With the paving done for the course and karting area we are now focusing our time on installing the curbing, catch fencing, armco, railing and final grading of the loam. This will take up the rest of the summer but we are allowing time for some of our members to get on course and check out the finished surface. These are done under restriction with the understanding that the safety systems are not yet installed and the risk associated with that.
Regardless, people seem to be continuously leaving the course after a few laps with large grins across their faces.
We start with the paved run off areas and pit lane on Monday. Tuesday will be the start of the road course. We will work on that until it is finished. We should be wrapped up with the rest of paving by the end of the week!
As much as we have enjoyed having the pavement base layer, we are anxious to have the remaining pavement laid down. With that being said, starting on 07/11/16 we will start laying down the leveling layer of the road course and karting course. (This is the middle layer) As we progress further we will put the final wear coat on top finishing out the paving process! During the time we are paving, you can be sure we will be bringing you more live broadcasts. We will be broadcasting each day of paving at noontime EST on the respective day. We hope you can join us for this huge milestone.
We started off the month of June on the right foot! Paving took place starting June 13th with the west paddock. The following day we started on the road course proper. Beginning on the front straight, we had made it all the way around to just before Turn 9a. Thats two pavers with shuttle bugs laying down 42' of asphalt simultaneously. The next day after that, we finished going all the way around and connecting to the front straight. They even started on pit lane that very same day! We ended the week with with paving the base layer for the rest of pit lane, all run off areas and the karting course!
To give folks an idea of just how much asphalt was used just for the base layer, we have it broke down for you below.
Road Course Proper (42' wide) 2" base course - 6,300 tons Road Course Run-off Areas 2" base course - 2,500 tons Road Course Pit Lane 2" base course - 1,500 tons Karting Course Total - 950 tons West Paddock - 1,280 tons
Total of 12,530 tons paved in five days!
We had over 40 trucks coming all the way from Concord, NH with asphalt from around 7am in the morning (when they started to show up at the track, even earlier for them) until around 7-8pm in the evening!
It really is an impressive feat! Tours are still going on. We expect to start the leveling layer on July 11th. We will be sure to keep all of you up to date!
With over 1 million cubic yards of material moved, crushed and put into place, we are set to pave the road course! Paving will start as soon as we complete the fine grading and weather conditions allow. Paving could start as early as the last week of May or the first weeks in June. Exciting times are ahead!
TOURS WILL CARRY ON As many photos and videos as we try to post, you can't full appreciate what Club Motorsports has to offer until you see it with your own eyes. That being said, tours will continue while we fine grade the course and begin to pave. Access may be limited in some spots at times but you will still be able to see all that Club Motorsports has to offer. Feel free to contact Jason to set up a day and time.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE COMING MONTHS After paving, the next step is the installation of the safety system. Our safety system is designed to meet the FIA requirements for a Grade 2 road course. While we won't host races of this type, we are designing and installing a system that provides the utmost in safety for our members and guests. The system includes large, paved run-off in all the downhill turns, three-high armco guard rail, catch fence, and tire barriers and other attenuators, as well as curbing.
After the pavement cures, we plan on having several open houses so that members and prospective members can drive the course under tightly controlled conditions. Please check our website and emails for updates and schedules.
With the limbo between seasons, too cold to pave but not cold enough to snow, a unique situation presented itself. Team O’Neil Rally School along with Jason Cammisa from Motortrend Magazine, made a proposition to use the unpaved course as a personal playground with some E30 BMWs as part of a on going documentary/video series that Jason was working on.
Now Jason, while being well versed in driving many vehicles on an actual road course, had never been behind the wheel of a dedicated rally car in its native habitat. Which is dirt and gravel.
Prior to arriving at Club Motorsports, Jason and his crew spent some time at Team O’Neil’s 600 acre driving facility for a crash course in the art of rally.
Next day, everyone arrives at Club Motorsports and the consensus is the same. They are a bit awestruck by the course, its layout and the location. It’s hard to describe just how perfect it really is. It’s an amalgamation of fun, technically challenging but at the same time a forgiving course that follows rather than clashes with the surrounding landscape. The ups and downs, the gentle sweeps massaged into the natural curvature of the mountain that seems to happen almost organically. All wrapped together with spectacular vista views from just about everywhere on course.
After a few practice laps on the track, Jason came back in to the paddock area and confidently stated that this was the "best course in America". Something we had felt the same about but it was nice to hear from someone unbiased and that has been on many tracks through out the country to base his comparison on.
Here are some photos from the event. Jason and the fellows from Motortrend are working tirelessly to put together the footage they collected over the course of the day and have hopes of release the video by December 21st. You can be sure we will let you know when it becomes available. In the meantime enjoy these photos.
It gives you a glimpse of what you can come to expect from Club Motorsports.
