Road & Track Discovers the Dragon

Sections: Events | In the Press May 9th, 2006 24 Comments

R&T has a timely article in this month’s issue about everyones favorite 11-mile stretch of road. Here’s an excerpt:

Driving the Dragon requires full-time concentration. Hands at 3 and 9 o’clock are kept busy, as are feet dancing across the pedals. Flailing down the “circuit,” it’s important to stay in the right-hand lane because of opposing traffic. Some curves are so tight that you feel as if the car will bend in half, but most of the 318 turns are fast, on-camber sweepers with nicknames like Gravity Cavity, Wheelie Hell, and Copperhead Corner. After a couple of runs, you’re ready to hit the shower.

You can buy the entire magazine at newsstands throughout the US. However we’re also happy to offer our readers a scan of the full article (provided by Loren Hickok):

[ Tail of the Dragon ] Road & Track (PDF)

Written By: Gabe

LTZMTOR

“everyones favorite ” ?
Wraith

i’m getting “Error 404 Not Found” when i click on the link
Scottinbend

Same here……….
http://www.iniw.net Randy K.

The redirect isn’t working quite right. I am sure Gabe will correct it later. In the meantime the URL is http://bridger.us/mini/files/R&T_June_2006 _TOTD.pdf(URL)

Cheers- Randy
http://www.iniw.net Randy K.

Oops I screwed that up.

http://bridger.us/mini/files/R&T_June_2006 _TOTD.pdf

Thanks- Randy
http://www.northamericanmotoring.com Greatbear

404′d!!!
http://www.lokisnake.com/blog/ LokiSnake

I think the underscores are being read as you wanting italics in the text.

Here’s a link that might work
http://www.motoringfile.com/ Gabe

Fixed. Posted this from my phone and forgot the http.
Vanwall
Posted this from my phone and forgot the http.

Geez, Gabe I hope you pulled over when you were texting. HeHe! “Those teenagers, always talking on the damn cell phones when they’re drivin’!!” These words have been heard by us all, in our heads at least. ;-)

Actually I mentioned this R&T article earlier, and I wish they had been more discreet – my take on the eventualities – more law.
```
             BCNU,
            Rob in Dago
```
JeffSc

I’m not sure how this would lead to greater enforcement; I doubt the local patrols could miss 400 sports cars hanging around and driving up and down the road for a week; and the same thing happening with all kinds of different cars, motorcycles, etc. Heck, the police have probably pulled out many crashed vehicles, as they mention in the article.

Sounds like this is quite the popular place; I hope I’ll get a chance to drive there someday…
TSizemore3

Gabe,

Not to sound like a spoil sport, but you might want to rethink posting scans of articles from magazines that are currently on the newsstands. If they have a version of the article online, you can always post a link to it, but posting a scan of the article from a current issue could cause you some copyright problems.
http://www.motoringfile.com/ Gabe

TSizemore3 – I thought about that issue quite a bit before posting this however:

(A) I’m only planning on keeping this up for a few days.

(B) I’m trying to urge people to actually buy the magazine within the post. if the folks at R&T still would rather not have this posted I’md be happy to pull it down.

(C) If I don’t post it, someone else will.

(D) It’s already posted elsewhere on the web.
O(=^=)OCapn

Yeah, It’s not like it is stealing if everyone else is doing it. ;)
Vanwall
JeffSc -

IÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢m not sure how this would lead to greater enforcement

I used to think that about a lot my favorite roads, and true the local cops all knew about them, but when the places gain more press, it makes ripples up the food chain. I’m sure all the State governments could use more income that vigorous enforcement would likely bring, and I don’t see them looking the other way for long. Radar and cameras to follow.
```
              BCNU,
            Rob in Dago
```
http://vinreddy.blogspot.com vin.

Yeah, they lost me with the second sentence, “Charles is completing his medical residency and will soon have Dr. in front of his name…”

Only slightly wrong… The Dr. part comes after you graduate from medical school (M.D.). Residency is what you do to get specialty training (Internal Medicine, Surgery, Radiology.)

I thought we covered all this back in ’89 with Doogie Howser,MD! I would expect such technical inaccuracy and poor editing from Car and Driver, but not R/T.
LTZMTOR

Vanwall

My thinking with what I wrote on the “Back from the Dragon” post. It has happened to one of my favorite spots which is now posted on a favorite drives site.

Fun to be a part of this stuff but all the publicity can be death. Too many People now.
Vanwall
Favorite roads? No, I haven’t any. Don’t know anything ’bout those whatchacallums – twisties? My MINI’s a nun’s car, just driven for groceries. ;-)

Lesson #1 Be like Sgt. Schultz.
```
             BCNU,
            Rob in Dago
```
MadisonMini

“You can hit 105 if you know the road and hang out the tail a little…” Are they talking 105 MPH?? Having just returned from the Dragon trip, I’d like to know what section of the dragon they are talking about. That statement sounds like total B.S.
tsukiji

105 is on a bike
Vanwall
The 105 with tail out is quoted from the Honda S2000 chap, so it’s implied a car was doing the high-speed hangin’. Truth or Dare?
```
             _BCNU,_
           _Rob in Dago_
```
http://www.motoringfile.com/ Gabe

The 105 with tail out is quoted from the Honda S2000 chap, so itÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s implied a car was doing the high-speed hanginÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢. Truth or Dare?

I could see someone doing that on one particular section w/an S2000.
Vanwall
I’m shocked, Gabe, shocked, to find your first visit to the Dragon has so jaded you. Surely you just putted around the swurves and corners – or did your tail hang out a little, as well? Oopsie – not good form to ask, sorry. ;-)
```
               BCNU,
            Rob in Dago
```
Deborah (aka NekoWoman)

I can’t believe an S2000 could hit 105 on the Dragon or even a bike, except for maybe a split second. Reality check…
tsukiji

There’s a spot on the Dragon where an MCS can safely hit 75, so I guess 105 isn’t too far fetched.

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