Road America is a favorite stop on the calendar for both drivers and fans alike, which comes as no surprise given the track’s old-school, fast paced nature that provides endless action. Whether you’re behind the wheel or spectating trackside, the thrills never stop.
For one driver in particular, the road course is an extra special place. Nick Shanny, who is performing double duty with Carrus Callas Raceteam by competing in both GT America powered by AWS and Pirelli GT4 America championships, is a Wisconsin native and is the lone competitor on the grid who has the pleasure of calling Road America his home track.
“Almost every time I visit Wisconsin, I stop in Madison, which is where I grew up,” said Nick Shanny. “Madison is south of Road America, and I always stop at one of my favorite restaurants there to grab a bite to eat before heading to the track.”
Aptly nicknamed the National Park of Speed, Road America has numerous unique characteristics that make it such a thrill to drive. “The topography, the length, the speed, and the vastness of the entire venue, everything about it makes it such a phenomenal circuit,” explained Shanny. “It truly sets the bar and stands out in comparison to just about any track in the country.”
The fast and challenging nature of the layout requires drivers to approach the 4.048-mile, 14-turn road course with a greater level of commitment.
“Leading up to a race weekend, I'll spend a fair amount of time on the sim,” he elaborated. “I'll also go back and look at old videos, review fast laps and just refresh myself on all the intricacies. To be quite honest, I will also always remember that the kink takes sacrifices, and I try my best not to be one of the unfortunate ones.”
Shanny has been putting in a great deal of hard work, contesting in two championships in GT4 machinery, one of which he shares the car with co-driver Chris Walsh.
“The season has been going well,” he stated. “The highlight so far was our podium finish at COTA in the three hour endurance race. There was a lot of mayhem but we finished in second place, and it was a fantastic event overall. I think Chris and myself performed really well, it was very satisfying. The team executed perfectly, nailed the format, and didn't make any mistakes. It was a well earned result for the whole team.”
When touching on the requirements involved in competing in both GT America and GT4 America, he continued by saying that “I think the biggest thing is physical fitness. I have to be in decent, if not good physical shape from an endurance standpoint. I stay on top of tracking all of my stats when I'm in the car to know where I'm at. It’s a mix of mental preparation, physical fitness, proper hydration and nutrition, and sleeping well. For me, doing all of that is necessary, combined with having more time behind the wheel, that helps me become a better driver.”
SRO America will be making their way to Speedville from August 16th to 18th. Tickets and packages are available for purchase now!