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What race tracks have you run on?

8K views 32 replies 22 participants last post by  tallguy2.3 
#1 ·
Ok, this is for bragging and information.
You can talk about 1, 3 or more....


- What race tracks have you run on? Racing, track days, track rides, .......

- Give your review of a race track and things involved with it (track condition, flow, camping, showers, food, hotels, shopping centers,......)

- What is your favorite?
 
#2 ·
Back in the late 50's it was Cedar Creek in Louisville. 1/4 mile dirt (yes dirt-oiled dirt to be exact). After about 2 years they did asphalt the launching pad. Occasional trips to the Hwy. 60 1/8 mile track in Hardinsburg, Ky. After Ohio Valley (Louisville) opened it's 1/8 mile thru the late 70's it was the one with side trips to Bluegrass 1/4 mile in Lexington, Ky. Ohio Valley and Hwy. 60 were the best. Both are still open. Hwy. 60 used to have really big name drivers (Hubert Platt's Georgia Shaker 427 Falcon, Mr. 5 and 50 Dodge, etc.) and Southern Style Match Races (3 runs with burnouts on resin). Bluegrass had Ohio George Montgomery's 427 SOHC Ford Cammer Anglia gasser once and also Connie Kallita's AA/Fuel 427 SOHC Ford Cammer dragster-first track run over 200 MPH. Great times!
 
#3 ·
This is a really good thread. [thumb]

Just to keep it simple:

- Summit Point ("Home Track")

Summit Point Main is pretty much a yawn fest for the focus. At least until you get to the turn 3-7 complex that starts with "The Chute". Downhill - off camber turn that can get really exciting with throttle lift. Spin, Spin, Spin...hello wall.

Summit Point Shenandoah is a giant autocross with a couple of "gotchas" thrown in. It is a 2.3 mile course with 23 turns. It is VERY easy for smaller wheelbase cars to run down high horsepower monsters and overtake. It is a great "training track", but I would not want to race there as the surface is very narrow and there is minimal run off room.

- Virginia International Raceway (VIR)

The most beautiful track I've ever been to. There really is a "country club" atmosphere and that applies if you drive a focus or a Ferrari. Unfortunately, in stock trim, our cars do not perform very well here. LOOOOOONG straights favor the ultra high horsepower cars and there are not many tight portions (FULL course) that allow us to catch up and exercise an advantage. Still, everyone should run this track if given the chance.

- Road Atlanta

LOVE this track! The tight portions combined with the elevation changes make it a really amazing experience to drive. Key thing to remember is small steering corrections. If you get too crazy, you are bouncing and that is bad juju ... Much like VIR, the long straights favor the HP club, but there is ample opportunity to earn some respect.

- Mid-Ohio

Personally, I find the track to be one of the LEAST technical tracks out there. It flows very well and with the exception of surface changes (and knowing where they are) it is pretty straight-forward and easy to drive. A lot of people do not like the "Madness" complex, but cars like ours seem to really make up ground there.

- Watkins Glen

One of the few tracks that scare me. Not because of the technical nature of the course, but rather the legacy, history, and nostalgia. To think that I- a lowly focus schmuck, ran over the same surface as Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, Mario Andretti, and just about any other motorsports pioneer you can name, is a bit intimidating. Add to that if you take out any gaurdrail or ARMCO material, you pay for it. Really tough pill to swallow - especially after you total your car.

- Roebling Road

Fun track, but after 2 sessions, it became VERY boring. It is completely flat. So much so that I found it distracting because I could see other cars 3 complexes in front of me and my mirrors would also show cars 2-3 complexes behind me. I wish I could say that I am just that fast, but....not so much

- Daytona

Call it Jerusalem, Mecca, the Vatican or Everest, it is an amazing place. Interestingly enough, not that difficult to drive fast - once you get over the fear. The banking plays with your head a little bit in the sense that you have to hammer down or you will feel like you will fall over. At the exit of the banking, the transition to level pavement is not "subtle" :) The down side is the expense of running the course. Depending on the club, it can be BIG dollars to run there.

