Campsites Sold Out for the IMSA SportsCar Weekend
By Tony DiZinno
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – “This one time, at race camp …”
Such a line might kick off a round of stories emanating from the hundreds of campsites and thousands of campers present on them around Elkhart Lake’s Road America.
Throughout the 640-acre facility there are eight camping zones, with more than 1,000 campsites available. The majority run from the Carousel down to Turn 1, at the southern half of the track.
During Friday’s IMSA announcement of its 2024 schedules, IMSA President John Doonan informed stakeholders that the campsites were sold out for the 2023 IMSA Sportscar Weekend, per Road America President Mike Kertscher.
The camping buzz was palpable throughout the paddock all weekend.
The distinct aroma of Road America track food and beverage permeates the sites, all the while providing an intimate experience for those fans who make at least a once annual pilgrimage to stay at their “home away from home” for several days.
Bryan Walthers might be the best person to narrate the Road America camping story. After all, he’s been coming to the track for both the track and its camping’s entire history.
The semi-retired Walthers now supports Road America partnership development. He served as the track’s longtime gate manager and self-titled “gate master” for most of his career. So, he got to meet many of the campers setting up temporary shop at the track at first glance.
From his first trip to the track in 1955, a then 9-year-old Walthers fell in love with the place. It’s evolved from an old pagoda and heavily wooded area to the consistently improving venue where fan amenities and campsites have risen almost as much as the trees themselves.
Discussions that grew between Walthers and former track president George Bruggenthies evolved into numbered camps around the track.
“We used to mark down 20 by 40 flags, first come, first serve,” Walthers explained. “It became so popular after the first or second year that people would come out Monday before the race and line up on the road (to enter the track).
“Ten or so years ago I suggested to number the spots and have them all reserved. Even with spots reserved, fans still want to get here early. On Wednesday at 6 a.m., there was paddock setup but nothing else. By 4 p.m. Thursday, there were probably 800 campsites full.”
He wasn’t kidding. A quick drive around the track during Friday’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship second practice produced a bevy of great camping visuals. The ambience of campsites included tents, bars, flags, motorhomes and everything in-between.
Road America evolved from camping starting on Wednesday to now arriving Thursday and leaving on Monday. That’s provided several benefits, notably egress improvement and allowing attendees to party heartily Sunday night before driving home on Monday.
The question as always when camping is this popular is asking where to expand. That’s where the owls and chipmunks come into play.
“When we tell Mike we don’t have any spots left, we set up ‘owl overflow.’ That’s camping where the owl sculptures are, between Gates 3 and 4, between Turns 1 and 3,” Walthers said.
“I’d say seven or eight years ago George made a suggestion about where to expand camping,” he added. “He asked, ‘What about the Chipmunk Trail?’ I said, ‘Where’s the Chipmunk Trail?’ He said, ‘It’s the area from Turns 4 to 5, driver’s left, with a bunch of trees and the trail after the Sargento Bridge.’
“You go back there and it’s just golf carts, ATVs and chipmunks back-and-forth! I think we made 50 spots down there, strictly tents.”
Drivers are invigorated by seeing the Road America fans and the campsites. Birchwood, Wisconsin, native Aaron Telitz, co-driver of the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 in GT Daytona (GTD), explained what fans have to look forward to when they camp at track.
“I know I’m biased because this is my favorite track, but there’s no better track to camp at than Road America,” Telitz said. “Starting from you have nothing but trees and shade in all the campsites. Then all the people are super friendly; they want to share their brats and beers.
“Kohler has put up amazing bathrooms and showers; those might be the best of any track camping facility. You don’t need a motorhome to make it work. Just bring an E-Z Up or a tent and you’ll have a great time. The racing only adds to it!”
Gar Robinson, who won in his No. 74 Riley Ligier JS P320 in Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3) Sunday, added, “This place is one of the best camping ones, like Sebring and Daytona. I’d bring the school bus to this one!”
Walthers summarized the environment. After all, he camped here for years and then enjoyed it so much he and his wife sold their home in Racine, Wisconsin, several years ago.
Now, they split their time between Florida in winter and camping in Wisconsin in summer … in a motorhome they bought and park at Road America.
“I used to camp here when camping first started at driver’s left, Turn 7, which wasn’t really a campsite,” he said. “I put my motorhome up there and planted it.”
What does he think about the camping in general?
“Road America turns into a small city for the weekend!” he laughed.
“There are some stories I can’t tell you! But the coolest stories are from the people that keep coming back. I think the reason they do that is they can stay here, and not have to worry about getting in and out.
“Once people have camped here a couple times, it’s their home away from home. It’s a community.”