OT (ish): American LeMans

Dear All, I'm luck enough to be attending the American LeMans at Infineon Raceway / Sears Point on July 27th. I'll have access to a hospitality tent near Turn 2, but was wondering if anyone more familiar with the track could recommend a good location to watch the race from, as well as perhaps get some decent photos? Also (to drag it back on topic...) which sims have a decent representation of the course that they will be running? Thanks for any insight! Ian -- Ian Riches Bedford, UK

Ian Riches wrote:

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> Dear All, > > I'm luck enough to be attending the American LeMans at Infineon > Raceway / Sears Point on July 27th. > > I'll have access to a hospitality tent near Turn 2, but was wondering > if anyone more familiar with the track could recommend a good > location to watch the race from, as well as perhaps get some decent > photos? > > Also (to drag it back on topic...) which sims have a decent > representation of the course that they will be running? > > Thanks for any insight! > > Ian

The best thing about ALMS events is that they last several days. I would highly recommend attending more than one day. Exploring the track, Watching practice, and walking through the paddock are things best done prior to the race. If you can only make it the one day. Get there early, watch the support races, walk the track and find the corners that you like. It's my experience that people like different angles and views. There's also nothing like hearing these cars at different points on the track. Sounds change dramatically under accelleration, flat out and under braking. If you can get close to the rack, bring ear protection. The Panoz, Corvettes, and a few of the Porsche's make an amazing amount of low end noise, while the Ferraris simply scream. The Audi's are just damn fast and noiseless compared to the rest of the field. I think the Sears Point track for GTR2002 is quite good. With the added bonus that you can drive a Porsche which is something you'll be seeing alot of at the track.

Ian Riches wrote: > > Also (to drag it back on topic...) which sims have a decent > representation of the course that they will be running? Ian: You will have a blast, all kinds of cool sights and sounds. Not sure if SPEED World Challenge is running as support events, but that's some of the best wheel-to-wheel racing going on in the U.S. As far as the track, RSDG's recently-released Sports Car Racing mod feature both the NASCAR and ALMS versions of the current layout. -jde

"Ian Riches" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> Dear All, > > I'm luck enough to be attending the American LeMans at Infineon > Raceway / Sears Point on July 27th. > > I'll have access to a hospitality tent near Turn 2, but was wondering > if anyone more familiar with the track could recommend a good > location to watch the race from, as well as perhaps get some decent > photos? > > Also (to drag it back on topic...) which sims have a decent > representation of the course that they will be running? > > Thanks for any insight!

Never been to I/SP, but you might just try walking the whole track. I always do that, though the 2 & 3/4 hr races make it tough to spend a lot of time in any one spot. I've found the best places to watch are heavy braking zones and S-curve sections. The former because they're usually good passing zones and it's a blast to watch how quick the prototypes decelerate, and the latter because watching the LMP's scythe through the slower classes like sharks among guppies is a hoot. Watching Weaver in the Lola/MG 675 chasing Lehto in the early going at Road Atlanta last month was great. At one point they went on either side of a GT-class 911 as they dropped out of sight down into the bottom of the esses before T5. Three-wide off a steep, off-camber drop-off at about 120mph. Too bad there's not a sim version that's gotten R.A. remotely right. Should be good; Infineon's twisty enough that the Dyson 675's might finally pull it off - they absolutely FLY through the corners. And try to catch some support races if you can. I highly recommend the Star Mazda races; like VROC in the flesh... ;-) Have fun! SB

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says... > The Audi's are just damn fast and noiseless compared to > the rest of the field. > I noticed that last year, my first year attending the ALMS at Mosport, Canada. The sound difference from the Audis to the rest of the field was HUGE. I just wanted to pop in this thread and say I am going again to Mosport this August. Soooooo excited, can't wait. I plan on going every year for the rest of my life. <back to your regularly scheduled R.A.S.'ings> -- MRSisson LOAD "GPL",8,1 RUN

I noticed the same thing at Elkhart last year...and you could have your eyes closed and know when the Panoz or Corvette went by.... Kevin (aka tlgtr) **** "A GOOD friend will come bail you out of jail... but, a TRUE friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn we screwed up!!!!."