Road America
By: Landin Willams and Ryan Terpstra
Road America is perhaps the finest road racing circuit in North America -- a true test for both man and machine. High speeds are offset by brutally tough braking zones and subtle turns that can catch even the most seasoned drivers. To take victory at Road America, a driver must possess skill, bravery and an unwavering focus. If victory is what you seek then you have come to the right place, as this track guide will take you on a tour of Road America, and show you everything you need to know to drive it like the pros.
With huge straightaway’s running into tight corners, Road America is a track that lends itself towards high speeds and hard braking. It will take some time to find the ideal braking zone for your car, so don’t be surprised if you run off the course a few times after blasting down the front straightaway at full throttle. Once you get the hang of the track you will be able to dive deeper into those braking zone’s to gain every last tenth of a second.
Considering the track layout, you may want to sacrifice some handling for that extra bit of horsepower when setting up your car. In the case of R-class cars sacrificing downforce for speed will give you a large advantage, as the speed gained on the long straights should outweigh the cost of slower corner speeds and less momentum. As you come down the front straightaway you will quickly come up on Turn 1.
Note: In order to provide a detailed video demonstration for the various corners on this track, we have segmented it into 4 sections. Each video demonstration will cover multiple turns, so make sure to watch all the way through if you are looking for a specific turn.
Section One: Turns 1 and 2
Turn 1: Constant Radius Right Hander
Coming into this constant radius right hander you should be hitting the highest speeds of your lap, so be prepared to stomp hard on the brakes. You will want to make your approach from the left side of the track and should try use to entire surface of the road to clear the corner. Once you find your braking point, ease into the corner and begin accelerating at the apex. Aim for the inside rumble strip with a slightly early turn-in so that you can jump on the throttle as soon as you see the exit. This corner has a very subtle slope towards the inside, so if you hope to clear it quickly you will need to ride the inside rumble strip as long as possible before accelerating towards the outside. If done properly you should maintain good speed through the small straight leading up to turn 2.
Turn 2: Decreasing Radius Right Hander
Turn 2 is a decreasing radius right-hander that leads on to one of the longest straightaway’s on the track. How you tackle this corner will impact the top speed you reach as you near the end of the straightaway, so it is important to set yourself up for a fast exit. Since you carried much of your momentum through turn 1 you’re going to have to get hard on the brakes going into this greater than 90 degree right-hander. Make your entrance from the left side of the track and aim for the inside rumble strip to hit the apex. As soon as you’re pointed in the right direction, hit the throttle and let the car drift out to the rumble strip on the left side of the course. Once you figure out the ideal line for this corner you will be able to accelerate from the apex to the exit, ensuring you reach the maximum speed for the important straightaway.
Click here for a video demonstration of turns 1 and 2
Turn 3a – See Footnote
Turn 4 - See Footnote
Section Two: Turns 5, 6 and 7
Turn 5: Tight Left Hander
Turn 5 is a narrow, hard braking left-hander, which can be considered one of the toughest corners on the track. After a long straightaway the course veers slightly to the left with a downhill slope, making the approach very tricky and challenging. Judging your braking point for this turn is particularly difficult as the braking markers on the fence blend in well with the background; especially at 180mph. The first few times you approach this corner you will probably overshoot it, so it is best to be cautious until you’re comfortable with your car and confident you’ve found your braking point. Once you’ve got the timing down, aim for the inside rumble strip with a slightly early entrance to make sure you don’t float towards the outside. The slope of this turn further increases the difficulty, however if you hit the inside line you should be able to accelerate smoothly towards the outside rumble strip without losing too much speed.
Turn 6: Uphill Left Hander
Turn 6 is a blind corner in the truest sense of the word. You will make an uphill approach towards a left hander that is hidden by the crest of the hill, so be prepared to brake before you can even see the turn (unless you’re trying to catch air for a cool photo opportunity). Like turn 5, you’ll want to be cautious until you find the appropriate braking point for the car that you’re driving. In most cars you will need to brake just before the Toyota footbridge, so make your approach from the right side and brake early. Once you clear the crest aim for the apex of the turn while making sure not to run too far to the outside. Hit the apex, drift out to the rumble strip and cross over the track to set yourself up for the entrance into turn 7.
Turn 7: Constant Radius Right Hander
Turn 7 is a sweeping constant radius right-hander that can be taken wide open in many cases. If you find that your car cannot handle this corner at full speed, try lifting off the throttle for a split second. This should be enough to clear the turn while maintaining your speed and momentum. If your exit from turn 6 was done correctly you will be on the right side of the track, so make a quick transition to the left in order to set-up for this corner. Once you have made the transition you will want to aim for the inside rumble strip with an early entrance. This corner also slopes towards the inside, so it is beneficial to ride the inside rumble strip while accelerating towards the exit. This will send you down the hill on another short straight towards Turn 8.
