Your best circuit
- Thread starter Keith Baker
- Start date
Ian Anderson
Lifetime Supporter
I've never been so scared in my life
I got a couple of laps in the GT40 and it was at dusk. Damn it is hard to see where the track goes with zero camber changes, no corner countdown signs, a lot of oil on the surface, and so many marbles off line that were waiting to assist you off. And they say long straights - max was about 130mph - but then again not knowing where the corners were was enough.
Once was enough and not really interested in having another go on it
Ian
(always dream about a lap at LeMans, don't know if I'll ever get there......):sad:
The extended course at Watkins Glen is my favorite. it has a nice variety of turns, the harrowing uphill esses, interesting elevation changes and of course the rich history of so many great races - triumph and tragedy... When I get to the top of that hill and enter the track I get that strange weighty feeling I've experienced when I attended the Indy 500 the first time, or walked into Yankee Stadium. the realization that so much history has happened there.
Speaking of Indianapolis, when I first laid my eyes on that place, I was dumbfounded. The place is huge! the gigantic grandstands along the front half the track go on forever. And talk about history, well in the old days risking your life running those four laps in qualifying just to get in to the show, wow. Pre race ceremonies are great with all of the traditional activities - Jim Nabors singing "Back home again in Indiana", The invocation -(playing "taps" BEFORE a race really gives me the willys) and by the time the loudspeakers crackle with "Gentlemen start your engines" the tension is so thick you can cut it with a knife. I guess those two tracks would be my favorites.
Speaking of Indianapolis, when I first laid my eyes on that place, I was dumbfounded. The place is huge! the gigantic grandstands along the front half the track go on forever. And talk about history, well in the old days risking your life running those four laps in qualifying just to get in to the show, wow. Pre race ceremonies are great with all of the traditional activities - Jim Nabors singing "Back home again in Indiana", The invocation -(playing "taps" BEFORE a race really gives me the willys) and by the time the loudspeakers crackle with "Gentlemen start your engines" the tension is so thick you can cut it with a knife. I guess those two tracks would be my favorites.
Jim Craik
Lifetime Supporter
Eric,
I'm with you there, it's hard to explain why, but Mr Nabors never fails to bring a tear to my eye.
Frances and I went to the first USGP at Indy, I must say I was disappointed that "Back Home Again"................was left out.
The other disappointment at the Indy GP, the jet flyover, they missed the track by a country mile.
I'm with you there, it's hard to explain why, but Mr Nabors never fails to bring a tear to my eye.
Frances and I went to the first USGP at Indy, I must say I was disappointed that "Back Home Again"................was left out.
The other disappointment at the Indy GP, the jet flyover, they missed the track by a country mile.
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I must say the staff at Indy museum are the nicest people at any race venue I have been to. Just great folks who are very happy you are there and do anything to make your visit memorable. There was talk of running a Superbike race at Indy before I retired. I would have un retired for that one event just to have raced on the same ground as all the legends of motorsport. The place is immensely magic and you can feel the history oozing out everywhere.
The museum staff had me sign their autograph book, I was so honored (and totally unworthy) I could have fell over with the push of a feather. Next to the names in that book I was nobody, very humble and proud at the same moment.
The museum staff had me sign their autograph book, I was so honored (and totally unworthy) I could have fell over with the push of a feather. Next to the names in that book I was nobody, very humble and proud at the same moment.
Monza is my house.Think i know every brick and corner of Milano's track.I use to go there very very very often (have to meet David one day 
).Also wellknow the points where to enter without paying a cent, since decades.It is surely one of the few serious ones remained,just ruined by berger and schumacher in the first variante (ugly and dangerous) and the second of lesmo, slower since years.
As car lover,my heart is anyway owned by the Nurburgring nordschleife.For me really the nicest one ever seen.
Too many others i read about but never saw in person.So my fav "Itinerary" (more than tracks) are nearly all old italian ones, so Mille Miglia and old Targa Florio.
There are landscapes and villagez u cross that are simply incredible and too nice.
david knows what I mean, and also Jim j6 can confirm all.
sorry guys.. italiano here
i mean this, between hills and sea...with food smell and wine taste (and nice girls screamin at u..)
).Also wellknow the points where to enter without paying a cent, since decades.It is surely one of the few serious ones remained,just ruined by berger and schumacher in the first variante (ugly and dangerous) and the second of lesmo, slower since years.As car lover,my heart is anyway owned by the Nurburgring nordschleife.For me really the nicest one ever seen.
Too many others i read about but never saw in person.So my fav "Itinerary" (more than tracks) are nearly all old italian ones, so Mille Miglia and old Targa Florio.
