ASRA Sportbike Champion Jason Farrell has tried the newly-repaved corners at Road America, and the local ace is giving a definite thumbs up to the work done at the Elkhart, Wisconsin track.
That work includes new pavement laid down in Turns Five, Six, Eight and 14 and several large video display boards being erected around the 4.0-mile road course.
“The track is green and all, but I could tell the new surface was definitely better,” said Farrell, who rode during a ZARS Advanced Riding School and Track Day event May 25 at Road America. “It’s definitely way better. I figured it’s going to make the track at least one second a lap faster because it has more grip and its smoother. I could put the bike over on its side way easier and I felt I was leaned over more than I’ve been in the past.
“Turn Five, Turn Six, Turn Eight were definitely better, and Turn 14 was better, too. I could go in there and just throw it on its side. It used to have some bumps going in there from all the sealer strips going across the track and the cracks and stuff. Now there’s none of that.”
Farrell said the new pavement stretches from before the entrance of corners to beyond their exits and extends from edge to edge.
Farrell said he was also surprised with some unannounced changes in the section between The Bend chicane and Canada Corner, a.k.a. Turn 12.
“The first lap I was going down to Canada Corner and I was like, ‘Whoa! It’s totally different,’” Farrell told Roadracingworld.com Tuesday. “From about halfway from The Bend to Canada Corner on the right side there’s no trees anymore. And they kind of cut [the hill] out. There used to be a hill there from the concrete wall [at the edge of the track] going up with trees and stuff on it. All of that is gone now.
“So it’s a lot brighter back there. There’s a lot more light shining through, and you don’t get the tunnel vision when you’re going through there. Now it’s just open. I think the sunlight will be able to get back there better and help dry the track, if it gets wet or in the mornings. I’ve been racing there a long time, and it feels a lot better going back through there.”
According to Road America Communications Director John Ewert, the changes Farrell noticed were made to improve fan access and viewing in that area.
As for the new video screens, Farrell, a resident of nearby Oshkosh, Wisconsin, said fans will definitely enjoy being able to follow the action all the way around the long circuit and racers might be able to use some of the screens to see what’s going on behind them during races.
The MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Series is racing at Road America this coming weekend. For more information on the event, go to www.motoamerica.com or www.roadamerica.com.