- Limerock

Gorgeous track. When he was still living [mecry], Paul Newman was a frequent participant and just a "regular guy" in the paddock. Great experience to be on track with him. For me, the only tricky part of the track is the downhill run that leads onto the main straight. Truthfully, that has less to do with talent and more to do with..."BIG brass ones". Flat out downhill into a 90 degree right hander is enough to make you pucker.

- New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP)

Been there once on the Thunderbolt course. Very easy to drive fast. Turn 1-2 can be a little interesting, but navigating it is all about throttle management. I know it is the same ownership as VIR, but I think NJMP has the potential to be more successful.

Keep the SHINY side up!!

I hope to get out West next year to experience how the other half lives...
 
#4 ·
been doing track days since 2007, started racing this year.

I think I've logged over 2000 miles on track to date. running with EMRA, NASA and now racing mostly with SCCA

Track list:
  • Watkins Glen NY,
    Long course 4 track days, one race,
    Short course one race. (current Finger Lakes Region SCCA track record holder on short course for STU but probably not for long.....)​
  • Lime Rock Park CT-
    4 track days, one 41 lap race & Instructed there once.​
  • NJ Motorsports park.
    Thunderbolt, 2 track days. & crewed for a friend
    Lightning 3.5 track days, SCCA race school, one race, instructed there once, flagged there once.​
  • Summit Pt WV.
    Main course - 1 track day, 1 race​
  • Pocono PA
    East Course 2.5 track days, first course I ever ran and the beginning of this addiction.
    North course 5 track days, popped my D20 engine there, crewed for a friend.
    South Course - 1 track day.​

A good range of my videos are up on you tube here....


Favorite tracks - well since a bad day on track is always better than a good day at work, I find something I like at every track, but if I had to choose one, it would be Watkins Glen since it's got the history behind it and actually being there the first time for me was quasi religious experience. Having raced there now if only once means I can die in peace.[angel]

Here's my pros & cons list.

  • Watkins Glen NY,
    PROS- Awesome track, lots of challenges and just an exciting venue. Plenty of garage and paved paddock space, good EMT and medical services on site. GReat place to bring the family, since there is plenty to do around town etc after the racing is done. I always plan to hang around there an extra day.
    CONS - track fees are higher, and NASCAR owners like to throw full course yellow if someone gets a hangnail which can easily cut into track time excessively. Getting out of shape in the wrong places can get expensive, even if it;s just the fees for having guardrail replaced. (like $350 for each section damaged!)​
  • Lime Rock Park CT-
    PROS - Another classic track, good place to learn how to develop a "rhythm" and I like trail braking into turn one. The recently resurfaced track is sweeeeet! The uphill turn and big bend offer good "white knuckle" and "pucker factor" elements.
    CONS - very expensive now, no garages, limited paddock space you have to drive down into town about 5-7 miles to access anything like food, lodging or reasonably priced gasoline.​
  • NJ Motorsports park.
    PROS - overall a great new facility at reasonable prices. Each track has different challenges. Both seem to be very safe but very exciting at the same time. I have to run the Thuderbolt course again to decide which one I like better. They have rooms for rent on site, but not sure what the pricing has gone up too, and YOU HAVE TO BOOK EARLY!
    CONS - When it rains, there can be major flooding, when it's dry, its a dustbowl. Thuderbolt has more facilities, but the paddock is cut in half by the garages, and if not set-up well, it can turn into a maze with pit exit or entrance having to go directly past the main garage area.

    There are good attractions in town if you want dinner and drinks, but not much for kids to do unless you want to pay to have them run on the karting track while you run on the big one. I don't think they have showers there yet.​
  • Summit Pt WV.
    Main course -
    PROS it's a very cool track to drive, good technical parts a fast downhill main straight. The facilities are OK, but nothing has been updated in a while. PRICES are usually the best bang for the buck! the food is decent and they have showers. Not much nearby, plan on camping and BBQ is your best bet.
    CONS - the track was resurfaced in 07, and has been tearing apart in spots so its already being patched and a bit bumpy in places. the paddock is mostly grass/gravel but otherwise OK. some parts of the track have a steep drop-off, and the grass is not level with the track. If you drop a wheel off you can scrape the suspension/chassis and getting all 4 wheels back on the pavement quickly can be challenging​
  • Pocono PA
    I run here alot cause it's close to home and typically inexpesive.
    PROS price, location, plenty of garage space and paddock space. weather is typically good. the facilities are great. I think my favorite of the 3 here is the south course, it's a twisted mess and has sort of a triple apex turn in off the main straight. Easy ride in off of I-80 with some local attractions. It's mainly a ski resort area, not much going on in the off season though.
    CONS well, these are "infield" courses taken off the main tri-oval that NASCAR runs. the transitions tend to be bumpy, there are no runoffs or gravel traps, and most of the infield is NOT graded so it can get REAL bumpy in some spots if you go off track. Since it;s all flat on the infield, there is little character to the tracks, no blind uphill turns, or significant elevation changes. but the superspeedway sections are liked by the big bore guys. It's like racing in Kansas minus the cornfields.​
 
