Alex Holowczak Presents the Merry Hill Grand Prix

If you read earlier about the Dudley Grand Prix, you will have noted I mentioned Merry Hill, a large shopping centre. This track goes around it.

The Area

Merry Hill is one of the biggest shopping centres in England. It has undulations, and would be a typical street circuit.

There are no real landmarks, other than shops, and perhaps the houses lining the track.

Whilst there aren't any local hotels, the one's in Dudley can be used. There will be ample parking on the Merry Hill centre's huge car parks.

The Fundamental Problems

There would have to be temporary pit garages as there is no real space for them on the straight.
There are no real grandstands - there would be space for one on the main straight opposite the housing, and there would be space for some on the bypass, and most of the other roads. They would need to be constructed.
It would need a lot of safety measures, as ever on a street circuit.
It is quite narrow in places.

The Pros

The layout is conjucive to overtaking
At about four miles, the track is long enough. It can be extended further down the carriageway to the hairpin (South) and then you can come back to the current right-hander. The North extension can be left out.

The Lap

I will describe the lap -

Start straight - Uphill into a right-hander at the brow of the hill.
Turn 1 - The sharp right-hander takes you into a small straight.
Turn 2-5 - An island chicane, leading onto a small straight.
Turn 6 - A strange junction, this is probably yet another island chicane, but it looks different on the road. Taken downhill.
Turn 7 - Slow left hander onto the Pedmore Road.
Turn 8 - Uphill with a left kink before reaching the hairpin.
Turn 9 - After plunging downhill, guess what, another island chicane!
Turn 10 - A fast right-hander taking you to the finish line.

Names of corners/straights

Turn 1 - Quarry Bank Hairpin
Turn 5 - Merry Hill
Turn 6 - Junction
Turn 7 - Island
Straight - Pedmore Road Out
Turn 8 - Peartree Hairpin
Straight - Pedmore Road In
Turn 10 - Kink

Perhaps other Armchair Users can create their own tracks based on streets in their local areas. It needs to be four miles long or there abouts long, and be good to race on. It needs to be realistic. I.e. Roads are wide enough. Corey, if you read this and undergo the challenge, don't use Road America!

I used Multimap for the map - The scale was 1:25,000