Loving US Circuits

[RayDarcy]

As a European living in Australia, I had not been exposed to many US circuits before. The ones I was familiar with would be Daytona, Indianapolis and the old Phoenix circuit and the new Austin circuit from F1.

But wow, I have been blown away by the US circuits I have in Assetto Corsa. Road Atlanta is an amazing track, So fast and sweeping, every turn is a joy. There is so little to fault, it is so challenging and enjoyable. Mid Ohio was another surprise. Shockingly fast and tricky, but again not one poor corner, just sheer class, I could go on....Road America, Virginia, Watkins Glen, Sonoma.....these tracks are so much better than the current F1 calendar. So much better.

I would say only Spa, Suzuka and Monaco are in the same league as the circuits I've mentioned.

 

[Ernest Aubert]

Yes, those tracks are good. There's one available - I think it's a mod, not from Kunos - that I like the best of all the ones I've seen: Grobnik. I'd be interested in your impression of that.

 

[arthur666]

I live in North Carolina, and hope to get up to drive Mid-Ohio one day. That layout really appeals to me.

 

[Ryno917]

As a European living in Australia, I had not been exposed to many US circuits before. The ones I was familiar with would be Daytona, Indianapolis and the old Phoenix circuit and the new Austin circuit from F1.

But wow, I have been blown away by the US circuits I have in Assetto Corsa. Road Atlanta is an amazing track, So fast and sweeping, every turn is a joy. There is so little to fault, it is so challenging and enjoyable. Mid Ohio was another surprise. Shockingly fast and tricky, but again not one poor corner, just sheer class, I could go on....Road America, Virginia, Watkins Glen, Sonoma.....these tracks are so much better than the current F1 calendar. So much better.

I would say only Spa, Suzuka and Monaco are in the same league as the circuits I've mentioned.

There's plenty more you haven't seen yet, either. Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama is one of the best race courses I've ever seen (and is by far the nicest racing facility I've ever seen. It's like a friggin' garden in there, so well maintained and detailed. The abysmally boring-to-look-at architecture porn of the newer Middle Eastern circuits ain't got nothing on that place imho). Sonoma Raceway in California is another stonker; lots of elevation change and some truly tricky sections. Highly underrated circuit, and I really wish it would get added to the IMSA calendar.

On the North Side of the border, though, we in Canada have the best race track in the world. Mosport. (Now called Canadian Tire Motorsport Park). It's the fastest circuit that IMSA or Pirelli World Challenge runs on. Opened in '61, the layout is almost identical now as it was back then. There's only one slow spot on the entire circuit, and it's one of the most unique spots on a track I've ever seen; especially once you've seen the ridiculous elevation change in person (seriously looks like a wall when you stand at the bottom of it). The first turn is mostly blind and so fast that GT3/GTE cars don't even need to brake for it if they're set up right. Turn 2 is infamous; another super fast steep downhill corner coming off a blind crest. Turn 4? Blind, steep downhill drop as well. Turn 5a/b/c is the aforementioned slow but awesomely unique spot. The long back not-so-straight gives high speeds into the also fast sweeping turn 8, which leads into the deceptively quick turn 9/10 section back onto the front straight. Massive elevation change throughout the whole place, and all of it taken fast. It's an absolutely brilliant circuit, and I've never met a driver who doesn't love it; professional or otherwise.

There's also le Circuit Mont Tremblant in Quebec which is quite fantastic as well. Very picturesque ribbon draped on a baby mountain.

I live in North Carolina, and hope to get up to drive Mid-Ohio one day. That layout really appeals to me.

It's a great little circuit, quite accessible as a spectator. Just be prepared for a lot of full-body camo apparel. Pretty sure more people there were wearing camo than all other colours of fabric combined.

 

[Tobiman]

I've been an avid admirer of US tracks as well. They tend to have more character. VIR and COTA take the cake for me but the others such as Laguna seca, watkins glen and mid ohio are really nice as well. I haven't tried sonoma or thunder hill but a lot of people rave about them.
There are other fun tracks that aren't as popular such as ridge motorsports park.

 

[Tobiman]

Estoril is a great european track for medium horsepower tracks. Maybe my best one.

 

[Ryno917]

I've been an avid admirer of US tracks as well. The have more character. VIR and COTA take the cake for me but the others such as Laguna seca, watkins glen and mid ohio are really nice as well. I haven't tried sonoma or thunder hill but a lot of people rave about them.
There are other fun tracks that aren't as popular such as ridge motorsports park.

I know this may be an unpopular opinion for many, but I really don't get the love for COTA. I haven't driven it in any sim long enough to really get the line down, so that's my own fault, but it just feels so tedious to me. And, like all the new F1 circuits, there's just nothing there. What's fun about going fast on a circuit if it's so wide open and barren that it feels like you're going 20kph because the nearest object is in the next time zone?

 

[RayDarcy]

There's plenty more you haven't seen yet, either. Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama is one of the best race courses I've ever seen (and is by far the nicest racing facility I've ever seen. It's like a friggin' garden in there, so well maintained and detailed. The abysmally boring-to-look-at architecture porn of the newer Middle Eastern circuits ain't got nothing on that place imho). Sonoma Raceway in California is another stonker; lots of elevation change and some truly tricky sections. Highly underrated circuit, and I really wish it would get added to the IMSA calendar.

