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Track Map
Turns 1 and 2
Before we discuss this track turn by turn, it should be known that there is some confusion with turn numbering at Rockingham. Everyone is used to refering to the banking as turns 1 & 2, but in practice, and I believe as corner workers are concerned, the left hander entering the infield is actually considered Turn 1 since its the first turn you get to after exiting the hot pits... BUT, NASCAR turn 1 is the first turn you get to after crossing the Start/Finish line. So therein lies the confusion.
I have an email in to the infield course designer, to find out what his intentions were to hopefully clarify. Until then, we'll go with Turn 1 being the NASCAR turn 1.
The first thing you need to know about NASCAR Turn 1 is this: Whatever you do, once you get on the banking, DO NOT LIFT. This turn is best learned by working up to speed gradually. The banking through turns 1 and 2 averages 23 degrees. It may not sound that steep, but its steep enough to make it very difficult to stand/walk on. New Hampshire International's banking is only 12 degrees, Daytona's is 31 degrees, so its right in between those. It's very important to watch your closing rate and following distance with the car in front of you before starting this turn. You don't want to be caught mid turn having to avoid a slower car in front of you. In an HPDE environment, best to make sure to leave yourself plenty of room before entering this turn.
MOST cars will average around 85-90 mph entrance speed. You'll want to be about one car width away from the wall when entering the turn. Turn in will be gradual, but with banking, it will feel much more dramatic. About a third of the way through the turn, your car should track 'down' just enough to drive in between the center 'lane' marked by white traffic lines. You'll be on your way down towards a rectangle concrete patch about 2-thirds of the way around the turn. This is your general Apex target. Calling the banking NASCAR 1 & 2 is kind-of a misnomer. It drives like one turn, with one turn-in, one apex, and one exit or track-out point. If you hit that concrete patch as your apex, the car will naturally float back out towards the wall once the track straightens back out. Once you get comfortable with the turn, you'll find yourself entering on partial throttle and then squeezing on the power as you come around the banking. Most will pick up speed when exiting the turn.
There is another line through NASCAR 1 & 2 that tends to favor slow cars with too much chassis. 1990 Miata's, early Civics, etc. The line is basically to stay low going into 1, about a car length off the transition. Once you've made your turn in, you should find yourself riding the white line, on your way to the concrete patch mentioned above. Track out is the same. This line requires you to increase your steering angle, (all be it very slightly) so it is only suitable for cars that enter 1 & 2 far too slow to make it exciting. In this case, less distance traveled equals faster lap times for the slow pokes, where faster cars would have to sacrifice a little speed to make this line work (and increase lap times).
Hardest part to get used to about this turn, is the fact that you'll be looking 'UP' out of your windshield to put an eye on the apex. That and the g-forces you'll experience. It is quite a thrill.
-Stacy (Stack) King, HPDE Co-Chairman, Triangle Z Club / Tarheel Sports Car Club
These two turns built alot more respect in my mind for NASCAR drivers. To repeat these corners over and over at the absolute limit can't be easy.
Lower powered cars like Miatas and the like WITH EXPERIENCED DRIVERS should be able to work up to flat-footing these corners fairly easily. Its when you have a car like a Z06 that you'll find yourself slowing a bit before entry. (K Brewer)
EYES: When going through NASCAR 1 & 2 your visibility will be limited. In order to keep your eyes far enough ahead to be able to react to an emergency, you will have to look out your driver’s side window to see far enough down the track. (Rob S)
Turn 3
The entry to this turn, at the end of the NASCAR backstretch, is one of the more challenging and more debated corners/area of a track in the Southeast
My opinion is that the "lower" entry is more correct. You turn slightly while still on the back stretch and pick a line that just barely misses the inside wall and points towards the corner station and re-entry point from the infield to NASCAR section. You do your braking along this line and turn in for the corner itself from the outside edge of the track once you reach it and take a late apex line to maximize speed down the inside straightaway that follows
The "higher" entry seems to upset the car more, create a zone where you are just coasting towards the point where the "lower" entry puts you after braking and where it makes sense to turn in for the corner.
The "lower" entry is also a more defensive line, in my opinion, for you racers out there...
