Learning to drive upside down…

Copyright © 2007 Gawain Reifsnyder

Once again the calendar has rolled around to one of my favorite times of the year. The crisp fall air, the smell of race gas, the howl of a twin-turbocharged V-12 on the boil…

The Petit Le Mans is one of the most anticipated races on the American Le Mans Series calendar. It’s a 10-hour, 1,000 mile endurance race held at the 2.54-mile, 12-turn Road Atlanta circuit in Braselton, Ga. There are four different classes of cars racing on the same circuit at the same time. The speed differential between the different classes makes for some very interesting action and it’s one of the ultimate tests of man and machine in road racing.

With the exception of last year, the fall trip to Atlanta to watch the Petit Le Mans has become an annual pilgrimage of sorts for me. This year, the race is being held on September 26th, with events starting on the 23rd. Since I missed it last year, I may not be able to settle for anything less than a full dose, so I’ll probably head down to catch the practice sessions, qualifying and support races too.

If you’re interested in attending, you’ll find more information at the Road Atlanta or American Le Mans Series web sites.