thing to do is what Bob suggested.

After every weekend there always are at least some cars hurt in T1, Esses, T6/T7 and T12. Don't let it be you by building up speed gradually in those places. Also no matter how pumped up you get, don't forget that you are still on cold tires and brakes for the first couple of laps out there.

Even though T6 is quite fast and a little banked the last thing you want to do is overshoot the turn and put 2+ wheels off on the outside because then only a head on concrete wall will be there to stop you shortly after.

Coming out of 10b and going under the bridge before T12, watch for a white dotted line on the track. Stay with your right wheels on it while going under the bridge. This will ensure that you won't miss the track once you crest the hill and see what's down there. There have been some very experienced drivers on their first weekend at Road Atlanta going off just after cresting the hill before going into T12 simply because they did not realize that the track was turning slightly right underneath them until it was too late.

I will be waiting patiently for lots of stories after this weekend. Have FUN!!!

 

Thanks for the heads up. We are hoping to bring our two cars there in August as part of the Mid Ohio trip If time and funds allow? Really looking forward to it.
Kiwi

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The one turn that may surprise many new to the track is how many people bang up there cars coming out of turn 7, the slowest corner on the track (90 degree right hander) which precedes the long back straight. People get so hell bent on getting an early throttle and good exit speed out of there that every blue moon somebody loses it on track out and heads driver's right into the concrete. Last DE there somebody managed to roll a ZO6 out of turn 7. Go figure. </TD></TR></TABLE>

LOTS of people stuff it coming out of T7. It is a combination of things in my opinion, with the decreasing radius corner it is always deceptively tight, the patches of concrete can make for a fun time getting traction when you're in a high powered car and the biggest one is that the wall is so close that if you miscalculate, you're just kind of along for the ride.

Most people that I've seen stuff it into the wall out of T7 had just picked up their speed going through T6 and T7 just kind of surprised them. Once you enter that tight of a corner going 2-3mph faster than your car can hold, you're screwed. You'll track out too far, hit the grass and slide on it right into the wall where it sharply comes back towards the track(poor place for it to do that IMO, there should be a bit more grass over there).

Lots of people also lose it by curb hopping in T3. If you aren't straight when you go airborne, the backend has a good chance of "snapping". This corner loves to munch up P-car drivers with that nice heavy rear end getting a quick snap and then off they go towards the outside wall on their first correction.

 

wish i was going maybe next time

anyways, heres a link to an old vid of a PRO IT race on the short track.
yeah, T11 & 12 are something that TV does no justice.

http://www.improvedtouring.com...e.mov