Road Atlanta Tips And Tricks?

Downforce car or no downforce car? Big difference from the bridge through 1.

My thoughts from driving GT3 and Challenge cars there as follows:

Getting to full throttle in 1 and line is very important up 1 into the 2/3 complex because its blind. Huge camber support you can go to full throttle way earlier than you first think because of it, however you are in 4th and maybe 5th gear if you're fast up the hill and you are going way fast and will have a big off if you get the line wrong so build up to this.

Timing of gearshifts and gearing through the esses is important - you can judge speed by whether you are running out of revs before you hit turn 5.

Turn 5, it seems natural to use all the road and be way out to the right on the big huge rumble strip, I found I was actually faster by not touching the rumble at all because I got so much wheelspin trying to apply power out of there. Again you can roll much more speed through 5 than many people think. I was rolling a bunch of speed in here and passing people at the top of the hill and was way clear by midway down the straight. This is a key corner for a pass into 6.

Turn 6. IMO three stages. Brake hard, early off brakes and roll speed into corner with lock on, then add more lock midway in. You should walk the track, there is a camber change in there and the car will catch off a drift and will make the apex when you thought you might miss it when you hit the camber. You can add steering part way into the turn too the apex.

Turn 7, unsuprisingly the most important corner since it leads to the mammoth straight. Work on which gear, 2nd or 3nd might work. Again early to full throttle is key I found that by losing 1 or 2mph at my turn in point I was to full throttle way earlier which you can turn into a pass into 10a. Be careful of dirt and rumble at the exit of 7, its remarkably easy to be facing all your competitors and watch them stream past either side of you as the car snaps into a 180.

8/9 are basically the straight. 9 is not easy flat in the wet, and its a 140-150+ mph corner in a fast GT car, but is basically easy flat in the dry. The car will move about, so pinching it is a bad idea, its intimidating at first but isn't really.

10a - braking for 10a is fun because its so downhill, Challenge car you really have to drive as you have so much weight on the front of the car.

10a-10b sequence, this is a classic chicane combo, again early throttle out of 10b is key to the 11-12 sequence and straight down to 1. Its uphill again under the bridge.

Pick out the colors on the bridge to chose your line over the bridge and then pick sightlines on the hill behind turn 12 because you'll see them before you see the actual track. The pit in lines are useful reference points. Line through here is critical otherwise you are off the track, it is possible to be flat(ish) over the bridge hump but you'll get wheel spin and a spin if you are not straight. Its a little like the uphill at LRP so a bit scary. Then its all about big your balls are coming down the hill and when/where you shift 4/5. One model calls for 4th all the way to the apex then 5th there, another for a short shift. You don't need to brake in a GT car, but its a question of how much throttle you can manage and which gear is better balanced. This does of course depend on whether you have a sequential or a F1 transmission

Brake late for turn 1 and roll as much speed in as you can - remember early thottle and the camber will catch you.

Allegedly in a downforce car 10b-thru 1 is flat, and just a lift downshift 5-4 then turn in... but I've not done that...

 

What car will you be driving? Which race and when?

 

Here are some notes I gave to a friend. Pretty similar to what Dan said. This is from a Champ Car, (huge downforce) so particularly the braking zone at 10a would be earlier for a non downforce car.



A lap of Road Atlanta

I actually had a lot fun visualizing this again. It’s all still very vivid in my memory. There are a few places you will find that are a LOT faster than you think at this track,
turns 12, 1 and 6 in particular. There is a lot of elevation change and banking that you can really use to your advantage.

If you can find a chance, walk the track. It will help you with your reference points and you really get to see the elevation changes and banking much better.

Turn 1:
The big thing about turn 1 is that the track out is uphill, it loads your cars suspension and enables you to take the turn MUCH faster than you would think.
Build up to it, once you have the line down keep entering a couple mph faster until you know you’re getting near the limit. There is a LOT of speed to be picked
up here. For reference points, there was a wooden stand of some sort I was “aiming” at as I came down the front straight. That would line me up properly for my turn in point.
My turn-in point was the place where the pavement from the pit exit joins the main track. I pretty much put my front left wheel right on that spot and turned in.
Once I had the line down I was hardly braking at all, maybe just a brush on the brakes & a downshift. It feels scary going down to the apex but catches you exiting.

Turn 2:
The problem with turn 2 is that it’s blind. You are going uphill and can’t see the turn. There were two large distinctive trees close together that stick out.
Aim straight for those and it will take you right to the turn in point. Once you are on line 2 is easy and fast.

Turn 3:
Pretty sharp right hander. Go through EXTRA slow the first time, it’s deceptive entering and seems to tighten up on you. You will probably use the curb. I don’t in my car.
I found once I understood the track out I could take 3 pretty fast.

Turn 4:
Fast left hander. Once you’re on line, it’s flat out. Get over to the left quickly for the right hand entry to “The Esses”. Don’t jeopardize your entry to the “Esses”
by going too fast through 4 if your car wont do it.

