BRRS: Turn 9 at Palm Beach provides an unforgettable experience

Monday, 16 April 2018


Bertil Roos Racing School



What's it like to get behind the wheel of a Formula car at the Bertil Roos Racing School?

For Merrill Quintrell, the three-day course at Palm Beach International Raceway in Jupiter, Fla., provided one of the best experiences of his life.
The 62-year-old North Carolina resident paints a vivid description of what it's like to be in the car and to drive through just one single turn of PBIR's state-of-the-art, 2.2-mile road course. It's the challenging Turn 9 which he describes below.
"As you come out of Turn 8 you are full on the power, you let the car go wide to the left and use every inch of track for the exit. Approaching the redline in second, you snap a fast shift to third and then to fourth. Full throttle down the long straight. Winding out in fourth the speed is incredible. The wind buffets your helmet and everything in your peripheral vision becomes a blur."
He continued, "The braking markers are approaching very fast. Number 4, Number 3, you change your line and head straight for the curbing preceding the apex. As you pass Number 2, you are still hard on the throttle. Number 1 is just ahead. NOW, off the throttle and HARD on the brakes, downshift, downshift. You are at a crazy angle for the apex – you've technically turned in way too early. Pointed towards the barrier, you're still carrying way too much speed to make the turn.
"Off the brakes, it's now or never. You crank in some steering and blip the throttle. The car is suddenly loose, and the front end starts rotating around the apex like its nose is tethered to a pole. As the exit swings into center vision, you push the throttle down hard and the rear of the car magically plants. You're back on your line as you rocket toward the exit. Oh yeah! In thrust we trust! You just survived Turn 9, for another lap. Now it's time to pull out the playbook for turn 10 and do it all over again.
"You are all by yourself. It's just you and the car, and you're in heaven."
To see more information about Bertil Roos Racing School and experience your own slice of heaven, visit racenow.com or call 1-800 RACE NOW.