SPF at Road America - How Fast?

[domtoni]

Daryl,

Through to the mid 70s, the speed traps were located on the back straight for that very reason. Not having been to Road America since 1975, I trust the main straight, with its uphill grade, is now faster than the back straight?

Has the circuit changed?

 

Hi Tom

I was told the 190 figure by Dennis's mechanic Paul the day we got there.

Hi
Jac Mac just quoting Paul, Dennis's mechanic but help yourself, it still does not change the fact that Dennis blew the original GT40s into the weeds, and that the ZFQ is working well 63 sold so far.

regards

Chris.

 

[Pat Buckley]

Its been a long time since I held a class course record there but I seem to remember that the straight past 11a was the fastest part of the track....

Then again my memory is fading.

 

[Randy V]

Its been a long time since I held a class course record there but I seem to remember that the straight past 11a was the fastest part of the track....

Then again my memory is fading.

Your memory is fine...

I've held a track record at RA before (it's gone now) but the car was far faster coming through there than anywhere else on the track. Coming up the hill out of T14 was a real bugger for any car - regardless of weight/bore.. It was literally like standing on the brake and the gas at the same time!

Now - there are some fellows that liked to hold speed a little too long in the downhill segment into T5, but they generally paid the price... :lipsrsealed:

 

[Daryl Adams]

Its been a long time since I held a class course record there but I seem to remember that the straight past 11a was the fastest part of the track....

Then again my memory is fading.

I'll agree with that. I've raced "momentum cars" at RA for years and if you can get through the Kink just right you will find the run to 12 is the fastest bit on the track. That's why 12 is called Canada Corner...botch your braking and you end up in Canada.

 

[Mike Drew]

FWIW, the Youtube video shot from the 1000+hp Can Am car at Road America this summer (featured in another thread elsewhere on this forum) showed him hitting 189 mph at the end of the front straight, and slightly less on the shorter downhill straight....

 

[Mike Trusty]

The neatest part of the track to me was accelerating up the incline on the front straight. The acceleration plus the vertical force was pretty cool. Based on my gearing, shift lights blinking and quick glance at the tach(6,200 or so) I was somewhere around 160 just past the flag stand. I was starting to pucker about that time so I might be off a little.

 

[Tom Leonard]

FWIW, the Youtube video shot from the 1000+hp Can Am car at Road America this summer (featured in another thread elsewhere on this forum) showed him hitting 189 mph at the end of the front straight, and slightly less on the shorter downhill straight....

Mike
The reason his speed is down on the back straight is the way he drives thru the kink (very carefully). I suspect that which straight is faster depends on how much speed the particular car/driver can carry thru the kink (grip, downforce).

Certainly, with 1000 horses on tap, that incline seems to have no effect.

 

[Rod]

I just watched an old Fifth Gear on TV and saw a 25 year old absolutely stock looking Sierra Cosworth saloon car, 2 litres or so 4 banger turbo with some nitrous added go 206 mph on a 2 mile airfield runway - verified by independent timing and an incar camera with a specially fitted digital speedometer display.

Sierra did it in 1.41miles from leaving the pits & as it says in the video it was wet. This is an old Video, the car now has a Dynoed 838bhp + 200 shot of Nitrous, it will run again in 2010.
Capable back then of 0-200mph in 24secs now probably sub 22secs.
sierra 5th gear - Google Videos