Road Atlanta
Encyclopedia
Road Atlanta is a 2.54-mile (4.088 km) road course located just north of Braselton, Georgia
, USA
. The facility is utilized for a wide variety of events, including professional and amateur sports car and motorcycle races, racing and driving schools, corporate programs and testing for motorsports teams. The track has 12 turns, including the famous "esses" between turns three and five; and Turn 12, a downhill, diving turn. The track is owned by Panoz Motorsports, and is the home to the Petit Le Mans
, as well as AMA
motorcycle racing, and smaller events throughout the year.
, with the intent to build a world-class road racing facility. When a Can-Am race had to be canceled due to flood damage, the series organizers chose Road Atlanta to replace it. The track then began to take form quickly, taking only six months to excavate, grade, and pave the road course.
The first race was held on September 13, 1970. Vic Elford
, in a Chaparral 2J, won pole and Tony Dean
, in a Porsche 908/02
, won the 300 km Can-Am event, with Stirling Moss
as the Grand Marshal
. Throughout the 1970s, more top-level series came to Road Atlanta, including Can-Am, Formula 5000
, IMSA
Camel GT
, and Trans-Am
. The Sports Car Club of America
(SCCA) held their annual national championship, the SCCA Runoffs, at Road Atlanta from 1970 to 1993. The first road race in NASCAR
Busch Grand National Series
history took place at Road Atlanta in 1986.
The track was sold in 1978, and was passed from one owner to the next—including the notorious Whittington Brothers (Don
& Bill
)--resulting in bankruptcy in 1993. A partnership between business executives Frank Drendel, Jim Kanely, Eddie Edwards, George Nuse, and Bill Waddell was formed to purchase the track. The next three years were spent making gradual improvements to a facility that had not enjoyed the kind of care it deserved for at least a decade. New buildings were constructed, others were renovated, the track was widened and resurfaced and the grounds were landscaped.
In November 1996, the track was purchased by Don Panoz
, who would make Braselton
the base of operations for his motorsports-related ventures. Panoz introduced the first major changes to the track, removing the Dip and creating a chicane
at the end of the long back straight. These changes brought the track up to FIA standards, so that international events could be held. A new pit and paddock area was also constructed on the infield side of the track, allowing for larger events, and a 10,000-seat terrace area was constructed around the new Turn 10 complex.
In 1998, major racing resumed at Road Atlanta with the first edition of the Petit Le Mans
endurance race
. The race attracted worldwide attention, and included entries from the Le Mans-winning Porsche
factory team. The race would be the first race of the American Le Mans Series
and included a spectacular accident where a Porsche 911 GT1
backflipped and flew into the side barriers. Petit has continued to be an annual event at Road Atlanta, and a marquee event in the ALMS.
Prior to the 2007 Petit Le Mans, the entire track surface was repaved. The works also included moving the walls in the esses away from the track, with the intention of improved driver safety and better sight lines for spectators. In the late winter of 2007/2008, the circuit was again modified with the reconfiguration of turns 4 and 12, for the ostensible safety benefit of motorcycle racers (the racing line for cars remained essentially unchanged).
In April 2008, Road Atlanta hosted the 4th stage of the Tour de Georgia
, one of the largest cycling stage races in the United States. The stage was run using standard racing bikes instead of the more aerodynamic time trial bikes. Slipstream Chipotle won the stage with a time of 19:38.86, while Astana
and Team High Road finished second and third respectively.
The October 2008 Petit Le Mans had a four-day crowd of 113,000 people with an average weekend crowd of nearly 80,000 fans. The race entry list includes a number of new and returning cars.
video game Forza Motorsport
and its sequels, and in the 1999 PC racing simulator Sports Car GT
. The track was also digitally created for Electronic Arts
' F1 series
(´01 - ´02), then "modded" to be compatible with multiple PC games. Scratch-made versions of the track have also been created for rFactor
and Papyrus' NASCAR Racing 2003 Season
. It also appears in the PlayStation 2
game Le Mans 24 Hours and on iRacing.com
.
