Motorcycle turn by turn guide to the Arroyo Seco Raceway track

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Contents

Track Map

Image:ArroyoSeco.jpg

Turn 1

Arroyo is run both clockwise and counterclockwise.

Clockwise: Turn one (16 on the track map) is a slight left-hander known as "The Kink". You'll launch and climb to third gear, then pick your way through the crowd as you downshift and brake into second. Try to get the left kerb under your knee, and drive straight to the small patch of cold-patch, then heel it over into turn two. If it's later in the race, take this in third, and fly over the bumps as you transition the bike after the kerb into turn two.

Counter: Turn one (15 on the track map) is a difficult entry to a combination switchback. Bumps to the outside, choose a mid-wide line and set up to hug the apex tightly. Entering from the launch, its best to downshift into second and maintain position until turn two. This turn is known as "The Horseshoe" or "The Mini-Carusel"

Turn 2

Clockwise: Turn two is "The Carusel". After driving just to the inside of the cold-patch at the entrance, heel it over and feed in power for the increasing-radius exit. Many people get on the gas hard and drift left to the gore of the dragstrip joining the track, then drive hard down the straight. If you do that, you can be passed by a racer who might pick the bike up and drive underneath you.

Counter: Turn two is "The Yucca" or "The Cactus" turn. 600's and smaller bikes can make this into a sweeper and stay inside the pavement seam, heavier bikes need to cross the seam. It's advisable to not make a steering input with the tire on the seam. Note that this turn is slightly off-camber. Drive out of the increasing-radius exit, tight to the inside to prevent anyone passing you to the inside under the brakes before the bus-stop. Pick the bike up, and aim for the cones at the crossover, and set yourself up for the bus-stop.

Turn 3

Clockwise: Turn three is the "First Ess" (turn 1 on the map), and separates the experienced racer from the newer racer. Heavy braking from 140+ MPH down to about 95 or so, and the line into the corner is from about three feet off the left edge of the track into the back of the kerb. This line will take you through a dip, and your knee will follow the pavement, stay relaxed and loose on the bars and all is fine.

Counter: Turn Three (9 on the map) is the entrance to the "Bus Stop". Put simply, the first bike to the bus-stop wins, so if you have to, pass underneath on the brakes, and park it while you turn. Listen to the grinding of teeth from the racers behind you - it's fun. Carry the exit all the way through, though, so you can set up and exectute the next turn, or you'll lose the advantage you gained. If you're ahead or alone on the track, you can turn this into a sweeper combination - if you've got the fortitude, you can improve laptimes dramatically here.

Turn 4

Clockwise: Turn Four is the "Second Ess", and follow the rubber laid down. Driving a tad deeper and late-apexing will set you up well for the next turn. Through all the esses, you're loosing speed, but you can add a short burst of power between turn 3 and 4 and again between 4 and 5. Be smooth, and this is the part of the track that will work your body and conditioning the hardest. After this, other tracks will seem tame. Coming back to Arroyo after visiting another track will have you say "Wow, these turns come up quick...". Knee down on the back side of the kerb for turn four.

Counter: Turn Four is the second-half of the "Bus Stop". Set up and enter it by finishing the first turn - sacrifice the first turn if you must, but you must drive cleanly out of this turn. Late-apex it, and feel your knee tick the curb. Many people will drift wide here to the far kerb - but you should pick the bike up and drive to the inside edge of the track (to prevent a pass), and then drift wide right for the next turn.

Turn 5

Clockwise: Turn Five is a RH Ess. Clip the back of the kerb with the knee, and downshift to second as you pick it up, or wait until after the next turn to catch the downshift if you're rushed.

Counter: This is the infamous "111R" ("one-eleven right") turn. Do NOT trail deep into this corner, or you'll add to the pavement scars. Remember what they taught you in motorcycle 101: make a strong turn into the corner from near the RH side of the track, open the throttle slightly to extend the suspension. Stay to the right of the patched pavement on the exit, and you're fine for the next turn. Catch an upshift (to third) on your exit, you will need to add power for all the next turns and short-shifting saves you the shift later.

Turn 6

Clockwise: Turn six is a LH Ess. Be in second at the exit, and set up wide if you're in traffic so you can hi-low (pass by driving under the other racer) at the exit. If you're alone, you can choose a more natural line leaving and setting up for 111R.

Counter: Turn 6 is a RH ess. Enter deep, apex just past the kerb. Finish the turn off, literbikes can point and shoot and leave expensive rubber behind here as they drive out.

Turn 7

Clockwise: Turn Seven is the infamous 111R. You have to trail into it. Use brakes judiciously. If you're in traffic, high-low (late apex), then race the inside line to the bus-stop - the first one there wins, remember, and you can take your time and set up for the exit of the bus-stop, so win the scramble out of the 111 turn. Many many people crash on the pavement seam adding power as they're leaned over - don't be one of them.

Counter: Turn seven is a RH Ess. Avoid the dip in the natural line, hug the inside a bit, and finish the turn off, meaning set up for the turn onto the straight deeper than you might otherwise.

Turn 8

Clockwise: Turn Eight is the Bus-Stop. First one in, wins. Sacrifice the first turn if you must to set up for the second - trail while drifting wide to the entrance, then tip it in firmly and hold it past 90' while you find the entry line to the second turn. This is the slowest turn on the track.

Counter: Turn Eight is the drive to the straight. Finish turn 7 off so you can make a hard turn and apex past the kerb, don't drive wide on the exit or you'll hit a bump and have a racer pass you. That bump, if you're on an I-4, will have you loft the front wheel and spin the rear - so don't hit it.

Turn 9

Clockwise: A long, decreasing-radius drive to the Yucca corner - roll on the gas and shortshift if the bumps on the exit of the Bus-stop get to you. This is a great corner to catch someone: let go of the brake if you dare. Two lines work here: cross the seam in the Yucca and late-apex dive to the kerb and saw someone off, or hug the inside of the seam and sweep the corner. The faster line is to sweep - but in a race, you need more than one line.


Counter: Turn Nine is the entrance to the Carusel. Many lines work here - it's all about who you're chasing or fending off. You can trailbrake forever here, so carry lots of speed in - don't be outbraked while you're still on the straight, that's not a winning formula. Put your knee inside the track at the apex, and hold the carusel until you can roll on the throttle while looking for the right point to snap the bike over for the Kink.

Turn 10

Clockwise: The Mini-Carusel. Drive between the exit of the Yucca and the entrance - but your line through here should end up with a tight hug to the apex at the exit. Many people will roll on the gas a tad early and drift to the outside, or grab a handful as they pick the bike up and finish the turn on the back wheel. Neither of these is as quick as the inside exit.

Counter: The Kink. Finish the carusel off, clip the kerb with the knee on the inside, pick the bike up and race to the start/finish line. If you turn into the Kink too soon, you'll drift left all the way to the track edge, and probably scare yourself while losing a spot in a race.