#5 ·
I kind of get around…

Autobahn North & South 2 Days Average at best.
Buttonwillow Park 5 Days A dusty old cottonfield that isn’t bad.
Calabogie 1 Day This is a fun track in Canada ehh?
Charlotte Motor Speedway: 4 Days Not bad for a roval.
Gingerman: 3 Days Not my cup of tea, but friends seem to like it. Get ice cream at Shermans.
Hallett (Both Directions): 2 Days A dirty old girl that doesn’t give you an inch of help, a real challenging course to drive well.
Heartland Park: 2 Days There are two kinds of weather here, hot and windy and cold and windy. The KC BMW Club has an event there called "Surface of the Sun".
Laguna Seca: 8 Days Very challenging but doesn’t seem to flow well for me.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway: 2 Days Infield road course, nothing special.
Mid America (MAM): 2 Days Been there done that, didn’t buy a T shirt.
Mid Ohio: 4 Days A difficult course in the dry and treacherous when wet. A V6 rental Mustang will carry the left front over Madness.
Miller East & Long Course 3 Days God it is long and flat.
Mosport: 2 Days You have to screw up your courage to go fast. Fairly easy to drive but if you make a mistake it will hurt badly,very badly.
New Jersey Thunderbolt 1 Day A surprisingly fun track that has elements of VIR(the esses before the bridge), Calabogie and Gingerman.
Putnam Park 2 Days Okay, but nothing special.
Pikes Peak 2 Days An okay roval, but small.
Road America 11 Days See below.
Road Atlanta 2 Days I haven’t driven it since the improvements but the esses are a blast. It is just out of my top five.
Sears Point 9 Days See below.
Sebring 10 Days See below.
Summit Point Main, Jefferson & Shenandoah 19 Days A lot of variety depending on the circuit. My first track day was on Summit Point Main.
Texas World Speedway (both directions) 8 Days This is a fun track. It is old, decrepit and fast. I like it better clockwise. Great BBQ in College Station.
Thunderhill Park 6 Days A dusty old rice/sunflower field that isn’t bad.
VIR 1 Day See below.
Watkins Glen 18 Days See below.
Willow Springs 2 Days A fast, good old fashioned natural terrain course, did I mention it is FAST. I can still see Ken Miles man handling a GT 350 around there.

The top five are:

Road America; you can’t beat the Brats and RFG potatoes. There is nothing else like the Kink through Kettle Bottoms coming into Canada Corner at speed.
Watkins Glen; if you don’t get wood coming up through the esses while flat out you are not alive, even women… Also diving into the Bus Stop then getting back on the gas for the Carousel then down into the Boot, what a ride. They charge for repairing and repainting the Armco so mind your manners. Have to stay at the "rustic" Seneca Lodge. Free WiFi but no telephones???
Sebring; old, flat, rough and fast. Looking up above the garage stalls and reading off the manufactures that have won the 12 Hours is inspiring. From turn 5 to 16 is an absolute blast and as fast as any of the straights.
Sears Point; a natural terrain course that flows well and is challenging. It used to look like someone dropped asphalt on the side of a hill exactly where it needed to go before they started “improving” it for NASCAR.
VIR; long, fast and simply beautiful. From turn 3 to the Oak Tree, it just doesn’t get any better than this.
 
#6 ·
Anyone ran Grattan?

That's the only road course I've ever ran a car on. Kind of rough pavement, can easily upset your car mid-turn. The back hairpin is a lot of fun, before the long uphill sweeping straight. I can't believe some of you guys haven't been there with all the tracks you've run.
 
