Road America

[hey,littlecobra]

hi.
I'm interested in pursuing a different direction for Pepe and me.

Road courses are sounding more and more like what I'd like to do.

I've heard of 'road america' and was wondering if ya'll could point me in the right direction??

Where, when?

I'll do a search and all, but nothing works on CC like asking a question and getting quick replies!

thanks very much.
Kristen

[scott coyle]

The northwoods shelby club has an event there in August. It is a fun event.

Scott

[ack fia]

High performance driving experiences at the great road courses are great fun. You also learn alot too. There are a variety of events to choose from from HPDE, schools, track days and timed events.
I'm going to try to drive as many courses as I can. I've done WGI, NHI and Lime Rock, and plan to venture further down the east coast eventually.

[01yelrt]

I've raced at Road America on several occasions. I would however NEVER run my Cobra on that track. I hit 160MPH in my F stock 1984 911 Carrera which has 230hp. My Cobra at 500hp would be doing easily its top speed (gear limited) of around 175mph going into a slight right hand turn called "the kink". I have no full cage, no fuel cell, no 3 nozel halon system, no ignition cut off switch, no FIA race seat in the Cobra. I'm sure there is more I'm forgetting. My point is that the 1965 racecar was not a very safe animal. I would not race the cars that they did back in the day. They were death machines. I crashed in "the kink" as many others have done, it is famous for that. The 911 didn't make it without needing another car to sacrifice itself by donating its entire unibody tub. I walked away without a bruise. The same crash at higher speed in the Cobra would not be survivable by me or the car. You would need to have alot of safety equipment added to the Cobra to make it road race ready. It would look pretty different from what we all recognize as a Cobra when you are done.
Road America is one of my favorite racetracks in the world. I love to run there. You should go and check it out! It is located a bit north of Milwaukee WI. It is beautiful country. Again I would not recommend checking it out from the drivers seat of a Cobra, unless you've invested heavly in some real safety gear. Then be careful the car may launch into flight at the speeds you willl hit on that back straight. Good luck, Aron

[Jim Werth]

Just ask Clois, I met him there 2 years ago! I live about 45 minutes from Road America. Great place !!! Jim

[hey,littlecobra]

great help, guys!
didn't know it was so far away.

I'm looking for stuff only a 'day's drive' from Dallas.

also.... would you think a Challenge Racer (spec racer from FFR) would meet minimum requirements??

thanks again.
Kristen

[01yelrt]

Much better, I think. With the full cage I've seen on those cars that is what you want. They also use a race seat, I would make sure I had a fire system and a fuel cell too. I still think that the aerodynamics of the Cobra is not very well suited to the speeds that they can reach easly. I would not hesitate to run a Cobra on a shorter track but ones like Road America with really long straights scare me for a Cobra.

[Clois Harlan]

Ah common Kristen,

You can follow Sharon and I up the afternoon of August 15th and drive up to Springfield, Ill, spend the night at the local do drop in and then on to Elkhart Lake by 1:00 on Thursday. Here is the link if you are interested:

http://www.nwshelbyclub.com/

Dean and his family are going to meet up with us in Springfield.

Clois

[Clois Harlan]

Even better here is a map of the track:

http://www.roadamerica.com/track_maps.htm

The Northwoods group puts on one of the best events anywhere. period and the people and scenery are absolutely beautiful. Join us if you can, bring the family!

Clois

[scott coyle]

I doubt an F1 car can be going 175 mph before the kink, let alone a cobra. You can't get to those kind of speeds before the kink, not enough track distance.

The fastest place on that track, usually for a cobra is the front straight. The down hill into turn 5 is to spooky to stay in it until the last minute. The kink is too scary to go as fast as you can through there in any car let alone a cobra.

160 mph is very impressive in a 230hp car. The link below is maybe 170 mph in a cobra with 600+hp. It is the funest track I have driven in a cobra.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95E9B6zPzuY

Scott

[Yetiman]

Here's some of my photography of various events at Road America over the last few years if you need some inspiration http://public.fotki.com/YetiMan/road_america_four/

With 24 hours in a day it's easily less than a days drive North of Dallas

www.roadamerica.com

[01yelrt]

