Road Atlanta

Braselton, GA

Length

2.54 miles

Turns

12

No public description is available for this track.

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Track Character

Speed: fastBraking: extremeElevation: extreme

Defining characteristic is the massive elevation changes. T1 is a hard braking zone downhill. T5 (the Esses) is fast and blind. T10B into T12 is a long, downhill left into a heavy brake zone. Brakes are pushed hard — the combination of speed and downhill braking is extreme. Setup for strong brakes, rear stability under braking, and confidence at high speed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Road Atlanta

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“A car going uphill has better traction than one going downhill, as the forward motion of the car tends to push it into the track surface, increasing the vertical load on all four tires. Your goal is to do as much braking, turning, and accelerating as possible on the uphill sections, and as little as possible on the downhill portions.”

Speed Secrets — Ross Bentley

Road Atlanta's extreme elevation changes make this Bentley principle a lap-time differentiator. T1 is a downhill braking zone where gravity works against you — brake earlier than instinct suggests. T10B into T12 combines a downhill left with heavy braking, the worst combination for traction. Conversely, the uphill section after T5 is where you can push the hardest.

“When the brakes are applied during a downhill descent at constant velocity, cooling while braking must be considered. Brake fade is loss of braking due to overheating. It can cause longer pedal travel as the brakes get hotter — maybe to the point where the pedal goes to the floor.”

Brake Design and Safety — Rudolf Limpert

Road Atlanta's extreme braking demands combined with downhill braking zones create severe brake thermal stress. Limpert's warning about fade is directly relevant: the back straight builds enormous speed before the downhill T10B braking zone. If brakes are already heat-soaked from T1 and T5, fade into T12 can be dangerous. Upgrade brake fluid, ensure ducting, and manage heat across the full lap.

“The term "trail-braking" undoubtedly comes from explaining the process of trailing away the braking loads as the car decelerates while turning.”

Going Faster! — Carl Lopez (Skip Barber)

T1 at Road Atlanta is one of the most demanding trail-braking corners in American motorsport. The approach is downhill and fast, requiring threshold braking that transitions into the turn. Lopez's graduated pedal release is essential: maintain heavy pressure in the straight-line phase, then progressively release as you add steering. The downhill grade amplifies every mistake in pedal modulation.