To add... many drivers are now using a hybrid of the above two approaches. Using a more disctinct turn in than the 'shallow' line, but not as wide of an entrance as the high-entry line. Basically this creates a braking zone leading straight towards the turn-in point for 'turn 4', which is a decreasing radius left hander after the transition turn. It takes some of the risk out if you blow the braking zone, you're not headed straight for the end of the wall where the corner worker is, and turn-in for turn 4 is not as abrupt. (S.King)
Picking a line here is no small feat. When instructing I describe this turn as "Spectrum Turn" in that there are two distinct ends, and infinite combinations along the spectrum. The short answer is that there are one or two ideal entry points for this turn per car, but the point varies greatly for every vehicle.
Racers should stay in the lower-mid range with some bonsai moves against the lower wall to get by that pesky guy in front with just slightly more hp than you. TT or HPDE students will be able to play with the full range. If you car has a very good suspension, the higher line allows you to carry more speed. Coming off the banking is a violent act the higher you go, so momentum cars should stick to the highest line they can without upsetting the car. An alternative to this is to stay mid-low, find the late apex, and get on the throttle early. The benefit to this is a nice late/hard brake zone and a much safer corner because it leaves you a lot of track to play with.
The big boys will want to keep it low and tight, double apex the turn, and get into that throttle ASAP. The important thing to know about turn 3 is that it is different for every car. Feel it out and play with the levels of stability, momentum, and acceleration points. (Rob S)
Turn 4
Turn 4 has a line that is very similar in technique to 'The Bitch' on VIR South Course. Brake late coming off of the transition (turn 3), maybe use some trail-braking, turn in hard and let the car drift out through the apex towards track out. This turn is distinctly decreasing radius, so if you turn-in too early, you will run out of asphalt at exit. The track is decently wide here, so if you have grippy tires, it shouldn't be much of an issue. At turn exit, you'll be track right... be careful with passing here.
Turns 5 and 6
This again is more of a combo set of turns... turn in for 5 should set you up on a 'rim-shot' line heading for turn 6. Car should be settled into a right hand sweeper, you'll turn in for a late apex for 6 to put onto the infield straight running parallel with the paddock. Many high-powered cars will power-slide coming out of turn 6, quite spectacular when watching from the padock area. Control your turn with throttle inputs here, watch out for power oversteer when exiting though. Lots of large gravel in the run-off area here, and concrete jersey barriors waiting at the back. The track has strategically places large foam blocks just in case. (S.King)
this turn(s) are very decreasing radius. Stay outside on turn 5 so you can get around and late apex somewhat on turn 6. If you mess up 5 or miss the turn in to hit your apex at 6 you'll end up sacrificing alot of exit speed. The wall is closer than you'd think here as far as perpendicular distance from the track edge, so if you go off try and minimize how far you go off in that direction. This turn reminds me ALOT of turn 1 at Roebling Road in the way you rim-shot the first part to make it around to the second half of the turn... (K. Brewer)
Turn 7
Care should be taken here. If you've gotten a good run coming out of turn 6, you've built up some nice momentum. If the car is not settled when taking the turn 7 left hander, it will lose grip in the rear and come around on you, even front wheel drive cars. Lots of people tend to drop two wheels off here, so there often times is dirt and debris in the braking zone for turn 8 immediately as you come out of 7.
Best to brake on the straight, turn in late for a late apex, setting up a straight shot braking zone track right for the turn 8 left hander. (S.King)
You will likely want to end this corner on the driver's right edge of the track to maximize the radius (and therefore speed) you can take through the next corner(s) onto the banking as they are far more important for lowering lap times in my experience. This is a classic example of a little sacrifice paying off on the time sheets. (K. Brewer)
Turns 8 and 9
This set of turns can be taken faster than you think. You'll be setting the car up for the turn 9 left hander that leads back onto the apron of the NASCAR turn 4 banking. The banking transition is such that you won't be able to utilize it, so most groups will instruct you to stay down on the apron until the track levels out a bit.
So after settling and slowing the car coming off of turn 7, you'll turn in late for turn 8, which will set up an apex of turn 9 right at the edge of the wall track left leading onto the apron. There's still room on the apron that you can drift out if needed, but hitting the banking from there is very abrupt and will really upset the car and cancel any momentum built up from the turn 8 turn-in.
From here its pedal to the floor leading up onto the Grandstand 'straight' (not really a straight as it curves around before leading back into NASCAR turn 1).
(S.King)
