With only a month to go until Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on October 9-12, it’s time to make your plans to be there. Considering the good chance of beautiful early fall weather, an action-packed schedule of racing, a newly paved midway packed with displays and great options for food and drinks, car corrals, a kid’s zone and so much more, what else do you need to make this year the one to go?
Whether you’ve been before or have yet to experience the magic of Petit Le Mans, here are five things to make sure you don’t miss.
1. Night practice
The last track session of the day on Thursday is always special. The sun has set and there may be wisps of campfire smoke hanging in the air. At last, the darkness is shattered by beams of bright lights as the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship field takes to the track. Maybe it’s the glow of the brakes and exhaust or the shriek of the engines amid the darkness, or the drivers trying out different lines through the corners that makes the cars seem a bit faster and more exotic. Maybe it’s the chill vibe among the spectators who are settling in to enjoy two more days of sports car racing and the building anticipation of it all that makes the Thursday night practice a special part of the weekend. Whatever it is, don’t miss it.
2. Grid walk
No VIP credentials needed for this special hour on Saturday morning before the green flag flies. One and all are welcome to stroll through the grid assembled on the front straight to get up close to the cars that are ready to race, or to grab an autograph or selfie with your favorite driver or celebrity. Witness the pre-race ceremonies firsthand while soaking up the excitement and the tension. The 27th running of Motul Petit Le Mans is about to get going.
3. FOX Factory 120
Sure, the main event is on Saturday, but there’s great racing all throughout the build-up capped off by the FOX Factory 120 on Friday afternoon. The two-hour race for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge is where you get to watch top pro and amateur drivers mixing it up behind the wheel of cars that came off the production line and right onto the race track. It’s certainty the appetizer that gets you pumped for the big show to follow. In addition to the FOX Factory 120, both Thursday and Friday will also see entertaining racing from the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, Porsche Carrera Cup North America and the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup.
4. Room to roam
At any point during the race weekend, but most certainly throughout Saturday, take advantage of the time and space to roam about the venue. Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta has hardly any areas that are inaccessible to spectators and the size and layout of the facility make it easy to roam about. Catch the action from the inside of Turn-1 or down in the Esses. At Turns 6 and 7, the cars feel almost as if they are only an arm’s-length away. There’s the Terrace Seating at the end of the back straight or the outside of the final corner to catch a different perspective on the action. Then of course there’s the open paddock, a welcoming fan and kid’s zone and all the car corrals to indulge the car-guy/gal in you. With 10 hours of racing on tap, there’s more than enough to time to wander and take it all in.
5. The final hour
By this time, you’ve wandered all around the track, filled up on food and beverages and maybe even had a quick nap. Meanwhile the teams and drivers have endured nine hours of concentration and stress. But with an hour to go, it’s truly time to find your spot and lock-in to the finish. A whole season of racing comes down to this final hour when a Petit Le Mans win and a championship is up for grabs.
There are several tiers of ticket packages available ranging from Saturday only, to four-day tickets as well as a Podium Club hospitality package. To really get in the spirit and experience all that Motul Petit Le Mans has to offer, consider camping. Whether you pitch a tent or roll up in an RV is up to you, but what could be better than eggs, bacon and sports cars to start your day? And as always, kids under 12 get in free.
For more information visit roadatlanta.com. To purchase tickets directly click here.