Track Night in America® Driven by Tire Rack is a near year-round affair. Despite that, we’re all in the mood to play a little more during certain times of the year – like, for instance, when summer’s winding down and you realize you still need to score some much-needed action. For that, you’ll want to do more than keep an eye on these sweet dozen super attractive Track Nights coming up in August, because registration just opened for all August Track Nights.
If you want your own version of Tracks Gone Wild, August will get you humming. While there’s a Track Night Special Edition (i.e.: a weekend Track Night), it’s the mid-week rendezvous that are the most exciting because if you’re going to sneak away for a fun hook-up, doing it on a weekday is far less suspicious.
Here are all of your August opportunities to score some Track Night action:
Of the dozen events you could get down with in August, there’s one in particular I’ve been eyeing, and that’s the Track Night at Minnesota’s Brainerd International Raceway. Let me tell ya why…
First up, Minnesota is home of the “Juicy Lucy,” and since I’ve been getting a little spicy with the references in this article, I might as well start strong with this delectable creation. Expect molten cheese encapsulated in the meat patty of the burger that’s gonna get all over your hands and face. If that’s not enough to get you riled up, you’re no friend of mine.
Juicy Lucy is fun, but I’m more excited by the track.
Brainerd: My Personal Sneaky Link
Brainerd International Raceway is living history. Founded in 1968 as Donnybrooke Speedway, what is now Brainerd has transformed from a clearing in the woods to a key stop on numerous circuits, with motorcycle racing and drag racing as mainstays.
But that’s not why it’s my summertime sneaky link. That’s because of its curves.
Track Night runs on Brainerd’s 2.5-mile, 13-turn Competition Road Course, which teases drivers with technical challenges that take many attempts to get right – not unlike my early dating experiences. But as I learned back then, if things are too easy, I lose interest.
Let’s talk about those thrills.
Turn 13 requires slow hands and patience before you caress Brainerd’s long and thrilling Turn 1. For success in Turn 2, you need a light touch, barely on the brakes. It’s fast, fast, fast, and just when you think you can take no more, your skills are checked.
Speed is not key –precision and feel is the name of the game for Turns 3 through 6. There, the track teaches you patience, even throwing a 180 at you in Turn 8. Mixing up the cadence is something I can’t get enough of.
Turns 9, 10, and 11 are a tease. This section has you sliding through with speed, trying to put down the power while getting your confidence back. Make a wrong move and you’ll be punished. Then Turn 12? It’s a 90-degree left that’s key to the coming excitement. Get it right, and it’s slow hands once more for Turn 13 … then power on through!
I can barely contain myself just thinking about it.
This is someone else taking Brainerd for a ride, but sometimes watching is just as fun:
Don’t Worry, I’ll Share
Whether Brainerd is your end-of-summer fling, or one of the other 11 Track Night in America Driven by Tire Rack events in August is where you find your fun, there’s plenty to share. After all, these tracks need more than one partner at a time to make for a truly memorable Track Night evening.
Click the link below, find your August event, and register now.
Photo by Gregory Pfaff