#7 ·
WOW!! Great replies already!!
I'm really jealous of shlbygt! 25 tracks!!!
WeeAsp and I have raced some of the same asphalt; 6 tracks in common!

So here's my list:
New Hampshire Motor Speedway (north chican south oval and north chican south chicane)
Lime Rock Park
Watkins Glen (short and long)
Road Atlanta
Virginia International Raceway
Mid Ohio
Nelson Ledges
Roebling Road
New Jersey Motor Sports Park, Lightning

I'll give my review and rankings later. Too damn much typing and not enough time.
 
#9 ·
Shelby is a track WHORE! [thumb]

I just wish that I had more time to devote. Can't wait to see you back at Summit Point next year.

Wizard and TB -

I am sure that we will see each other at events on the East Coast.

Look here frequently for track day announcements. The events that I run at VIR and Summit are "race car friendly" and we put you in the advanced groups. They are GREAT opportunities for "test and tune" days before race weekends.

See you at the track!
 
#10 ·
Shelby is a track WHORE! [thumb]

I just wish that I had more time to devote. Can't wait to see you back at Summit Point next year.
MMM, Barbeque. Have you tried Short Sugars in Danville?

If the stars align correctly around Memorial Day we'll be doing Sebring 5/22-23with Track Guys, VIR 5/28-30 with SCMC and the Glen 5/31-6/1 with Joe Quaranto/PhoenixCMR.
I'll be looking for filler tracks like Roebling Road, Road Atlanta, Carolina Motorsports Park, etc between Sebring and VIR on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday to complete another Track Dawgs tour.
We're looking at a Canadian tour in late August with an evening at ICAR (http://www.circuiticar.com), Mt. Tremblant with a Porsche/Audi group, Calabogie with 3ballsracing and on to Mosport after the ALMS race. We were able to do Calabogie and Mosport this year but didn't have time for the other two.
I was able to pick up four new tracks on the east coast this year (VIR, NJMP, Calabogie & Mosport) and I have a 04 PWSC SVT wintering in Myrtle Beach for next year's events.
 
#12 ·
The one thing that ALL the tracks have in common is the people. The racing people are the GREATEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I listed the reviews in order of my experiencing them.

New Hampshire Motor (International) Speedway, NHMS: (Home track. most raced)
1.6 mile 12 turn (incorperated around a 1 mile oval).
- 2 variations
#1 North chicane, South (NASCAR) oval
#2 North chicane, South chicane
The track I've been to the most
It's a track you have to work at. Not a lot of 'relax' time. So you're tired at the end. The South chicane section was redone in 2009 and the SCCA won't use it until they add gaurdrail to seperate the track and paddock. There are enough challenges each lap to keep you busy; the bowl, turn 9 (yeah you can get a FWD to drift there!!), and my LEAST Fav turn 11 (have trouble getting that one right).

Since the infield "remodle", most of the grass in gone, making placing a tent a challenge, but they added a whole LOT of RV hook-ups (power/water). About mid infield there's a building with bathrooms and on one end 5 seperate showers (hot water can be tricky). More showers are located in the bathrooms in between the garages

Concord NH is 10 miles south, Laconia 9 miles North. Concord has a better selection of stores, places to eat, parts stores.

Lime Rock Park (CT):
1.6 mile road course
Haven't been there since '00. Got too damn expensive for a 1 day Regional.
The 'downhill' scares you, was a bit bumpy (they repaved recently) last time I was there, and that gaurdrail backed by dense forrest to the outside adds to the 'pucker factor'. But once you go down 'flat footed' and survive you feel like you can do anything. Fun and nostalgic

Too much in the middle of nowhere, the area is too expensive, and they don't allow racing on Sundays!!! I've only been back for an AMLS race and to crew for someone in a school.

