Thứ Ba, 20 tháng 12, 2016

Favorite US road courses? part 1

jblaine 08-28-2006 04:10 PM

Favorite US road courses?
For those of you who have been around the US a bit, what are your favorite courses?
spazegun2213 08-28-2006 04:31 PM

ok, so i have not been "around" but i have been to a few, and i like all of them a lot. If i have to choose one for the rest of my life i would choose VIR :)
cooleyjb 08-28-2006 05:04 PM

Road America
Patrick Olsen 08-28-2006 05:05 PM

Tracks I've run: VIR (Full and North), Summit Point, Watkins Glen, Lime Rock Park, Spring Mountain (before the expansion), Buttonwillow (#1CW and #14CCW), Thunderhill, Willow Springs, Streets of Willow, Las Vegas Motor Speedway (short infield course only), and Hawaii Raceway Park (now closed).

VIR is definitely my favorite. The Full Course is like driving your favorite back road, but with no oncoming traffic and no cops (The chief instructor at the Audi Club events always says that, and he's exactly right!).

Pat
kfoote 08-28-2006 05:28 PM

If you include Canade, my favorite 5 that I've driven in order are:

1. Mosport
2. VIR
3. Bridgehampton (sniff)
4. Mid-Ohio
5. Mt. Tremblant

The two tracks that I've been to, haven't driven, and I'd REALLY like to drive are Road Atlanta and Sears Point.
hobbzz 08-28-2006 05:35 PM

[QUOTE=cooleyjb;15049440]Road America[/QUOTE]

DING DING DING! Road America FTW
photog72 08-28-2006 05:48 PM

Another vote for VIR. I have been on North and Full. I love the full course. Also been to Watkins Glen, Road Atlanta, Roebling Road, Sebring, Homestead (road course), Moroso Motorsports Park (has a 2.2 mile road course), Summit Point (Summit Point circuit), and Road America.
super-ru 08-28-2006 05:54 PM

Miller Motorsports park!!! It's the only track I've been to though.

[url]http://www.millermotorsportspark.com[/url]
Mach V Dan 08-28-2006 06:04 PM

VIR.

--Dan
Mach V
[url=www.fastwrx.com]FastWRX.com[/url]
Mach V Dan 08-28-2006 06:05 PM

Laguna Seca is a pretty awesome driving course. Lots of history, too.

--Dan
Mach V
[url=www.fastwrx.com]FastWRX.com[/url]
AndrewSS 08-28-2006 06:10 PM

I havnt driven many diff tracks, but I love Mid-Ohio ... I also think that Road Atlanta looks like a LOT of fun to drive.
grippgoat 08-28-2006 06:30 PM

[QUOTE=hobbzz;15049964]DING DING DING! Road America FTW[/QUOTE]

Meh. I'd take both Seattle and Portland over Road America. Unless you've got a champcar I can borrow.

-Mike
PRS82F 08-28-2006 06:34 PM

Bridgehampton. R.I.P.
cooleyjb 08-28-2006 06:37 PM

[QUOTE=grippgoat;15050742]Meh. I'd take both Seattle and Portland over Road America. Unless you've got a champcar I can borrow.

-Mike[/QUOTE]



:huh: Having driven on all three I'll have to say Seattle is nice but in a constant state of disrepair. Portland is nice but no history to it and no elevation which is something I really think is essential to a great road course.

VIR I've only seen but from what I hear over and over again it sounds awesome.

Another one that doens't let full size cars on but is a road course for karts. Moran Raceway. Anything with a 1000 foot front straight with a banked 90 dgree turn at the end of it that the really fast guys are taking flat out has to be high up on the list. It has turns similar to the corkscrew and the busstop as well.
Easy Rider 08-28-2006 06:58 PM

Road America.
WRX03 08-28-2006 07:32 PM

Gratton, coolest track I've been at. :cool:
grippgoat 08-28-2006 07:44 PM

[QUOTE=cooleyjb;15050812]:huh: Having driven on all three I'll have to say Seattle is nice but in a constant state of disrepair. Portland is nice but no history to it and no elevation which is something I really think is essential to a great road course.[/QUOTE]

Road America would be sweet if they cut the length in half. Not enough of the corners are linked, and there's just too much gas / brake burning straights. Too much straight, turn, straight, turn, straight, turn, etc.... The only really cool section is braking at the end of the 3rd straight into the right hander, and up the hill under the bridge.

