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Colin Wood
Colin Wood Associate Editor
2/7/20 10:31 a.m.
feature_image

Not sure where Suzuka Circuit is? Wondering how far outside Atlanta Road Atlanta is? Worry no longer. Using Google Maps, this easy-to-use world view shows the exact location of many of the world's major road courses on every continent (well, except for Antarctica), and even shows relevant contact information and a website for each circuit.

Check out the interactive map here.

What's the …

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Jordan Rimpela
Jordan Rimpela HalfDork
2/7/20 10:33 a.m.

Nice. 

AVUS, natürlich. 

slowbird
slowbird Dork
2/7/20 10:48 a.m.

Nice, although it's missing a few continents. Is there a way to add/contribute to it? Interlagos, for example.

High_Hope
High_Hope
2/7/20 1:57 p.m.

Should be cool. But, the first two tracks I looked up, Thompson in CT and Mantorp Park in Sweden, are missing.

slantsix
slantsix New Reader
2/7/20 2:48 p.m.

Thanks for putting this togther! It seems that Some tracks from Italy and the rest of eastern europe through Asia are missing.

 

Greg

jb229
jb229 New Reader
2/8/20 3:18 a.m.

It's missing any tracks from the UK and Italy but has tracks in Mexico and Central America? 

GameboyRMH
GameboyRMH GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
2/8/20 5:31 p.m.

Yeah the level of completeness varies greatly by region...I'm pretty sure there are tracks in the UK, Italy, at the whole South American continent for example...but they're obviously working on it, since the screenshot was taken they now have some tracks in Africa.

A couple of obscure ones I know of that are missing are Wallerfield in Trinidad & Tobago, and Vaucluse in Barbados.

WonkoTheSane
WonkoTheSane GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
2/8/20 5:37 p.m.
High_Hope said:

Should be cool. But, the first two tracks I looked up, Thompson in CT and Mantorp Park in Sweden, are missing.

Are you near Thompson?  That's one of my two home tracks.  I'm mid-way between that and Palmer.

RX8driver
RX8driver Reader
2/9/20 9:48 a.m.

Holy cow that's a big dead zone around Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Saskatchewan, Southern Alberta, etc.

Snrub
Snrub HalfDork
2/9/20 10:46 a.m.

Very interesting, thanks for sharing this.

86_it
86_it
2/11/20 10:27 a.m.

In reply to WonkoTheSane :

Thompson raceway is definitely on the map. 

86_it
86_it New Reader
2/11/20 10:29 a.m.

In reply to slowbird :

I'm working on getting them all added. It takes time to vet tracks in countries I've never been to. Keep an eye out for more to be added all the time.

 

86_it
86_it New Reader
2/11/20 10:30 a.m.

In reply to slantsix :

I'm the one putting it together. I'm working diligently to add them all. Keep an eye out for more to be added.

86_it
86_it New Reader
2/11/20 10:30 a.m.

In reply to GameboyRMH :

Yep. It is a work in progress. I'll get there. I promise. Working my way around the world.

86_it
86_it New Reader
2/11/20 10:32 a.m.

In reply to jb229 :

I'm getting there. The rest of Europe will be added shortly.

86_it
86_it New Reader
2/11/20 10:33 a.m.

In reply to RX8driver :

Sad, because I bet there could be some amazing natural terrain tracks in those regions!

slowbird
slowbird Dork
2/11/20 10:43 a.m.

In reply to 86_it :

Understood, and thanks! I incorrectly assumed it was more than one person making/adding to the map.

Adrian_Thompson
Adrian_Thompson MegaDork
2/11/20 10:49 a.m.

There's at least these missing.  And without zooming in any closer I can see this map is only racing circuits and is missing all the permanent sprint and hillclimb locations.  Note.  Most hillclimbs are run on permanent private tracks, not closed public roads in the UK. 

I wonder if you exclude places like Monte Carlo, which is basically a single city with a race track, if the UK has the highest density of tracks per area  or tracks per population of any country.  It really wouldn't surprise me.

Image result for race circuits in the UK

86_it
86_it New Reader
2/11/20 10:59 a.m.
Adrian_Thompson said:

There's at least these missing.  And without zooming in any closer I can see this map is only racing circuits and is missing all the permanent sprint and hillclimb locations.  Note.  Most hillclimbs are run on permanent private tracks, not closed public roads in the UK. 

I wonder if you exclude places like Monte Carlo, which is basically a single city with a race track, if the UK has the highest density of tracks per area  or tracks per population of any country.  It really wouldn't surprise me.

Image result for race circuits in the UK

The goal is to get only permanent road course race tracks. No street courses(i.e. Long Beach, Monaco, etc.), Drag strips, dirt or paced ovals without an infield course, hill climbs, etc. will be added. 