The facility is also home to the Skip Barber Racing School
. Road Atlanta also hosts several Sports Car Club of America
(SCCA) Regional and National competition events throughout the year.
Braselton, Georgia
Braselton is a town in Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall, and Jackson Counties in the U.S. state of Georgia, about 40 miles northeast of Atlanta. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 7,511....
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The facility is utilized for a wide variety of events, including professional and amateur sports car and motorcycle races, racing and driving schools, corporate programs and testing for motorsports teams. The track has 12 turns, including the famous "esses" between turns three and five; and Turn 12, a downhill, diving turn. The track is owned by Panoz Motorsports, and is the home to the Petit Le Mans
Petit Le Mans
The Petit Le Mans is a sports car endurance race held annually at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, USA. It uses the rules established for the 24 hours of Le Mans by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest , which are slightly modified if necessary, mainly to allow additional cars to compete.The race was...
, as well as AMA
American Motorcyclist Association
The American Motorcyclist Association is an American not-for-profit organization of more than 300,000 motorcyclists that organizes numerous motorcycling activities and campaigns for motorcyclists' legal rights...
motorcycle racing, and smaller events throughout the year.
History
In 1969, David Sloyer, Earl Walker, and Arthur Montgomery purchased a 750 acres (303.5 ha) plot of farmland in Braselton, GeorgiaBraselton, Georgia
Braselton is a town in Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall, and Jackson Counties in the U.S. state of Georgia, about 40 miles northeast of Atlanta. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 7,511....
, with the intent to build a world-class road racing facility. When a Can-Am race had to be canceled due to flood damage, the series organizers chose Road Atlanta to replace it. The track then began to take form quickly, taking only six months to excavate, grade, and pave the road course.
Vic Elford
Victor Henry Elford is a former sportscar racing, rallying and Formula One driver from England. He participated in 13 World Championship F1 Grands Prix, debuting on 7 July 1968...
, in a Chaparral 2J, won pole and Tony Dean
Tony Dean
Tony Dean was an American outdoors broadcaster, columnist and conservationist. Dean's real name was Anthony DeChandt....
, in a Porsche 908/02
Porsche 908
The Porsche 908 was a racing car from Porsche, introduced in 1968 to continue the Porsche 906/Porsche 910/Porsche 907 series of models designed under Ferdinand Piech....
, won the 300 km Can-Am event, with Stirling Moss
Stirling Moss
Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England...
as the Grand Marshal
Grand Marshal
Grand Marshal is a ceremonial, military, or political office of very high rank. The term has its origins with the word "Marshal" with the first usage of the term "Grand Marshal" as a ceremonial title for certain religious orders...
. Throughout the 1970s, more top-level series came to Road Atlanta, including Can-Am, Formula 5000
Formula 5000
Formula 5000 was an open wheel, single seater auto-racing formula that ran in different series in various regions around the world from 1968 to 1982. It was originally intended as a low-cost series aimed at open-wheel racing cars that no longer fit into any particular formula...
, IMSA
International Motor Sports Association
The International Motor Sports Association is an American sports car auto racing sanctioning body based in Braselton, Georgia. It was started by John Bishop, a former employee of SCCA , and his wife Peggy in 1969 with help from Bill France, Sr...
Camel GT
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
, and Trans-Am
Trans-Am Series
The Trans-Am Series is an automobile racing series which was created in 1966 by Sports Car Club of America President John Bishop. Originally known as the Trans-American Sedan Championship it has evolved over time from its original format as a manufacturers championship for modified racing sedans...
. The Sports Car Club of America
Sports Car Club of America
The Sports Car Club of America is a club and sanctioning body supporting road racing, rallying, and autocross in the United States. Formed in 1944, it runs many programs for both amateur and professional racers.-History:...
(SCCA) held their annual national championship, the SCCA Runoffs, at Road Atlanta from 1970 to 1993. The first road race in NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Busch Grand National Series
Busch Series
The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
history took place at Road Atlanta in 1986.