Watkins Glen:
-2 variations
#1 2.5 mile (short), 11 turns
#2 3.4 mile (long), 15 turns
2nd most visited track.
The short is my favorite of the 2, but I'm getting the handle on the long. Hitting the 'bus stop' 'inner loop' the right way is the greatest feeling. The 'toe of the boot' is my krypotnite. Some great speed. The October race is surrounded by peak foligae. It's worth it just for the drive there. Just beware of the wind!
There are many bathrooms. I finally found the showers last year. There are only 4 units in a building on the east side of the property. You'll need $1.50 - $2.00 in quarters for a shower.
Downtown is a few minutes away, but a couple hundred feet lower in elevation. There's a lot to do, IF you want to do things other than racing. Including a bunch of nice little bars along the main road. The State park makes for a nice walk on nice days and the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen will occupy your time when it's not.

Road Atlanta:
2.54 mile, 12 turns (full course)
I was only there once, for the ARRC, and I was still pretty new to Club Racing, and I had crappy, wore out tires. But I still raced it. The downhill to turn 12 STILL scares the SH** out of me!! One day I hope to get back there to give it another try.
We stayed an hour away in Marrietta with my friend's Brother so we didn't explore the local area.

Virginia International Raceway, VIR:
3.27 mile, 18 turn (there'a a 17 and 17a)
I've only run the FULL course. And what FUN it is!!!!!!!
For you 'newbies', the place to be careful your 1st time out is coming into turn 7. You're pretty flat out coming up to the beginning of the 'uphill esses' get over to driver's left and straighten out T7 as much as possible. T7 is a slight right, but there's a bump in the middle that WILL throw you to the left!!!!!! My 1st time over it I stepped over a whole car width REALLY fast! This is the only track I've been crashed out of (so far) to the point of a DNF.
I camped on site and brought everything I needed in with me. So I don't know much about the surrounding area.

Mid Ohio Sports Car Complex:
2.4 mile 14 turns
I liked it so much, I went back a 2nd time!
We used the chicane in the 'keyhole'. Shaped a bit like the inner loop at the Glen you approach it differently; instead of braking before the 1st part you hold the gas hard turning right into it and brake before you turn back left. To me the 'trickiest' part was the brake zone between turns 10 & 11. It's very short and easy to screw up.
Plenty of room for camping. There are showers on site. The most 'entertaining' thing to me about the track is that is has an actual Domino's Pizza in the infield (located along the front straight opposite the pits). Town is only a few minutes away, so anything you need is close.

Nelson Ledges Road Course:
2 mile, 13 turns
I wasn't even unloaded my 1st day there, and I looked over towards turn 3 to see a Miata wheels UP going OVER the tire wall to driver's left. Um, ok. The track is flat, but has a nice 'flow' to it. But there are so many bumps, bumps, holes, different sections of asphalt you need to remember where every little ding in the road is because each one can slow you down or wreck you. Turn 10 isn't a turn really, but you need to decide which line to take through it. The fastest is the bumpiest. The run-off room is tight, and from outside, unless you know it's a track you think it's a tire dump. There's a little in-car here: http://www.nelsonledges.com/TFMap.aspx where you get a good view of the track surface. Re-pave the track and extend the run-off areas and the place will be a ball!
There are showers there but I didn't use them. It's in the middle on nowhere and Amish country (so be careful Sunday morning on the way into the track). It takes a little drive to get to things, but not bad. I stayed with friends 45 min away.

Roebling Road Raceway:
2.2 mile, 8 turn
The friends that lived near Nelson moved about 30 min away from Roebling for 2008/09, so I've been there the last 2 Aprils. I think it's a bit too flat, but there is some fun for me with the flow. The track is brutal on the front left tire!! Be sure to rotate after each day of hard racing. I was 'shoved off' by an ITS Miata at turn 2 in 08, but the driver sought out my email (because he couldn't find me at the track) and appoligized.
There is some turn by turn advice here: http://www.seat-time.com/vtour/index4.htm
A lot of camping room. I think there are some RV hook ups, but I didn't investigate. I parked way out and had my generator for power. Roebling is minutes away from anything you might need. I didn't camp there but I did see a couple showers.

New Jersey Motorsports Park, Lightning:
1.9 mile, 10 turns
There are 2 turns that can scare the CWAP out of you!:
Turn 1; it's a fast right hander uphill, the apex is at the peak of the rise and you CANNOT SEE THE OTHER SIDE!! which means if there's a spin on the other side you might not see it until you're part of it.
Turn 5; in the middle of the turn the track feels like it drops from under you and the car gets really 'light'. If you're not careful it could throw the car off track to driver's left.
The Lightning track does NOT have showers. Rumors were that there were some at the Thunder Bolt track but I didn't see them. There are electrical hook ups for RVs, but no water. The track is a few minutes away from Millville center where there are many places to get what you need.

