Everybody's Going to Road America, Right?

[mueber]

For those who are going for the first time,which are your favorite viewing spots?

[Andrew Longman]

Its hard to go wrong.

First of all, bring a bike or hop a golf cart shuttle and move around. Take it in for yourself.


Inside T5 is a favorite of mine. You can see across to T14 and see them blast up the hill. The concession behind T5 is one of the better (though I like them all)

Its a short walk over to T7 with a good view through Hurry Downs and around into the carousal.

Canada corner is a blast too to hear them flying through the woods, down the gears, and then blasting up under the bridge

[KLang]

We've settled into this routine over the years:

Champcar qualifying from the grandstands at the start/finish line.

Saturday races from turn 5. From the top of the grandstand you can turn around and also see turn 14.

Sunday we spend all day at the benches on the hill overlooking turn 7. Have to get there early to get the best spot so you can see 6, 7, 8 and 9.

The rest of the time we wonder around.

[JoeBob]

Short answer: Um... everywhere.

Road America really needs to be a 3 day weekend, especially for first timers at the track. There's a lot of places where you really just want to spend a few minutes taking things in, but might not want to spend all day.

Spend Friday and Saturday exploring the grounds, and finding a favorite vantage point to watch the race on Sunday. My favorite place to watch the race is driver's right at the top of the hill between T5 and T6, but there's plenty of other good spots.

Be sure to walk from the ChampCar paddock to the Sargento Bridge between T3 and T5. Don't actually cross the bridge, just watch the cars rocket out of the tunnel under the bridge. It is the automotive equivalent of a bullet being shot out of a gun. After you've said "wow" enough times, walk down the hill (staying on the paddock side of the track) to T5. You'll be hard pressed to find a better show of speed and braking, all in a pretty walk through the woods.

[Andrew Longman]

BTW, Is there any viewing areas over by the Kink and Kettle Bottoms?

When I was last at RA I never got over there, mostly because I never found a path over there.

[KLang]

BTW, Is there any viewing areas over by the Kink and Kettle Bottoms?

When I was last at RA I never got over there, mostly because I never found a path over there.

Nothing on the Official map (http://www.roadamerica.com/2004/maps/map_track_580w.htm) but I'd be suprised if they weren't some foot trails going back there.

[JoeBob]

You can get a decent look at the entry to the kink from the carousel campgrounds. There isn't much of a view of the corner itsself, or the exit from up there - that would probably take a trek through the woods.

[Andrew Longman]

Nothing on the Official map (http://www.roadamerica.com/2004/maps/map_track_580w.htm) but I'd be suprised if they weren't some foot trails going back there.

Yeah you'd think, but its very hilly and wooded to either side of that stretch and I never found trails, either at the carousal or Canada corner ends (but I didn't try real hard because there was so much else to see). At my last visit the hillside drivers right between 6 and 7 (Hurry Downs) was roped off and no one was sitting there.

[Turn7]

BTW, Is there any viewing areas over by the Kink and Kettle Bottoms?

When I was last at RA I never got over there, mostly because I never found a path over there.

To see those, you have to go trolling for chiggers.

[Lizzerd]

I've been to RA many times for the Champ Cars, and one place I discovered early on and is a MUST SEE, is take a walk (or ride) through the woods on the infield side of the straight heading down hill to turn 5. Do this when the Champ Cars are on track. Go to just up track from the braking zone. You are about 20-25 feet or so from the cars as they are at top speed then bang their way through the gears for the turn. Awesome...

[ncmlj]

BTW, Is there any viewing areas over by the Kink and Kettle Bottoms?

When I was last at RA I never got over there, mostly because I never found a path over there.


You use to be able to get back there no problem, until the Go Cart track was made, it's still possible just don't take kids with you. Oh and if you don't care for snakes, I would keep out of that area, it seems thats there choice for home on that hill.

[girlsRfast2]

Another great place to watch, at least for awhile, is outside Turn 1. It's a pretty high-speed right-hander, so cool to watch the cars blast around that corner and marvelling that they dont go flying off track!

Dear Husband and I are going, and we're taking friends. See you there! :thumbup:

[GOFAST1]

Turn 5 is the best.

[Amanda B.'s Mom]

I've been to RA many times for the Champ Cars, and one place I discovered early on and is a MUST SEE, is take a walk (or ride) through the woods on the infield side of the straight heading down hill to turn 5. Do this when the Champ Cars are on track. Go to just up track from the braking zone. You are about 20-25 feet or so from the cars as they are at top speed then bang their way through the gears for the turn. Awesome...

