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Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
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Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a road course auto racing facility located in Troy Township, Morrow County, Ohio, United States, just outside of the village of Lexington. (Mid-Ohio has also colloquially become a term for the entire north-central region of the state, from south of Sandusky to north of Columbus.)
The Track
The track opened as a 15-turn, 2.4 mile (3.86 km) road circuit run clockwise. The back portion of the track allows speeds approaching 180 mph. A separate starting line is located on the backstrech to allow for safer rolling starts. The regular start/finish line is located on the pit straight. In 1990, the track underwent a refurbishment. A new retaining wall was built, the entire track was resurfaced, widened, and concrete was paved in the apexes of the turns to prevent asphalt deterioration. In addition, a straightaway was paved through the chicane, allowing for two different track layouts, the original 2.4 mile circuit, and a new 13-turn, 2.25 mile (3.62 km) circuit. In 1990, the CART series began utilizing the 2.25 mile layout. In 2006, a second major refurbishment saw several improvements. The entire circuit was repaved, and the concrete patches in the turn apexes were removed. A new motorcycle "short course" was created by connecting turn one with the backstrech, and another motorcross oval was created by connecting the chicane straight with the backstrech. The additional layouts allow simultaneous use of the multiple course, for instructional and competitive uses. The improvements also include a new motorcross facility to be opened in the future. There is grandstand seating for 10,000 spectators, and three observation mounds alongside the track raise the capacity to over 75,000.
This course also hosts AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, Honda Supercycle Weekend, an AMA Superbike doubleheader , and the National Auto Sport Association National Championship Races.
History The track was opened in 1962, by Les Griebling. In 1981, Mid-Ohio was purchased by Jim Trueman, a renowned road racer and the founder of Red Roof Inns. Trueman put a lot of money into the facility, building the garage area and three spectator mounds. In 1982, CART added the Mid-Ohio track to their yearly circuit. The American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am series also compete at the track. The Sports Car Club of America hosts regional events at Mid-Ohio, and from 1994 through 2005, held its national championships, the "Runoffs", at the track. Mid-Ohio also hosts annual vintage automobile and motorcycle race weekends during the summer.
Race historySee main article Honda 200
External links
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