My rankings:
# 11 NHMS, both chicanes (too damn much work!!)
# 10 NHMS, North chicane, south oval (see above)
# 9 Road Atlanta (maybe after I visit again & I get to know it, it'll go up)
# 8 Lime Rock Park
# 7 Nelson Ladges (re-pave it!!!!)
# 6 Watkins Glen, long course (but I'm enjoying it more and more)
# 5 Watkins Glen, short
# 4 Roebling Road
# 3 NJMP
# 2 Mid Ohio
# 1 VIR

The top 5 are almost tied.
 
#13 · (Edited)
New Jersey Motorsports Park, Lightning:
1.9 mile, 10 turns
There are 2 turns that can scare the CWAP out of you!:
Turn 1; it's a fast right hander uphill, the apex is at the peak of the rise and you CANNOT SEE THE OTHER SIDE!! which means if there's a spin on the other side you might not see it until you're part of it.
Not sure when you were there last, but they have added a traffic light to the inside of turn 1 just before pit out, which is under control of the flag station just after pit out that has full view of turn 1 exit and beyond.

It helps, but not if the wreck is happening just as you are entering the turn, you just get the "surprise" when you crest the hill.

But since it's a wide open part of the track you do have lots of options to drive around a wreck there, it's not confined with lots of concrete or steel like most of the glen and other places.

And turn 5 is always fun. It helps to get most of your turning done before you hit the crest to save a little room to drift out as the car gets light on the other side. Plus since it's the beginning of the "bridge straight" it helps you get a better run down that hill onto the straight instead of waiting for the grip to come back and finish the turn. I can get a good 4 wheel drift there in the Focus every few laps when I hit it just right. If your tires are loosing grip later in the race, this will probably be the first place you'll notice it.



This is my "seat of the pants" estimate of how this is working for me. I can't wait to log my traqmate data for this track next year. I really want to see what line works best here.

You can see this pretty good in this video of my race school. @ approx 3:15 you can see the big difference between my line and the one the BMW takes which looks alot like the line in the left hand diagram above. At approx 4:20 you can see me taking this turn with a Miata just ahead that uses a similar line to me.

 
#16 ·
My list of tracks keeps growing.

Putnam Park
Hallet Raceway
Autobahn Country Club
Blackhawk Farms
Road America
Road Atlanta
Heartland Park
Barber Motorsports Park
Mid Ohio
Summit Point
Gateway International Raceway

Hope to add a few more in 2010 including Eagles Canyon near Dallas and VIR.

Feff
 
#18 ·
Buttonwillow raceway, buttonwillow CA, in many differnt configs countless times
Willow springs international raceway, rosamond ca, countless times
Streets of Willow springs, rosamond ca, countless times
Hourse Thief Mile at willow springs, rosamond CA, just once
Autoclub(formorly know as california) Speedway, Fontana CA, road coures/oval config and infield only config
Spring mountain motorsports ranch, Pahrump NV, just once in 3.1 mile config

i dont travel very far, but i track often
 
#19 ·
Waterford Hills, MI (aka where Car and Driver tests)

-- Great go-cart track. But if your car has legs, you never get to use them. No run off, if you screw up, you screw up big. Ran in my Evo. Have not run with the SVTF.

GingerMan, MI

-- Kinda boring, but they have $60 5pm-9pm open practice days. Meh, boring overall.
(I am actually driving the Evo...and that Focus I am tailing...well thats mine now! I was following my friend to see his line, then passed him. Ended up buying his car a few years later)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGFiJiIz0t0

Grattan, MI

-- Has been repaved. Great track in terms of having different elements. Very fun, very fast. Hitting near 140 mph with my Evo in the straight. Really neat to come into the straight in 4th gear at something around 90-100 mph.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs2GcfpRdiY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kpbRuWQJ5k

Grattan is my favorite by far.

Trying to race NASA Midwest for my TT license this next season. So Ill have more tracks to add.
 
