Is there a better spot for motorsport?

Racebrick said:

frenchyd said:

In reply to Keith Tanner :

You are correct with regard to population density and with its race tracks.  80% of America's population is east of the Mississippi.  
       I will say that until you have been to Elkhart Lake  you haven't been to a real wheel to wheel road race track.   Not even Watkins Glen is as spectacular.   
    4 miles long!! 3 really serious straights. 14 corners.  And the best race track food in the world.  
    Not to mention it's history.  Since 1949 at Elkhart Lake and 1955 at the 4 mile track. 
     We have a closer track up in Brainerd.    It's only 3 miles long but one really long straight leading to a banked corner that if you are a real racer  can be flat out leading to the straight following.   Only 12 corners.  And without the elevation changes  of Elkhart  Lake.  

Road America is the midwest's best track, but if you are going to turn this into a contest the Nurburgring Nordschleife wins.

Could you imagine if they didn't have noise restrictions for the late hours of the day? They might get a big time endurace race there vs sprint races from the big series. 

Where's the best place for motorsport? Somewhere east of me, that's all I know... But Portland OR is surprisingly not that bad. I live near Salem. 

Portland International Raceway is less than an hour away.

Oregon Raceway Park, The Ridge Motorsports Park, Pacific Raceways are all around 2.5 hours away.

Spokane is 7 hours. Thunderhill is 8 hours. Sonoma 9. Laguna Seca 11. 

That's not bad for the less densely populated side of the country. But I have to say I'm jealous of the car counts at road racing events on the other half of the country. Over here if you want to race against more than a handful of people you need to pick your class carefully. 

Racebrick said:

frenchyd said:

In reply to Keith Tanner :

You are correct with regard to population density and with its race tracks.  80% of America's population is east of the Mississippi.  
       I will say that until you have been to Elkhart Lake  you haven't been to a real wheel to wheel road race track.   Not even Watkins Glen is as spectacular.   
    4 miles long!! 3 really serious straights. 14 corners.  And the best race track food in the world.  
    Not to mention it's history.  Since 1949 at Elkhart Lake and 1955 at the 4 mile track. 
     We have a closer track up in Brainerd.    It's only 3 miles long but one really long straight leading to a banked corner that if you are a real racer  can be flat out leading to the straight following.   Only 12 corners.  And without the elevation changes  of Elkhart  Lake.  

Road America is the midwest's best track, but if you are going to turn this into a contest the Nurburgring Nordschleife wins.

You win!!  I've never been there but video's and articles convince me of its merits. 
  Unless you allow LeMans.  Just once in my life I'd like to flatfoot it down the mulesanne straight!!  At midnight, in the pouring rain!  In a Blower Bentley  knowing I have 16 more hours to go!!!! 
    Or maybe the Vintage Race at Monte Carlo?   Driving a 250 F Maserati!!!!  
  What about Spa in a Formula 1 driving a Gurney Eagle.   
  Or the Mille Miglia in a Ferrari Testa Rossa  by Scagletti 

  Aw heck Indy driving an Offy roadster. 

I got on a kick looking at auto test facilities and proving grounds today, wild how detroit just has full on road courses effectively in the city.

bmw88rider said:

I will officially say not here (Omaha) but surprisingly not as bad as you would think. 

RPM 30 minutes. 

Lincoln Air Park: 1 Hour

Heartland Park: 3 Hours

Hastings: 3 hours

High Plains and Brainerd: 8 hours

Ozark: 5 Hours

Iowa and Kansas for Nascar and IndyCar: 3 hours. 

Hallett: 7 hours

Plus add in all of the dirt tracks like Knoxville, Boone, and others and it's not as horrible as I thought. Just the seasons are short. 

So I can axe Heartland Park and add in Hedge Hallow also about 3 hours away.