Road America is a permanent road racing circuit near Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, that opened on September 10, 1955, after safety concerns ended the open public-road races the town had hosted since 1950. Built by local civil engineer Clif Tufte, the 4.048-mile, 14-turn circuit was carved over the region’s rolling farmland and remains one of the few road courses in the world still running its original configuration.
The 640-acre facility has hosted top-tier motorsport for seven decades, including IMSA SportsCar Championship events, the IndyCar Series’ Grand Prix of Road America, MotoAmerica motorcycle racing, and periodic NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series races. With open, hillside spectator seating rather than fixed grandstand capacity, race weekends can draw crowds well into six figures, especially around fan-favorite corners like ‘the Kink.’
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
- Opened: September 10, 1955
- Track length: 4.048 miles (14 turns)
- Site size: 640 acres
- Capacity: Open seating, crowds can exceed 100,000 on race weekends
- Notable fact: One of the few road circuits still using its original 1955 layout
The Racing Experience
Road America’s layout takes drivers over natural elevation changes across the Wisconsin countryside, a rarity among road courses built on flat land. Signature corners like Turn 5, the Kink, and Canada Corner have become fan gathering points, since spectators can walk the wooded hillsides and picnic within view of the track rather than being confined to grandstands.
The circuit’s annual calendar includes the IMSA SportsCar Championship, the IndyCar Series’ Grand Prix of Road America, MotoAmerica superbike racing, and vintage events, alongside occasional NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series races that returned to the schedule in the 2020s after decades away.
A Track Built to Last
Road America grew directly out of Elkhart Lake’s earlier tradition of racing on public roads through town, which ran from 1950 to 1953 before crashes and safety concerns forced organizers to build a dedicated, enclosed circuit. Clif Tufte’s original 14-turn design has needed only minor safety updates since 1955, letting the track preserve a driving character that has largely disappeared from modern motorsport facilities.
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Road America FAQs
How long is the Road America track?
The full Grand Prix circuit measures 4.048 miles (6.515 km) with 14 turns.
When did Road America open?
Road America opened on September 10, 1955, replacing the town’s earlier public-road races.
What series race at Road America?
IMSA, IndyCar, MotoAmerica, and Trans-Am race there regularly, with NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series events held periodically.
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Photo: User Royalbroil on en.wikipedia / CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.