Racing in South Jersey

[kwayne]

From the website: (http://www.njmotorsportspark.com/) with a picture and caption "American racing icon Carroll Shelby lends his expertise to the developers of New Jersey Motorsports Park"
There’s a storm on the horizon and the storm that will soon be blowing into Millville, New Jersey is known as
New Jersey Motorsports Park featuring . . .

Thunderbolt Raceway
Estimated time of arrival, June 2008.

The Green Flag has dropped and construction is now underway and in full force for the First Phase of New Jersey Motorsports Park.

Situated on over 500 acres at the intersection of Buckshutem Road and Dividing Creek Road over four (4) miles of road courses are being carved into the landscape.

The First Phase of New Jersey Motorsports Park is overwhelming. Featuring two (2) separate world class road courses, a first class karting circuit, vast amenities and a clubhouse to unwind at the end of the day.

The Southern Road Circuit at New Jersey Motorsports Park will be our signature Thunderbolt Raceway featuring over 2.25 miles of asphalt, 14 challenging turns, a one half mile straightway and approximately 40 acres of full service paddock space.

Amenities on this circuit will include concession buildings, event garages, twenty (20) VIP Suites, banquet rooms, a covered false grid, and a three (3) story timing tower with media center and VIP facilities.

The 1.9 mile Northern Circuit will be known as Lighting, this 10 corner circuit will be fast and challenging featuring some of the most interesting and dramatic corners and elevation changes in the park. The 20 acre paddock area will have a 4 acre skid pad and autocross area, as well as concession areas, timing towers and school and drivers meeting room facilities.

Connected to the Lighting will be our 1.1 mile world class karting facility. The karting facility features eight dramatic configurations many of which can be run simultaneously. All eight configurations are designed to be run either clockwise or counter clockwise and just when you feel you’ve mastered the circuit, it’s time to point you in a new direction to learn all over again.

The New Jersey Motorsports Park will also feature our members only Driver’s Club and our spacious and well appointed clubhouse facilities. Play on our tennis courts, take a dip in the pool or cozy up to the bar after dinner, all after a challenging day at the Motorsports Park.

New Jersey Motorsports Park is driving excitement closer. Whether you’re an enthusiast or corporation seeking alternative corporate hospitality and team building venues, the New Jersey Motorsports Park has exciting activities for everyone.

[Morfious]

Which sounds great until you get to the membership part:

Resident Membership Deposit: (Reservation) $500
Membership Initiation Fee: $5,000
Membership Annual Dues: $2,400

$7900 and I still haven't driven a lap yet.

Add to that the $150 per day of track use "Blacktop Fee"

Although I do get to use the gym, tennis courts, pool and video game room for "free".

Sounds like a good idea, but the price is killing me. I don't have that kind of extra cash to throw away on a "hobby". Maybe they will have a coupon day or something.

[RobL]

Except, it's not quite like that.

If you are a member of the club, you can use the facilities when they are not leased out. You will be able to get on that track for events, such as track days, that will not require you to be a member.

[marlboromike]

Originally Posted by RobL

Except, it's not quite like that.

If you are a member of the club, you can use the facilities when they are not leased out. You will be able to get on that track for events, such as track days, that will not require you to be a member.

What r u saying...if u r a member and then...You will be able on the track..not requiring membership...I would like an interpretation of just what u just wrote...everyone must be stupid.

[RobL]

Let's look at VIR for a second (actually the owners are the same so it's going to work the same).

http://www.virclub.com/vir/index.php...ents&Itemid=51

In October there are two "Member Days" on the 3rd and 19th. Those are the days that you need a track membership to get into.

If you look at the 20th and 21st, the "Car Guys" have rented part of the track. So you could go over and sign up for the "Car Guys" weekend (I think it's about $500 for the weekend) and not be a memeber of the track.
http://www.carguysinc.com/calendar.html

So you can see on the calandar that there are plenty of "other clubs" that have rented the track so you are not limited to being a member of the track.

I am a track instructor for a local Miata club. I am not a member of a track but I do get to drive on them. VERY VERY few car clubs allow convertables on the track without a rollbar. The Miata club is a rare exception. If you plan on doing track time, find a rollbar or a group that will let you go without one.

edit: on the stupid thing... The per day of track time is greatly reduced for a member ($150 vs. $300 for car guys) and it has the other perks of garages and discounts. If you can't store your race car at your house, you can keep it at the track. Also you may be able to reserve/rent the banquet facilities for free (catering not included). For track enthusiasts, having a membership makes sense - for guys who do 1 or 2 track days a year, not so much.

[xmicro_Redline]

Originally Posted by RobL

I am a track instructor for a local Miata club.

So my question is.....do you own a SKY??? .........and if so will you be getting involved in instructing the local SKY club????


If not you are to be held as a Zoom Zoom SPY!! (God I hate that extremely stupid advertising campaign, it is childish and insulting to a consumers intelligence )

[RobL]

Originally Posted by xmicro_Redline

So my question is.....do you own a SKY??? .........and if so will you be getting involved in instructing the local SKY club????

This is me:

http://www.scca-susq.com/photogaller...e/dsc_8442.htm

Is it close enough? I don't own a Miata either.

