Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta

Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta at a glance

Location

Braselton, Georgia

Type

road course

Length

2.54 mi (4.09 km)

Turns

12

Direction

clockwise

Surface

asphalt

Opened

1970

Owner

IMSA Holdings, LLC (Road Atlanta, LLC)

Address

5300 Winder Highway

Website

michelinracewayroadatlanta.com

Track map and layout

Road Atlanta is one of the great classic American road courses, a rolling 2.54-mile, 12-turn lap through the Georgia countryside north of Atlanta that has changed little in character since it opened in 1970. The lap's signature is the Esses, a fast, downhill-to-uphill left-right-left combination that demands full commitment and separates confident drivers from cautious ones, followed by a long back straight, the blind kink under the bridge, and the plunging, high-speed Turn 12 that dives back down to the start-finish straight with limited visibility. Big compressions at Turns 1 and 12 load the car hard into the pavement and reward drivers who trust the grip rather than lift. The combination of flow, elevation change and genuine risk has made Road Atlanta a favorite proving ground for both professional sports car racing and serious track-day drivers.

Named corners and sections

• The Esses. A fast left-right-left combination with significant downhill-to-uphill elevation change; committed drivers take the first Esses flat out.
• The Bridge. A blind right-hand kink under a pedestrian bridge (around Turn 11) leading into the plunge down to Turn 12.
• Turn 10a. A 90-degree left-hander at the end of the back straight that sets up the run downhill toward the bridge.
• Turn 12. A fast, downhill right-hander with a big compression at the apex and limited visibility into the start-finish straight, one of the track's most demanding corners.

Configurations

Events and race weekends

Road Atlanta's marquee event is Petit Le Mans, IMSA's ten-hour endurance classic run each October and one of the most prestigious sports car races in North America since 1998. MotoAmerica brings its national superbike series to the track in the spring, and GT World Challenge America runs a round in early summer. The circuit also hosts frequent driving schools, car-club events and testing throughout the year given its role as a base for several professional teams.

Getting there and parking

Road Atlanta sits just outside Braselton, Georgia, about 55 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta and close to the Chateau Elan resort. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International is the main gateway airport for visitors flying in, roughly an hour's drive from the track depending on traffic.

• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) · about 60 min drive

Hotels and camping near Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta

Road Atlanta offers on-site RV camping and paddock overnight stays for race weekends and many track-day events, while the nearby Chateau Elan resort provides higher-end lodging within a few minutes of the track. Gainesville and the northern Atlanta suburbs offer additional hotel options for larger events like Petit Le Mans.

Where to look

Chateau Elan Winery and Resort adjacent to the track, plus Braselton, Gainesville and the northern Atlanta metro suburbs.

Track days, driving experiences and lap records

Road Atlanta is one of the busiest HPDE and club-racing venues in the Southeast, with Chin Track Days running the largest number of dates at the circuit alongside NASA, SCCA and other regional organizers, plus driving-school programs. Its role as a base for multiple professional race teams means test days and corporate programs are also common on the calendar.

Who runs days here

• Chin Track Dayscar
• NASAcar
• SCCAcar

Lap records

Spectator guide

The rolling terrain and the five-story Michelin Tower with its rooftop terrace overlooking the finish line give spectators strong sightlines across the front straight and Turn 12, while general-admission hillside areas around the Esses offer views of several corners at once. Road Atlanta's biggest weekend, Petit Le Mans, draws a round-the-clock crowd given the race runs into the evening.

Best places to watch

The 10,000-seat terrace area near Turn 10 and hillside general admission around the Esses are popular vantage points covering multiple corners.

Weather

• Oct: mild fall weather for Petit Le Mans, highs typically in the 70s°F with cool evenings
• Apr: mild spring weather, highs typically in the mid-70s°F

History of Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta

Founding

Road Atlanta opened on September 13, 1970, after developers David Sloyer, Earl Walker and Arthur Montgomery purchased roughly 750 acres of farmland north of Atlanta in 1969 and carved a rolling, flowing road course out of the terrain. The circuit's natural elevation change and fast, sweeping corners quickly earned it a reputation among drivers as one of the most demanding and rewarding tracks in the country, though like many independent circuits of the era it cycled through financial difficulty and changes in ownership over its first two decades.

The Panoz era

The track's fortunes turned in 1996 when Don Panoz, the pharmaceutical entrepreneur behind the nicotine patch and founder of the neighboring Chateau Elan Winery and Resort, purchased the facility. Panoz invested heavily in bringing the circuit up to FIA standards and building out spectator and paddock facilities, including the terrace area near Turn 10. In 1998 Road Atlanta launched Petit Le Mans, a ten-hour endurance classic that quickly became one of the most prestigious sports car races in North America and remains the track's signature event to this day.

Present day

Road Atlanta passed to IMSA Holdings in 2012 and took on the Michelin Raceway name in 2018 after Michelin acquired the track's naming rights. The circuit continues to host Petit Le Mans each October alongside MotoAmerica and GT World Challenge America rounds, and remains a working base for professional race teams and driving schools between events. Its status as a near-continuous HPDE and club-racing venue, led by organizers such as Chin Track Days, keeps the track's demanding corners, especially the Esses and the blind plunge into Turn 12, in regular use by amateur drivers as well as professionals.

Frequently asked questions

Other tracks nearby

• Atlanta Motorsports Park · 29 mi · road course
• Atlanta Motor Speedway · 60 mi · oval
• Talladega Superspeedway · 135 mi · oval
• Barber Motorsports Park · 166 mi · road course
• Carolina Motorsports Park · 185 mi · road course
• Bristol Motor Speedway · 186 mi · oval