The Rolling Racing Hills of Road Atlanta

On 750 acres in Hall County, Georgia, you can find Road Atlanta, a natural terrain road course that has withstood the test of time. Twelve turns and 2.5 miles make up the racetrack in Braselton, a small town located an hour northeast of Atlanta.

Over 320,000 people from 18 countries visit Road Atlanta each year. Let’s take a look at why:

BACKGROUND

Considered among the world’s greatest road courses, the track’s history has been quite tumultuous. In 1969, the Cam-Am racing series desperately sought a new racing circuit after one on the schedule sustained serious flood damage. Six months later, Road Atlanta emerged out of the Georgia countryside.

In its 46-year history, Road Atlanta has seen a multitude of series race on its surface, including Indy Lights, the NASCAR Busch Series, Trans Am, and the ALMS. It has also seen a variety of owners come through its doors, especially in the 1980s and early 1990s. However, most owners tended to lack the capital required for maintenance of such a facility, ultimately causing the track to file for bankruptcy in 1993.

Similar to how Road Atlanta helped the Cam-Am series, Dr. Don Panoz was the saving grace for the road course in 1996. Panoz came into ownership of Road Atlanta, and his other successful business ventures meant he had the funds to properly care for the track. Panoz invested significant amounts of money in the facility to craft it into the beautiful track it is today.

It features space for club concourses, hospitality corrals and even two separate paddocks. In 2012, IMSA purchased the track from Panoz, whose DeltaWing Racing shop sits only a couple miles away, and is still considered by many to be the “hometown team” of Road Atlanta.

FROM THE COCKPIT:

Racing drivers from across the globe love Road Atlanta for the dynamic experience it provides, as well as the excitement it generates for the fans. 

“Slow corners, fast corners, elevation change and it is great for spectators with all the passing opportunities,” says Atlanta-based driver Katherine Legge, who drove the No. 0 DeltaWing Racing entry this season. “The atmosphere here is amazing. You can even smell the BBQs at the track as you are going around sometimes!”

"Road Atlanta is my favorite track,” adds 2016 WeatherTech Championship GT Daytona champion driver Christina Nielsen. “It's the first track I ever raced on in America. It scared me, and I remembering thinking, 'Is every track like this here?' I've grown to love it, though; it has an amazing flow and setup."

TRACK PERSPECTIVE:

• Spectator Hill- grab a blanket for a seat and admire the beautiful backdrop of green forests and blue skies as cars weave their way in front of you down the hill from Turn 2, through “The Esses” and begin their trip down to Turn 6. Speaking of…
• Park your camper in the middle of the action as cars zoom by in the hairpin turn to your left and right at the southernmost part of the track.
• Spacious stadium seating gives you a great view as cars head down the hill at full speed into the hardest braking point on the track. If an unlucky competitor misses their mark, into the gravel pit they go!

While the 2016 Petit Le Mans wrapped up only three weeks ago, preparations are already underway for the race’s 20th anniversary in October 2017. According to Road Atlanta President and General Manager Geoff Lee, “The very first 10-hour Petit Le Mans (in 1998) was run with a field of 31 entrants and helped solidify the future of sports car racing in the United States. We are working on a number of additional activities to celebrate this momentous anniversary and the chance for fans to re-live some of the most thrilling Petit Le Mans moments.”

If you are interested in attending the 2017 Petit Le Mans set for October 4-7, call 1-800-849-RACE or visit www.roadatlanta.com for ticket information. Additional promotions for the event include free admission for kids 12 and under and military discounts on tickets and parking passes.