Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a permanent road racing circuit in the rolling countryside of central Ohio, located just outside the village of Lexington in Troy Township, Morrow County. Opened in 1962, the natural-terrain layout is one of the most respected road courses in North America and carries an FIA Grade Two classification. Its full 2.4-mile, 15-turn original configuration winds through elevation changes and fast, flowing corners, while a 13-turn, 2.258-mile version bypasses the chicane for the fastest professional categories.

The track is known for technical, character-rich sections such as the Keyhole, the Esses, the Carousel, and the high-speed Thunder Valley back stretch, where cars approach 200 mph. Tight, narrow, and demanding, Mid-Ohio rewards precision, commitment, and rhythm over raw power, which is exactly why it has long been a favorite proving ground for drivers learning car control and racecraft. Major renovations in 1990, 2006, and 2023 modernized the surface and safety features while preserving the layout's classic flow.

For drivers, Mid-Ohio matters because it packs an unusual amount of variety into a compact footprint, blending blind crests, late apexes, and heavy braking zones that quickly expose weaknesses in technique. It has hosted top series including IndyCar, IMSA sports cars, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, MotoAmerica, Trans-Am, and decades of SCCA club competition. That mix of professional pedigree and grassroots access makes it an ideal venue for performance driving instruction and competition license preparation.