Drivers enjoy challenge of Road America

ELKHART LAKE - The course they call “America’s National Park of Speed” is a unique experience for drivers used to ovals: 14 turns, about 4 miles per lap and a scenic setting.

Road America presents a challenge to drivers as it revs up for its second year of a Nationwide Series race. Those drivers, however, relish the opportunity.

“It's pretty fun to race on, there's a lot of high speed stuff, a lot of low speed stuff,” said Reed Sorensen, currently third in Nationwide Series racing. “It's a pretty diverse course."

With fans sitting on bleachers in many of the turns, the drivers not only see a lot of faces, but a lot of trees.

“I don't think there's a more beautiful race track than what we have out here,” said current Nationwide Series points leader Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. “You're heading down the back straightaway and it doesn't really feel like you're on a race track."

In its second year, fans and drivers hope the Nationwide Series makes Road America as permanent a stop as possible.

"I think honestly this is a racetrack that has a long time on our schedule here for the Nationwide Series, and I'd love to see them run a truck race or a cup race here, I think it would be a blast," said Nationwide Series driver Justin Allgaier.

The Bucyrus 200 starts at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.