Define instructing - Autocross, track, other? Are there events lined up already? I'm willing to help out but I don't want to be the "go to" guy. I had that job and it sucks.

[dengel]

I have heard that the Miata Clubs are very welcoming of having others join them for their track days. A friend of mine has an S2000 and has done a few of their events. I will probably look into signing up for one of them some time next year.

[marlboromike]

Originally Posted by RobL

Let's look at VIR for a second (actually the owners are the same so it's going to work the same).

http://www.virclub.com/vir/index.php...ents&Itemid=51

In October there are two "Member Days" on the 3rd and 19th. Those are the days that you need a track membership to get into.

If you look at the 20th and 21st, the "Car Guys" have rented part of the track. So you could go over and sign up for the "Car Guys" weekend (I think it's about $500 for the weekend) and not be a memeber of the track.
http://www.carguysinc.com/calendar.html

So you can see on the calandar that there are plenty of "other clubs" that have rented the track so you are not limited to being a member of the track.

I am a track instructor for a local Miata club. I am not a member of a track but I do get to drive on them. VERY VERY few car clubs allow convertables on the track without a rollbar. The Miata club is a rare exception. If you plan on doing track time, find a rollbar or a group that will let you go without one.

edit: on the stupid thing... The per day of track time is greatly reduced for a member ($150 vs. $300 for car guys) and it has the other perks of garages and discounts. If you can't store your race car at your house, you can keep it at the track. Also you may be able to reserve/rent the banquet facilities for free (catering not included). For track enthusiasts, having a membership makes sense - for guys who do 1 or 2 track days a year, not so much.

To me, ignorance is bliss...i love not thinking any longer.

[kwayne]

This was in today's AC PRESS, so I thought I'd post so we can start making plans

Millville race park releases '08 schedule

By SUSAN LULGJURAJ Staff Writer, 609-272-7187
Published: Friday, December 7, 2007
Millville's New Jersey Motorsports Park released its inaugural schedule on Thursday that will include five major spectator races and 34 club and driver school events in 2008.The highlight of the season is a stop by the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series from Aug. 29-31, which is Labor Day weekend. "The Grand-Am is the pinnacle event. It's tremendously exciting," said Donald Fauerbacher, the founder of the Green Flag Committee instrumental in bringing the New Jersey Motorsports Park to Millville.
"It's been hard to hold the schedule back for so long because we had to finalize a lot with many of the dates. We have known for some time, but we had to complete the entire calendar."
The park features two courses, the Thunderbolt Raceway, a 2.3-mile course, and the Lightning Road Course, a 1.9-mile stretch.
The $150 million complex is located on 700 acres next to the Millville airport. The park will feature road, oval and off-road races as well as spectator and participant facilities.
More than 100,000 fans are forecasted to attend the events over the summer, according to a press release from the park.

The first spectator event will be held by the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) from Aug. 7-10. The event will have a number of different races in two categories: the OPTIMA Batteries Sprint Series Races and the MotorCheck Enduro Series Races.

It will be followed by the Ford Shelby Club of America Nationals from Aug. 15-17, the D1 Grand Prix from Sept. 12-14 and a stop by the ARCA RE/MAX Series on Sept. 26-28.
The ARCA RE/MAX Series, run by the Automobile Racing Club of America, is a racing series that features stock cars, or the same type of cars run by NASCAR. It's considered a minor, but professional, league of stock car racing, a few steps down from NASCAR's Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series. The last time the ARCA RE/MAX circuit had a road race was in 2001.

The D1 Grand Prix event is a drifting event. Drifting started in Japan 20 years ago and evolved from an underground street activity. It gain some mainstream notice when it was featured in the 2006 movie "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift." It refers to a driving technique involving over-steering of a car. Drifting competitions are judged based on line, angle, speed, and show factor. The variety of shows is vital to the success of the motorsports park, Fauerbacher said.
"Diversity is a critical component for our facility from go-karts to motorsports, stock cars to vintage auto racing to drifting," he said. "Diversity is the key to success in a world-class facility. We are going to have concerts, all kind of activities. This is a motorsports resort we are building."
Paving continues for the courses. The full base coat is completed for the Lightning course and will be finished in the spring. The Thunderbolt Raceway is set to be completed in June.
The NJMP is striving to be a first-class motorsports complex in the southern New Jersey area. Fauerbacher always felt the complex would be a success and the first season's schedule is just a start in the right direction.
"I'm accused of being the biggest cheerleader. There was never a doubt in my mind there wouldn't be a full and complete schedule," Fauerbacher said. "New Jersey is the single-most underserved state when it comes to motorsports. Yet, one of the highest per capita of motorsports sports enthusiasts. How can a motorsports facility fail in terms of attracting activity? In my mind, it's impossible for us to not succeed."

Aug. 7-10: Sportscar Vintage Racing Assoc.
Aug. 15-17: Shelby Club of America
Aug. 29-31: Grand-Am rolex Sports Car Series
Sept. 12-14: D1 Grand Prix Professional Drifting (maybe Rhys Millian and his Solstice)
Sept. 26-28: ARCA Re/Max Series