Portland could definitely stand to have some more elevation change, but I think it makes up for it in technical challenge. From the turn-in to 4 to the track-out of 7 (even onto the back straight) is all linked. Then 10/11/12 is awesome, too. And the straights aren't so long that they just waste gas / brakes.

I could stand to have Seattle's straight be shorter, and it could stand to have a couple more corners. But it's got awesome elevation changes and linked sequences. Totally sweet.

I'd really love to drive Mid Ohio, Road Atlanta, and Laguna Seca someday, too. And Sears Point, and Thunderhill, and Watkins Glen, and Lime Rock, and VIR, and CMP....

-Mike
LGT-FST 08-28-2006 07:53 PM

Raced on
Brayer old loudon NHIS new loudon Bridgehampton Summit Point Lime Rock Shannonville Road Atlanta Daytona Miami street circuit Mid Ohio Hartland Park Road America Laguna Seca Sears Point Charlotte Motor Speedway Pocono. Loved the old Loudon.:D
grippgoat 08-28-2006 07:55 PM

[QUOTE=LGT-FST;15051700]Brayer old loudon NHIS new loudon Bridgehampton Summit Point Lime Rock Shannonville Road Atlanta Daytona Miami street circuit Mid Ohio Hartland Park Road America Laguna Seca Sears Point Charlotte Motor Speedway Pocono. Loved the old Loudon.:D[/QUOTE]

Wow. Did you know there's a comma key next to the period key?

-Mike
LGT-FST 08-28-2006 08:17 PM

Slow
[QUOTE=grippgoat;15051725]Wow. Did you know there's a comma key next to the period key?

-Mike[/QUOTE]

I said I was slow at spelling punchation and typin not racin
rkkwan 08-28-2006 09:56 PM

1. VIR
2. Mid-Ohio
3. Mont-Tremblant
4. Barber
5. Texas World Speedway

Other tracks I've driven - NHIS, Watkins Glen, Summit Point, MSR-Houston, Pahrump, Willow Springs, Streets of Willow, Buttonwillow, Thunderhill. I think of those, Watkins Glen and Thunderhill are also very enjoyable.
DJSuperSoul 08-28-2006 10:09 PM

I like the complaints about Road America not being linked enough. That track will demand more of the driver and car in one lap than PIR in four.

Watkins Glen, Road America, Laguna Seca (narrow but good).
Capt Crunch 08-28-2006 10:35 PM

Summit Point - Shenandoah Circuit

Course it's the only one I've been on, but I like how twisty it is.
abaxter34 08-28-2006 11:59 PM

[QUOTE=DJSuperSoul;15053218]I like the complaints about Road America not being linked enough. That track will demand more of the driver and car in one lap than PIR in four.
[/QUOTE]

are we talking about lapping days or actual road racing? the more linked the corners are in road racing the more intense it is. the racing becomes more than just late braking when the corners are linked and youre constantly alternating between being on the outside and being on the inside when going 2/3 wide. ive never been to road america but pir and pacific raceway are a hell of a lot of fun in spec miata.
trhoppe 08-29-2006 12:05 AM

Road Atlanta for me.

Road America is too "point and shoot". VIR is awesome as well and I'll get to do the 13hr there in a few months :banana:

-Tom
jblaine 08-29-2006 12:20 AM

[QUOTE=rkkwan;15053074]Other tracks I've driven - NHIS, Watkins Glen, Summit Point, MSR-Houston, Pahrump, Willow Springs, Streets of Willow, Buttonwillow, Thunderhill. I think of those, Watkins Glen and Thunderhill are also very enjoyable.[/QUOTE]
Curious, Ray, what left Watkins Glen out of your top few.