The track was sold in 1978, and was passed from one owner to the next—including the notorious Whittington Brothers (Don
Don Whittington
Reginald "Don" Whittington is a former American racing driver from Lubbock, Texas who won the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans together with his brother Bill Whittington and Klaus Ludwig on a Porsche 935, although Ludwig, a multiple winner at Le Mans and elsewhere, did most of the driving in the heavy rain...
& Bill
Bill Whittington
Bill Whittington is an American racing driver from Lubbock, Texas who won the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans together with his brother Don Whittington and Klaus Ludwig in a Porsche 935. The German professional Klaus Ludwig, multiple winner at Le Mans and elsewhere, did most of the driving in the heavy...
)--resulting in bankruptcy in 1993. A partnership between business executives Frank Drendel, Jim Kanely, Eddie Edwards, George Nuse, and Bill Waddell was formed to purchase the track. The next three years were spent making gradual improvements to a facility that had not enjoyed the kind of care it deserved for at least a decade. New buildings were constructed, others were renovated, the track was widened and resurfaced and the grounds were landscaped.
In November 1996, the track was purchased by Don Panoz
Don Panoz
Dr. h.c. Donald Panoz is an American entrepreneur who made his name in pharmaceuticals and has since become a successful owner of various motorsport ventures.- Early life :...
, who would make Braselton
Braselton, Georgia
Braselton is a town in Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall, and Jackson Counties in the U.S. state of Georgia, about 40 miles northeast of Atlanta. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 7,511....
the base of operations for his motorsports-related ventures. Panoz introduced the first major changes to the track, removing the Dip and creating a chicane
Chicane
A chicane is an artificial feature creating extra turns in a road, used in motor racing and on city streets to slow cars to lower speeds.- Motor Racing :...
at the end of the long back straight. These changes brought the track up to FIA standards, so that international events could be held. A new pit and paddock area was also constructed on the infield side of the track, allowing for larger events, and a 10,000-seat terrace area was constructed around the new Turn 10 complex.
In 1998, major racing resumed at Road Atlanta with the first edition of the Petit Le Mans
Petit Le Mans
The Petit Le Mans is a sports car endurance race held annually at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, USA. It uses the rules established for the 24 hours of Le Mans by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest , which are slightly modified if necessary, mainly to allow additional cars to compete.The race was...
endurance race
Endurance race
Endurance race may refer to:*Endurance riding*Endurance racing *Ultramarathon*Adventure race...
. The race attracted worldwide attention, and included entries from the Le Mans-winning Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
factory team. The race would be the first race of the American Le Mans Series
American Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC...
and included a spectacular accident where a Porsche 911 GT1
Porsche 911 GT1
The Porsche 911 GT1 was a car designed for competition in the GT1 class of sportscar racing, which also required a street legal version for homologation purposes...
backflipped and flew into the side barriers. Petit has continued to be an annual event at Road Atlanta, and a marquee event in the ALMS.
Prior to the 2007 Petit Le Mans, the entire track surface was repaved. The works also included moving the walls in the esses away from the track, with the intention of improved driver safety and better sight lines for spectators. In the late winter of 2007/2008, the circuit was again modified with the reconfiguration of turns 4 and 12, for the ostensible safety benefit of motorcycle racers (the racing line for cars remained essentially unchanged).
In April 2008, Road Atlanta hosted the 4th stage of the Tour de Georgia
Tour de Georgia
The Tour de Georgia is a U.S. professional cycling stage race across the state of Georgia. The race began in 2003 and has been contested six times. It is one of the three events in North America ranked as Hors Classe stage race events by the UCI, which is cycling's international governing body,...
, one of the largest cycling stage races in the United States. The stage was run using standard racing bikes instead of the more aerodynamic time trial bikes. Slipstream Chipotle won the stage with a time of 19:38.86, while Astana
Astana
Astana , formerly known as Akmola , Tselinograd and Akmolinsk , is the capital and second largest city of Kazakhstan, with an officially estimated population of 708,794 as of 1 August 2010...
and Team High Road finished second and third respectively.
