22-23 October 2011. Peachstate Region PCA hosts a two day spring and Fall DE on the full course. It fills up fast with 290 entrants. I got advance word on the Cayman Register that registration was opening in August and I signed up the first day. So very early that Saturday my dream was realized. Road Atlanta is very vertical, faster than VIR and a ton of fun. So let's do the course turn by turn.
Turn 1 is an increasing radius uphill turn that can be taken much faster than it seems. I braked hard from the front straight from about 110 mph to 80 mph. Turned in at the apex and put on power crossing the last "dash" of the yellow pro pitlane marker. This sets up for turns 2-3. Which are blind at this point. I used some trees as a sight marker.
Turns 2-3. At the top of the hill there is left, right, left combination. Braking just left of mid-track before turn 2, and then turned into turn 3. Turn 4 is a smooth sweep to the left. With the instructor's help I found a smooth rhythm for this section, Sweet.
Turns 4 to Turn 5. A steep downhill section with Esses. Smoothly, also this could be taken faster than it appears. But the downhill is steeper than it seems in video or TV.
Turn 5. This is the second most important turn. I braked early at the beginning of the right hand gators, and turned in early, feeding on power going up the hill. There is paved runoff on the right. If done right, I saw over 100 mph before braking for turn 6. Sweet.
Turn 6 is a dipping right hander leading to a short chute to turn 7, Fox Corner. I apexed about 8 feet beyond the cone under power. Coming out of the dip uphill gives great grip in this corner and can zoom a bit in that short chute to turn 7, the second gear hairpin.
Turn 7 is the most important turn as it leads onto the back straight. Setup early, and turn in feeding on gas. When on the back straight, I stayed left and looked to either point by others or be pointed by. Turn 9 at the top of a small rise is the black flag station and I set up on the right side of the course at this point. Once I saw very briefly 138 MPH just before braking hard for turn 10a.
Turn 10a and 10b. This sharp left and right turn was added since the 1970s. I had to work on braking properly here as I often over braked. 10a is a 90 degree left and I learned afterward to stay left a bit so 10b was less severe. This let me accelerate up to the bridge.
Turn 11. For me, this is the most intimidating corner. Unlike other courses with some visual references, here as I came to a steep hill, I saw only blue sky through the bridge. My instructor kept telling me that the pavement over the hill has NOT moved. So I set up directly under the yellow left panel with about 15 degrees right steering and over the hill I went. Sure enough as the car settled, the track was right in front of me. Sometimes a very small correction was needed. While I think I did it well, I'm still intimidated here.
Turn 12. Just beyond the gator on the left, the car would bottom out and I'd turn into turn 12 on the right feeding in gas for the front straight. If done correctly, this felt very smooth and good. Then I'd see over 110 MPH before braking for turn 1. Some professionals and full race cars take the section from 10b all the way to turn 2 flat out. Not me!
Wonderful course and I plan to go back in 2012. Now I've added Sebring, Daytona and/or Lime Rock to my dream list. Drive safe and have fun. Ed.
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