10 replies to this topic

[xflow7]

Forgive me if this isn't Nostalgic enough, but last weekend's pilgrimage to Mid-Ohio for the ALMS race reminded me that I have never seen the old Mid-Ohio layout, and I've been curious about it for several years.

From what I understand, at Turn 11 (?; the one after the crest) it used to turn in more towards the infield rather than off through what is now Thunder Valley, leading to a turn somewhere in what is now the infield called Old Oak Bend or something like that. I presume the length of broken asphalt that is present in the infield in the vicinity of Turns 10/11 is part of the old track, but it randomly ends in that valley, and I've never been able to work out where it went from there.

Can anyone give me more details or point me to an old track map, or aerial photo or something? I'm really curious to see what it used to look like.

Thanks for any help,

Dave

P.S. Had a marvelous time at the weekend. The Caterham ran beautifully all the way there and back, all the support races were great, and just by chance I met Peter Brock and had a nice chat with him about the Superformance Coupe project; what an incredibly friendly and pleasant guy he is.

[Disco Stu]

That is indeed part of the original track. The road turned back left and rejoined the current track I believe right at that little right hand bend in Thunder Valley, though I don't have a map or anything to post.

[JB Miltonian]

Aeriel photo from Car & Driver magazine, November 1962. No photo credit given.

[xflow7]

Thanks.

That's exactly what I was looking for.

What year did they change the layout? Anyone know?

[Rob G]

Terrific photo! Note too that the chicane leading into the keyhole seems to have been the only option at that time. Was the straight shot to the Keyhole put in at the same time as the other changes?

[xflow7]

Actually, I meant to comment on that, too, Rob. I always assumed that the straight run was original and the "bus stop" bit was added afterwards. Guess not!

[Jim Thurman]

The straight shot (bypassing the original "Keyhole") wasn't put in until c. 1990 for CART.

Yet, TV commentator after commentator has described the course as "adding the chicane for bikes", etc.

Do you hear me Bob Varsha?

Let's not forget the "Blacksnake Woods". Circa 1972, Jackie Stewart complained about the trees and David Hobbs told the story of waking up the next day and seeing them all gone (!).

[William Dale Jr]

Why was the Keyhole put there in the first place, though? It seems like an odd place to put a wiggle in a circuit. Was there something underground that stopped them running the track straight into the hairpin, or was it there intentionally?

[JB Miltonian]

The article in C&D 11/62 was a report on the first major event held at Mid-Ohio, "club racing of the highest quality (with) over 200 entries (mostly production cars)."

The author (W. Frank Street) made this description of the new course:

"As a place to drive fast in a racing car, Mid-Ohio is a pain in the arms. Herb Swan won the modified race in his RS-61 and his lap record was 69.12mph. This isn't fast enough for a big-time circuit of such length. There are two decent straights, one following the other, and then the hapless driver is plunged into a rinky-dink series of second gear rights and lefts, not to mention one uphill right that required first gear in an MGA, for heaven's sake. For the better chunk of a mile the cars must queue up and nerf each other while only the very brave, or the very foolish, or Don Yenko, can even attempt to pass."

So one must assume that the original layout of the track, as shown in the aeriel photo, was soon modified in the turn 11 area to increase the average speed and the number of passing opportunities.

[Rob Semmeling]

According to "World Motor Racing Circuits", by Higham/Jones, Mid-Ohio opened in 1962. It was considered dangerous and too narrow, until "the early 1980s, when team owner Jim Trueman took over and implemented a series of modifications that continue to this day. These have made matters better for drivers and spectators alike, especially the widening of the circuit."

Champcar has been visiting Mid-Ohio since 1980, but according to the book the Keyhole chicane wasn't bypassed until 1990.

[xkssFrankOpalka]

Never cared for Mid Ohio, back section was too tight and many off camber corners.