The Racing Line at Putnam Park Road Course

Opened in 1991, Putnam Park has established itself as a popular Midwestern circuit, and continues to make improvements targeting user-friendliness and safety. Many car and racing clubs hold annual events at this race course, and track day opportunities abound as well.

The racing line at Putnam Park is actually pretty simple with few ambiguities. It helps that apexes and exits are clearly marked with checkered kerbing, although it could stand to be laid out a bit more generously in several places. Flexibility in configuration is provided by two optional track sections, The Loop and Times Square, with Times Square having four potential routes. However, the vast majority of onboard footage has these sections omitted from the track layout.

Getting through Turns 1 and 2 quickly means keeping up enough speed to carry you all the way out on the corner exit. After exiting Turn 3, don't worry about taking a late apex at 4 - Al shows every vehicle staying close to the inside, with the Miata driving out earlier than the others.

Turns 5 and 6 also require carrying a lot of speed to ensure full use of the track. Everyone can be pretty much flat out at the Turn 6 apex, but braking for 7 begins shortly thereafter. Turn 7 is straightforward, with a central apex and full use of the track on entry and exit, as well as setting up for 8.

Turn 8 is problematic, because just about every single in-car video shows drivers entering very wide, staying wide, then finally swinging in to hit a late apex. There is some elevation and camber change going on in the latter half of this turn, but it's unlikely to require such a drastic difference in approach from the calculated optimal path. For all vehicles, the ideal line starts at the inside of the turn. There is no wide entry whatsoever. The Miata sticks the inside until about half way around when it begins to drive out. The high powered vehicles take a double apex, with the Motorcycle's line being the most extreme. Until this conventional bit of wisdom gets overturned, all we can do is take advantage of the huge passing opportunity opened up by this wide approach. With the suggested line you can brake later and get to the inside sooner, not to mention getting around the corner quicker.

The 9-10 sequence is interesting because to take it properly, you actually have to apex quite early at Turn 9, then gradually push the line toward the outside, reaching the left edge of the track before swinging back in for the Turn 10 apex. If you find yourself straightening the steering to get outside prior to Turn 10, you will probably benefit from rolling on the throttle sooner and letting the increased speed carry you out instead.