Text: Yousef Alvi // Photography: Geoff Dennis

The Petit Le Mans race held at Road Atlanta is one event that brings out everyone.  It’s not just a race...it’s an event that captivates the hearts and minds of anyone with a pulse.  The sounds of exotic machinery wail into the Georgia night but the infield is where the story is at.  

Petit brings out machinery that you will never see on that road.  I saw my first McLaren F1 and Ferrari F50 along with a Jaguar XJ220 at Petit.  The special parking for Porsche, AMG and BMW vehicles is where one can find such beasts like GT2s, E30 M3s and AMG Hammers strewn across the grass like daisies in a field.

If you really want to get your heart pumping.  Venture down to the paddocks during pit stops. You will witness the synchronized waltz that is a beautifully precise pit stop.  Air guns rattle off while crew members quickly and methodically work their way around the race car, fuel is pumped and the drivers swap out all in a matter of seconds.  Witnessing that in real life is enough to get your adrenaline pumping for the climb back up the hill to witness the actual race itself.

The grueling 24 hours helps forge a relationship between man and machine. The race car and the driver become one…one combined force up against the clock. The clock and its dastardly countdown will wear machine, driver and crew in unison.

If you haven’t experienced Petit Le Mans before...you are doing yourself a grave injustice.  It’s an event that will stay with you for the rest of the year.