Turn by turn guide to the Talladega Gran Prix Raceway trackFrom TrackpediaIf 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.
Track MapTurn 1 Counter-clockwiseDown the front straight, many cars will only be in 3rd gear when approaching the braking point for T1 at full track left. T1 is a left-hand corner, but there is a right-hand kink (1A) just before it. I start braking and turn in for 1A at the same time, putting the right side tires at the apex for 1A and aiming for the center seam on the track into T1. Start looking way ahead for a late apex (cones usually set up) and slowly creep down to the inside as you approach the end of the corner. Open the wheel and let the car track out smoothly full track right. -Michael Skeen Turn 2 CCWEntering T2 you will either be at the top of 3rd gear or maybe short-shifting into 4th. The track just barely creeps to the right in the braking zone, be sure to hold the car full track right until your turn-in point. This corner has a lot of banking, so it can be done VERY fast. The cones are usually out here too, but not always in the same spot. However, there is a little spot on the inside of the corner where the grass is a little thin--this is your apex. Be sure to look way ahead for the track out, because there is more room here than most people realize and the power can be laid down early. This also leads onto the longest straight, so it's important to get every mph possible. -Michael Skeen Turn 3 CCWThe back straight is the fastest part of this track. Still, most cars/drivers will be doing good to top 100 mph. For this reason, you can brake fairly late. You'll probably only need to perform one downshift here (to 3rd) which you can hold all the way back to the main straight. This corner has several different approaches, so I'll outline them separately. Traditional late apex: turn in late and get most of your turning done early in the corner where the banking is the steepest; from there, just look ahead, find a late apex, and get on the power early. The downside to this, in my opinion, is how much you have to slow down at the entry to the corner because you have to make a tighter turn. Double apex: turn in early looking for the first set of cones. If they aren't there, you'll find a spot on the inside of the track where it's not a perfect curve and there's a tiny bit of a dip. This is your first apex. From here, let the car drift out 1/2-3/4 track right, rotate the car, and get back on the power. The second apex is near the end of the corner, near the traditional late apex. This is a fairly advanced technique; you need to know how to rotate your car quickly, effectively, and consistently. High grip/high power cars will find this pretty useful. Now, my way: turn in between the two previous examples. Aim for the first apex (first set of cones) and then simply hug the inside of the corner. Look ahead and feed in the power while looking for your track out 1/2-3/4 track right. I like this line because you eat people up at the turn in when they do the traditional late turn-in (which is pretty much everyone). You aren't turning as sharp, so don't slow down as much. You can still get on the power pretty early and the straight following is not very long so you don't lose much there. Definitely the fastest line in my experience. Split the s-turns on your way to T4. Let the car go where it wants, which will be pretty straight. -Michael Skeen Turn 4 CCWThis turn requires lots of patience. You should be full track left on entry. To be fast here, you need to be comfortable with trail-braking. Stay in the gas through the left-right kinks leading up to T4. Brake hard, but briefly, in a straight line and then bleed off of them some as you turn into the corner. Stay 1/2-3/4 track left through the first half of the corner. You will see two white dots on the pavement. Keep left (or maybe right tires on) the first dot and then straddle the second one as you turn in for your late apex. Look up and feed in the power to the track out. -Michael Skeen Turn 5 CCWThis corner is the only real flat corner at Tally. Sometimes there's not much grip and you really need to use patience here. This corner is also probably the worst on your RF tire. Enter T5 full track right. Get on the brakes and start to turn in almost immediately. This will be a double-apex corner. Touch the inside of the track where the grass is a little thin, then drift out to mid track and look WAY AHEAD. This corner will feel never-ending. Smoothly feed in power and turn in for your apex which is at the very end of the corner (at the curb). From here you should be wide open throttle through the right-kink and back onto the front straight. -Michael Skeen
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