86_it
86_it New Reader
2/11/20 11:00 a.m.
slowbird said:

In reply to 86_it :

Understood, and thanks! I incorrectly assumed it was more than one person making/adding to the map.

Nope, just me. Just a guy with a passion for race tracks sharing with the community.

Adrian_Thompson
Adrian_Thompson MegaDork
2/11/20 12:46 p.m.
86_it said:
Adrian_Thompson said:

There's at least these missing.  And without zooming in any closer I can see this map is only racing circuits and is missing all the permanent sprint and hillclimb locations.  Note.  Most hillclimbs are run on permanent private tracks, not closed public roads in the UK. 

I wonder if you exclude places like Monte Carlo, which is basically a single city with a race track, if the UK has the highest density of tracks per area  or tracks per population of any country.  It really wouldn't surprise me.

Image result for race circuits in the UK

The goal is to get only permanent road course race tracks. No street courses(i.e. Long Beach, Monaco, etc.), Drag strips, dirt or paced ovals without an infield course, hill climbs, etc. will be added. 

This is a better starting point for UK race tracks.  I told you the UK likes it's motorsport!!  That's over 100 venues for a population of 66 million.  That would be like 100 venues in just California and Texas alone.  Some of the sprint and hillclimb ones may be temporary, but the vast majority are permanent. 

As a quick aside, the reason virtually all British venues are permanent is it used to be against the law to hold competitive events on public roads period, closed or not.  That's why, unlike mainland Europe where tarmac rally's are really popular, in the UK all rallies were on gravel as the only options were private or forestry commission logging roads.  It took an act of parliament to allow closure of roads for completion, specifically for the short lived 'Birminham Super Prix' for F3000 cars.  It took from 1966 to 1984 for that to pass and the first race was held in 1986.  I went to two races, either 86 and 87 or 86 and 88, I don't recall now.

Image result for british sprint and hillclimb tracks map

86_it
86_it New Reader
2/11/20 1:38 p.m.
Adrian_Thompson said:
86_it said:
Adrian_Thompson said:

There's at least these missing.  And without zooming in any closer I can see this map is only racing circuits and is missing all the permanent sprint and hillclimb locations.  Note.  Most hillclimbs are run on permanent private tracks, not closed public roads in the UK. 

I wonder if you exclude places like Monte Carlo, which is basically a single city with a race track, if the UK has the highest density of tracks per area  or tracks per population of any country.  It really wouldn't surprise me.

Image result for race circuits in the UK

The goal is to get only permanent road course race tracks. No street courses(i.e. Long Beach, Monaco, etc.), Drag strips, dirt or paced ovals without an infield course, hill climbs, etc. will be added. 

This is a better starting point for UK race tracks.  I told you the UK likes it's motorsport!!  That's over 100 venues for a population of 66 million.  That would be like 100 venues in just California and Texas alone.  Some of the sprint and hillclimb ones may be temporary, but the vast majority are permanent. 

As a quick aside, the reason virtually all British venues are permanent is it used to be against the law to hold competitive events on public roads period, closed or not.  That's why, unlike mainland Europe where tarmac rally's are really popular, in the UK all rallies were on gravel as the only options were private or forestry commission logging roads.  It took an act of parliament to allow closure of roads for completion, specifically for the short lived 'Birminham Super Prix' for F3000 cars.  It took from 1966 to 1984 for that to pass and the first race was held in 1986.  I went to two races, either 86 and 87 or 86 and 88, I don't recall now.

Image result for british sprint and hillclimb tracks map

Check the map I am pretty sure I got all the permanent road courses. As I mentioned, no hillclimbs, ovals etc are going to be added only road courses.

_
_ Dork
2/11/20 2:31 p.m.
RX8driver said:

Holy cow that's a big dead zone around Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Saskatchewan, Southern Alberta, etc.

Because in that area, the public streets are your race track

Adrian_Thompson
Adrian_Thompson MegaDork
2/11/20 3:20 p.m.
86_it said:

Check the map I am pretty sure I got all the permanent road courses. As I mentioned, no hillclimbs, ovals etc are going to be added only road courses.

Sorry, I swear they weren't there earlier, you must have added them fast.

wspohn
wspohn Dork
2/12/20 12:23 p.m.

That is interesting but it reminds me of the annoying fact that as far as naming goes, track owners are the loose women of the car world.  Might as well wear T shirts with "For Hire" on them.

I was racing at Laguna Seca from the late 1970s. Then it became Mazda Raceway and now WeatherTech Raceway.

I am waiting for Indianapolis Motor Speedway to become Toyota Speedway or some such.

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