Road America is situated on 640 acres about halfway between Milwaukee and Green Bay on Wisconsin Highway 67. The track has been in continuous use since 1955 and is classified as an FIA Grade Two circuit. It measures 4.048 miles with 14 turns and features notable elevation changes across the layout. The front straight allows speeds approaching 200 mph, while the backside contains one of the track's most recognized sections — a high-speed sweeper known as "the Kink." Open seating allows spectators to move throughout the grounds, and grandstand plus hillside seating accommodates crowds exceeding 150,000. The circuit has changed little from its 1955 configuration, making it one of the few road courses in the world that has retained its original layout.
Road America's first association with NASCAR's top division came in 1956, when the circuit hosted a single Grand National race as part of NASCAR's brief 1950s road-course experiment. That event stood as the only Cup-level race at the circuit for 65 years.
NASCAR returned to Road America in 2021 as part of the series' expanded road-course calendar, which added several new permanent circuits to give drivers and manufacturers more diverse technical challenges. The 2021 Cup race, run as the Kwik Trip 250, was part of a two-year arrangement. The circuit also hosted NASCAR Xfinity Series races starting in 2010, giving NASCAR regulars familiarity with the layout before the Cup Series arrived. The Xfinity event ran annually from 2010 to 2023 as the Road America 180.
NASCAR departed Road America after the 2022 Cup race, with the series opting to move the Wisconsin date to a new street circuit in and around Chicago starting in 2023. The Xfinity Series also left the calendar after 2023, ending a 13-year run.
Road America's length — more than twice that of many oval tracks on the Cup schedule — and its mix of fast sweepers, heavy braking zones, and technical infield sections placed high demands on fuel strategy and tire management. The circuit's front straight gave cars space to draft and set up passes, while the Kink required full commitment at speed. The track's camping culture and accessible infield made it a popular event among motorsport enthusiasts in the upper Midwest.
Road America has hosted the IndyCar Series as the Grand Prix of Road America, the IMSA SportsCar Championship, the Trans-Am Series, CART/Champ Car from 1982 to 2007, and the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship. The circuit also holds vintage racing weekends, SCCA events, and endurance races. The track's longevity across multiple decades and multiple series reflects its standing as one of North America's most respected permanent road courses.
A notable incident at the circuit occurred in August 2006 during Champ Car testing, when driver Cristiano da Matta struck a deer near turn 6 while traveling at speed. The deer impacted da Matta in the cockpit and he was airlifted to hospital, where surgeons removed a subdural hematoma; he ultimately recovered.