Changes come to Road Atlanta

Road Atlanta is a favorite venue of most southeast motorcycle roadracers and now some much needed, and controvertial, changes are being made in the interest of motorcycle racing safety. The original track is being kept and will be used for cars but from now on motorcycles will have to contend with two new features designed to slow the bikes down in two critical areas.



The first change is the addition of a new chicane between turns 3-4. This should slow bikes down in the surprisingly high-speed esses which lead to a tricky, slippery and dangerous uphill turn 5.



The second, and most controvertial, change is an entirely new pit-in, turn 12 complex which completely bypasses the ultra high-speed downhill old turn 12. It also bypasses the big concrete wall at the exit to old turn 12 which nearly took the life of Miguel Duhamel in a testing crash last fall.

Only time will tell how these changes will affect bike racing at RA. Safety is always a good thing and these changes will surely slow the bikes but may introduce more dangers of their own. At least they will be slower speed dangers.

Jim