Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course


Location Troy Township, Morrow County, at 7721 Steam Corners Road, Lexington, Ohio
Time zone UTC-5 (UTC-4 DST)
Coordinates 40°41′21.46″N 82°38′10.94″W / 40.6892944°N 82.6363722°W / 40.6892944; -82.6363722Coordinates: 40°41′21.46″N 82°38′10.94″W / 40.6892944°N 82.6363722°W / 40.6892944; -82.6363722
Capacity Bleachers: 10,000
Open seating: 65,000
FIA Grade 2
Owner Green Savoree Mid-Ohio, LLC
Operator Green Savoree Racing Promotions
Opened 1962
Major events Honda 200
Verizon IndyCar Series
(2007-Present)
Nationwide Children's Hospital 200
NASCAR Xfinity Series
(2013-Present)
Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire
AMA Pro Racing
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge
American Le Mans Series
(2001-2002), (2004-2012)
EMCO Gears Classic presented by KeyBank
Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
(2000-2001), (2003-2013)
Original Road Course
Length 2.4 mi (3.86 km)
Turns 15
Second Road Course
Length 2.258 mi (3.634 km)
Turns 13
Lap record 1:04.581 minutes (Scott Dixon, Target/Chip Ganassi Racing (Dallara+Chevrolet+Firestone), 2015, Indycar)

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a road course auto racing facility located in Troy Township, Morrow County, Ohio, United States, just outside the village of Lexington. (Mid-Ohio has also colloquially become a term for the entire north-central region of the state, from south of Sandusky to north of Columbus.)

The track

IMSA GTP cars compete at Mid-Ohio in 1991

The track opened as a 15-turn, 2.4 mile (3.86 km) road circuit run clockwise. The back portion of the track allows speeds approaching 180 mph (290 km/h). A separate starting line is located on the backstretch to allow for safer rolling starts. The regular start/finish line is located on the pit straight. In 1990, the track underwent a refurbishment. A new retaining wall was built, the entire track was resurfaced, widened, and concrete was paved in the apexes of the turns to prevent asphalt deterioration. In addition, a straightaway was paved through the chicane, allowing for two different track layouts, the original 2.4-mile (3.9 km) circuit, and a new 13-turn, 2.258 mile (3.634 km) circuit. In 1990, the CART series began utilizing the 2.258-mile (3.634 km) layout. In 2006, a second major refurbishment saw several improvements. The entire circuit was repaved, and the concrete patches in the turn apexes were removed. A new motorcycle "short course" was created by connecting turn one with the backstretch, and another motocross oval was created by connecting the chicane straight with the backstretch. The additional layouts allow simultaneous use of the multiple course, for instructional and competitive uses. The improvements also included a motocross facility, that has since been closed. There is grandstand seating for 10,000 spectators, and three observation mounds alongside the track raise the capacity to over 75,000.

History

The track was opened in 1962 by Les Griebling and several Mansfield-area businessmen as a location for weekend sports car racing. In 1982, Mid-Ohio was purchased by Jim Trueman, a renowned road racer and the founder of Red Roof Inns. Trueman added permanent grandstands, amphitheater-style seating, garages with spectator balconies, a five-story media and hospitality center, underground tunnels and an updated paddock area. In 1990, the track underwent a refurbishment. A new retaining wall was built, the entire track was resurfaced, widened, and concrete was paved in the apexes of the turns to prevent asphalt deterioration. In addition, a straightaway was paved through the chicane, allowing for two different track layouts, the original 2.4-mile (3.9 km) circuit, and a new 13-turn, 2.258 mile (3.634 km) circuit. In 2006, the track again underwent extensive renovation. The track and pit lane were completely resurfaced and connectors were added to the track's famed Keyhole section to allow for three separate road course configurations. Also completed was the removal of concrete patches from the track, the relocation of the wall and guardrail at Turn 1, the expansion of gravel traps at the exits of Turn 1 and the keyhole, the replacement of all remaining old-style catch fencing, and the standardization of curbing throughout the circuit. These changes have resulted in a faster, safer, more competitive and attractive facility for drivers, riders and race fans.

The sports car course operates from April through November each year. During this time, the facility is host for a number of nationally sanctioned race weekends, all of which are open to the public. Mid-Ohio has hosted "closed course" events for kart racing events since the late 1960s sanctioned by I.K.F. & W.K.A. and run by the Dart kart Club with up to 400 entries attending. Karts use the full track with the chicane. Additionally, on site motor home and tent camping spaces are available. The 2011 season marks the 50th in the track's storied history of racing. On March 2, 2011, it was announced that the track had been purchased from Truesports by Green Savoree Racing Promotions, which currently promotes several IndyCar street course races, ending Truesports' 29 years of ownership.[1] On November 13, 2012, NASCAR announced that the track would hold the Nationwide Children's Hospital 200 in the 2013 season.[2]

Race history

2015 Schedule

The Mid-Ohio School

Founded in 1993, The Mid-Ohio School offers licensed drives and motorcycle riders programs in defensive driving, high performance driving and performance track riding programs. Students in each course enjoy classroom and private instruction and group drills. Participants test their newly refined skills in the controlled environment of the facility's Vehicle Dynamics Center and, in some cases, lap the same track that challenges the world's top racers. The Mid-Ohio School boasts a team of instructors made up of professional, winning drivers that is unmatched by any other school.

The Mid-Ohio School is AAA Approved and recognized as a recent recipient of the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Partners for Safety award. 18 programs are available to drivers and riders of all ages and ability levels from defensive driving programs for teens and adults, on-track high performance courses for the automotive enthusiasts to current and aspiring racers. Our instructors will make you a better driver or rider and have the experience of a life while doing it. Our Performance Track Riding days make The Mid-Ohio School the perfect place to ride your sportbike at speed. In 21 seasons, The Mid-Ohio School boasts 54,800 all-time graduates, including over 16,800 teenage drivers and 11,900 motorcyclists.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Green Savoree Racing Buys Mid-Ohio Course, Ultimate Motorcycling, March 2, 2011, Retrieved 2011-03-02
  2. ↑ Fryer, Jenna (2012-11-13). "NASCAR adds Mid-Ohio to Nationwide Series in 2013". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved 2012-11-13.

External links

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