Atlanta Motorsports Park

just saw this video

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/b249YUNYUUI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

just saw this:

http://youtu.be/b249YUNYUUI

 

Today is their grand opening with members being allowed on track for the next three days.

In search of two TaG karts for the opening of the kart track.

 

Looks like a schweet track!

 

Sweet track for sure - there are a few places that concern me. I am going to have to go out and see the track first hand and see the run-off areas in person.

Our first scheduled day there is not until July - so hopefully all of it can be sorted by then.

t

 

Does NOT look safe for motorcycles

 

waaaay too many guardrails and very little runoff. but what do I know.

 

I wanna go see it and walk it for myself. But yes, from my impression on the video I am concerned about runoff in some areas - this would have to be addressed with airfence for sure.

But, I don't want to make any judgements until I see the track in person.

t

 

I'm about 15 min. away from this place. I'd love for it to work out for motorcycles but I don't see it. Air fence isn't going to be much help when you plow into a guardrail that's right off the track. I just can't believe that in 2012 you would build a track with questionable runoff room. And honestly it looks like the customer base they're going after is exotic car owners/clubs, not broke ass motorcycle racers. Fair enough I guess. Hope I'm wrong.

 

A few turns look questionable for sure.... However the rails on the straights are the same as CMP Barber ect.... I hope it works out...

 

I walked it a few weeks ago, in the big left handers the guardrail was about 25' off the track, they've placed tire barriers there now which only shortens the distance. It looks like a lot of fun, I wouldn't ride it aggresively or in large groups. JMO

 

It does seem a little sketchy to me.

 

I had a car track day called off there for last weekend due to wear surface asphalt probs and too little of the paddock done. I don't think these guys have hit a construction milestone yet. Anyhoo, will be going back the 18th of May and I'll try to get a GoPro vid and give it the "bike-eye" look.

 

I've got a friend that will be riding it tomorrow (member) on a gsxr 1000. It's a lead/follow orientation day, i'll get a report though.

 

I wouldn't ride it at speed.....

 

waiting...............................

 

Did a couple 20 minute stints riding shotgun in my buddy's GTR yesterday. AMP is a pretty wicked layout, should make for some interesting car event. Hats off to them for making it happen. I'm not going to say one way or the other about running bike events there, time will tell.

 

I'm headed there tomorrow for a run Friday in the M3 - sure looks wicked fun. I'll report back.

 

Went there today with a customer. Experienced guy, ex-pro racer. Rode around in his Nissan GTR with Tripp (Operations Manager?), was worried about runoff. Rode his race bike for a few laps - "It's manageable."

Good garages, bad communication. No idea when we were green for bikes. Management was proactive on solving that. Overall, very receptive to our needs, very positive reaction. Probably going to test there bunches.

I like the staff, it's just new. Several corners are really sketchy in terms of runoff. Treat it as such, you're okay. In terms of a race ready course for bikes, probably not.

Just my opinion.

 

Pretty good summary of the "bike-age" of the track. I drove a modified 2011 M3.
After 5 - 25 minute sessions, I just barely had a grasp of the fast smooth line. It's a driver's track and very technical. It's Barber on steriods. Several blind corners that must be taken "in faith" and some serious G outs and lateral G areas. Several well known driver's have run it and commented that it would take them 4-5 full day sessions to even say "I think I've got it down".
It was fun as crap with the elevations and blind stuff and my M3 and a guy with a Porsche GTR3 had a ball playing together - we both agreed, it definitely is a "momentum car" track. Big horsepower here just doesn't work much.
Turn 3 is a good long sweeper at about 35-40 mph and if low sided would probably put you close to the guard rail at the end of your slide. Turn 6 is a fast downhill left that if low sided would put you into a downhill muddy slide to a tree line. The big loong sweeper in the back -Turn 10 ? - is as fast as you want to make it. 80-90 was doable and if the car was set up right, 110+ was not out of the question..leading to a slight high speed chicane and onto the front short-ish straight where the best I could do was 130 mph till HARD braking to a downhill left hairpin. For the most part its "manageable" but you must ride with risk in mind...like old Turn 12 at RA. Everyone knew it and rode accordingly-not racing, but in a trackday, some "stupid" folks paid the price.
I would not race a bike here. A trackday at 75-85% percent, probably.