Click here for a video demonstration of turns 5, 6 and 7
Section Three: Turns 8, 9, 10 and 11
Turn 8: Sharp Left Hander
This 90 degree left hander (Turn 8) is another deceptive corner due to the uneven road surface and downhill gradient. All of these factors make judging the braking point for this corner somewhat challenging, so you may want to break early the first few times through. Make your approach from the right side of the track while aiming for the rumble strip on the left with your entrance. If done properly your momentum will carry you to the outside as you start down another short straightaway towards turns 9 and 10.
Turns 9 and 10: Sweeping Right Handers
Turns 9 and 10 are both sweeping right-handers where your line will dictate how much speed you can carry on to the back straight. You can maintain consistent speed through much of the two turns but as turn 9 ends and turn 10 begins the radius decreases slightly forcing you to let up just a touch. Make your approach from the left side while trying to maintain a smooth and consistent line through both turns. Try to use the entire track surface, while making sure not to run too close to the inside rumble strip as this will have a negative impact on your exit from Turn 10. You’ll also want to make sure you don’t drive too hard through the end of this turn, as the speed you carry through here can make a difference of 2 or 3 seconds through the next segment when you consider the long straightaway after turn 11.
Turn 11: High Speed Right Hander
Turn 11 is another sweeping right hander that can be taken at full throttle if you nail the line. As you tune your car and make adjustments, remember to keep this turn in mind. The timing for your turn-in is crucial if you hope to carry the maximum amount of speed onto the back straightaway. Letting up here instead of going through at full throttle can be a 10 mph difference by the time you reach the end of the straight. Set up on the left side of the track and aim for the inside rumble strip. You will want to get as close as you can to the inside, as once you pass the apex you will be heading towards the outside very quickly. If you miss the ideal line you will end up overshooting the exit, a costly mistake that could easily cost you the race. Just like some of the other corners, it is a good idea to find out the characteristics of your car before trying to take this turn at full throttle.
Click here for a video demonstration of turns 8, 9 , 10 and 11.
Turns 11a & 11b - See Footnote
Section Four: Turns 12, 13a, and 14
Turn 12: Decreasing Radius Right Hander
After another long straightaway you will approach Turn 12, a decreasing radius right hander. It can be very hard to pinpoint your braking point for this corner, so you should spend a couple of laps getting adjusted to your car before going hard into this turn. The track veers slightly to the left just before the braking zone, so make sure to stick to the left hand side until the track straightens out. You’ll want to get hard on the brakes and aim for the middle of the inside rumble strip with your entrance. Once you pass the apex, drift towards the outside rumble strip and accelerate through turn 13 (see footnote).
Turn 13a: Sweeping Left Hander
Turn 13a is a sweeping left-hander that is very similar to turn 7. Depending on the setup of your car you may be able to take this turn at full throttle. If not you may need to lift just slightly, so spend some time figuring out how fast you can take this corner. The track veers to the right just before this left hander, so make sure you set yourself up on the right side before making your entrance. Once again the timing for when you want to turn-in is crucial if you hope to take this corner at full throttle. Aim for the apex that sits just before the beginning of the inside rumble strip with an early entrance and you will carry the perfect line towards the outside. Make sure you don’t fade too far towards the outside or you will pick up a few penalty seconds as you make your way towards the final turn.
Turn 14: Final Right Hander
The final turn on Road America is another deceptive right-hander that can easily trick you into a date with the dirt. Finding the right braking point for this turn is challenging as the track seems to narrow considerably at the corner entrance. It is also very important to carry as much speed as possible through this turn as it leads onto one of the longest straightaways in Forza 2! If you cleared turn 13a correctly you will be on the right hand side of the track, so a quick transition to the left is needed in order to set-up for this corner. Find your braking point and coast through the rest of the turn aiming for a somewhat late apex. Once you hit the inside rumble strip, hit the accelerator and fade towards the outside. The earlier you can get on the gas the more speed you will carry down the straightaway, so make sure to keep that in mind when you are approaching this corner. Once you clear turn 14 you will find yourself climbing a steep hill towards the start/finish line, on par to set a top 200 Hotlap record!
Click here to watch a video demonstration of turns 12, 13a and 14
Note: Turns 3a, 4, 11a, 11b, & 13 are all kinks in the road that only count as corners on paper.
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