"The fastest track in North America"???
02-25-2004, 05:00 PM
#17
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That 1:18 car at Willow will probably run 2: 16 at Road america. The GT3RS run 1:20s at Willow and 2:18 at Road America. If this is so, the fastest average speed will be at Willow springs, and the fastest top speed will likely be Road America, where many of the SpeedGT cars running 2:20 were getting in the 175mph range. (on DoT stickies)
I think those tracks have to be the fastest!
MK
I think those tracks have to be the fastest!
MK
Originally posted by JackOlsen
If a fast club-racing 911 is your guide, then a 1:18 at Willow Springs is an average speed of 115 mph. A 2:09 at Road America is 113 mph average. Do any other road courses beat those two?
If a fast club-racing 911 is your guide, then a 1:18 at Willow Springs is an average speed of 115 mph. A 2:09 at Road America is 113 mph average. Do any other road courses beat those two?
02-25-2004, 05:16 PM
#18
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From what I recall of lap times, PCA Club Racers at Brainerd Int’l are running average lap speeds of around 94-95mph for stock F, 96mph for E, 98mph for D. The GT classes go up to around 112mph. I think the lap record is around 125-126mph by a Can-Am car about 30 years ago.
Road America is around 90-91mph for F, 92mph for E, and the fastest 911 based car I have seen at RA was around 107mph. The 2:09 lap was done by a 962.
I don’t think BIR is an extremely technical track and it doesn’t have much elevation change like Road America or others. Because of the high speed turns at BIR, horsepower and suspension/stability make a big difference. But it does become a challenge of will/guts to take Turn 1 flat out and to hold it into Turn 2. I haven’t encountered the same ‘holy xxxx’ feeling anywhere else as I have turning in at Turn 2.
In an F stock car I was indicating 140mph through Turn 1, pulling between a 145-150mph at the brake point (more of a tap or lift) for 2 and was having higher class cars pass me on the inside with a significant speed differential, then holding about 120-125 at the apex to exit of 2. Its quite a hair raising experience.
As far as it being the fastest? I think that advertised claim served its purpose: to get club racers talking about the track in hopes they will drive up north to find out….
Road America is around 90-91mph for F, 92mph for E, and the fastest 911 based car I have seen at RA was around 107mph. The 2:09 lap was done by a 962.
I don’t think BIR is an extremely technical track and it doesn’t have much elevation change like Road America or others. Because of the high speed turns at BIR, horsepower and suspension/stability make a big difference. But it does become a challenge of will/guts to take Turn 1 flat out and to hold it into Turn 2. I haven’t encountered the same ‘holy xxxx’ feeling anywhere else as I have turning in at Turn 2.
In an F stock car I was indicating 140mph through Turn 1, pulling between a 145-150mph at the brake point (more of a tap or lift) for 2 and was having higher class cars pass me on the inside with a significant speed differential, then holding about 120-125 at the apex to exit of 2. Its quite a hair raising experience.
As far as it being the fastest? I think that advertised claim served its purpose: to get club racers talking about the track in hopes they will drive up north to find out….
02-25-2004, 05:26 PM
#19
Race Car
Originally posted by clubrcr
Are we talking fastest top speed or fastest average speed around the track?
Are we talking fastest top speed or fastest average speed around the track?
I've never driven Road America, so when I looked up lap times, I think I just grabbed what The Racer's Group did there. I put it up against the fastest times from POC club racers at Willow Springs.
02-25-2004, 05:45 PM
#20
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Road America is the fastest track I have attained a top speed at. Beautiful facility too. I would imagine the NASCAR configuration at Watkins Glen would be pretty quick too. I think the Grand-Am cup ran that configuration a few years back. I know someone who ran that race, I'll see if he has any laptimes.
Cheers, James
Cheers, James
02-25-2004, 06:33 PM
#21
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I think one could argue pretty hard to have Road Americal in the no. 1 slot for either top or average speed. The track record is sub two minutes and top speed between 3 and 5 (where the trap is/was) is somewhere in the neighborhood of 160. On top of all that, there're two other high speed sections that some believe are even faster than the 3-5 straight...
I remember a Mark Donohue comments from decades past about whether he noticed the 917 slowing at all going up the hill down the long front straight... His reply was "What hill?"...
I remember a Mark Donohue comments from decades past about whether he noticed the 917 slowing at all going up the hill down the long front straight... His reply was "What hill?"...
02-25-2004, 07:05 PM
#22
Instructor
Fast Tracks
I would have to put Daytona at the top of the list. At the 24hr race the GT3 cups had average speeds of 110-113 mph with lap times of just under 2 minutes on the 3.56 mile oval/road course. Top speed in my 993 cup at Daytona was just over 170 mph.
02-25-2004, 07:18 PM
#23
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The fastest tracks are Ovals, three that come to mind are... Talladega, Daytona, Atlanta Motor Speedway in that order. 
I've done Atlanta Motor Speedway and for PUCKER POWER... it's way more intense than the back straight at Road Atlanta ( 150 +), even though we were only at ~ 160 mph. The rough track has you moving up & down in the turns and video shows the right rear tire smoking (suspension bottoms) entering turn 1.