This is definately one of the places I would recommend. Also a great place to take photos of the cars breaking into 5. Either infield or Paddock side works.

Another interesting experience is to be near the Motoplex Karting track. I took some photos showing the Stars of Tomorrow on track with Champ Cars also on track. Just two different tracks.

Almost anywhere is a great place to watch the action. I would recommend people take some time on Frioday and Saturday to explore and scope out their race vantage point.

Above all have a great experience.

[Dougrun]

all great ideas guys and gals. My favorite was watching the cars blast up the hill out of 5 into 6 and you can get really close to the bridge they pop out of. The forest before turn 5 was really cool too.

all I had in 2001 was my eyemodule on my visor to take pics with. Can't wait to go back with my 5MP cam now. Anyway, heres pics from 2001:
http://www.phototiming.com/eye/web/page_01.htm

those should bring back some memories. The cabin we stayed at was great, but overkill since we were at the track most of the time.

[Dougrun]

OMG, you know what we forgot to mention? THE PITS!! You can get right up the the pits with ease, literally touch the tires (or ashley judd as one of my photos shows). ;) :p

[TankSlapper]

Hasn't anybody ever gone to Kanada Corner. It's great for qualifying. You will definitly see brakes lock up and maybe some flying gravel and the roar through the gears up the twisty hill.

[Dirty Sanchez]

Basically everywhere.

I really love the outside of 8 (next to the karting track)... you can get really close to the track and see them from Hurry Downs (7) all the way into Carousel (9). Best spot on the track for photos.

Turn 5... duh. What Lizzerd said too. Hit the path through the trees there.

Turn 14. Kinda new spot for me. Really important corner as they head up the hill towards 1. Timing line is there, I believe, so you may see some interesting lines through there as they either begin or finish a hot lap. Another interesting spot for photos too.

Canada Corner... duh. Probably the one corner I'm most likely to miss every year. Its far from anything really. I get the feeling that once I'm there for a session, I'm kinda stuck there. Great spot, but not easy to get to.

Inside of Turn 3 (opposite the Corvette Corral)... no fencing and you get a pretty cool view of them in the braking zone there. Another good photo spot and really close to our camp. Convenient. Usually not so much racing or passing here...

Turn 1 is "ehhh", imo. We usually get to the inside of one at some point during the weekend. It is also close to camp. No fence on the inside either.

Definitely need 3 days to see it all.

[Madmaxfan2]

I would love to be there. Have a brat & Brew for me, especially during the bike race. AJ Allamindinger to win!

[Redwing]

Dualing Eggers at Dawn! Then it's through the paddock, back down to turn 5, up Fireman's Hill by 6, then the long trek to the Kink, around to Canada Corner, and back to 5.

Turn 5 is awesome - half racetrack, half theater. I remember TK doing his first CART broadcast from a platform above 5, saying that turn 5 is where you make your move in American racing.

[G.]

I've been to RA many times for the Champ Cars, and one place I discovered early on and is a MUST SEE, is take a walk (or ride) through the woods on the infield side of the straight heading down hill to turn 5. Do this when the Champ Cars are on track. Go to just up track from the braking zone. You are about 20-25 feet or so from the cars as they are at top speed then bang their way through the gears for the turn. Awesome...Do this on lap one. Trust me. You have the cover of the trees above you and racers trying to hit this corner as fast as possible.

Remember the Champcar commercial that ended with the woman obviously mouthing, "Oh my God."? Turn five, in the woods, first green lap, even seasoned veterans will say OMG. :thumbup:

[Warlock!]

For those who are going for the first time,which are your favorite viewing spots?
Next to my cooler. It doesn't much matter where... it's all good.

Warlock!

[Dirty Sanchez]

For those who are going for the first time,which are your favorite viewing spots?I just re-read the question.

How would first timers have a favorite viewing spot?


:gomer:

[Sean O'Gorman]

I just re-read the question.

How would first timers have a favorite viewing spot?


:gomer:

:laugh:

I can't believe none of us caught that.

When I went to RA in 2002, I found that T5 was easily my favorite section to watch. The cars going through the trees heading into T5 was pretty cool too, its the loudest I ever heard a Champ Car.

I wouldn't worry too much about finding a good spot mueber. I was able to make my way to pretty much every part of the track in the 55 laps, except for T1, and I was able to see that during the earlier parts of the weekend.

Road America was a very cool track to visit, wish I could afford to go again.