Scott you are right I'm not doing 160 at the entry of the kink, but I do hit 160 on that track. At the exit of the carosel I'm out of 3rd gear which is 80-85mph and I'm coming out of 4th by the kink, which I don't lift/brake for (maybe I should left foot brake though) probably about 120ish in the kink. To judge from the youtube video you linked I am braking WAY LATER than that cobra. Braking for turn 5, I'm 1/2 way to the bottom of the hill around marker 3where I brake. The Cobra was braking on the top of the hill about the end of turn 4, I'm full throttle in 5th gear for another 1/8th of the total length of that straight beyond the Cobra shutdown. I also don't have any points on that track where the thorttle is hanging constant like the Cobra lap. You are on it full, and hard on the brakes everywhere except for maybe in thunder valley area turn 13. and maybe a lift/brake back in turn 7. The Cobra was not running full throttle by 2/3 of the way down any of the long straights. That may be due to gearing or driver discipline, anyway, my Cobra would be going way to fast to be stabile at the speeds it would hit there. The Viper club stopped going to Road America when I ran with them because the cars were getting rediculusly fast and it just wasn't safe. Thats all I'm saying. It is the greatest track and just a blast to drive in the right car. Aron

[scott coyle]

I was out of brakes so that was the reason for early braking, pumping like crazy. You might be braking way later with better brakes and less speed. The time is still a 2:30. I only know of a few cobras (with much better drivers) that have gone under 2:30 at RA.

With some more time there, only been there twice, and good the brakes I have now, mid 2:20's is within reach. It would be scary, but it sure would be fun.

Curious, what times did you run there? I assume the vipers are in the 2:20's?

Scott

[Clois Harlan]

Scott was just burning up the track that day I couldn't even stay close enough to make him feel as though someone was trying to chase him down. I too was out of brakes but unlike Scott I was running out of gear before he was and I was puckered in places I didn't think possible trying not to worry about getting whoa'd down before I had to turn. Scott is a very good driver and his Cobra was really hooked up.

Clos

[Jerry Clayton]

Karts there this weekend---125cc sit up shifter karts will be 2:20s or low 2:30s

Jerry

[01yelrt]

It's been a while and I don't have any time sheets to go back to with the Viper. 220's should be reasonable. The Porsche is going slower than the Cobra for sure at top speed because mid 230s to 240 would be what I expect. The Cobra just gets up to speed way fast. The corner exit speed and mid corner speed in the Cobra is way below the Porsche but it doesn't take long to make up the difference with same or less weight and 2x's the HP! I go back to the fact that a full cage and all the safetey gear is needed in a car as fast as the Cobra. It just gets scairy moving that fast in a car that had no wind tunnel aero considerations, and even less impact testing when being designed.

[Remod]

Kristin,

Road America should definitely be on your short list of things to do with your Cobra IMHO. Not to win a race with as 01yelrt mentioned, but a "spirited fun run" is still a blast! It is one the premier road courses in this country.

You may even look into the Skip Barber driving school they have there....you could do some track time in a Viper or one of their other types of cars that are available. You certainly would leave that place a better driver!

I've been to RA, and its something you'll never forget!

[scott coyle]

01yelrt,

Most vipers, street guys with better brakes, a few mod's, and slicks are running mid 2:30's at best. You might think your porsche has higher corner speeds, but I doubt it. I have driven many porsches and the transition between back to back corners is precise and much easier to drive at the limit consistently. Road america has no transition corners. The actuall speeds in the corner are not higher. Since 1965 there are only 2 guys that have broken 2:30 in a cobra. Dick Smith, Don Roberts, and Bob Bondarant have run best times at 2:32+ in a cobra.

You can critique the video all you want to, but from my research, and me being an average driver at best, a 2:30 is very respectable. Most of the porsche and z06 guys don't break 2:30, and then just barely, unless highly modified and or a very good driver.

Scott

[392cobra]

Kristen,
Have you thought about the new track north of DFW ? You'd have a place within 1-1.5 hours from your house.

Eagles Canyon Raceway
http://www.eaglescanyon.com/php/circuit.php

[hey,littlecobra]

thanks, Fred. yes, I'll be doing that track. The last cruise the Dallas group took, back in May, they stopped by it, with Jim 'leading the way'. It wasn't open and available to look at because of the heavy rains- they couldn't get in or something like that. Don't remember, as I didn't go on the cruise....

It is appealing to me.
I've done Motorsport Ranch, down in Cresson one time. They have added another mile or so to that track, and from what i understand the car guys don't like it- way steep in a couple of areas but the motorbikes do!

We drove by Cresson on the way home from San Antonio last weekend, and the new section goes right by the highway. I thought the road looked steep, there, as well.

Anyway, i was thinking that the Eagles Canyon course hadn't opened yet.
I think Jim et al ARE planning some driving days out there. I'll definitely go!!

thanks for the link. I've added it to my list.

Kristen

edit to add:
been looking it over....
It's a membership track. Guess I could go as a guest.
I imagine TDE will hold something there once or twice a year. We'll see if it fits!
I believe there is a track being built out east of Terrell, near Wills Point. Same thing- membership and dues.
If the driving 'schools' driving experiences can put on track days, then it'll work for me.

I'm not interested in buying into a membership, with montly dues, etc.
Maybe if I changed cars and got serious about it.....
(spec racer, etc)
k