Say goodbye to the Billy Mitchell Bridge at Road America.

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

They are putting a tunnel under the track between 13 and 14 and making the area teh BM bridge was at a spectator area.Tunnel is supposed to be 16.5' tall, 2 lanes and has a pedetrian walkway. Grand opening at the AMA Superbike races.


http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2006/Dec/061214a.htm

[benprobst]

glad to hear, i thought that was the most dangerous spot on the track. hopefully when they get rid of the bridge they move the wall way back.

[weggieman]

One step closer to WSB or MOTOGP..........

[Rich]

One step closer to WSB or MOTOGP..........

Exactly what I was thinking. I always thought that it was big enough for those machines to stretch their legs, and with the recent surface upgrades I figured it was just a few run off issues that was keeping them from hosting a premier event.

[JBraun]

I'm sad to see it go.

I wish they'd have just extended it....

[weggieman]

Funny thing is that bridge isn't that old........

What I hated to see go was the old scoring tower. Now that baby had some character!! I wish they would have found a way to move that or save it somehow.

[Protein Filled]

I highsided myself silly coming out from under that bridge! Maybe it had something to do with the moss growing under it. Needless to say, I am OK with it being gone!

[motobenco]

I highsided myself silly coming out from under that bridge! Maybe it had something to do with the moss growing under it. Needless to say, I am OK with it being gone!

Me too! I'm leaving for Elkhart tomorrow morning, chainsaw in hand. Well with the bridge gone we can look forward to a big bump in the braking zone for 14 thanks to the tunnel.

[J Farrell / Speed Tech Motorsp]

I would have to say that turn 13 is one of my favorite turns on the track. It's just the knowing when to turn and the feeling of the wall on the inside flying past. The exit was great and hopefully it will be the same as it used to be. I love spinning the rear up through there.
The hardest transition on the whole track for me was coming out of 12 and having to throw the bike back to the right side to get through 13 with a nice line. It was always impossible for me to crash in 13 or through it. I would just stay on the gas through there.

All in all if the turn stays the same, which it sounds like it will I will get to enjoy that yet. I sure does make it safer with it being gone though. I had a nasty highside/tankslapper/ lowside flip coming up the hill inbetween both 12 & 13. I held on for as long as I could to try to save it and I'm glad the crash worked out the way it did. It could have been really bad! I flipped and all I was thinking was damn that wall is coming up fast. I ended up right next to the haybales on the outside against the wall and my bike started on fire from the impact on the wall just prior to the bayles. It broke the oil pan and lit the bike on fire.

I couldn't imagine riding a Superbike or Moto GP bike through there. Before World Superbike & Moto GP get there they still have a lot of work to do to that track. Like turn 6 runoff needs to get pushed back. Possibly more runoff in 7. I have gone all the way to the wall in turn 8 after lowsiding. The kettle bottoms can get really dangerous in a draft situation with a few riders swerving next to the ping pong walls through there. Plus the runoff in Canada Corner Turn 12 needs to get pushed back further.
It is my favorite track I go to for sure but there are still some safety issues that need to get dealt with before Moto GP even thinks about going there. Moto GP Bikes are going to be going much faster than the Superbikes especially on such a fast long track like that. More runoff room will be needed for sure.

[Jeff]

I liked the bridge too, but it was one of the most dangerous spots on the track from my perspective.  It always seemed cold/wet, and ultimately had less traction than the immediate surrounding pavement.  Too many NASTY crashes there.

[spyderchick]

I was wondering how they were going to address the problem. Hopefully the new section will be just as challenging, but safer. I've corner-worked 13 in the past, and we didn't want anyone crashing there, even with airfence in place. 

[J Farrell / Speed Tech Motorsp]

Photo I found this morning on www.2wf.com