Road racing has always played second fiddle to oval track racing in the US; so we have never had enough race courses. The losses of Ontario, Riverside, and Bridgehampton have been offset by the ressurrection of VIR (abandoned for 25 years), the creation of Barber and now, Miller Motorsports Park near Salt Lake City Utah. The circuit has gone "hot" only this month. ALMS will race there 7/15; Grand Am Labor Day weekend.

http://www.millermotorsportspark.com/index.cfm Big site, somewhat slow to load; be patient.

The track can be run in 4 configurations: 2.2 mile west, 2.24 mile 14 turn east, 3.06 mile outer, and 4.5 mile 24 turn full course. There is 124 feet of elevation change in the east course alone. There is a 3-D sim of a lap of the full course here: http://www.millermotorsportspark.com/VideoTrack2.cfm
There are a set of esses in the southeast part of the track that is so diabolical that one would only expect to see such in a video game.

Very interesting looking course. I wish it were closer!!!
Steve - how do you like Barber compared to Road Atlanta?
To me they are very different courses, with Barber being more technical and more fun to me, and RA being faster and a lot more hard walls!!

BTW - my company purchased a little test facility in Pecos - check it out here:
http://www.ara.com/transportation/roads_pecos.htm

Would you believe I have volunteered my services to exercise the track??!?!?!?!

The only outdoor venue of any type I have ever attended that is nicer than Barber is Augusta National! It's that gorgeous. It makes Rd ATL look like a dungheap, even after Panoz' millions; which provided said hard walls where earth embankments + tires had been.

I would think anyone who spent so much money moving so much dirt should have left turns 10 and 11 as they were. They could have cut away some infield and put a gravel trap on the right. They could have extended the runoff out of 11 (100 yards would have been a good idea).

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Kewl looking test track. Will you be going there on legitimate business? Can you rent a Z06?

BTW - my company purchased a little test facility in Pecos - check it out here:
http://www.ara.com/transportation/roads_pecos.htm


Testing facility!?! that looks like i could be an all out road course.. well it is , but i mean like used as a recognised track

What is it you do VickSupra?

nice looking course

What is it you do VickSupra?
If I told you , I would have to shoot you.........
Seriously, it's security/anti-terrorism related. Unfortunately I don't have a snowball's chance in Pecos of getting to run that track - but I will try!

.....

I would think anyone who spent so much money moving so much dirt should have left turns 10 and 11 as they were. They could have cut away some infield and put a gravel trap on the right. They could have extended the runoff out of 11 (100 yards would have been a good idea).

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Kewl looking test track. Will you be going there on legitimate business? Can you rent a Z06?
Do you have a layout of RA before the changes? I've heard about them but did not see it prior.

I will try to get out to our test facility, but it will be a stretch. Since it is private, I'm not sure if insurance will let us out there (legally). Maybe a midnight visit!

Turn 10 was known as "the dip". Located about where the tunnel is now; it was 18 feet lower elevation than it is now. The massive positive G-forces took their toll on tires, suspensions, and race cars. (I have a pic of Geoff Brabham crawling out of the inverted Electramotive Nissan GTP 30 yds short of the bridge.) Late apex 10 at 180 mph for an uphill braking zone, looking for a turn in point for 11. Alas, you will only see sky under the bridge. Car & Driver named it one of the 10 best(worst?) corners in racing.

Panoz also shaved off the hill at turn 8, but I didn't mind that. While aviation was rare; it had happened to Dennis Hulme in a McLaren in 1971. In the '80's, a chicane had been added there for the SCCA runoffs, alledgedly to make it less of a hp course. It was pointless, other than to make SSB Camaros look less like race cars than they already were. When new owners repaved the track around 1992, they deleted it. Rumor has it that when SCCA asked, "what about our chicane?", they were told, "pave it yourself." Rumor has it that SCCA took their ball/runoffs to Mid-Ohio to race in snow and rain 2 out of 3 years; ending their season in September.

PS. I watched AMA Superbikes from Barber yesterday... I can't wait for Grand Am in July!

Turn 10 was known as "the dip". Located about where the tunnel is now; it was 18 feet lower elevation than it is now. ....Late apex 10 at 180 mph for an uphill braking zone, looking for a turn in point for 11. Alas, you will only see sky under the bridge. Car & Driver named it one of the 10 best(worst?) corners in racing.

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Whoa - that was quite different. I thought 10a was a bit of a dip now!!
Coming into 12 is still an adventure for me. Fortunately, the chief NASA-SE instructor rode with me one session and gave me the details I needed to enter 12 properly. Much better after that!
I don't miss that ex-hill at 8. That really is a long straight between 7 and 10a. It really doesn't seem like 8 and 9 exist (at least for someone as slow as me!)

Thanks for the history. I had heard some of the veterans at RA talk about the "old course", but didn't know details.

So you have driven Barber, Vick? Is it as smooth as it looks?

It appears that every turn is either uphill, downhill, or changing its mind in mid-turn. Do they at least give you a bit of positive camber when they throw this at you?

My favorite viewing spot at the '05 GA was the 2-3 combo (207 degrees that changes from uphill to down maybe 1/3 through), especially in the closing laps in a surface-dampening sprinkle when DP cars were dicing for position while passing GT cars.

So you have driven Barber, Vick? Is it as smooth as it looks?

It appears that every turn is either uphill, downhill, or changing its mind in mid-turn. Do they at least give you a bit of positive camber when they throw this at you?

My favorite viewing spot at the '05 GA was the 2-3 combo (207 degrees that changes from uphill to down maybe 1/3 through), especially in the closing laps in a surface-dampening sprinkle when DP cars were dicing for position while passing GT cars.
I've driven Barber three times. It is verrrrry smooth - they keep the track in great condition and it was well designed and constructed.
Most every turn is different, although a couple on the back side (nearly straight-through) are much the same. Some turns have + camber, but not many.
I have had my most trouble in 2-3 (I'm usually going in too fast) and the hairpin (it's just tough in a RWD heavy car).
Barber is an excellent track for spectators. It's amazing how much of it you can see from most any spot!

It is true that you can see 60% of the course from many places. As a RD ATL veteran spectator; I was at first put off by the idea of no infield at Barber. Having a reliable tram that could take me anywhere on the course perimeter in 10 minutes made me a convert. There is one downside...

The Rolex race on the last weekend in July means MURDEROUS heat! (2nd NASCAR Talladega that weekend never sold out. It was moved to October.) I had to drink more water than beer. HERESY!!!

..... There is one downside...

The Rolex race on the last weekend in July means MURDEROUS heat! (2nd NASCAR Talladega that weekend never sold out. It was moved to October.) I had to drink more water than beer. HERESY!!!
Heh - anything in B-ham, or Hotlanta, or this area is HOT in July.
I ran the NASA event last August at RA. I nearly died. In the paddock.:eek:

Thank Doc Panoz for all the heat-absorbing asphalt. He ruined (for campers/loyal race fans) the entire south end of the infield.

that is soooo sweet

The Utah Jazz owner has so far spent 75 million in Miller Motorsports park

jug; is his name Miller, or does some money flow from beer (hic)?

His name is Larry Miller, he could have financing from the Miller Company, but it probably is his own money he seems to own Salt Lake City.

PLEASE tell me he's not a devout Mormon (no alcohol at Sunday races)! j/k