Thanks for the replies so far. Keep them coming!
Pete Holt 08-29-2006 01:00 AM

Road America. I grew up there and I will grow old there.
photog72 08-29-2006 02:40 AM

What about the worst track in America? I have driven on 3 tracks that are vying for that title. Homestead (yes, there's a road course), Moroso (not just a drag strip), and Sebring. Why Sebring? Flat, as are all the tracks listed, and Sebring is the bumpiest track I've been on!
Paisan 08-29-2006 04:11 AM

Tough call for me between VIR and Watkins. I'd have to choose Watkins.

In order of all the courses I've been on:

1) Watkins
2) VIR
3) Summit Point
4) Limerock
5) Jefferson Circuit
6) Pocono

-Mike
STiShawn 08-29-2006 08:24 AM

Watkins Glen is my favorite for sure, only the long course though with the boot. Although the original street circuit is fun as well.

Also driven:
Gratten
Gingermann
Gateway
jblaine 08-29-2006 09:29 AM

[QUOTE=photog72;15055733]What about the worst track in America? I have driven on 3 tracks that are vying for that title. Homestead (yes, there's a road course), Moroso (not just a drag strip), and Sebring. Why Sebring? Flat, as are all the tracks listed, and Sebring is the bumpiest track I've been on![/QUOTE]
I agree with Moroso and Homestead. Sebring's surface is part of its charm, IMO. If it was nice and smooth, it wouldn't be Sebring :) Flat as a pancake for sure though.
Jack 08-29-2006 09:30 AM

Lime Rock

Even nicer now with repaved paddock area.

jack
Element Tuning 08-29-2006 10:17 AM

VIR Grand is so far my favorite and it's close ;) For those of you who haven't experienced this track take a look.

[url]http://www.elementtuning.com/Videos/ElementTAWRXVIRGrandEastweb.wmv[/url]

This was my fist time on the track and it's a lot to learn but I can't wait to go back to improve my times.

Thanks,
Phil
[url]www.elementtuning.com[/url]
555ideways 08-29-2006 10:26 AM

My top three:

Mt Tremblant
Mosport
Lime Rock


-Paddy
BakedCookies 08-29-2006 10:30 AM

Ive only driven VIR but I love it! plus its only 1.5 hours from my house.
DILLIGAF Racing 08-29-2006 11:13 AM

Nelson Ledges
grippgoat 08-29-2006 11:34 AM

[QUOTE=DJSuperSoul;15053218]I like the complaints about Road America not being linked enough. That track will demand more of the driver and car in one lap than PIR in four.[/QUOTE]

Demand WHAT of the car and driver, though? The reason I'm not a huge fan of it is because the wear-and-tear to fun ratio is way too high. And I can't imagine how boring it'd be in something that's cheap to track like a miata or civic.

But maybe I just need to go back there again, now that I've got a lot more track time under my belt. I haven't driven it since I did two days at NSXPO 2001, and that was only my 2nd and 3rd day at the track (after a couple years of autocross). I will admit it's kinda fun in Forza Motorsport, but I think that's because in the game I can drive a 500hp car with race tires and aero.

-Mike
mav1c 08-29-2006 11:45 AM

My favorites in order (only what I've driven):

VIR Grand
VIR Full
Watkins Glen (with the boot)
Summit Main
Summit Shenandoah
Summit Jefferson

A lot of VIR Grand and VIR Full are the same, but with the "grand" section it's that much better. I would say that anyone that's driven a lot of tracks in the U.S. would rate it pretty high on thier list. Huge runoff almost everywhere and the facilities are top notch with that sort of "Country Club" feel.

Watkins Glen is smooth, wide, and FAST. The lack of runnoof is a little daunting at first, but fun on the track makes you forget that pretty quickly.

