Turn by turn guide to the Road America track

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If you know this track then please try to start this guide. Once, someone starts then other readers should refine it to make the descriptions better. But, someone has to be first. Just click the edit button on the top of the page or the right and go.

Contents

Track Map

Image:RoadAmericaTrackMap.jpg

Turn 1

High-speed turn off the main straight into a slightly off-camber downhill into turn 3. Turn 2, as mentioned below, isn't really a turn - just a slight kink in the downhill. There is heavy braking going into turn 1 - non-track cars might consider the start of braking at the driveway/turnout ahead of the braking zone numbers. In 2005 there was a significant bump at the apex of Turn 1.

Turn 2

Not a turn, just a corner worker station. Drive under the point in the Briggs & Stratton diamond overhead sign for the best line into Turn 3.

Turn 3

Use the "natural" downforce of the depression at the bottom the hill coming down from turn 2 for late braking, late-apex number 3, and set up for some speed on the long straight.

Turn 4

There really is no Turn 4, just a slight kink in the straight that goes under the yellow Sargento bridge. Coming out of 3a from the right side of the track, drift out towards the middle of the track towards turn 4 and the Moraine Sweep. At the Sweep and the start of the braking zone, the right side of the track falls away. Stay in the middle at the start of braking and straight-line towards your intended turn-in point at the outside of turn 5.

Some drivers start the downhill portion on the left side of the track, then drift to the right (by driving straight, as the track kinks to the left) as they begin braking downhill to Turn 5, which is the slowest turn on the track, 90 degrees to the left.

Turn 5

Heavy breaking is required in T5. It is the slowest corner on the track followed by a steep hill. Some people break a little to the left of the natural line to avoid a small bump. You will feel the rumble strips at turnin if you use them, but many cars straddle the gators on the trackout side. There is a strip of smooth concrete on the outside of the gators at trackout. Straddling it correctly and getting back on track before the grass will let you transform Turn 5 into a larger radius corner. Late apex this turn to set up speed into the hill for turn 6.

Turn 6

A very tricky turn: blind left-hander under a bridge at the top of a hill. The turn is slightly off camber. The actual turn in point is just beyond a sharp hill crest. If you have a very fast car, you are in danger of easily over-shooting the corner if you pick the wrong braking point, and the braking point takes a lot of practice to get right due to that elevation change. More caution than usual is suggested until you figure this one out for your car. As soon as you track out, move left to set up for 7.

The following video shows a fairly decent line through both turn 6 and turn 7. As these corners are both fairly close together, it makes sense to show both in one go. It might be important to note how the driver steers out onto the outside of the curbing while exiting turn 6. As on most track curbing, the paint is fairly slippery compared to the asphault. When he realized the right side tires would still be under load while tracking out onto the curbing, the driver felt it was better to just straighten the wheels out temporarily to unload them until the car had settled down.

Turn 7

A fast, late-apex corner. It starts to slope downhill soon after the apex, so be ready. Prepare to move over to the right immediately as turn 8 comes up fast. Lower horsepower cars can easily take Turn 7 without braking, because it comes up quickly after 6 and is only 60 degrees.

See an example in the video for turn 6.

Turn 8

A standard 90 deg left-hander. You should be able to pick a somewhat late braking point for this turn, as the hill you are coming down levels off during the braking zone -- providing some slight "virtual" downforce to the car.

Turn 9

Turns 9 and 10 make up the Carousel, a long 210 degree sweeper to the right. Enter this turn at a steady throttle, just under the "p" in "Snap-on" on the bridge, maintain a position about mid-track. Once you are totally past the bridge, slowly add throttle and begin to drift towards the inside of the turn, aiming for the late-apex of turn 10 (continued in turn 10)....

Looking at the video (found in the section for turn 10) notice how the driver initially maintains steady throttle for the first quarter of the carousel and then begins to slowly accelerate while bringing the car in towards the inside so that the car just clips the curbing before begining to track out.

Turn 10

Continuing along the same line from the Turn 9 portion of the Carousel, hit the late-apex, clipping the rumble strips on the inside. If you have taken this corner correctly you should track out to the black ashphalt patch, then shoot under the new (in 2005) Suzuki bridge.

Turn 11

"The Kink." The infamous turn considered by many to be the most dangerous part of the track. It's sharper than it looks and has only a thin strip of grass on each side for run-off. Notice the many paint marks on the concrete barriers lining both sides. Give this turn LOTS of respect. Start by braking, then work up to just lifting as you become familiar with it.

Others think that if done properly, you should be able to take this at or near full throttle, although, if you try and fail, bad things happen. Start turn-in at the last corner marker.

The following video shows a decent example of driving through this fast corner. Although the driver is a bit wide of the apex, his entry tecnique is pretty good: Brush the brakes around the number 2 marker and begin turn-in just before the 1 marker. Obviously, this will vary depending on your car, so take your time and build up to it.

Turns 11a, 11b

"Kettle Bottoms." For most cars, this is an effective straight. Some super cars and full-on race cars may need to watch out for the minor elevations changes and bends at very high speeds. You'll need to begin drifting to the left to setup for turn 12.

Turn 12

Canada Corner. Watch out in the braking zone - things get tight coming out of Kettle Bottoms at high speed and the run out isn't very long. This would be a bad place to lose your brakes. For many lower horsepower cars the "straight" before Turn 12 is the fastest part of the course.

Late apex this turn in order to carry speed up the hill. Run your exit out wide into 13.

Turn 13

13 & 13a take you up a steep hill and under the Billy Mitchell Bridge. Avoid the bridge at all costs. It is not in your way. After a late and wide exit from twelve, drift to the right towards the inside end of the rumble strip coming out of turn 13. Turn 13 is a bit of a throwaway - focus on the turn through 13a.

From here, early to mid-apex 13a right under the bridge. Although it is somewhat blind, 13a at the top of the bridge has lots of room to extend your track out of the corner. There is also some room to blow the turn into the grass if you screw up. The best track out after the bridge takes you over the white line on the right.

Turn 14

This turn is followed by a long strait with a steep hill towards the beginning of it. Get a great exit from here to maximize speed on the strait. Turn 14 tightens progressively towards the exit. If you run 13a wide and hard, it can be a quick swing from there to unsettled braking into turn 14.