The October 2008 Petit Le Mans had a four-day crowd of 113,000 people with an average weekend crowd of nearly 80,000 fans. The race entry list includes a number of new and returning cars.
Road Atlanta in Gaming
Road Atlanta has been featured as one of the main drivable courses in the XboxXbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
video game Forza Motorsport
Forza Motorsport
Forza Motorsport's received rave reviews from such media outlets as 1UP.com, IGN, Eurogamer and more.The game was also featured in the June 2004 issue of Popular Science.- External links :*...
and its sequels, and in the 1999 PC racing simulator Sports Car GT
Sports Car GT
Sports Car GT is a racing game based on GT Racing. It was published by EA and developed by Image Space Incorporated for Windows, and Point of View for PlayStation. The game was released in April 1999...
. The track was also digitally created for Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
' F1 series
EA Sports F1 Series
The EA Sports F1 Series consists of five racing simulation games based on Formula One motorsport. The games were released annually between 2000 and 2003, stopped selling, then continued in 2006...
(´01 - ´02), then "modded" to be compatible with multiple PC games. Scratch-made versions of the track have also been created for rFactor
RFactor
rFactor is a computer racing simulator, designed with the ability to run any type of four-wheeled vehicle from street cars to open wheel cars of any era. rFactor aimed to be the most accurate race simulator of its time...
and Papyrus' NASCAR Racing 2003 Season
NASCAR Racing 2003 Season
NASCAR Racing 2003 Season, or NR2003 for short, is a computer racing simulator released in February 2003 by Papyrus for PC and Mac OS X. The game was the last to be released by the company before EA Sports bought the NASCAR license exclusively from 2004-09...
. It also appears in the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
game Le Mans 24 Hours and on iRacing.com
IRacing.com
iRacing.com is an online, subscription-based racing simulation service for Microsoft Windows created by iRacing.com Motorsport Simulations...
.
Events
- American Le Mans SeriesAmerican Le Mans SeriesThe American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC...
, Petit Le MansPetit Le MansThe Petit Le Mans is a sports car endurance race held annually at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, USA. It uses the rules established for the 24 hours of Le Mans by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest , which are slightly modified if necessary, mainly to allow additional cars to compete.The race was... - AMA SuperbikeAMA SuperbikeAMA Pro Superbike is the premiere superbike racing series in the United States. It is part of the AMA Pro Racing series which was sold to and is managed by the Daytona Motorsports Group...
- Formula DFormula DFormula DRIFT or Formula D is the premier United States drifting series. Formula Drift, Inc. was co-founded by Jim Liaw and Ryan Sage in 2003 as a sister company to Slipstream Global Marketing, the same partnership that brought D1 Grand Prix to the United States. The new entity would solely own,...
- Star Mazda
- Historic Sportscar Racing, The Mitty
- World Karting AssociationWorld Karting AssociationThe World Karting Association, or WKA, is the largest sanctioning body for kart racing racing in North America. The WKA was founded in 1971 and is located directly behind Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. The WKA is believed to currently have approximately 5,000 members...
- National Auto Sport AssociationNational Auto Sport AssociationThe National Auto Sport Association is an American motorsports organization promoting road racing and high-performance driver education....
The facility is also home to the Skip Barber Racing School
Skip Barber Racing School
The Skip Barber Racing School is one of the largest racing schools in the world. It conducts racing schools, defensive and high performance driving schools, amateur and professional racing championships and corporate entertainment schools. Skip Barber started the school in 1975 with two borrowed...
. Road Atlanta also hosts several Sports Car Club of America
Sports Car Club of America
The Sports Car Club of America is a club and sanctioning body supporting road racing, rallying, and autocross in the United States. Formed in 1944, it runs many programs for both amateur and professional racers.-History:...
(SCCA) Regional and National competition events throughout the year.