Cruising The Corkscrew
Laguna Seca Raceway pop quiz! What do Roger Penske, Bruce McLaren, Phil Hill, John Surtees, Jackie Stewart, Cal Rayborn, Kenny Roberts, Mario Andretti, Paul Newman, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Freddie Spencer, Randy Mamola, Kevin Schwantz, Nicky Hayden, Casey Stoner, Valentino Rossi, Marc Marquez and Jean-Marie Boulanger have in common?
They’ve all survived the famous hard-left, hard-right combination at Turns 8 and 8A, commonly known among motorsports fans as The Corkscrew. At the apex to Turn 8 (the lefthander and entry to The Corkscrew), the elevation change is a 12 percent drop. By the time a rider reaches the apex of Turn 8A (the righthander), the elevation is at its steepest – an 18 percent drop. The Corkscrew drops 59 feet between the entrance of Turn 8 to the exit of Turn 8A—the equivalent of a 5½ story drop—in only 450 feet of track length. From Turn 8 to Turn 9, the elevation falls 109 feet, or just over 10 stories.