A 5.3-mile road course around Elkhart Lake was used between 1950 and 1953, but when racing was outlawed on public roads in Wisconsin, local businessmen built the new Road America circuit in the hills two miles to the east of the Lake. It is the most picturesque and challenging road course in the United States although it suffers from changeable weather. The 2001 Champ Car race was red flagged after accidents were caused by a virtual river running across the track and Cristiano da Matta suffered serious head injuries when he crashed into a deer during testing in 2006. Some of that series’ more surprising results occurred at Road America, among them Héctor Rebaque’s victory at the inaugural event in 1982 and Jacques (brother of Gilles) Villeneuve triumphed four years later. The race ceased when Champ Car went into administration after the 2007 season but has been revived as part of the IndyCar Series in 2016.
