While the GRAND-AM 250 this Saturday will mark the first race appearance for the Daytona Prototypes, Pew already has an inside line on what the Rolex Sports Cars will feel like on Continental Tires, having tested at the track earlier this month.

Not only will the layout and track surface be a factor, but also the topography, as the track gains and loses altitude in several sections, making the driver constantly correct for the loss or gain of traction, depending on the area. Pew expects one lap of the 4.08-mile track to come a little over once every two minutes for the DP’s, which along with the GT Class grid will race on Saturday ahead of the NASCAR Nationwide event.

“I’ve run a lot of laps at Road America, in Skip Barber cars and Formula Mazda machines, and I just think it’s an outstanding track. It is a beautiful place to race, and an amazing track to drive.

“Starting on the front stretch, you are full throttle and top gear all the way down to turn one, where you are carrying a lot of speed. You want to brake deep, but you also have to be careful to make sure you carry as much speed as you can through the corner. It is a late apex, and you don’t want to hit the exit curbing because it can really upset the car. There is also a sand trap right behind that, and you really don’t want to be there!

“Then, down two gears as you brake for turn three--there are no brake markers there so you just have to use sight picture to pick your braking spot. It’s important to get the exit right here because the run down to turn five is quite long. You also have to be wary of locking up the brakes and flat-spotting a tire, because at a track like this that is going to be very costly.

“Going down to five, this is one of the fastest sections of the track before you get ready to slow for the corner, which is one of the slowest. This is going to be a key place for passing because the DP’s will be able to draft going into there, and it will also be important for clearing GT traffic. It’s really, really slow through there and you can get into trouble if you don’t brake early enough. Another place to be mindful of flat-spotting, as well as making sure you have the braking done early enough to get back on to the power.

“Then, it’s a short squirt on the power and getting the tires to hook up as you go up the hill to six. You JUST crest the top of the hill as you are braking and turning in. Then you shoot toward turn seven, which is basically just a lift before getting to turn eight. There, it is back down into heavy braking, down to second gear for turn eight. We should be able to also clear GT traffic there, but I think it’s less likely that it will be a DP passing opportunity unless you have a really big run coming out of seven.

“There is another rough bit of curbing to pay attention to in eight, so you have to be very precise. From there, you shoot into the Carousel, which is a long, long corner. The car is loaded the whole time, and as I mentioned, you are in the corner a long time. So you have to manage the tires there. It will be different from lap one to later in the stint, and you have to be smart with the car to save grip for later in your run. The car is initially pushing, but then you start to go downhill so the back of the car wants to break loose. And you are mostly steering the car with the throttle, all the way through there. And that can accelerate the tire wear at the back so you have to balance trying to get the power down with keeping the tires underneath you.

“From there it is straight into the Kink. On new tires, maybe you can do it flat. I’m not sure! But there isn’t a ton of time to be saved by doing that, and the risk, with the walls so close right there, is pretty significant. Maybe in qualifying...

“You are in the 130, 140 range speed wise at that point on the track. Then you are again in a bit of a tunnel, somewhat blind, through “Kettle Bottoms” as you can’t see all the way to the next corner--Canada Corner. So you have to time your passes just right, and if there are marbles off line, that will make passing even more tricky.

“Another big braking area for Canada Corner. Unlike turn five, its flat-not down hill. It should be another place that we’ll see lots of passing. But it’s also rough at the exit of the corner, and you can lose traction pretty easily right there so another section of tire management.

“This final section is one of my favorite places to drive, in all the world. You are in third gear, maybe up to fourth as you go under the bridge and wind your way to the final corner. Depending on the tires, might be breathing a bit on the throttle through there, and will change almost every lap depending on what kind of grip is there and what the tires have in them.

“Then, one last (14) corner that is key to getting a good launch back down the front stretch. When we ran, the track didn’t have much rubber down, but it will be interesting to see how it comes in during the weekend, particularly with the NASCAR guys running during the weekend as well. In qualifying, you will definitely NOT want to get traffic, and the early laps are going to be so key to putting down a time. We will have to see how the session plays out, but getting that fast lap in the bank early will be critical.”