New Hampshire International Speedway

New Hampshire International Speedway
1122 Route 106 N.
Loudon, NH 03301
(603) 783-4931 (voice)
www.nhis.com
nhis@worldpath.com

Comments:

The facilities and folks at New Hampshire are great. Lots of showers, bathrooms, a grassy infield with RV hookups, and three rows of garages in the main paddock. The track surface is exactly the opposite. Bumpy as hell, with pavement transitions that will knock the fillings out of your teeth if you don't get your suspension set up right. Be sure to pack the raingear, as it will probably rain at least once during the weekend.

Racing notes:

Grab a track map off of New Hampshire International Speedway's home page and come along with Bob for a lap:

T1 is a pretty fast turn coming off the front straight. The straight is short, though, so you don't build up a lot of speed coming in. Be stingy with the brakes and concentrate on a good line that will carry you around T1A and into T2.

T2 is a hard left that dumps out onto the back section of the NASCAR oval track. The transition onto the oval section is harsh. Brace yourself on the pegs to help absorb the impact. The pavement changes from new to old and back to new as you come through the exit of T2. Get on the gas too hard, too soon and the rear end will come around to bite you. You need a good drive to carry some speed down to T3, but be careful. Let the bike drift up to the outside wall on the gas and haul it down to T3.

T3 starts out flat and tight, then opens up and runs up hill. Real easy to spin the tire coming up the hill, and there's another good bump as you cross over from the flat to up hill sections. Be careful heading up the hill as it flattens out at the top and the rear can step out on you real fast. The hill makes the initial run down to the T6 punch bowl blind. Find a decent reference point and you'll be OK.

I like a low entrance to the apex of T6. It sets up a nice smooth arc that you can carry all the way through T7. Watch the apex of T6, as you change from down hill to up hill - the suspension can bottom out and upset your drive out - not to mention dragging any low-slung parts like your toes! Cruise through T7, try to straighten out T8 and T9, then head down the hill to T10.

T10 is a nasty bit of track. Very wide, but with a harsh transition onto the flat part of the track followed by a couple of humps of fresh pavement. Get out of T10 pointed toward T11 and the esses. Nothing special here except the final exit out of the esses to T12. T12 is a tough piece of work. A short, narrow chute almost perpendicular to the front straight, preceded by a 90 degree turn. Move as far to the left of the track as you can, exiting the esses to set up for T12 and the chute. The key to this area, and the drive for the front straight, is the exit of the chute. Get it right and your drive will be there.

The last, nasty pavement transition leads up onto the front straight. It's a tough one to hit when you're hard on the gas. Get through that, head up near the wall and grab the gears down the front straight.

Repeat ....

Bob