Summit Point Main is fun and takes some time to learn. The sruface isn't the greatest with the bumps and concrete patches, but I guess that adds to the charm.

Summit Shenandoah is fun, but definitely better suited to the samller, more nimble cars.

Summit Jefferson is just too short.
randy zimmer 08-29-2006 12:55 PM

Mosport was my favorite but it got safer, still probably the best tho.
Works for both fast and slow cars - dangerous as hell and the lap times difference between racers and non-racers is huge!

Lime Rock is similar in effort to run good times, there are plateaus that drivers reach there and have a hard time progressing to the next level. Once you "get it" you can drive a Beetle fast there. (But I don't like the track).

I hated Elkart Lake until I got in a fast car, then it all made sense.
Forget it unless your car will spin out under power.

All tracks are fun in their own way, even Waterford has a "charm".
Agree Grattan has some unique features you don't normally find but found racing wheel to wheel to be concentrated on the end of the straight. Hard to do much the rest of the way around. Same with Blackhawk.

A 15-car draft at Charlotte makes that hole in the pit wall at T1 look pretty small, but the rest is boring.
Parts of IRP have interest as do parts of Brainard but as a whole, are sucky.
Three Rivers has some neat stuff and a couple turns of Bryar and the old approach to the bridge at Atlanta - more RIP.
All the fun at Pocono is making the left at the end of the Tunnel Turn.
Agree Moroso has nothing to offer at all but alligators.

Yep, Mosport is my pick.
Brian-ATL 08-29-2006 01:54 PM

[quote=randy zimmer;15059690]... and the old approach to the bridge at Atlanta - more RIP.[/quote]

Yes, the Gravity Cavity is missed by many. The chance of hitting the inside of the bridge wall is not.
rkkwan 08-29-2006 01:55 PM

[QUOTE=jblaine;15054778]Curious, Ray, what left Watkins Glen out of your top few.[/QUOTE]

Watkins Glen was the first track I drove on, so maybe I will change my opinion if I go again now. But what keeps it from my top tracks is its lack of really complex combination corners. Also, while it has elevation change, I don't think they play enough role. For example, Mid-Ohio has less overall elevation changes than Watkins Glen, but one really remembers exactly where that track has a dip or a slight hill.

Also, I think if one has a very fast car - like a Z06 or Porsche Turbo/GT3/GT2, then the Glen may be a lot more interesting than in a bone-stock '02 WRX. ;)
Patrick Olsen 08-29-2006 02:02 PM

[QUOTE=jblaine;15054778]Curious, Ray, what left Watkins Glen out of your top few.[/QUOTE]
Ray and I did an event at the Glen together a few years back (and I think that's the only time he was there). I imagine Ray would say the same things about it as me - Watkins Glen has the same problem mentioned for other tracks. There's no flow, no connected turns. It's turn, straight, turn, straight. Maybe it would be more interesting in a high HP car, but I found the whole experience rather boring in comparison to the uphill Esses and the roller coaster at VIR.

[quote=jack ffr1846]Lime Rock

Even nicer now with repaved paddock area.[/quote]
Bleh. Two corners that take guts and nothing else going for it. Too bad they didn't put that new pavement on the track, which should have been repaved about 10 years ago.

Pat
Bonzo 08-29-2006 02:02 PM

Road America as it's my home track and I know it well. My favorite for sure.


I have hundreds of laps on every course in North America except Miller. On my PC that is :D. I will be on Miller this week in prep for a race next Monday.


Others:
Watkins Glen Long (not nascar)
VIR
Mid Ohio

Lime Rock is fun but a bit too short.

I'm not a fan at all of Laguna Seca.
grippgoat 08-29-2006 02:29 PM

[QUOTE=randy zimmer;15059690]All tracks are fun in their own way, even Waterford has a "charm".[/QUOTE]

You don't mean Waterford Speed Bowl in CT, do you? I grew up like 2 miles from there, but never went.

-Mike
ToddStratton 08-29-2006 02:46 PM

So, there is hope when I come back to the States!

