Road America weekend, part one: Back at the track

Working in baseball, it's usually a pretty busy summer during the season. I try to balance things out with some relaxation and fun things on the off days. Then there's the annual trip to Road America to take a weekend off and enjoy some IndyCar racing. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's a great tradition in my family that I love.

I think I've covered the history we have with Road America on my blog in the past so I won't get into those details. When the open-wheel racing series merged back together a few years ago, Road America was left off the season schedule. I hope the strong attendance numbers the past three years since IndyCar's return in 2016 are speaking volumes as to what a mistake it was to leave this four-mile road course off the calendar. It's a favorite among many drivers who've had the privilege to race on the permanent road course.

We did the usual travel plan, which includes driving over on Thursday and taking in racing activities for the next three days. Get tickets early and in advance, and it's just $100 for the weekend. The biggest crowds always arrive on Sunday for the main event, the 55-lap Kohler Grand Prix. Though Friday and Saturday crowds are typically lighter, I will say that just from the eyeball glance it seemed like more and more race fans are making the trek to Elkhart Lake for the race weekend.

Picture perfect weekend, pretty much
The weather is always a concern, and with a baseball season already filled with a blizzard, snow-out weekend, I wasn't sure what to expect. The good news is no raindrops fell. That's always the best news, and we like to think we contribute to that by coming prepared with umbrellas and carrying around ponchos. Racing will still go on with a little rain on a road course, but it's not exactly the best atmosphere.

Friday was probably the worst day, relatively speaking. It was cloudy (which is noted in most of my racing photos) and cool. I'm making good use of the Road America hoodie I bought a couple years ago; last year's race day wasn't exactly hot and humid either.

Finding new spots to watch
For the first practice session to see the IndyCars, we ventured to a new spot on the inside of turn one after the cars come flying in from the long main straightaway. That's one of the best things about Road America, all the different vantage points you can set up to take in the action. It's also why attending multiple days is such a good idea.

Anyway, Dad and I were trying to remember, and I think it used to be that the inside of turn one was off limits to fans. It's a grassy area with a fence separating fans from the track, keeping some distance between us. It's a good photo spot now because there is no debris fencing on the inside of the turn, allowing us to get some shots without focusing through chain-link. Part of the area in turn one is opened up for camping as well. (Just off the eyeball glance again, it seems like Road America has more camping areas than in previous decades if that's your thing. You could camp out and never leave the track the entire weekend.)

Graham Rahal in turn one.

I always love finding new spots to watch the cars at Road America, and it was clear in 2016 that they've made improvements and added access for fans. Practice is always a little interesting, especially if you're going to take photos. You're never sure which drivers are going to run laps right away, who are waiting or who might still be working on the car setup. It's different than racing, because the cars space out enough, for the most part, that they kind of come by one at a time.

I got adjusted with my point-and-shoot digital, took some photos with my phone as well, along with covering some of my social media bases. I also made sure to look over to the outside of turn one and recall A.J. Foyt's bad crash in 1990 where he nearly died.

Meeting the drivers
After practice, we went through the paddock area to get an up-close look at the cars. It's always worth the extra time, and another reason to spend multiple days at the track. Then, we actually went to wait in the autograph session line. We don't usually do that, but Dad really wanted to get Scott Dixon's autograph on a couple photos he's taken. You get lucky sometimes, running into drivers in the paddock. Of course, most of the time we aren't quick enough or don't have the desired photos with us when that happens.

As we waited, it turned out we were in a good spot, able to see the drivers speed down the hill on their scooters and arrive for the session. The drivers were split into two lines, so I also had a few photos I've taken that I got signed by the drivers, like Dixon, Graham Rahal and Tony Kanaan. We also got signatures from a driver making his IndyCar debut over the weekend, 21-year-old Alfonso Celis Jr., from Mexico.

We watched afternoon practice from another new spot, along the hill about where the Billy Mitchell bridge used to be before they took it out (the one Memo Gidley crunched into a few years back). After slowing way down at Canada Corner in turn 12, the cars pour on the speed up the hill and toward the final turn before making their way up to the start/finish line. Celis Jr. lost it just before turn 14 during the session, connecting hard with the tire barrier and causing some damage. Not a surprise to see from a rookie trying to feel out his new car and a new track.

Other than that, it ended up being a pretty clean weekend as far as damage and crashes were concerned.

Read part two of the weekend:

Road America weekend, part two: Paddock and race day