Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Racing Circuit

Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta is a permanent road course set among rolling, wooded terrain near Braselton, Georgia, roughly 50 miles northeast of Atlanta. Conceived by David Sloyer, Earl Walker and Arthur Montgomery, the circuit emerged from the red Georgia clay in just six months and held its first race, a Can-Am round, in September 1970 with Stirling Moss as Grand Marshal. From the outset the layout climbed and plunged through the landscape, most famously through the sweeping Esses and a dramatic downhill run beneath a bridge toward the start-finish line. After passing through several owners and a period of decline, the track was rescued in 1996 by Dr Don Panoz, who redesigned the troublesome dip into a new chicane and founded the venue's signature event, the Petit Le Mans, a 10-hour, 1,000-mile sportscar classic first run in 1998. That inaugural race is remembered for the spectacular backflip of the pole-winning Porsche over the backstretch hump, from which Yannick Dalmas walked away unhurt. NASCAR bought the facility in 2012 as part of its acquisition of the Panoz group, and the circuit has carried the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta name for sponsorship reasons since 2018. The current 2.54-mile, 12-turn Grand Prix layout was restored to its cleaner configuration in 2017 when a little-used Turn 4 chicane was removed. Today it hosts the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, MotoAmerica, Trans-Am, GT World Challenge America and the Michelin Pilot Challenge. Its plunging, fast-flowing character has made it a long-standing favourite among drivers and riders alike.

Operated by: Michelin / Road Atlanta Inc