Road America: Drivers Love It








Less than 1,000 people live in the small village of Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, but every year the community hosts nearly one million visitors at the racetrack only three miles away – Road America.

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship visits the circuit each year in the beautiful Wisconsin summertime, but Road America also plays host to over 400 other events, including motocross and sprint races, a “Tough Mudder” run, and cycling competitions, including the Tour de Road America charity ride on IMSA weekend.
“It’s the only place that I bring my bicycle,” said driver Ben Keating, who takes part in the Tour. “You don’t realize how much incredible elevation change there is at Road America until you get on a bicycle and try to go around it.”
Long known as one of the country’s most beautiful road courses, Road America is located halfway between Milwaukee and Green Bay and nestled on the hills of the Kettle Moraine, the remnants of a formerly glaciated region. The quiet surroundings and scenic backdrops have contributed to its moniker, “America’s National Park of Speed.”
“Because so many people come to Wisconsin for summer vacation, Road America is a perfect place for families to have fun,” said Road America Communications Director John Ewert. “We always say, ‘Come for the Experience, Stay for a Lifetime,’ because the track offers something for everyone. When fans come for a race, they always want to come back.”
BACKGROUND
Take a trip to Road America and back to the 1950s, when a new road course emerged under the leadership of Clif Tufte. Tufte organized influential Wisconsinites and locals like himself, with the help of the Chicago region of the Sports Car Club of America, to bring back racing to Elkhart Lake after it was banned from closed public roads in the early 1950s.
Only a few months after breaking ground in 1955, the first race was held at Road America, a 148-mile shootout won by Phil Hill in a Ferrari Monza. The following year, NASCAR hosted a Grand National race at the new circuit won by Tim Flock, and from there a landmark was created.
Over the years, Road America has remained largely untouched, maintaining its initial 4-mile, 14-turn lengthy configuration and making it a favorite amongst drivers. With additional on-site features such as karting and zip lining, plus the famous St. John the Baptist Parish’s food stand operating since the track’s opening over 60 years ago, Road America has also come to be known as a favorite amongst racing fans and families.
DRIVER PERSPECTIVE
Ben Keating, driver of the No. 33 Riley Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3: “If I had to list my favorite tracks in the country, Road America would be way, way up there. There’s something special about that Midwestern culture up there, whether its bratwursts, cheese, or beer. It’s just a really cool place to be. I love that community, I love those restaurants. That track is just really special. I love the fact that it’s the longest track that we go to. There seems like there’s always some fuel-mileage drama at Road America because of the length of the track and you’re wide-open throttle so much of the time. You have every different type of turn. But it’s a legit old-school type of track. You have so many different elements.”
TRACK PERSPECTIVE

• Turns 9 & 10, the Carousel: After a series of rather straightforward, albeit technical corners, drivers approach the long, sweeping Carousel. Traversing more than 180 degrees of directional change from entry to exit, the mighty corner puts a car’s downforce to the test as much as its driver’s critical throttle and steering inputs.
• Turn 11, the Kink: A wide, simple yet incredibly important corner, the Kink dares racers to take it flat out. For those able to accomplish such a feat in the fastest of cars, it is only due to a perfectly chosen line.
• Turn 12, Canada Corner: Nestled deep in the woods, the 90-degree right-hander offers an excellent opportunity for passing. Racers battling for the best run out of the Kink tackle a lightly-curved back straight on their way into Canada Corner, one of the heaviest braking zones on the circuit.

The IMSA WeatherTech Championship returns to Road America on August 3-6, 2017. Tickets are available for the event at www.RoadAmerica.com, which include free admission for kids 16 or younger with a paying adult and student discounts. Season passes for admission to all of Road America’s events are also available online, offering a way for fans to enjoy numerous track events and earn fantastic savings as well.