Only driven one track there...Second Creek in Denver, which I think is closed now. Wasn't bad as the course went, but the condition was pretty poor. What track in the States has the most elevation change?

Todd
Patrick Olsen 08-29-2006 04:27 PM

I don't know where you'll be coming back to the States, Todd, but there are certainly plenty of good tracks around. Maybe not any epic tracks like Spa or the 'Ring, but you'll still have opportunities for fun.

I think Road America has the most elevation change, with 150ft. Anyone know of a track with more? I know VIR is 130ft, which is the most I've experienced.

Pat
SWortham 08-29-2006 04:39 PM

I've only driven one in real life... the 1.7 mile track at Motorsport Ranch in Cresson, TX...
[IMG]http://www.motorsportranch.com/images/misc/Track_Layout_1_7.jpg[/IMG]
[url]http://www.motorsportranch.com/1.7-road-course.cfm[/url]

But if I draw upon my vast Forza Motorsport experience then Laguna Seca is my favorite. ;) Laguna Seca has a 300 foot elevation change...
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_Raceway_Laguna_Seca[/url]
lukerussell 08-29-2006 04:45 PM

road america has elevation change, but you really don't notice it. it's more evident at VIR.

i've been to:

sebring
moroso
daytona
roebling
carolina motorsports park
memphis
shennandoah
watkins glen
new hampshire
virginia international raceway
beaverun
no problem
autobahn
putnam
mid america
road america
indianapolis raceway park
hallet

my favorite is VIR. the run through the esses up the hill is amazing.

honorable mention - beaverun and watkins glen are both a blast. putnam is my favorite track for pushing your car - tons of safe run off room (if it's not raining).
DiscoWagon 08-29-2006 04:52 PM

I love Streets of Willow, only track Ive ever driven on :lol: It's like my home track, driven it too many times. Need to try out other ones. Next on list is Buttonwillow and Thunderhill. Maybe Laguna Seca some day.
SWortham 08-29-2006 04:58 PM

I love how technical Laguna Seca is with all the elevation changes. The corkscrew is awesome to go through (even in the video game). Some day I want to sign up for the Skip Barber racing school out there.
KAX 08-29-2006 05:01 PM

my favorite elevation changing track is definitely the sports car course of Infinion, feels like a rollercoaster.

i also enjoy Limerock because its smooth and flowing.
rkkwan 08-29-2006 05:54 PM

[QUOTE=ToddStratton;15061451]So, there is hope when I come back to the States![/QUOTE]

Yes, it's surprising, since road racing is not a popular spectator sports in the US. Yet, there have been a lot of new tracks opening in the last few years, including big budget ones with really really nice facilities like Miller and Barber.

Another business model that seems to work is to sell membership as a country club. Two new tracks opened here in Texas in the last few years in this manner - MSR in Cresson and MSR-Houston. Add the ROVAL at Texas Motor Speedway, the number of road courses in Texas have quadrupled in the last decade from one to four.
Maximpaul 08-29-2006 05:59 PM

It's not really a course you can run as a civillian, but I'm a big fan of the Long Beach GP course. High speeds through the city win. Nice and technical, great mix of corners and straights, and great spectator locations. I like to think of it as America's Monaco.
SWortham 08-29-2006 06:02 PM

[QUOTE=rkkwan;15064235]Yes, it's surprising, since road racing is not a popular spectator sports in the US. Yet, there have been a lot of new tracks opening in the last few years, including big budget ones with really really nice facilities like Miller and Barber.

Another business model that seems to work is to sell membership as a country club. Two new tracks opened here in Texas in the last few years in this manner - MSR in Cresson and MSR-Houston. Add the ROVAL at Texas Motor Speedway, the number of road courses in Texas have quadrupled in the last decade from one to four.[/QUOTE]
I didn't even know about the MSR track in Cresson until I was invited to a driving school out there. I thought the track was pretty impressive and I'm going again in September. Member fees sure are expensive though... I don't think I'll be a member anytime soon.

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