There are landscapes and villagez u cross that are simply incredible and too nice.
david knows what I mean, and also Jim j6 can confirm all.
sorry guys.. italiano here
i mean this, between hills and sea...with food smell and wine taste (and nice girls screamin at u..)
Paul Thompson 'Hooligan'
Admin
Of those driven at speed
Goodwood
Snetterton
Brands Hatch - Indy & GP
Silverstone - GP
Donnington - (without loop preferred)
Cadwell Park - (mini Nordschleife)
IOM TT full course
Nordschleife
SPA
Virginia International Raceway
Goodwood in UK as it's spiritual home of 40 for me and is actually quite demanding to get a true good lap. Cadwell Park is a blast too, loads of ups-n-downs..
ALL overseas were fun. VIR probably most enjoyable as it was nice and sunny too.... in NOVEMBER....
Goodwood
Snetterton
Brands Hatch - Indy & GP
Silverstone - GP
Donnington - (without loop preferred)
Cadwell Park - (mini Nordschleife)
IOM TT full course
Nordschleife
SPA
Virginia International Raceway
Goodwood in UK as it's spiritual home of 40 for me and is actually quite demanding to get a true good lap. Cadwell Park is a blast too, loads of ups-n-downs..
ALL overseas were fun. VIR probably most enjoyable as it was nice and sunny too.... in NOVEMBER....
Little known now but still fabulous to drive is Charade in central France: you used to be able to just drive on and pound round, a sort of mini Nurburgring.
What about Oulton Park? A real drivers circuit.
I agree with the thumbs down for Silverstone. Even now they are still using old sheds as grandstands!
What about Oulton Park? A real drivers circuit.
I agree with the thumbs down for Silverstone. Even now they are still using old sheds as grandstands!
Ha Paul you beat me to that list! However my top three driving circuits, from those I have experienced, in order would be
Spa
Virginia International Raceway
Silverstone (has gotten better each time they alter its layout IMHO, you needed a really fast car before they slowed it down)
The Ring is just too scary and too much to learn to be safe for me. Cadwell is one I would like in my back garden as small but great fun in a small nippy car.
Spa
Virginia International Raceway
Silverstone (has gotten better each time they alter its layout IMHO, you needed a really fast car before they slowed it down)
The Ring is just too scary and too much to learn to be safe for me. Cadwell is one I would like in my back garden as small but great fun in a small nippy car.
In no particular order;
Osterreichring (albeit I only rode a mountain bike around what was left of it)
Rouen (same - same mountain bike in fact)
Mt Panorama - extraordinary. It's even scarier backwards because you've got no idea of the lines or braking points, as well as only having half the road and a 60km/h speed limit......
Spa - the original. This time it was a vauxhall corsa rental :shocked:. Wow. It rained in 3 different places and I still did 90% of the lap in the dry.
Osterreichring (albeit I only rode a mountain bike around what was left of it)
Rouen (same - same mountain bike in fact)
Mt Panorama - extraordinary. It's even scarier backwards because you've got no idea of the lines or braking points, as well as only having half the road and a 60km/h speed limit......
Spa - the original. This time it was a vauxhall corsa rental :shocked:. Wow. It rained in 3 different places and I still did 90% of the lap in the dry.
Pat Buckley
GT40s Supporter
Paolo -
I lived in Monza in the early 60's - close enough to the track that I could hear the cars. Love that place, loved Italy.
Pat
I lived in Monza in the early 60's - close enough to the track that I could hear the cars. Love that place, loved Italy.
Pat
Jeff Young
GT40s Supporter
Glad to see Malcolm through up VIR...
I've driven VIR, Daytona, Rockingham, Charlotte, Carolina Motorsports Park, Roebilng Road, Barber Motorsports Park, Nashville Superspeedway, and Road Atlanta.
I enjoyed Daytona the most, followed by CMP and Roebling.
I'd say the "best" tracks from a technical/amenities standpoint were in order VIR, Barber and Road Atlanta.
If you have not been Road Atlanta is balls out fast and scary. Probably the biggest butt cheek clincher in the US.
I've driven VIR, Daytona, Rockingham, Charlotte, Carolina Motorsports Park, Roebilng Road, Barber Motorsports Park, Nashville Superspeedway, and Road Atlanta.
I enjoyed Daytona the most, followed by CMP and Roebling.
I'd say the "best" tracks from a technical/amenities standpoint were in order VIR, Barber and Road Atlanta.
If you have not been Road Atlanta is balls out fast and scary. Probably the biggest butt cheek clincher in the US.
eheh Pat.There were too many nice places to race here. Back in time...
