Mid-Ohio Paved

[problemchild]

https://racer.com/2023/11/01/mid-ohi...-track-repave/

I know some will love to hear this, but am always apprehensive when they repave tracks and how many years it will take before the character returns. Mid-Ohio is my favorite track and a favorite of many of the best drivers I know. The mixed pavement and patches made for such a challenge that were so tough to tame. I guess we will be stuck with a few years of tight fields and lap records.

[cliff]

I wonder if they got rid of the bump in the carousel…
I was told same asphalt mix as Road America. Amateur occasional racer me was not a fan of year 1 surface at RA…just saying.
Yes, I know it is the same for everyone, I just struggled off line.

[Craig71188]

I wonder if they got rid of the bump in the carousel….

Can't say for sure, but an article with quotes from Kokosing (who did the paving) outlined a bunch of additional work to the underlying track before pavement went down. The way it sounded (to me) some of the "character" may have left to make way for a smoother surface.

https://racer.com/2023/11/01/mid-ohi...-track-repave/

[toolo4sno]

I could deal without the Mid Ohio rain line for sure though. Those asphalt surface treatments right on the apex made for treacherous running in the wet. Avoiding rubber laid down is one issue that I can live with. Trying to find the only 4' wide patch in a corner with grip made for difficult passing without pooping myself.

[CheckeredFlag]

I could deal without the Mid Ohio rain line for sure though. Those asphalt surface treatments right on the apex made for treacherous running in the wet. Avoiding rubber laid down is one issue that I can live with. Trying to find the only 4' wide patch in a corner with grip made for difficult passing without pooping myself.

Between sessions at the wet, drizzly October SCCA event I went out and walked on the wet track at Turn 1A on Saturday and Turn 8 on Sunday. It was soooo worn out. The binding material (tar, for lack of a better word) had been deeply worn away and the rocks that were left protruding at the surface were worn smooth like river rock or marbles. That had to be so slick when wet.

But Scott Rettich said once, "If you can race Mid-Ohio in the wet, you can race in the wet anywhere."

[Twill45]

I could deal without the Mid Ohio rain line for sure though. Those asphalt surface treatments right on the apex made for treacherous running in the wet. Avoiding rubber laid down is one issue that I can live with. Trying to find the only 4' wide patch in a corner with grip made for difficult passing without pooping myself.

I guess I am the exception, as I actually quite enjoyed the rain line at Mid-O. The Code Brown moments were just part of the fun!

[TimH]

Power oversteer in a FF is a rare joy. At the SVRA event a few years ago the Arizona group were the only ones willing to go out for the wet first morning practice session. The track workers loved us. The rest of the day wound up cancelled.

[Chris Livengood]

Mid Ohio sucks and that's why it's also one of the greatest tracks. It's unrelenting even in good conditions. I still miss some of the patches and concrete and nastiness from the yesteryears, but I anticipate the technicality of the place will remain even with the pave.

[Steve Demeter]

The bumps and patches and everything else not in a baby bottom smooth track definitely added to the character of mO.. But some of them were just plain a pain in the butt

[Chris Livengood]

Might have needed a bit higher ride height.

[patman]

I for one am happy to hear it. I thought the big nasty bumps ruined the flow of the a track that I otherwise would have loved. I'm going to put it on the list next year for sure!

[toolo4sno]

I guess I am the exception, as I actually quite enjoyed the rain line at Mid-O. The Code Brown moments were just part of the fun!

I can say I had fun too the last time I was out at Mid OH in the wet, but it didn't make for good racing. You can't fit two cars in the sections with actual grip; so you end up going super slow on the slick stuff yet still sliding front and back wheels.

The last race weekend at Mid OH before the repave was cut short because of rain and the track surface's inability to handle it. We still didn't get any real explanation for why the Quali Races were cancelled. This meant the only sunny part of the weekend was for packup and not racing. Sorry, still cranky about that one.

I never miss an opportunity to promote my videos, and since they are relevant. Here are the last Mid Ohio rain line races. As mentioned Turn 1 sucked bad. There were some chasms were cracks used to be.





I can't wait to see what kind of racing can be had on a smooth flowing surface there.