See All The Race At MAR
Like the song says, "Cross Over the Bridge", the MG Bridge that is, and you're on the inside of one of the finest road racing courses in the world. Mid America provides 2.86 miles of excitement for both driver and spectator alike, and is truly unequaled in its easily accessible corners, where the action really is. Here's how to see it:
At the start, the driver jockeys for position just to be sure he can squeeze around the turn at corner one without trouble. Thirty or forty other guys are trying to do the same thing and it's something to see. Somehow, they all make it and they're off down the hill towards corner number two. Corner one is an ideal spot to watch the end of the straight and the brake-burning speed reductions necessary to make the turn. Proper line through this corner at speeds is quite precise -- if the car is off just a foot one way or the other, he can either spin out or lose time. This corner is also an ideal spot to find out later in the race that the brakes are going -- there is a little room at the end of the straight, but not much when you're trying to haul down from over 100 miles per hour!
You could see a lot of the race from turn one, but let's get out to the other corners too. Fortunately, all the turns are relatively easy to get to and each one is different. Some are downhill into valleys, others are up at hill tops -- all are challenging to the drivers and fun to watch. Corners two and three are favorites of many fans -- they are sweeping downhill turns taken at speed, and the sound of the engines bouncing off the hills lets you know when the cars are coming.
Corner four is just behind the paddock area at the crest of the hill and is a tough corner because it sweeps left out of sight near the top. Worse, it gets tighter before it finally straightens out and starts back down the hill towards turn five. You can see corner four from the pathway behind the paddock.
Corner five is a short, choppy corner to the left which must be taken tight on the inside in order to get set for number six on down the hill.
Six is a sweeping downhill right that tends to throw the cars outside as it gets tighter. It's a particularly good turn to watch in practice if you want to get some pictures of spinouts. It also provides lots of action for the corner crew which must be particularly alert to warn oncoming cars of any trouble around the bend ahead.
Corners seven, eight, nine and ten can all be seen from the nicely shaded hillside that forms a natural stadium around the edge of the track. This is one of the finest spots on the entire track from which to see road racing at its best. It is popular but, fortunately, there is plenty of room for everyone. You have a wonderful view of two "dicing" areas between seven and eight, including another decreasing radius turn, and a good look at nine and ten which lead down across the short back stretch before turn eleven.
Turn eleven is the "straightener-outer" which is immediately at the bottom end of the long straight. Entry into turn eleven calls for just the right amount of gas and brakes and then, flat out, up over the short rise and out onto the straightaway. Lots of action leading into the turn, plenty of action in the turn, and full power coming up the short rise combine to make this point one of the best for the spectator. There's plenty of "seeing room" on both sides of the track at this point, and plenty of shade too.
Well, you've now seen all of the track except the straight. Here, all cars are flat out in top gear when they crest the slight rise near the end, and speeds of over 100 miles per hour are common. Cares have been clocked at 180 MPH at this point! Then they start gearing and braking down to make corner one and start around on another lap.
A racing program at Mid America normally consists of several practice sessions followed by real wheel-to-wheel, flat-out racing. During the practice sessions, the drivers refine their techniques for the various corners and, quite often, equal or even surpass the lap speeds they run in the actual race. For the first-time driver at Mid America, the practice sessions provide an opportunity to learn the course. It provides you with an opportunity to pick your favorite spot for the race, so be certain to get out to several of the corners and find a choice spot at one of the turns where most races are won or lost.
If emphasis for drivers and other participants is on speed, it can be truthfully said that for you, the spectator, it is to have fun. There are few rules at the track except to stay in the areas marked for your safety and to use good common sense at all times. Otherwise, see all the track and try some of these suggestions to have a really memorably day at Mid America.