KF810

Trying to get a schedule all set up for this year and wanted some opinions.
I am "branching out" to other tracks this year, and wanted to know a little bit about them.
Blackhawk Farms....10 hours total drive time for me...$180 for the track day itself, plus who knows what for hotel. ABout $250 for a track that has 7 turns? The trackmap makes it look a little dull. Am I wrong?

Putnam...looks cool, I'm def going a couple times. 3 1/2 hrs. not bad
Autobahn...Sweeeet! 3 hours..not bad there on 7/23.
BeaveRun...again, looks sweet, long drive, but looks worth it. 5 hrs.
Nelson Ledges...heard good and bad about this place..another long drive 4 1/2

Really only curious about Blackhawk and Nelson now that I think about it. Both 10 hour round trip drives, and want to know if they are as "bang for the buck" as the other tracks are.

HondaGalToo

BeaveRun is worth a 5 hour drive. I like that track. Haven't been out there in a couple of years (it's 6-8 hours for me) but I'm hoping to return this year.

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Heavy-Dee

Nelson is cool...and quaint. The amenities aren't as nice as others (similar to Putnam from what I hear). There are places that are dangerous. If you are a slower rider it's not much of an issue. Just don't be stupid.

The track is fast and flowing. Very fast! Almost all left handers. They say it's bumpy, but I'm used to it (or not spoiled, one of the two).

Let me know when you'll be here, and I can help you find a hotel and maybe help you around the track.

HD

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ND4SPD

You mean right handers? T4 & T12 are the only left turns from what I recall.

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Heavy-Dee

Yep, sorry it was early. Still jet lagged.

HD

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for1only

Flip, CBRVFR and I will be there for Autobahn on July 23, cant wait to try it-I've heard more good than bad regarding autobahn.

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Mojave954

WSIR 5 mins.... 2 if I am in a hurry.

Heard good things about all the tracks you listed. Was hopin' to get to beaver run sometime but, just a little FAR

tigerblade

Blackhawk is most definitely NOT boring! It is very narrow, but the layout is fun.

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CBRVFR

The half of Autobahn I did last year was really fun, and the pavement was smooth and grippy. The 'other' half looked less interesting, but the prospect of doing both together has got to be worth the trip out there. I can't wait.

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FrenchieR6

I like Putnam, it's a nice track... Hammer and Kawboy could tell you alot more about it. less then 3 1/2 hours for me

Autobahn South and full is awesome.. Full is like 4.2 miles. I love it.. North by itself is soso... 4 1/2 hours for me

Never done Beaver Run or Nelson Ledges but again about 4 hours from me so I like to do both of them..

Ohio suck when it comes to winter but FINDLAY is a perfect spot for tracks.. I'm like 2 to 4 1/2 hours from 7 tracks (Grattan, Gingerman, Autobahn, Putnam, Mid-Ohio, Nelson Ledges, Beaver Run) Not sure if I am missing any

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DEPO

I agree with Blackhawk about Tigerblade (look I am speaking Sheep!).


Blackhawk is not a Grattan in the area of challenges and elevation change, but it is narrow, it is interesting, and has a couple turns that are very difficult to master. There is a right hander there that you are staring at the corner worker stand coming in and a line of trees coming out.... If you do not take it correctly you are scrubbing off so much speed that the sweep left that comes after it is where lines of bikes will pass you.

tigerblade

I have only one picture of myself at Blackhawk that doesn't have a tirewall somewhere in the picture. Is this the sequence you're talking about DEPO?

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DEPO

That would be the one..... That would be just after that right hander.... it is tough. Then going in to that left hand sweep that goes a little downhill and toward the SILO

SheepOfBlue

You wish

Those tire walls look a bit low, close and dangerous... Of course in person the perspective can be a lot different.

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KF810

Cool. Bumpy as Grattan?? If so, it's no big deal then. I have been to Grattan and Gingerman once, so I'm not "spoiled" either.

KF810

Well I am going to have to revise my schedule again. I am trying to hit the tracks that WERA go to more than once, as I am seriously thinking of racing next year. I think I will go to Blackhawk, but just once. Now I have to pick up Nelson Ledges somewhere along the way, and a Mid-Ohio. So far, for sure, I have Grattan multiple times, Gingerman twice, I think, Putnam 3, and BeaveRun maybe twice and Autobahn once, but maybe find a second on the South track with what Frenchie had to say.

How about Nashville Speedway, anyone???

ND4SPD

Parts of the track have been repaved over the years, others not so much. T1-T4 are pretty bad as is T12 & T13. The rest is pretty decent depending on the line you take. They run a lot of SCCA events there and the cars tear up the place bigtime.

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Heavy-Dee

T1-3 are smooth if you are on the right line. Get to the outside of T1 and the bumps are pretty bad. You can't see them coming either so that sucks. T4 is the bumpiest section of the track, but well cambered so that helps offset. You have to force yourself to be confident that the bike will stick. There is a pretty big dip right at the apex of the kink. It's not a bump as much as a "dip". It's a very fast section of track and the bike just sort of falls away from you and comes back. I typically stand up on the pegs just a bit to let the bike float away and back to me. T12 is isn't bad, again, if you're on the right line. 13 is smooth, but very patched so not as grippy.

HD

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KF810

Thanks HD. I'm gonna pencil in at least one trip this year. Where is T1, the track map I have just starts at T2.

Heavy-Dee

The turns are numbered by flag station and they are probably counting the starter tower as T1. It's pretty stupid really. Turn 1 is very fast sweeping right hander after the actually straght straight. The back straight is more of a right-hand very subtle sweeper. Similar to the back sweeper at Grattan.

HD

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KF810

That makes a little more sense now. Thanks for the tips. Prolly gonna go June 23 or 24 and maybe Oct. 13 or 14, too cold maybe. What's a decent lap time??

Heavy-Dee

I think Robert Jensen holds the current record at 1:05-something. WERA experts are doing sub :10's at will for the most part with many novices doing 12's pretty easily.

My best time is a 1:15:9, and I'm shooting for consistent :13's this year.

You might get lucky w/ the late October dates, but it's hit/miss for sure. Who is there for the June 23-24 dates?


HD

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Hammer

Putnam is my home track. It is a good flowing track with varying technical spots in it. My only bitch about the track is the location of the pit wall being soo close to T 10, other than that is is a safe track IMO.

SheepOfBlue