CincyEvo

Didn't make it altho I talked w/a friend who did it in his BMW & I watched his in-car video. I gotta say, it looked like a great track for Miatas, not so cool for horsepower cars: too many wiggles, no bone fide straight stretch, totally flat, and so large that in his run group at least, there was no one to chase, just him out there on the track by himself. He didn't get out of 3rd often and figured top speed was 100, vs 120-130 at Putnam/Mid-O, VIR. It was more like Gingerman, just longer. Anyhow, I crossed it off my list of tracks to do some day & he says he won't go back.

lexat20

iTrader: (24)

He couldn't get out of third? Wow, I was between 3 and 4 almost the whole track. Top speed was about 115 through a couple of straights. The miata in my group was lapped on the straights. The video you watched definitely did the track no justice. This track is designed for Cup style racing which is a high horsepower car imo. You say you are taking it off of your list of tracks, I would highly rethink that.

144mph

iTrader: (19)

I had to deliberately keep my car in third due to my inexperience, brake fade, and being on crappy all-seasons that I simply don't trust at those speeds. Since I was keeping it in third for the entire track, I was pretty much at the top of my RPM band (8K) and coasting about 15-20% of the time. Even still, top of third for me is about 90mph and I'd hit that with ease in more than a few spots of the track. I rode with an instructor in his Mini Cooper S and I'm certain he was hitting 110mph in spots as the speedometer is front and center in those cars.

Sure, I have zero exerience at other tracks, but I don't think this track is for low HP cars at all. I liked the fact that there were a lot of turns and the straights were fairly short, though still capable of letting the car run if given the necessary input.

Furthermore, your statement seems a little contradictory. On one hand, he says the track was too tight and didn't allow the speeds he'd like, and on the other, it was too large and spacious so he felt isolated from the rest of the cars.

It would be a shame to cross this off your list of tracks because of one bad review.

Jeff_Jeske

iTrader: (66)

This has to be a joke! The combined track has 4 different places where I hit 110+ and that is on a mildly modded EVO. Too many wiggles....LOL....maybe your friend should stick to drag racing! If the guy like straights then what's he doing road racing? The track is alot like Gingerman it takes practice and skill to select the fastest line. Maybe your friend is more into speed and less into actual racing. If that is the case send him to road america where you can hit 150 and take a nap in the straights.

I would go back to Autobahn for a full track event today if I could.

CincyEvo

Try VIR & get back w/me.

zigger

My STi buddy swears by these for track use.



They really help with the heat.

http://www.takspeed.com//shop/index....=index&cPath=6

SimonStern

Sweet. more room for the rest of us.

Videos don't do justice to ANY track. You need to drive it.

No straights? On the full course there are 5 VERY long straights and 2 semi-long straights. I use 4th on 3 of them, and should use it on the other two, but I am lazy. There are also a couple of areas where you "flow" through the turns without the need of the brakes. On the entire full course, there is only one "slow" area and that is on the South track, the turn is named "Patience."

Granted, there is very little elevation change and very little camber to most of the turn so "flat" is a fairly accurate description, but it IS the midwest after all.

The north track is OWNED by HP. I hardly touch the brakes when running just the north track. The south track is more technical, and there are definatly slower areas. The full track is AWESOME!

In all seriousness, you should try it for yourself before you knock it.

boomn29

iTrader: (47)

Glad to here everyone made it out safely and had a good time. I soooo wanted to join in the fun, but being the holiday weekend I had other plans.

I did get to a road-race event here locally via the Phil Wicks school, and gotta say I'm hooked. Keep up lower IL guys posted on when and where we can get some track time up north as you guys have a LOT more options. Don't be shy to post in the midwest specific forum either (plz).