#24 ·
Looks like I will join the Summit Point crowd. I started going to Summit Point in 1991 with my dad to watch vintage racing. In 1997, as soon as I was old enough to get my divers license I did my first performance drivers school on the Jefferson Circuit with my BMW 2002tii which is long gone now. I’m most familiar with the Main track and have driven it many times with my dads late E30 M3 (great car!!!) and the most recent summit point experience was the Shenandoah circuit with the SVTF for an hour long unrestricted “parade” lap…..Very neat and technical track. Made me realize I need to upgrade my pads.

And the last track experience I had (not really an official track but close enough) was at the BMW performance center in South Carolina for the “M School”. All I can say is WOW unbelievable experience. Everything was top notch. Everything from the cars and instructors to the accommodations. Very impressed!

I’m planning on doing more driving events this upcoming year and would like to venture to more tracks. I’m going to make it a point to get to VIR since I have never been there. From what I hear and from what I just read in this thread its and awesome track. Looking forward to it!!
 
#25 ·
Lime Rock Park, Lakeville, CT: This is a very fast track with not a single "conventional" corner...except maybe West Bend. All the others are either multi-apex (Big Bend), "throw-aways" (Left Hander), massively uphill (yup, The Uphill lol) or massively, gut-wrenchingly downhill (ummm, The Downhill...see a pattern here? ;) ). The new down-to-the-roadbed repaving job is glass smooth. The old surface with its concrete patches was teeth-rattling in a street car! This track should not be missed...a classic challenge. LRP is my "home" track and always going to be a favorite. Close to a dozen time trials and track days, and definitely more to come.

New Hampshire Motor Speedway: With the inside-the-oval chicanes it's a low speed lap with some definite challenges, but not a "scary" track. "The Bowl" is fun...downhill entry, uphill exit. This is not a horsepower track, especially when the oval turns 1 & 2 are not used. I told people I saw higher speeds on the interstate driving TO the track than I did see while driving ON the track lol. Love that New Hampshire "autobahn"...One SCDA track day, but I will probably skip it from now on.

Monticello Motor Club, full course: A huge, approximately 4 mile lap with elevation changes, corner combinations, all sorts of challenges for a thinking driver. There's little "conventional" about the layout here, as with Lime Rock. Many corners need to be "sacrificed" with an eye on nailing a perfect exit a corner or two ahead. Very little runoff room folks! Be very careful as there are few tire walls, and miles and miles of Armco, much of it quite close to the track. This is already a favorite in the making. One SCDA track day last year...more to come for sure.

Gingerman Raceway, Michigan: A former orchard or farm I believe...NOTHING to hit, period, done lol OK almost nothing if you consider the little bit of guardrail near Start/Finish. Much of the rest is just a wide track with acres of runoff, reasonably fast too. Too bad I likely will never be out that way again with a track car, but it was a fun and safe course. Two days spent in a Porsche Club of America "track day".

Streets of Willow, CA: This is sort of an oversized autocross course, with significant elevation changes thrown in. Not a major power track, as most straights are short...but tough to get right as the corners come up quick. Turn 1 is a bit of a nailbiter off camber uphill with the pavement dropping away just as you get into the braking zone for 2. Luckily the desert soil stops you damn quick should you go off course. The "big track" next door, Willow Springs, is on my agenda next time I visit the west coast. Two days spent in a driving school there.
 
#26 ·
Road America
St. Louis Raceway Park
Gingerman
Grattan
Putnam Park
Indianapolis Raceway Park
Blackhawk Farms

I'm trying to just list the long tracks that we raced (125 ICC Shifterkart)

Nothing beats Road America, just ask the pro drivers.
 
#27 ·
Nothing beats Road America, just ask the pro drivers.
I had an optomolgist who raced bikes professionally several decades ago, and he said--hands down--Road America is the best track in the States.

I've got dozens of track days at Road Atlanta...fun place. I was able to do a PCA school at Barber a few years ago and really enjoyed it. I only saw it mentioned once in this thread.
 
#29 ·
I've been to Miller Motorsports Park here in UT (MMP) I was hoping to run autoX on it but ended up out of town. the other was in a parking lot. I'm lacking :(
 
#30 ·
Pocono- All three tracks.

