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Nov. 11, 2009 2:22 p.m. Salanis UberDork

Just wondering what people's favorite turns or types of turns at motorsport venues are, and why? Whether it's a particular turn (or series of connected turns) at a track, or a common type that you love, what do you really love throwing your car around?

For me, I realized what turns I love most because my two favorite turns are similar. I like long, downhill, decreasing radius turns; preferably with a bit of odd camber or crowning thrown in for complexity and leading to a strait. Car gets really light and rotates easily, which you have to play with to hit your apex, and you need to spend a lot of time playing with that fine edge of handling to line the car up exactly where you want to hammer out.

For this reason, my top two turns are:

1: Laguna Seca, turn 9; the sweeping left after the corkscrew. It's significantly crowned, so camber changes drastically based on where you are on the track. There are several different approaches to that turn, and it's fun to experiment with them.

2: Infineon Raceway, turn 6, the carousel in the sportscar configuration. Braking point is at a crest. The entrance isn't important. The exit is really exciting because you need to unwind really early to maximize exit speed, and you think you'll run out of track, but don't.
Nov. 11, 2009 2:24 p.m. wbjones Reader

the climbing esses Hogpen, and the Roller Coaster at VIR
Nov. 11, 2009 2:31 p.m. 4eyes Reader

The Bitch at Hallet, for all the reasons you stated. Plus I entered it with a stuck throttle once going CCW and a guy did a perfect PIT maneuver on me there once going CW.
Nov. 11, 2009 3:10 p.m. DukeOfUndersteer Dork

coming down thru the Esses and Turn 12 at Road Atlanta
Nov. 11, 2009 4:12 p.m. Strizzo SuperDork

only run on one track, but probably the most fun corner when done right, the long right-hander after the front stretch at msr houston (turn 2-3?) instructor kept telling me "wide open, wide open" and when i finally got it right the car felt like it was going to be on two wheels and i nearly ran down another car on the straight before they had a chance to point me by.
Nov. 11, 2009 4:15 p.m. AndyDenver New Reader

I really enjoy the back left at the shortcourse at Thunderhill, the one where you pop over the hill into an immediate left. I believe it's called the Eagle's Nest.

Crazy fun, spins everyone out.
Nov. 11, 2009 4:27 p.m. poopshovel UltraDork

I'll second the entry, the esses, and the exit of the esses at Road Atlanta. Patience, looking WAY ahead, and what feels like a ridiculously late apex, are rewarded with WOT and a couple subtle flicks of the wrist. Early apex on entry results in a series of audible explatives.

Turns 1 & 2 at the CMP "short" (lemons) course. In a pretty well set up 1G crx, dive in hard under all the big heavy turds in front of you, peg the throttle and hold it there.
Nov. 11, 2009 4:29 p.m. John Brown MegaDork

Salanis wrote: Just wondering what people's favorite turns.. are

I prefer lefts.
Nov. 11, 2009 4:45 p.m. Salanis UberDork

AndyDenver wrote:

I really enjoy the back left at the shortcourse at Thunderhill, the one where you pop over the hill into an immediate left. I believe it's called the Eagle's Nest.

That's turn 5 and is used in both configurations; it goes into an immediate right. Fun turn though. Especially when you learn it right, you can do it surprisingly fast.

My favorite turn at that course though is actually turn 3. Off camber and downhill entry is tons of fun to play with.
Nov. 11, 2009 5:06 p.m. oldsaw HalfDork

John Brown wrote:

Salanis wrote: Just wondering what people's favorite turns.. are

I prefer lefts.

Communist.

That said, yes for the esses, T6 and T7 at Rd Atl, and (minus the skid pad section) all of Talledega GPR.
Nov. 11, 2009 5:44 p.m. thedude Reader

uphill, slight decreasing rad. 270 degree onramp ~55mph
Nov. 11, 2009 7:20 p.m. Gearheadotaku Reader

The esses at Waterford Hills
Nov. 11, 2009 7:57 p.m. 02Pilot New Reader

I've never driven it, but Eau Rouge at Spa-Francorchamps is just about the most perfect high speed turn I've ever seen. Thankfully, there's an off-ramp near here that mimics it on a smaller scale, except for the stop sign at the top.
Nov. 11, 2009 7:58 p.m. fastmiata New Reader

Wow! What a tough decision. My favorite of all time is The Dip at RA(that was before 40 ft of fill and concrete). Flat out in fifth gear, thread the needle at the apex then throw out the anchor for the blind apex at the Bridge.
Corners at current tracks: the Rising esses at VIR, Turn 3 at RA or Turn 1 at RR. All require commitment and concentration.
Nov. 11, 2009 8:15 p.m. miwifri New Reader

I like two kinds of turns. One is high speed sweepers that take nerve like turn 5 at Watkins Glen. It's a wide down hill right hander coming out of the chicane with a blind apex at the turn in (except for the visual reference of the flag station) and a track out that is precariously close to Armco. The other is tight slow turns where you can toss the car like on infield rovals with lots of runoff.
Nov. 11, 2009 8:26 p.m. Adrian_Thompson Reader

HHmm, possibly Paddock Hill bend at Brands hatch becasue you can't see the appex when you turn in and the way it drops off going down Hailwood hill.

Turn 3 at Grattan as it's a down hill off camber - had a big moment there once when a wheel stud broke, but saved it by going off the escape road.
Nov. 11, 2009 8:41 p.m. Appleseed Dork

Corkscrew at laguna Seca.
Nov. 11, 2009 9:58 p.m. maroon92 UberDork

every turn at Road Atlanta is better than any other turn at any other track.

That place is the E36 M3.
Nov. 11, 2009 10:02 p.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker Dork

Summit point turn 3 and the whole series from the carousel thru 10 , Watkins Glen turn 9/10 and the new Lightning track at NJMP's turn 5.

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