Nelson Ledges — Race Line
Estimated from data not in trackdays.ai. The line, speeds and braking points come from cars lapping at a typical quick HPDE pace, checked against published track guides and brake markers. If you have data you would like to contribute, please send it to upload@trackdays.ai to help improve our estimates.
Heads up: This is an estimate of a typical quick HPDE line, not any one car's lap. Braking points are a starting point, not a target: start a little earlier and work later in small steps. The line goes straight from throttle to brake; amber only marks where you really lift or hold part throttle. The LiDAR was flown in spring 2020, so the basemap shows the 2020 surface. Turn numbers are Chin's and provisional; the Kink carries no number.
- Throttle
- Coast / partial
- Braking
- Apex
- T4Off-camber corner
Arrows show the direction of the lap. The grey basemap is USGS LiDAR: dark = asphalt, light = grass. Tap any map for the full-size image.
Nelson Ledges is a fast, mostly flat lap where the bumpy surface and a few very long corners matter more than elevation. The two big loops, the banked T3 and the even more banked Carousel, take more grip than they look like they should, and the Kink on the back run is very fast, so build up to it over several laps. Most of your lap time comes from a clean Carousel exit onto the back run and a tidy T7 onto the front straight.
Sectors
After the front straight, T1 and T2 are two linked right-handers on a flat, slightly falling surface. Brake briefly in a straight line for T1, keep your exit in check so you are ready for T2, and use T2 to set the car up for the long left of T3.
T3 is a long, banked left loop and the Carousel is an even longer, more banked right-hander, so this sector rewards patience and smooth, steady steering. Brake for T3, but enter the Carousel on a lift and let it scrub the speed; lean on the banking in both, and work hardest on a clean Carousel exit, because it starts the long fast run to the Kink.
The back run takes you through the very fast Kink, over bumps that can unsettle the car, then T5 and the uphill left of T6 lead to T7, the tightest and slowest corner on the lap. Keep the car straight and steady through the Kink, then put your effort into a clean T7 exit onto the front straight.
Corners
T1 is a right off the front straight that falls gently away and is well cambered. Brake briefly and lightly in a straight line (it is a fast corner), turn in smoothly, take a late apex and let the car track out to the left, keeping enough room to be ready for T2. The mistake to avoid is a ragged exit that runs out to the edge, leaving you badly placed for T2.
From the survey: On camber (+2.6%) into a gentle drop.
T2 is a level right with the least camber of any corner, so a brief dab of the brakes is all it needs; don't ask too much of it. Its real job is to set you up on the right side for the long left of T3, so give up a little here if it gets you there. The mistake to avoid is attacking T2 and being out of position for T3.
From the survey: Essentially level, and the least cambered corner (+1.6%).
T3 is the long, looping left, and it is well banked all the way around, so it will hold more speed than it looks. Brake in a straight line, turn in from the right, keep a steady, constant arc and let the car track out to the right as you approach the Carousel. The mistake to avoid is turning in too early on such a long corner and then running out of road on the exit.
From the survey: The one big left: banked +7.1% at the apex and +5.5% across the whole 174° arc.
The Carousel is a very long right that is the most banked corner on the circuit, so trust it. Lift in a straight line before you turn in rather than braking, let the speed bleed off through the long, tightening first half, keep the car tight through the middle on steady part throttle and use all the road on the exit as the banking fades. The mistake to avoid is adding throttle too early and drifting onto the flatter outside of the exit, where the grip drops away.
From the survey: 220° of right-hander, banked +9.8% at the apex: the most banked surface on the circuit. The bank washes out on the exit.
The Kink is a gentle right on the back run and the fastest corner on the lap, with bumps on the approach that can unsettle the car. Keep the car straight and settled, use small, smooth steering and only stay flat once you have built up to it over several laps. The mistake to avoid is a sudden correction or a snap lift mid-corner; if you need to slow down, lift smoothly before you turn.
From the survey: Unnumbered on Chin's map, and the fastest point on the lap that isn't a straight.
T5 is a fairly quick right with good camber at the apex and an exit that starts to climb. Brake or lift in a straight line, turn in smoothly and feed in throttle as the road rises, tracking out to the left. The mistake to avoid is staying out wide on the exit, because you want to be on the right side for the left of T6.
From the survey: On camber (+2.7%) and climbing on the exit.
T6 is an uphill left, so the slope helps you slow down. Brake in a straight line, take a mid apex and don't let the car run all the way out to the right on the exit, so you can get back across for the tight right of T7. The mistake to avoid is running wide out of T6 and leaving no room to set up for T7.
From the survey: Uphill through the corner. On camber, though the exact figure is uncertain.
T7 is the tightest and slowest corner on the lap, a long right that climbs to the highest point and opens onto the front straight. Brake firmly but briefly in a straight line as you come out of T6 (it blurs into one long slowing zone with the lift into the corner), be patient, turn in late and aim for a late apex so you can be on full throttle early, tracking out to the left. The mistake to avoid is turning in early and having to lift on the exit, which costs you all the way down the front straight.
From the survey: The tightest radius (42.5 m) and the slowest point on the lap, climbing to the circuit's high point.
Version history
- v1.1 · 2026-10-01 — Speeds and braking points rebuilt from cars at a typical quick HPDE pace, with each brake zone placed where the braking actually starts. Braking for T3 and T6 starts 5 to 10 m later; T1 is a short, light brake starting about 25 m earlier; T2 now shows a brief dab of the brakes; the Carousel is entered on a lift; T7's slowing now runs as one lift out of T6. The line now goes straight from throttle to brake, with no coasting in between. Version history and feedback contributors added.
- v1.0 · 2026-10-01 — First version.
Feedback contributors
Drivers and instructors whose feedback has improved this line. Thank you.
- Mike M — no coasting between throttle and brake; braking points (v1.1)