Yeah Grant that is kind of a long drive. The track event I went to at Talladega Grand Prix Raceway was a one day event and the Shelby club put it on. We had the track from 8 to 5pm. Enough people had mechanical problems or left for the day that by 1:30 pm they announced that you could drive as much as you want, no more run groups! Sucked a tank of gas in about an hour of track time. WOT. Anyway, Road Atlanta is a great power, high speed track. Turn 12 is both exhilerating and a potential car crunching screw up with the concrete walls in that turn (with a lovely 110 foot drop down the hill approaching it, don't lift!). Saw some cars eat it there two weekends ago at the SCCA American Road Race of Champions. Turns three and four, fast sweepers can be pinball alley if you get off of your rythmn. I want to drive there but unless you can show a SCCA Club Racing license, they are going to make you drive in Novice class the first time you go. That means almost $300 bucks and you find yourself behind a pace car at 80mph on the back straight. Talking about torture! But I can see why. Last November I heard it was sleeting (yep) during the track day and needless to say a few cars left there with some altered bodywork. After the "Novice" day though, you get put into intermediate, and as I understand it, passing and WOT on the back and front straights allowed. In 2003 though there will be a new FIA and FIM approved 2.3 mile sixteen turn road course in Birmingham that will be world class. 45 feet wide, fifty foot elevation changes, sixteen turns, approximately 30million dollar facility, not some old course patched up to meet new standards. By the way that track is only 10 miles from my house (heh heh) and the guy who owns the track (wrote the check out of his pocket for it) is a PCA member so there will be track days.That would be worth the drive for sure. Long damn message sorry.
Barry H.
