The Turn 6–7 complex at Road Atlanta not only makes for a huge grin factor, it’s also the most crucial segment of the circuit for lap times. Road Atlanta, like Road America, Laguna Seca, Infineon (nee Sears Point), Lime Rock, and The Glen, was designed using “the lay of the land.” In other words, the track simply follows the confines of the terrain and property lines…uphill, downhill, over creeks, and through valleys.
When the track builders got as far as they could in the northeast quadrant, the land not only narrowed, but was virtually perched on an outcropping. So, Turn 6 had to begin the “return home,” and 7 finished it off. Whoever designed 6 probably had some Southern stock car racin’ in their blood, as the turn is banked several degrees. This not only gives it more grip (and therefore a better chance of not launching the car toward Norcross), but also produces much more exit speed. The downside of all this good news is that about 100 feet after exiting 6, ya gotta park the car for 7 and get ready for the longest straight in Hall County. And that makes it the most important exit-speed corner here.