The “Esses”:
These can be a little scary at first, downhill, fast and narrow. I was short shifting up to 4th I believe and carefully squeezing on the throttle here. No brakes.
I think it really would be flat out all the way but I was ***** footing in my new car.

Turn 5:
The track is very bumpy and slippery here. I spun by grabbing too much throttle too soon once. I think it’s better to enter faster and not accelerate as hard out. There is a HUGE section
of curbing you should be able to go over and use on track out in your car. I couldn’t use it with my car.

Turn 6:
Very fast turn! The braking zone is uphill so you can brake later and less than you would think. This is also a great passing zone on the inside. 6 is heavily banked and really catches and loads your car so you can carry a LOT more speed that you would think through here. You breeze the brakes late then are back hard on the throttle turning in to 6. Keep working up your speed here. If you’re not braking really hard for 7 you took 6 too slow. Focus on entering 6 really fast and carrying the speed up to 7. The braking zone is really 7, 6 is light braking.

Turn 7:
Slow slippery right hander. Slow in, fast out. Early, gentle and slow throttle application is the key here. Slowly squeeze it on, as the car straightens out squeeze on a little more.

Turn 8:
I didn’t even think that was a turn. Flat out, you won’t even notice it.

Turn 9:
Flat out kink, no big deal at all. Just watch out for traffic, make sure to check your mirrors before you move to the right. Steep downhill drop right after 9. Fun roller coaster ride.

Turn 10A:
You are going downhill into the braking zone for 10A. From the fastest point on the track to a slow 90 degree left hander. At around the 1 marker the track flattens out
and loads your cars suspension heavily, benefiting your braking. You can brake late & HARD. In my champ car I was carrying full throttle all the way down the hill
then braking HEAVY where the track flattened out. 192 mph to 60 mph in about 100 feet, 4 G’s, Bruises on my shoulders from the restraints. I don’t know if your car will be able to brake that
late because it weighs more and doesn’t make as much downforce, but remember the flattening out really loads the car and allows that extra amount of brake pressure. The runoff is just a big gravel trap so if you over do it in practice, no big deal.
10A is a great passing zone. Stay left & brake late & the corner is yours (unless you end up in the gravel trap!)

Turn 10B:
Use all the track here, make sure you are full left prior to turn in. It’s sharp and tight but this is really the beginning of the front straight so this turn really counts!
Slow in, Fast out.

Suzuki Bridge:
You now go under the Suzuki Bridge. It’s a blind steep downhill entry to turn 12. Aim for the flags painted in the center of the Suzuki bridge.
I found I preferred the rightmost of the three flags, I forget what color that one is. Aim straight at the flag and make sure your wheels are straight as you may get airborne or a little wheelspin cresting the hill.

Turn 12:
Ultimately 12 is flat out, which is why 10B is so important. The new pit in is just under the bridge to the left. The old pit in which is no longer used is further down the hill to the left.
Use the concrete from the old pit in, it effectively widens the track. That was my turn in point, I just grabbed another 6 inches or maybe a foot by using that extra concrete.
Slow hands turning in to 12. In flattens out and loads the car, there is a little banking at the apex that catches you make sure to hit the apex & use that. Don’t try to go flat through
12 right away but work your way up to it. Lift a little going up the hill to the bridge at first, then less then less. Soon you will be flat out, spinning wheels over the crest & flying through 12.
I found as I did worked up my speed I kept having about 3 feet of runoff left at the track out to 12. I would take it faster (creating more downforce in my car) and still have three feet left over. Ultimately for me it was a short shift going down the hill & flat out through 12. HUGH gain in speed & time.

If you think 12 is scary, think about this. In the “Old days” there was no 10A & 10B. It was flat out down the hill and straight to the bridge & down into 12. Guys did it flat out then! You had to steer right at the right concrete abutment to the bridge and your car would drift under the bridge and down the hill.

12 is probably the most important turn to find speed followed by 1, the “Esses” & 6.

It’s a really fun track & I bet you will just keep going faster & faster. I got down to 1:12’s & was hitting 192 in my Champ car.

Have fun & be safe!

John
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Really good advice here IMO. Just to add a little.

A practical observation - your crew need to arrive early for a crowded event using the club paddock, as much of that paddock is a hill. Loads of fun setting up canopy, scales, etc on a hill. The pro paddock is much better IMO.

I assume you'll be driving a moderate to lower horsepower sedan, right?

I wouldn't be surprised to find that turn 1 is a lift, though you'd have to work up to it - there's not a lot of grip at first, but it comes to you eventually. [edit - the problem with just a lift is that you may need to downshift to have enough grunt going up the steep hill.] As you go uphill through 2, the blend line from the pro pits can be a useful reference point, in addition to the trees mentioned above.

Turn 3 is very fast, faster than you think. In a car that tolerates curbs, you can really "straighten" this corner by using a lot of curb. It's still fast in the zero ride height downforce cars, but I think the approach is quite dfifferent from that in the sedans like Miatas, spec racer fords, etc.

