Any tips on visiting Road Atlanta

[Galloping Ghost]

I'll be attending this weekend. My first trip to Road Atlant. I have an infield parking pass and usually bring lawn chairs. What are the good spots to set up for race day and how much access to the various corners are there (ie, how about the lower end of the track? Is it acessible, or just the top half closer to start finish?)

[zanders]

I'm also going to RA this weekend for the first time....I've just got the one day pass for Saturday. I've heard that turns 10a and 10b are great to see overtaking but can get crowded. Also heard that the top of turn 5 after the esses is also a great viewing spot. I've been reading the track's website and it says something about no alcohol allowed to be brought in. Do they really check everyone's coolers as they enter the gate?

[FormerFF]

If I were bringing my car into the infield and wanted to set up somewhere, I'd lean towards Turn 5, in the area that the track map refers to as "spectator hill". Turns 10a and 10b would be another good choice, but since most of the parking there is taken up with single marque corrals and VIP parking, it may be a ways from your car to your seat. The spectator area on the inside of the track there can get crowded if you want to set up chairs, but there's always room to sit on the bank or hang out at the fence. The area on the outside of 10a and 10b is huge and there are always lots of places to sit. Both these spots have matrix boards that will show the telecast.

There's good access to all the turns. About the most limited one is the bridge turn, which I would call turn 11, but the cars zip by there so quickly you wouldn't stay long anyway. On race day, I don't bring my car into the infield, I put it in the free parking area along Highway 53. I usually watch the start from either the bleachers on the outside of the track along the start-finish straight, or the inside of turn 1. The outside of turn 1 would be good too. If you do the grid walk you'll be down there anyway. I usually make a complete lap around the track before the day is done. It used to be a few years ago you could move your car from corner to corner, but the event's become so popular it's pretty hard to move your car once race time approaches.

Most of the passing for position at Road Atlanta will be done at turns 1 and turn 10a. One of my favorite things to watch is the prototypes carving up the GT field through turns 2, 3, and 4. Turn 5 is generally single file, but it's a neat area to watch driving styles. The cars come very quickly through turn 6, you'll get whiplash if you stay there too long. Turn 7 is the slowest turn on the track, so if you want to get a good look at the cars in action, that's the place. They then go blasting down the straight to 10a. Turn 11 is the bridge, and turn 12 is best observed from the outside of the turn - or at least it was that way last year, I haven't seen what the addition of the chicane for the motorcycles has done to that area. My personal favorite spot is the area behind turn 5, looking down on the track, and my favorite time of day is sunset, which is when I'll be there. If you see a guy in a black T shirt that says "hanggliding.org", come over and introduce yourself.

There is a law stating that outside alcoholic beverages can't be brought into a sporting event. The law is enforced by the track posting a sign and including that information on its web site and printed information. I've never seen anything checked, ever.

I'm not sure where you are coming from, but do be aware that we are having a gasoline shortage here. I was up in northwest Georgia last weekend, and it was fine through about Dalton, but gasoline was hard to come by from there south into the city. The Carolinas have been hard hit as well. Supposedly things are improving. I will say that the situation is improving in Atlanta, but it's not good right now.

[Funks]

Everywhere is pretty accessible if you are prepared to explore the whole circuit on foot- which you MUST do! It's an awesome place to visit and spectate at. I'm just sorry that I couldn't get over there this year.