Say goodbye to the Billy Mitchell Bridge at Road America.

[J Farrell / Speed Tech Motorsp]

Time to get out our Tonka Trucks and play in the dirt!

[weggieman]

As I said, one more step. Every improvement they make at RA is aimed at getting world class racing there. Sure there is more to be done but, it can't all be done at once.

This alone is like $1.5 mil. It takes some time to regroup from every change they make.

The races at RA are not the mega crowd drawing races like NASCAR. The open wheel car races don't get the crowds they used to and we know the bike races don't grab the numbers they should.

Once they get this track approved by FIM for some world class bike stuff they'll finally see a return on their investment.  I applaud them for their efforts!

[SV88]

Can't say I'm sad to see it go although I did enjoy the sound my R6 make under the bridge.  Feel sorry that several riders had to die there before it was changed.  Anybody ever have problems with the kink to regular track transition?  My buddy Chuck went splat there when his GXR750 spun up.  I really like the track on the R6 although it did freak me out when while riding up the hill the front end came up and the bike started moving towards the grass on the left side at 150 mph +.  It's real challenging steering the bike on one wheel.  Wondering how to ride that track on my slow SV....

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

I'm all for the new tunnel, it's about time! Blattently unsafe conditions at major racing facilities in this country is something that has been sadly ignored for WAY too long! I personally believe a racers success at a race track should be based on their personal ability and set-up of there equipment, not who's willing to unneccesarily risk there life more than the other guys in dangerous sections of the track. What's that prove anyways, that they are more willing to die than the next guy?

As far as WSBK or MotoGP coming to Road America I have read in the past one issue they didn't like was the lap times there, they felt more laps were better in supplying better entertainment. I remember reading in the past about proposals to shorten the lap times/track by putting a new turn between 3 and 4 that would turn left and cut across to turn 7 and maintain higher average speeds per lap and ultimately add more laps. Not really something I would like, but I guess they gotta do what they gotta do.

[dabirk23]

I recall watching Ed Key plow into the bridge years ago.  I'm glad I won't ever have to see anyone do that again.
The Billy Mitchell bridge did add "Character" to RA, but it's a bad kind of character.

[deadset]

I think they make things a little safer every year and I am glad I won't have to put out Jason's bike there
ever again. It's creepy running outside an airfence, under a bridge, with a fire bottle to a guy
who is HOLDING UP his burning bike! Were you about to scale a fence for your B bike or something?

July will certainly be more fun then April this year, construction should be finished and hopefully no bumps over tunnel.
Thanks to Mr. Bruggenthies, Mr. Wilkinson and
Bill and Claudia Ritger's influence on track safety related to motorcycles.
Midwest Safety Crew has kept the track safe for bikes and it is nice to see the Track step up the safety improvements.
I doubt this was an easy decision to eliminate a bridge that has been there in one form or another a long time, but as long as the layout is the same, the track stays true to it's history.

[J Farrell / Speed Tech Motorsp]

Say goodbye to one of the coolest feeling turns in America. The layout will be the same but the bridge will be gone! This turn separated the good riders from the boys. I'm +1 for safety but it will take any advantage that I used to gain there.
Here is a pic for last memories.



Photo by Alan James Berg

[motobenco]

When did you race with boys?  I think going down the hill at Road Atlanta is the best feeling.  Stomach up in your throat type of excitement. However getting turn 6 at Road America correct then blasting down to 7 is a good feeling. Now to add something challenging to Road America, make that little bump under the bridge coming up to start/finish a little more pronounced would make this track more european.

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

I think going down the hill at Road Atlanta is the best feeling.  Stomach up in your throat type of excitement.

I miss Gravity Cavity there. :( Was almost as fun as teh Corkscrew at Laguna.

[aberg12012]

My photo gallery sucks when trying to link photos.  If you get a red x, hitting refresh might help those trying to view it, but otherwise here is a direct link to the photo:

http://www.pbase.com/alanjames/image/70306658

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

My photo gallery sucks when trying to link photos.  If you get a red x, hitting refresh might help those trying to view it, but otherwise here is a direct link to the photo:

http://www.pbase.com/alanjames/image/70306658

Dont use the address in teh address bar to link. Right click the picture, select properties and use the address url in teh properties box. Should end in .jpg, .bmp or .gif depending on how it was saved.

[aberg12012]

Dont use the address in teh address bar to link. Right click the picture, select properties and use the address url in teh properties box. Should end in .jpg, .bmp or .gif depending on how it was saved.

Yep, trust me... it's an issue with my pbase account.  I've been dealing with that for about 3 months now.   Although I'm a total newb to this forum,  I'm pretty familiar with html'ing in forums.      And a quick right click of Jason's post and I see he did it as you described.  It's my photo gallery thats retarded... not Jason.  :-)