Is there a covered area where spectators can sit during the day. At Road Atlanta, there was a nice area on the front straight. It has been over 30 years since I have been there. Chet
Road America is heavily wooded and has some fairly steep hills. Depending on the time of day, you can always find shade somewhere, whether it's inside Turn 3, just uphill from Turn 5, the back straight through Turn 4, or on Fireman's Hill beside Six Flags. If the Canada Corner viewing area is available, it's shaded all day long. While you can bake in the sun, you don't have to. Not by a long shot. In the 30 years since you've been back, the Pagoda was burned down (intentionally) to make way for paved paddock space behind pit lane. The Tower (media center, race control, etc.) was built across the front straight and a flag tower over the track was placed at the Start-Finish line (which I think was moved back up the front straight from the old one). Two tunnels now go under the track (at Turn 2 and between 13 and 14), one bridge has been removed (over 13), and one or two (over 9 and a footbridge before the Kink) bridges were added. Half the hill behind SJB was removed to make more paved paddock space and most infield roads reconfigured and paved. New buildings have sprouted everywhere just within the past decade. There's now flush toilets and running water most places and the food service is remarkable. The best track food in the world now goes with what may well be the best track facility in the world.
I look forward to the O'fest visit. I had about the same "layoff" time for the Glen. The nascar bus stop changed that part of the track a lot. We bought a canopy to take to Road Atlanta last year and did not even unpack it because of the "pavilion" on the front straight. (bring it and you will not need it...) See you up there... Chet
Yeah; you won't see any changes that drastic at RA other than the walls, gravel traps, and catch fences everywhere. From the driver standpoint, the biggest change is the missing bridge over 13, so now you have to choose an apex you can see instead of aiming for one you can't (and I was really good at that, dammit!). I went back to the Glen after a 20-year layoff (and from my first driver school to my umpteenth) and wasn't crazy about the bus stop. Lookin' forward to it.
