Is NASCAR eyeing Road America?
A reader adds, Road America has been in discussions with NASCAR about holding some type of event, on and off for quite a few years. The dilemma has always been about how to modify this magnificent course to accommodate these bathtubs on wheels. I was able to see some preliminary planning drawings at Road America several years ago that showed some proposed track modifications where the track would make a left turn halfway down the long straightaway that drops down into the hard braking zone for Turn 5. The new cut-off would have rejoined the track somewhere around turn 7, make the cars turn right (heading toward current Turn 6 against current traffic pattern) and down the hill from the Corvette Bridge to Turn 5 but at an angle toward the infield to rejoin the circuit just before Turn 14 (the last corner before the long uphill front straight).
This would have kept the stockers out of the Carousel and Canada Corner as well. The dilemma, as shown in the accident on Tuesday, is: What to do with a horde of NASCAR cars trying to race on the current track configuration. Highly skilled road racers in Open Wheel and Sports Cars already have a hairy time getting through Turn 5 in the heat of racing, who knows what would happen with the Bumper Cars trying to crowd through, going from Top Speed to Nothing, plus downshifting AND turning left? I'm sure that quite a bit of brightly painted bodywork would wind up in more than one spectator's lap – but hey, they love the carnage, don't they? Name Withheld by Request
05/05/05 Was this a test to see how well the Nextel Cup cars will race at Road America? NASCAR Nextel Cup driver Kurt Busch crashed into an ambulance at Road America during a mid-Tuesday morning track test session. Busch drove through a tire barrier and hit an ambulance. Although two ambulance personnel were taken to the hospital for minor injuries, Busch was not hurt in the accident. According to Busch, a loose brake fitting caused break failure as he went into the downhill turn five. The incident is under review by the Road America Safety Team. Jayski