You should be flat from 3 through the esses to 5. I have mixed feelings about the curb at track out of five, you need to see how your car reacts to it. I think too much drama can cost you speed up the fairly long straight.

You should be flat from 10B down the hill, period, in almost everything.

John is right, in the old days the dip shook you up a bit, then you had a brief opportunity for prayer as you approached the bridge, the downhill and the pit wall at the bottom at enormous speed. It was quite a turn.

 

John is spot on with only an additional comment...turn 7 is to be squared off in many cars. fast in...rotate...hard drive off the concrete and you are on your way to a fast run down the long section. i have many miles on the great original track (which was INCREDIBLE and NEVER should have been changed!) and the new layout in everyting from a ralt rt-1 to a 750 superbike. a tremendous track.

 

Turn 1:
The white pavement line will kink to the left--this is where I turn in. Don't turn in early like most people or you'll ruin the exit (unless there's traffic). You should be on full throttle through the apex going up the hill.
Turn 2:
As you're going up the hill, aim for the lone utility pole. Turn in for 2 is easy to find when you crest.
Turn 3:
Brake and down shift before you drive over ALL of the curbing to your right.
Turn 4:
Exiting turn 3 will sweep to your left. As you wind out, up shift before turning into 4. I often turn in early for the straightest line through the esses.
Turn 5,6,7,8:
Pretty straight forward.
Turn 9:
Stay to the left on the back straight and you will approach the blag flag station on your right. This is my reference to turn in going down the hill into 10a.
Turn 10b:
Exiting 10b is up the hill to the Suzuki bridge. Aim for the yellow/red square on the bridge, but I tend to keep my right tire on a yellow dashed line on the pavement. This keeps me right on line going down the hill. Upshift while you're under the bridge.
Turn 11/12:
DO NOT LIFT. Maintain light throttle exiting 11 into 12 and full throttle through apex of 12.

Have fun at the NASA event. What are you driving/which class?

 

Here's some good Atlanta in-car video. Jack Baldwin driving George Robinson's Riley & Scott MKIIIC with a V-10 Judd. He does 1:15's

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbxOe2vLieU&NR=1

 

Road Atlanta is a GREAT track - tons of fun.

I can't add much to what was already said, just a few quick notes...

-you can carry a lot more speed through turn 6 than you think, and turn 12 as well - it takes some balls to go flat through turn 12 but you are hitting max turning just as the descent stops, compressing your suspension and giving you much more grip. Of course there is a wall staring at you also

-I think turn 6 is a lot more important than many think. You need to get turn 6 perfect so you can get turn 7 right, which sets you up for the straight. If you aren't fast through 6, then 7 will just slow you way down and kill you on the straight.

Have fun! and let us know how it goes!

 

Bill, what's the significance of the black flag station? This isn't the first time I've heard this about 9.

Also, it seems more natural to stay right on the back straight, so other than passing/taking the inside to 10a, why stay left?

It looks like we'll be close if not flat through 11 and 12.
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No real significance of the black flag station other than a reference point that I use. The problem with staying right is you will pick up lots of debris, etc. on your tires. It's more of a gradual migration to turn 9 when you stay left because you will be at the highest rate of speed on the track. Try it both ways and see what you're more comfortable with.

 

Cool beans. Sorry about the ECU.

 

Years ago I used to take my NSX to the RA Track Days - just about every time they had one. It took me about the first 3 or 4 weekends to get enough balls to go flat out through 12, but what a thrill - especially in a street car. I'll never forget it, just reading this stuff now makes me want to go.

Used to be a "streak" of tar/asphalt sealant right before the crest of the hill, and that is what they told you to aim for in order to come out in the right place. One time I had my sister in the car with me, who was already a bit nervous. Our first lap out, for some reason, I was a full car width to the left of the streak, and of course as soon as I crested the hill I was in the grass. Luckily, I had sense enough not to try and turn back onto the track, and I was able to just drive through the grass and onto the paddock entrance road to the left.

I pulled through the paddock and stopped waiting to get back on the track. I looked over and my sister was already unbelted and half way out of the car - she had enough.

I saw many people at those Track Days go off to the left over the hill, and jerk the car back to the right, only to spin out and bounce off the walls into and through turn 12.

 

Looks like I'm pretty late on this thread but I will add:

10b through 1 is also flat in a low HP car.

turn 4 (right hander entry to the esses) - turn-in is blind (can't see the apex yet). if you miss the turn-in you really get penalized. slow hands here and stay just off the apex curb at least in a formula car. it's flat from the exit of 3 to the entry of 5 if you get 4 just right.

 

So what did you think about Road Atlanta? Sorry I didn't get to meet up with you but you guys paddocked way down at the far end of the paddock from us. You guys definitely got around the track pretty fast for your first time there. Good running with you, Brian.