Barber Motorsports Park

[ice]

http://www.barbermotorsports.com/racinglinks.html

Sweet home Alabama......

Finally....... the first FIM approved racetrack in the United States and we get to race on it!!!!!!!...  ;D ;D ;D

[TreyBone]

I can't wait to go there. I see that got JackAbbott from VIR as general manager.

[Eric Kelcher]

Laguna is FIM approved; RA was also, unsure if still is.

[r6_philly]

Alabama is abit of a drive from mid-atlantic, but I will gladly go and try it out. I wonder how the turn out will be...

see yall at Barber

[ice]

Yeah I guess Seca would have to have FIM approval since WSB races are held there every year.

I heard that the FIM will not approve RA due to the concrete wall next to the kink.......I don't blame them.  In my opinion that is the most dangerous turn in  roadracing.

Regarding Barber, I guess I should have said "the first racetrack built to FIA/FIM standards" since I read in Roadracing World in December that there were no tracks currently in the US with both FIA/FIM approval.  That article is below.  

http://venus.13x.com/roadracingworld/scripts/NewsInsert.asp?insert=4892

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

     The problem with adding run-off area in the 'kink' at Road America is due to the massive cost that would be associated with doing so. Just beyond the concrete bike collector is a set of railroad tracks that have inhibited expanding the much needed run-off area we all so desire. If you look at arial photos of Road America the railroad tracks just outside of the 'kink' become very visible and you then see the task that would be involved to move them.
     After l looked at the photos online I realized for myself that someone clearly wasn't thinking ahead when they designed the kink so close to those tracks. About the only other option they have with that area of the track (other than completely changing this corner) is to modify the area before or after the 'kink' to change the entry/exit to something slower or the exit of the carousel could be modified to include a chicane or 'S' that would get your approach to the 'kink' at a safer angle.
     It's too bad that R.A. has not made changes to this corner previously so it would not even be an issue when trying to get GP bikes back to the U.S.

[sdiver68]

Racer Mike,

Funny you mentioned that.  I read somewhere that one of the changes RA was going to make in the next year or so is to have the track curve left  and then back right before the kink, thus approaching the wall at a much less severe angle.  IIRC, this was going to be an alternate configuration, meaning you could still run it as is, or use the new piece of track.  The comment I specifically remember was a quote from a track official stating the kink "was a little extreme" for many club type racers.  Personally, I like it, serves as a great passing area for those a little less insane,lol, but I'm sure my opinion would change if I hit the wall :O

[tzracer]

The kink is not the only problem, turn 13 would also need to be changed. RA was going to add some parts to the track to avoid the kink and turn 13 to get approval. Something like a left turn between turn 3 and 5, joining the track somehwere I think between 6 and 7 (been a while since I saw the proposed track), going backwards through 6, down hill to 5, turning left at 5 rejoining the track before 14.

I don't think the tracks are the main problem with the kink, behind the wall there is a rather large kettle that would have to be filled.