02-25-2004, 07:21 PM
#25
Race Car
Well, if you want to talk average speed of the track's record... Michael Andretti ran a 1:06 at Willow Springs, which is an average speed of 136 mph. 
Top that, Road America.
Top that, Road America.
02-25-2004, 07:23 PM
#26
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I suppose I better put a final plug in for BIR and our club race. I'm a little surprised that Roger Johnson, our race chair and chief promoter, hasn't chimed in. I've driven RA and BIR back to back and I can say for sure that BIR has a higher top speed. My C 996 will be dancing with the rev limiter in 5th going into turn one at BIR. I don't get near that speed at RA.
Having said that, the Nord Stern club race ad is marketing. BIR may or may not be the "fastest track" but for sure it's a great track with a lot of history and some serious fun. I think most racers that have attended in the past will also agree that Roger and gang throw a pretty fun weekend. Come on up.
Jim
Having said that, the Nord Stern club race ad is marketing. BIR may or may not be the "fastest track" but for sure it's a great track with a lot of history and some serious fun. I think most racers that have attended in the past will also agree that Roger and gang throw a pretty fun weekend. Come on up.
Jim
02-25-2004, 07:58 PM
#27
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sub 2 min for road america would require quite a bit more speed on the big straights than 160mph. maybe closer to 200mph. I know the SpeedGT guys were hitting close to 180 at ave speeds of around 105mph,and i think the trans am guys are running close to 185 at top speed.
" what hill" funny!! I cant wait to experience Road america this season. Hopefully the PCA race over labor day, if not the SpeedGT race, if any rif raf shows up. most all the tracks we see out west are pretty tame as far as top speed, even Willow springs. (and especially Laguna)
MK
" what hill" funny!! I cant wait to experience Road america this season. Hopefully the PCA race over labor day, if not the SpeedGT race, if any rif raf shows up. most all the tracks we see out west are pretty tame as far as top speed, even Willow springs. (and especially Laguna)
MK
Originally posted by DAR951
I think one could argue pretty hard to have Road Americal in the no. 1 slot for either top or average speed. The track record is sub two minutes and top speed between 3 and 5 (where the trap is/was) is somewhere in the neighborhood of 160. On top of all that, there're two other high speed sections that some believe are even faster than the 3-5 straight...
I remember a Mark Donohue comments from decades past about whether he noticed the 917 slowing at all going up the hill down the long front straight... His reply was "What hill?"...
I think one could argue pretty hard to have Road Americal in the no. 1 slot for either top or average speed. The track record is sub two minutes and top speed between 3 and 5 (where the trap is/was) is somewhere in the neighborhood of 160. On top of all that, there're two other high speed sections that some believe are even faster than the 3-5 straight...
I remember a Mark Donohue comments from decades past about whether he noticed the 917 slowing at all going up the hill down the long front straight... His reply was "What hill?"...
Last edited by mark kibort; 02-25-2004 at 08:20 PM.
02-25-2004, 09:23 PM
#28
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Looking soley at that track map, the REALLY fast cars must get up around 180 or more easy at BIR. Which would agree with what JimB said above, i.e. fastest top speed of any track in the country.
Shoot, I've been up to 160-165 on the back straight at VIR in a slightly modded 996TT. And its not nearly as long, mostly uphill, and out of a slow turn leading onto it. No I wasn't driving.
Just trying to keep from #%&@ing my pants in the passenger seat.
Shoot, I've been up to 160-165 on the back straight at VIR in a slightly modded 996TT. And its not nearly as long, mostly uphill, and out of a slow turn leading onto it. No I wasn't driving.
Just trying to keep from #%&@ing my pants in the passenger seat.
02-25-2004, 09:33 PM
#29
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Originally posted by Mike Buck
Looking soley at that track map, the REALLY fast cars must get up around 180 or more easy at BIR. Which would agree with what JimB said above, i.e. fastest top speed of any track in the country.
Shoot, I've been up to 160-165 on the back straight at VIR in a slightly modded 996TT. And its not nearly as long, mostly uphill, and out of a slow turn leading onto it. No I wasn't driving. Just trying to keep from #%&@ing my pants in the passenger seat.
Looking soley at that track map, the REALLY fast cars must get up around 180 or more easy at BIR. Which would agree with what JimB said above, i.e. fastest top speed of any track in the country.
Shoot, I've been up to 160-165 on the back straight at VIR in a slightly modded 996TT. And its not nearly as long, mostly uphill, and out of a slow turn leading onto it. No I wasn't driving.
Just trying to keep from #%&@ing my pants in the passenger seat.
That TT was a little more than "Slightly Modded"! Stock Z06'sss and Vipers barely hit ~ 150 there! Farmer's Speed Vision car maybe hits ~165.
02-25-2004, 09:45 PM
#30
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It was modded, but nothing crazy. "maybe 500hp" he said. What was scary was how smooth it was. I thought he was short shifting, nope, it just went through the gears stupid fast.
Chris Brown is his name, he's on this board. Good instructor and all around cool guy. Has a sweet RSR replica too.
What was scary was how smooth it was. I thought he was short shifting, nope, it just went through the gears stupid fast.Chris Brown is his name, he's on this board. Good instructor and all around cool guy. Has a sweet RSR replica too.