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A
Lap @ Road America
by:
Mike Mulcahy
1968
Trans-Am Mustang Sedan, #88
Elkhart
Lake’s Road America in the Kettle Morraine Region of Wisconsin is one of the
most picturesque areas in the state. The
rolling hills, wildlife, and lakes and streams make it a beautiful place to
relax and an even better place to race. The people are as friendly as you’ll meet anywhere in the
U.S., there are plenty of great restaurants with reasonable prices, and they
like racers!
I’m
going to give you a lap of this famed road course from my perspective.
The beauty about R/A is that every driver has a little different style as
to how to attack this track depending on experience, car set-up, horse power and
gear ratio, and good ‘ol seat of the pants throttle steer.
Here is my “way around” the course in my Trans-Am Mustang:
The
main straight is the longest permanent road course straight-a-way in North
America. My car has a 3.70 gear and
reaches 7500 rpm at the end of the straight.
I apply the brakes moderately at about the 500 ft. marker and select
third gear at 4500 rpm prior to my turn-in.
Trail braking is essential through 1 and a late turn in is preferred.
You can carry a lot of speed through this corner, (more than you
initially think you can carry), and exit driver left on the yellow “gator
bumps”.
From
1 its a down hill up-shift to 4th through 2, (barely a bend in the track), and
hard on the binders at the 400 ft. marker into 3. Downshift to second for a clean shot through the corner onto
a very important straight a way upshift to third and fourth for good overall lap
times.
Again
a late turn-in and a smooth application of the throttle will rocket you down the
Morraine Sweep through 4, (again barely a bend in the track), and into 5.
A mistake a lot of drivers make is that they follow the outside edge of
the track all the way down the Morraine Sweep into turn five.
This will add a few tenths to your lap times.
Staying "tight" to your left also prohibits your competitor's behind you from sneaking a fender in under
braking for turn 5.
This
is the fastest entry into any corner for my car. Hard on the brakes just past the corner station “speed
trap” and blip to third, second, and a nice wide entry.
Again, you'll initially be fooled into thinking that you need to be on
the brakes further up the hill than you really need to be.
Practice and mastering of this corner is important for fast lap times
overall.
If
you over cook 5 the smart thing to do is stay straight and use the run-off area.
If you have too much speed and initiate your turn in too late you’re
going into a marble pit and possibly kiss the armco on driver's right.
The "traps" if you will are designed for Indy-style cars.
Therefore they are slanted upward from the track surface.
If you must enter one of these nasty areas around the track do so
straight on if at all possible. The
uneven tilt from pavement to stones in a sedan could cause the car to turn over
if not met front and center!
Turn
5 is the most “fun” turn for a big-bore Mustang because there is the
opportunity to trail brake and then throttle steer the car through the corner.
The trip up the hill is short so a little crowd pleasing tail wagging
will not adversely affect your lap times!
Upshift
to third and accelerate up the hill to turn 6.
Apply the brakes before the bridge, downshift to second, and again a wide
approach to carry speed through the corner for a smooth transition into 7.
Accelerate and upshift to third until the turn 7 turn in.
I apply the brakes with a gentle sweep of my left foot to set the car’s
suspension for a third gear drift through the corner.
I also use the FIA curbing to get some additional bite on the left side
of the car to carry as much speed into 8 as possible.
Again, a lot of speed can be carried through this corner with some
practice.
An
upshift to fourth for a brief couple of seconds in the “hurry downs” and
then hard on the brakes at the 400 foot marker, downshifting to second to
negotiate turn 8.
Turn
8 has plenty of run off area if you overcook it going in.
Again a wide arc through the corner is the preferred line to set up for
the carousel, (9-10).
Accelerate
and upshift to third for an enjoyable entry into the carousel and throttle steer
drift. Ten years ago I hated this
corner due to my inability to get through it with a lot of speed.
Many cars will understeer, (push), here due to the slightly off camber,
sweeping, and very fast make up of the “turn”.
I
enter in the middle of the track for my turn in. Like in 7, I brush the brakes with my left foot and
accelerate just enough to get the tail out.
I exit at the right, (bottom of the corner), at the
FIA curb at the end of the carousel, (turn 10), and accelerate hard,
upshift to fourth for the most difficult section of the track.
THE
KINK! The kink, (turn 11), has
claimed many an amateur, pro, and vintage racer over the years.
My partner once completely totaled an original 1968 Trans-Am Coupe here
while I watched in my rear view mirror in horror!
The same day a 1966 Shelby bit the dust!
The kink is deceptively fast but must be treated with respect.
Remember
we are in fourth gear approaching the kink, I brush the brakes with my left foot
while lifting for a second or two on the accelerator.
An
early turn in is the safest and probably preferred line into the kink for a safe
and secure passage. If you get wide
and put a tire off at speed the result usually ends in a tank slapping incident
with the drivers left armco, then a head on trip across the track into a three
foot wide cement barrier. If you
get off on the left, decelerate and get things together before pulling back on.
If you have to smack the armco, hug it until you’ve stopped.
It’s easier and less costly to repair the driver's side of your car
than have to cut the thing up and throw it away!
Now
back on the gas through the “kettle bottoms” into 12, (Canada Corner).
You're
now speeding through the kettle bottoms in fourth gear at 140-150 MPH at this
point. At the 400 foot marker I
apply the brakes hard, blip and down shift to second, and turn in for a nice
wide arc through 12. Again you can
carry a lot of speed through 12 for a trip up hill through “Thunder Valley”.
Accelerate
hard up the hill with an upshift to third and a brush with the left foot on the
brakes to negotiate the left hander known as the Billy Mitchell, (for Trans-Am
aficionados the “Titus Bridge”), or turn 13.
Accelerate
hard after the bridge with an upshift to 4th, then application of the brakes and
a downshift to second to negotiate your last corner, (14).
A wide arc through 14, (carry as much speed as possible), sets you up for
that all important exit onto the main straight.
You need to get through 14 in fine fashion to take advantage of the long
front straight, (and uphill grade that will make the car work hard).
A
good lap here for a car like mine is a 2.35 or less.
The
pole speed in 1970 was a 2.30, with less than adequate tires, engines, and
technology as there is available today. The
really fast guys in group six sedans are doing sub 2.30’s!!!!
That’s
my impression of Road America. Definitely
one of my favorite tracks but even more so the most challenging!
If I can help you out at all please stop by and see me at my trailer.
In
the spirit of the sport,
