Motorcyle turn by turn guide to the Thunderhill track

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If you know this track then please try to start this guide. Once, someone starts then other readers should refine it to make the descriptions better. But, someone has to be first. Just click the edit button on the top of the page or the right and go.

Contents

Track Map

Image:Thunderhill.jpg

Turn 1

Easy left-hander at the end of the main straight. The exit is slightly uphill and the corner is quite a bit less than 90 degrees; if you carried too much speed off the straight, you can often recover by just backing off a bit. The flag station is a good visual reference.

Watch for people entering the track here. They are supposed to stay all the way to the right all the way through turn 1, but this doesn't always happen.

Turn 2

I love this turn. It is a very long left-hand sweeper with many good lines. Plenty of room to pass here. My favorite line is to enter around the middle of the track and shoot for clipping the inside berm shortly before the exit. If you can find your own magic line, you will pass a lot of people in this turn!

Turn 3

This right-hander has a small hill on the inside, so you can't really look through the corner. The surface is off-camber towards the outside. A good entry seems to be about mid track or slightly to the right of mid track, followed by a strong tip-in to get right up to the berm at the apex. You will flick left at the exit for turn 4 entry.

Turn 4

Easy left-hander with an uphill exit.

Turn 5

This is actually two turns: 5 and 5A. Turn 5 is a totally blind, very sharp left-hander at the top of a hill. There is nothing to be gained here by trying to go fast. The best approach is to find the line that sets you up best for 5A, which is a downhill right-hander. Crest the hill, flick right, get in tight. The surface in 5A seems best very close to the berm (as of late 2006).

Turn 6

Fast, flat left-hander. A classic mid-apex line works fine here.

Turn 7

This is more of a left-leaning dogleg than a turn. Just tip it in.

Turn 8

Left-hander with an uphill exit. The track seems to widen on the climb, too. If you go in too hot it is extremely easy to scrub speed -- just back off a bit and let gravity help. The uphill climb between 8 and 9 is a good place to pass.

Turn 9

Blind left-hander at the top of a hill, followed by a downhill right and a short straightaway. Pick a visual reference on one of the hills in the distance (most people use the water tower) so you know when to turn.

Turn 10

Left-hander with a surprising amount of good camber. Mid-apex works well.

Turn 11

Sharp left-hander leading immediately into the esses.

Turns 12 and 13

Esses, right then left. Turn 13 exit puts you onto the back straight. If you plan to exit the track, this is where you should commit to it by moving all the way to the right of the straight and staying there, then putting up a hand when you are about halfway between 13 and 14.

Turn 14

Blind right-hander. There is a hill on the inside, so you cannot see through the corner. Learn several safe lines through this corner because the track exit is on the inside just before the next turn. People who are leaving the track will be right on the berm, blocking your best line (tight apex). Fast riders seem to carve a single curve through 14 and 15, getting right against the berm to the inside of 14, then against the outside berm between 14 and 15, then on the inside berm at 15.

Turn 15

Right-hander with an exit that opens up onto the main straight. Wind it up as you exit, which should take you all the way to the left side of the main straight.