On the North Side of the border, though, we in Canada have the best race track in the world. Mosport. (Now called Canadian Tire Motorsport Park). It's the fastest circuit that IMSA or Pirelli World Challenge runs on. Opened in '61, the layout is almost identical now as it was back then. There's only one slow spot on the entire circuit, and it's one of the most unique spots on a track I've ever seen; especially once you've seen the ridiculous elevation change in person (seriously looks like a wall when you stand at the bottom of it). The first turn is mostly blind and so fast that GT3/GTE cars don't even need to brake for it if they're set up right. Turn 2 is infamous; another super fast steep downhill corner coming off a blind crest. Turn 4? Blind, steep downhill drop as well. Turn 5a/b/c is the aforementioned slow but awesomely unique spot. The long back not-so-straight gives high speeds into the also fast sweeping turn 8, which leads into the deceptively quick turn 9/10 section back onto the front straight. Massive elevation change throughout the whole place, and all of it taken fast. It's an absolutely brilliant circuit, and I've never met a driver who doesn't love it; professional or otherwise.

There's also le Circuit Mont Tremblant in Quebec which is quite fantastic as well. Very picturesque ribbon draped on a baby mountain.



It's a great little circuit, quite accessible as a spectator. Just be prepared for a lot of full-body camo apparel. Pretty sure more people there were wearing camo than all other colours of fabric combined.

Will definitely check out Barber!

Sonoma is magic, know it from Gran Turismo days. Very difficult track to go flat out.

Familiar with Mosport since GPL days. Totally agree, it's an incredible circuit, full of character. One of those that's easy to drive, impossible to master. Would love a perfect version in AC.

Mont Tremblant another one I vaguely know. Will look for a good mod version.

 

[RayDarcy]

I know this may be an unpopular opinion for many, but I really don't get the love for COTA.

Agree with you. It's a pretty cool layout, but massive run-off sections everywhere. There is no great satisfaction of doing a good lap when you are just trying to stay between the lines.

Seems overly complicated too. Seems every new track now must have a +1:35 lap time.

 

[RayDarcy]

Watching Long Beach Indy now and it just looks so scary. Bumpy track, barriers inches away....reminds me of the good old days of Formula One, before they turned every circuit into a Paul Ricard Car Park.

 

[Emery]

Have you watched youtube videos from when F1 ran at Long Beach & Phoenix?

Don't neglect USA club tracks: Seattle, Portland, Spokane, Oregon Raceway Park, Reno-Fernley, Blackhawk Farm, Nelson Ledges, Thunderhill, etc.

 

[Ryno917]

When did Portland get relegated to a club circuit? I guess maybe when they stopped getting an Indycar date?

 

[RayDarcy]

Think maybe US tracks still follow the natural environment, which makes them so good. Road Atlanta, particularly, is just breathtaking.There is just no let up at all in the lap. Every turn is thrilling.

 

[Emery]

When did Portland get relegated to a club circuit? I guess maybe when they stopped getting an Indycar date?

Neighborhood complaints about noise have taken priority over top-level pro racing since about 2008. ALMS last race was 2006, CART last race was 2007. PIR was repaved for 2008 and sections are slightly different than what was run in the past, wider. Sometime around there, the guy who was in charge of the park for the City retired and a replacement was hired.

 

[Ernest Aubert]

Is there a Barber for AC? I've only seen still photographs of it in magazine articles. I'd love to have it in AC.

 

[Ryno917]

Is there a Barber for AC? I've only seen still photographs of it in magazine articles. I'd love to have it in AC.

Sadly, no. That's probably the circuit I want the most, though. It's just brilliant in pretty much everything. One of those rare circuits that just works across all vehicle classes.

 

[LilSki]

Is there a Barber for AC? I've only seen still photographs of it in magazine articles. I'd love to have it in AC.

@Rigel was in the process of building it from lidar but I know he has been pretty busy lately. Not sure if he has gotten anywhere with it since the last build I got.

 

[Ernest Aubert]

Thanks... I'll keep my fingers crossed and my eyes open.

 

[Coffer]

I know this may be an unpopular opinion for many, but I really don't get the love for COTA. I haven't driven it in any sim long enough to really get the line down, so that's my own fault, but it just feels so tedious to me. And, like all the new F1 circuits, there's just nothing there. What's fun about going fast on a circuit if it's so wide open and barren that it feels like you're going 20kph because the nearest object is in the next time zone?

Even by F1 standards, hell, even by Tilkedrome standards I also don't get its appeal, though it's for different reasons. The elevation changes don't actually add anything meaningful and, to me, the track alternates between having mediocre copies of sections from other tracks (the esses, the reverse turn 8, both of which are worse than the originals) and being bland and uninspired (the rest of the track). Turn 1 on lap 1 is good, but other than that I don't get what it has going for it. It's not even interesting from a technical standpoint. Is it just because it's the current US F1 track and a rare example of a Tilkedrome with elevation changes?

I disagree with the need for such circuits to not be "so wide open and barren" as you said, but that's mostly because I prefer regular European and Asian grade A circuits to much of what the US has to offer and generally dislike the latter group in any sim. It doesn't make COTA any better in my eyes though.

 

[Brandon Wright]

I'm one that really enjoys COTA, love the flow, the variety of turns, and the elevation change.