Open Road Racing
Discussion
I don't know if they have open road racing in the U.K., but I just got back from my second open road race. It was the Big Bend Open Road Race, held in West Texas.
You race on a public road, which is closed for the duration of the race. It's 59 miles one way, then everyone turns around and races back, for a total of 118 miles.
You can either try to hit a target average speed (from 85mph to 150mph) or run the unlimited, where you just drive as fast as you can.
I entered the 130mph target class, which meant that I was trying to average 130mph over the entire 118 mile course. Because I was in a convertible, I was only allowed to drive a maximum of 168mph. I drove a little fast, and came in at a 131mph average.
There were only three Vipers there. The guy who took first place in the 150mph average class (a seriously bad-ass accomplishment) was in a 2000 Viper GTS ACR coupe.
Highly recommended. With 60 turns on each leg, elevation changes, blind crests and blind corners, and long Texas straights for high speed cruising, it was a blast. There was also two days of practice and qualifying, parties, barbeques, a car show, etc. Not a bad way to spend some time if you enjoy cars.
Some video:
5 minutes of in car footage:
www.larsonweb.com/car/BigBend.rm
Some footage from the qualifying rounds and the car show:
www.larsonweb.com/car/BigBendshow.rm
(video is in realplayer format. Right click link and save as to download) If you don't have realplayer, you can download it for free at www.real.com
You race on a public road, which is closed for the duration of the race. It's 59 miles one way, then everyone turns around and races back, for a total of 118 miles.
You can either try to hit a target average speed (from 85mph to 150mph) or run the unlimited, where you just drive as fast as you can.
I entered the 130mph target class, which meant that I was trying to average 130mph over the entire 118 mile course. Because I was in a convertible, I was only allowed to drive a maximum of 168mph. I drove a little fast, and came in at a 131mph average.
There were only three Vipers there. The guy who took first place in the 150mph average class (a seriously bad-ass accomplishment) was in a 2000 Viper GTS ACR coupe.
Highly recommended. With 60 turns on each leg, elevation changes, blind crests and blind corners, and long Texas straights for high speed cruising, it was a blast. There was also two days of practice and qualifying, parties, barbeques, a car show, etc. Not a bad way to spend some time if you enjoy cars.
Some video:
5 minutes of in car footage:
www.larsonweb.com/car/BigBend.rm
Some footage from the qualifying rounds and the car show:
www.larsonweb.com/car/BigBendshow.rm
(video is in realplayer format. Right click link and save as to download) If you don't have realplayer, you can download it for free at www.real.com
Unfortunately it requires an Act of Parliament to close a public road for racing over here, and no MP is going to sponsor an event for babykillers, so it ain't going to happen.
On the other hand, the Isle of Man does it regularly for car clubs, who form a substantial part of their tourist income.
On the other hand, the Isle of Man does it regularly for car clubs, who form a substantial part of their tourist income.
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