This is not going to be a normal race report, stating statistics, ie, laps lead, leader changes, etc. However, it will be my impressions of my first attendance at a road course race.
The first thing I want to do is say thank you to John Ewert and the staff at Road America. The hospitality extended by everyone was top-notch. As we drove around the facility, I was surprised by how spread out the track was. I really didn't know what to expect, maybe, the track would wind around and be somewhat more compact than the four mile distance it actually is. Like almost all road courses, you can only see part of the racing surface at any one time. The track is laid out in a forest similar to a forest preserve. When walking around it's like a walk in a park.
I was very impressed with the infrastructure. Road America has two Media Centers. One is for photographers and is located in what could be called the infield, directly behind Victory Lane. The Deadline Room is in a large building on the main straightaway centered on the start/finish line. While both are not overly large, they are capable of handling what they were designed to do. Speaking of Victory Lane, their's boasts something I had not seen before. The VL backdrop was a large television screen where the fans can watch the race and is visible from several areas. At the conclusion of the race, the screen switches to be the race backdrop for the VL photo-ops.
After getting set-up, I thought I would scout the track to look for good shooting positions. Primarily, I was looking for angles, action spots and lighting. I try to do this at tracks I have not visited before. The thought was to use the Trans Am, Xfinity qualifying and Stadium Super Trucks Series as practice for the Xfinity race. That was very much a rookie mistake! Trying to walk around Road America with the length and elevation changes was not my smartest move. While I did get some shots I liked, it did take its physical toll!
It was time to formulate a new plan. The three of us, Brandon, Sam and I, decided we would roam pit road during pre-race and then jump in the car and drive to the spots we had identified or looked good on the map.
I'm not quite sure which turn these next shots were taken, however, after a restart, there was some great racing!
To put a cap on our trip to Road America, I can only sing its praises. It is a beautiful facility, staffed with great people and provides great racing. If the NASCAR Cup Series could ever find its way to Road America, it would be worth their while. Again, I want to thank John Ewert and all the Road America staff for a great racing experience.