The news is now offical:

ROAD ATLANTA WORK: An extensive resurfacing project at Road Atlanta is well on its way, the focal point of a series of renovations and capital improvements to the famed Atlanta-area road course.

In addition to repaving the entire 2.54-mile, 12-turn circuit, crews also will move back the walls on both sides of the lower part of the Esses to provide competitors additional runoff room. It also will increase the sight lines for fans on "Spectator Hill" from turns 4 to 5.

All of the concrete patches have been removed. Filling the patches with asphalt will provide better adhesion completely around the track.

Previously, the back half of the main paddock and the front entrance parking lot were paved earlier this year. Originally built in 1970, Road Atlanta was last repaved in 1992. Since purchasing the world-renowned facility in 1996, Dr. Don Panoz has spent millions of dollars in capital improvements including the redesign of turn 10 and elimination of the Dip. More than 300,000 tons of rock and dirt were moved to create the new Main Paddock on the infield side of the track.

 

Cool...Any idea on when the next track day will be? I'm pretty sure after the winter is over but I definitely wanna take the Z out there.

 

NASA southeast will the one of the first (if not the first) to have an HPDE after it is repaved. This will be Mid-March and at this time it is almost sold out as Road Atlanta doesn't have very many HPDE events as they want you to attend the Panoz race school.
Here is the link to NASA SE:
http://www.nasa-southeast.com/

 

Interessant

 

Thought you guys might like to see something really pretty!!!

 

WOW

And to think i live close to ATL and have never been there.
Guess when i get my 07 i will have to find a way on that sweet looking track

 

Great track & 100 miles from us!

 

100 miles , man i am itching to go there

 

Road Atlanta is actually one of the premier tracks in the US and has a great history. It use to have the longest straightaway in the US (Turn 10A & 10B was added for safety reasons later), and was one of the only natural terrian tracks and features one of the most difficult corners in any road coarse (Turn 12). If you have not driven this track - it should be on your must drive list since it is now repaved!

 

I just recently aquired some in-car footage from an old Car-Guys event with the original layout without the reconfigured turn 10. Will try to get it on youtube sometime soon. Looks like it would have been an absolute BLAST in a fast car (the video is from a very capable, but ultimately relatively slow GTi)

I am DYING to get out there in a couple weeks with NASA ... can't wait!

 

Before they changed the straight, I watch two Nissan IMSA cars slam the what was then the Nissan bridge.
Showroom stock cars and the like would get air born coming out of the bridge too.

Stacy will you be there?! Well have to grab a beer or three.

Were all signed up for the Thunder race in Super Touring 2.

 

Sweet Im in anderson sc
so im definately goin i love bein close to a great track

 

Want to see the video of the old layout, they said the old dip at now turn 10 was the most danagerous place on track, even more than getting airborn under the old Nissan Bridge.

I will see you guys on St. Patrick's Day there, and we will have to have plenty of green beer together - after 5PM although. And if you guys live close and aren't driving - you can come watch and still hang out. The track is a blast to watch races at and at the NASA event I think you pay like $5 to get in and since there is hardley any spectators, you can roam around the interior of the track all you want.

 

Actually, a whole bunch of us will be there...

Me, Marty... Devin, Tom, Roddy, Mark, John H., Mark V, Bain W, Bryan S. and maybe one or two others from the TZC crew We'll have quite a compound of trailers out there. I plan on bringing a stash of fine cigars and hopefully get some relaxing in as well as some driving. (I get to drive at our events, but not much relaxing LOL, so this will be nice)

 

Talked to a Panoz instructor today and although he hasn't been on the track yet, his fellow instructors are saying that the track is very slippery. There goes my chance to break the Spec Miata track record. (1:44.2)

Looking forward to getting on the track and hopefully meeting you guys. Lucky me though, I'm getting two days are Roebling next weekend and then Road Atlanta the next weekend. Doesn't get much better than back to back track weekends!!

Mike - What group are you running in? I'd like to get a ride with you if possible. You car will be smoking by T10.

 

Hmmm... thats interesting... maybe it just needs some rubber! Everyone is saying that the new pavement at Roebling is seconds faster than the old (maybe not comparing the same thing?)

It'd be a shame for a bunch of people thinking its like Roebling go out and ball their cars up because the asphalt composition is a lot different.

 

the "slippery" could very well just be a function of temperatures. At this time of year tire compounds could be delivering half or less of the grip they will in the summer!!!!!! Anything under 45F can be beyond puckering. It has been pretty cold there the last few weeks has it not?

 

I am running HPDE 3 for this event, so I don't think NASA lets ride alongs in that group unless you or I are an instructor that day. Since I am not going to be an instructor at this event, you would have to be. Let me know since I have the passanger seat out of the car right now and was not planning on putting it back in. Yet, only take 15 min to put back in, so no big deal, and enjoy your input on my improving my driving.
There are only two places on this track that really get my a** puckered and that is the breaking zone before T10 and the whole T12 experience. Yet, if my a** didn't pucker I probably would not drive this coarse

 

I'm racing at Road Atlanta not instructing so I guess I will miss out on that ride. Shame.

 

Well - if you are going to Sebring in April w/ Chin I can give you a ride there? Since Chin lets passangers ride along, and really wish Road Altanta would let them in there!

Still need to get a ride in your Miata one day, so you can show me how a Spec Miata is suppose to handle