I going to Road America for my first time and would like some advice on best race viewing spots. Thank Bob
Yep, going to Springfield for the Mile races and onto RoadAmerica for the Superbike races. Car trip, I am leaving the Stelvio at home. Bob
Road America is nothing like Barber. Enormous facility, more freedom of movement, and the Superbikes can get beyond 3rd gear!
Think of RA as a 500 acre park with a race track. You can drive around in/on your car/bike. However there are several paces you cannot drive. Or set up camp anywhere (even right next to the track) then head out from there. Get there early if you want trackside. Bring a cooler, grill and whatever you need to enjoy a weekend at the park. If you want to really see the entire track bring walking shoes and a backpack. Head out with a map and start walking. There are food and drink stands all over. Some of these serve up some really good Wisconsin type food. I've mountain biked around there a lot. The busier it gets the more of hassle riding is. You can not ride bikes anywhere in the pits. Turns 1-3 are pretty fast. T3 is important as it lead down one of the 3 major straights. T5 is busy/lotsa ppl. Hard braking and slow but you can get quite close. Walk up firemans hill to see several portions of the track. T's6-7-8 are nice sweepers aka (The Hurry downs) with hill-top vantage viewing on both sides. Carousel down through T12/Canada Corner is a nice walk to get away from the crowds. Canada corner through thunder valley is also nice and shaded plus you can really hear the engines. Loud! T14 is another important corner as it leads on to the final straight. The important turns are fun to watch as the racers will let it hang out to get a good drive. Friday night is the Dairyland Classic (pro dirt track) in Plymouth. I'll be there for sure.
Not much spectating there BUT raced there several times...Turn 5 !!! Late braking Heaven...If you got the nerves...and a GOOD front tire. Then the Carousel!!! entry, middle and Exit...What a blast if you like to "make it slide". Sneak thru the woods down to "Thunder Valley"...you can get up close and personal as the superbikes go past @ +160!!! Never won there but always finished in the top 10. Loved to race there. First time on the track was with Kieth Code's "California Superbike School" (1986) not sure but think they still do that there.... on BMW S1000RR's No Less!!! Hoping you got great weather...you're gonna love it too!!
Check out Siebken's bar Friday or Saturday nights. It ain't what it used to be but there are usually some cool bikes parked in the closed-off alley between the restaurant and hotel.
reading all of this makes me really miss the Mid-Ohio hey days!! The two track I always wanted to see were Road American, and Brainerd. NOTHING like turn one at Brainerd!! Wish I would have been able to witness that! Road America might be do-able, won't be quite like the old days, but it's still motorcycle racing. I never missed a national at Mid-Ohio. Wow, the crowds they used to get, amazing. Hell, The indy car guys would love to have those bike race crowds these days!!
I went to Brainerd a couple times BITD, for AMA and WSBK. Compared to RA, Brainerd was, how you say, primitive. Turn one is impressive (I was there in '87 when Schwantz turned the Yosh GSXR into scrap in T1) but the rest, not so much.
Get over to Shawano too and see some motard racing. Schedule not updated? http://www.usairmotorsports.com/