South- a blast. Basically Nascar 1 (about 110 in the SVTF) and a bigh multi-apex infield portion.
East- Technical. T1's entry is rough and it makes it interesting. I caught a 'vette here.
North- Takes Nascar 3 backwards. High speed off of 3 and you dive into the infield very hot. Its a blast.

Goin to Monticello in September.
 
#31 ·
NURBURGRING - GERMANY

I lapped this circuit about 40 times in 2009, its definately my favourite track and I just cant get enough of it. At 13 miles long its demanding on the driver and car for every lap that you do. The first lap I completed in 11mins 23secs and the best in a standard ST225 was 9mins 41, these were all completed on a public session which sees you using the track alongside every motor vehicle known to man. 2010 will see me travel back there in about 2 weeks time with my new Focus ST225 which I now have Code Red remap, Dreamscience CAIS and Eibach suspension fitted so hopefully going to be coming in close to the 9 minute mark for a lap of "the Green Hell"!!


SILVERSTONE - UK

I attended the Ford Fair in 2008 in my standard ST225 and managed to complete 5 laps in one of the track sessions. Its a nice circuit with some fantastic corners, just need to be on the track in a session with other people who are experienced in track time or your times are seriously affected!!


SNETTERTON - UK

I've only managed 4 laps of this circuit and its the tightest of all the circuits that I've driven but it just adds to the overall excitement, not many opportunities to overtake and the corners can be extremely tight when sharing them with another car.
 
#33 ·
A couple years ago there was a solid group of us from AZ that would do track days with NASA. It was a great time but we all sort of drifted away from it for one reason or another.

I've driven at:

Phoenix International Raceway (PIR)- several times (4 maybe) and it is a fun, but tight track. It's great going around NASCAR 3 and 4 wide open and plunging down into the infield. It's also fun when folks talk about going to a NASCAR race there and how cool the track is, then I tell them I've driven on it loads of times in my little Focus! It's sort of like our "home track" here.

Firebird International Raceway (FIR)- all 3 tracks there
Main- Fun track with 1/2 mile straightaway that normally serves as the drag strip, so there is loads of grip. It's kind of a great track to compare cars strengths and weaknesses. For example: there was a middle aged gentleman who i was in HPDE 2 with for a few trackdays in an SRT-8 charger. It was relatively unmodified. At that time my ST had an intake, coilovers, and NT-01's on 17X7 Ford Racing 5 Spokes. We had a great time leading/following eachother around. He could obviously walk me in the 1/2 mile straight but I would destroy him once the turns started. We had a good time talking about it and comparing.
West- probably my least favorite track thus far. It's just slow, tight, hard on tires, etc...Basically no fun area except a single sweeper near the entrance/exit area that is always a little exciting.
East- a good all around track that can take some time to learn. Still relatively small but fun enough for it to be worth the fees for the day. Also the last track I drove on

Willow Springs-
I've only driven on the Streets of Willow, though I wish I could have taken on the other 2 tracks there. SOW is fun, but strange at the same time. The lack of runoff areas always make me nervous. But both times I drove there it was a total blast. The Focus Challenge there was great, Cali crowd was entertaining, and the track itself is challenging and fun.

California Speedway/ Auto Club Speedway- this was probably the most fun track I've driven on, partially because of the sheer size of it. Your average MPH here is just far higher than on AZ tracks. Plus 45 seconds of WOT can hardly ever be anything but euphoric. I visited this track in 2008 with JetFest 08 (don't hate). Huge turnout, loads of Foci, loads of cars in general, it was a total blast. Gosh I just get excited even thinking about that weekend.
At that time I had coilovers, r-comps, and an intake. So basically a very grippy 135whp grocery getter. Sheesh that was fun. Passing Mustangs, other foci (including a full caged turbocharged one....I love you Paul, that was a good time) and just loads of cars that weren't willing to push it as hard as I was. HPDE 2 was full of noobs that day I guess. But the sheer comical extravaganza that IS that track is just amazing. Everything about it is epic and fun. Super smooth, loads of runoff, great maintenance, its just a great place to be.

That is all :(

Goals: Mazda Laguna Seca
Infineon
Nurburgring (crosses fingers)
And whatever happens with tracks on the east coast would be great but I won't count on it.
 
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