American Power

It looks like NJmotorsports will have a nice set up, the lightning and the larger Thunderbolt. PDA has the most days set up at these track it seems.

But what about the track that has been getting built at E-town? The website doesn't say much. The lay out looks challenging, but does anyone know anything about this track.

It's a great time to be living in the NYC area. Within 2-3hrs theres many tracks to choose from. Limerock, Pocono, WGI(4hrs), E-town, NJMotorsports, and theres another one in PA that is being worked on. I forgot the name, that might be for members only.

DOUG @ ECS

The track at E-town is really just a glorified autocross at best. Last time I was there they had go carts on it, I think it's better suited for that really.

But Thunderbolt.... oh boy!

TedDBere

The e-town course has been used at Corvette Day at Englishtown for the autox competition. Here's a link to pictures (you need a flicker account to view): http://www.flickr.com/photos/autox4u...986203/?page=2

It has been announced that the road course will be used again at this year's Corvette Day too. August 2, 2008.

It's not being used as a road course at this point in time. Not sure why.

PA Z06

X2, I cant wait for thunder bolt

American Power

Alot of excitement on Thunderbolt. PDA has a few days there and I'm in.
Does anyone know the track layout? Any sneak peaks? Linky??

Will they combine the smaller Lightining track with the larger Thunderbolt and have a Full layout?

TedDBere

http://www.njmotorsportspark.com/

linutux

jbednarsh

The other PA track is Alpine Motorsports club (http://www.alpinesignature.com/). It looks like it will be awesome track if they can manage to get their permits cleared up, which they have been working on for some time. I toured the site back in the summer, just been waiting....waiting....waiting for news on the permits.

gonzalezfj

The original proposal had Lightning and Thunderbolt linked together. It also had some other kinks and crevices which allowed them to have 14 (or maybe it was 12) different configurations. Then about a year and a half ago, the layouts were changed to what you see today.

I have great hopes that they will eventually go back to the original layout. It looked fantastic.

Frank Gonzalez

Wicked Weasel

I really feel Etown went half-azz with the track just to say they have one. It would be tons of fun with go-karts, those little pocket rockets or even snow mobiles.

Probably be fun as an auto-x track too and a good place if you were alone to test suspension. Outside of that I dont see cars running side by side or even HPDEs on it because it is just too tight in too many places. One mistake and you are taking out more than your own car.

Too bad since it is only 15 or so mins from my house

Wicked Weasel

Frank you just ruined my day. I didnt realize that they decided not to connect the 2 tracks.

Do we have specs on turns and length of the 2 individual tracks? I was so looking forward to a huge 3+mile track.

Bob

TedDBere

They also eliminated the autox pad too.

ZR1 MK

Officials classified the E Town track unfit for road course use.

95jersey

They changed their decision about 8-10 months ago. There was no announcement, just one day the track map changed. I wonder if there were environmental issues possibly? or funding or timelines could not support the linking of the two tracks?

There was a meeting back in December at the BMW club where the owners of Thunderbolt were going to be there. I wanted to attend to ask this specific question, but never made it to the meeting. I was also disapointed and was looking forward to a nice long 4+ mile track, but at the end of the day, ANY track 35 minutes from my house is great!

I have seen the E-town track when I go there to ride their motocross track and it's not even that it's too tight. They built NO run-off areas or even armco in the corners. There are places where the track is only a few feet from another section of the track. Imagine if you had an HPDE group out on the track and someone cooked a corner and drove right onto another section of the track hitting another car head on! Go look at their track map and you'll see what I am saying, no barriers and corners that are only a few feet from one another. This goes to show you need LOTS of space to build a road course. Imagine having everyone out on an autp-X course at the same time, people would be crashing into eachother left and right.

Wicked Weasel

what you describe about ETown is what I meant about tight. When I looked at it I thought no way am I running this track with other cars on it. Too many run off areas run right in another portion of the track.

Looks like Thunderbolt is divided between motorcycles and cars. Cars get thunderbolt and bikes get lightning for the most.

I see Deleware Valley BMW has a track day at Thunderbolt - are these guys good cause I would join if so....

I plan to go with PDA for a few events. I would like to sneak in 5 days there if possible.

gonzalezfj

Sorry, I didn't ruin your day, they did.

I am about 80 minutes away from the track, so I was disappointed too. It could be the premiere East Coast track facility if they spend some more money. I expect the return on investment did not pan out with the bigger track(s), but once they get the facility going (read: making money), maybe they could justify the expansion.

I expect this venture to be very profitable. The track is not even finished and it is already booked for every available weekend in 2008 (and some beyond).

Since it will be built and operated like VIR, it should be a class act and people in the Northeast will unquestionably flock to it at every opportunity.

The best info I have seen is the track map they publish in their website (see Post #7 above). There is info on track length in their website, but no corner radius data that I have seen.

See for yourself: www.njmotorsportspark.com

Frank Gonzalez

gonzalezfj

I have run a couple of times at Pocono with DVBMW. They are OK for the most part, wlthough they have some members that definitely look down their nose at you if you don't drive a Beemer.

Those are the ones I like to blast past in my C6Z. Later they come and ask what mods you have in the Vette. That's the time to look at them with an angelic smile in your face and say "Why, no. No mods. That's just the way GM delivers it. You may want to look into trading in your Beemer on one of these."

I would join them just to run Thunderbolt.

Frank Gonzalez

Wicked Weasel

95jersey

I really like the BMW Club, great instructors, run very well if not the best, and always putting safety first. They can be kind of snobby, but hey, it's a BMW club. Most are actually extremely friendly and been around vette's long enought to know they are very fast. Matter of fact, from running with them over 7 years now, I have seen a few of them actually buy C5Z's.

Also, don't think because they are BMW's that they are slower than say PDA run groups, because that is not the case. There are a number of guys in 2000lb (or less) cars running 300hp motors that are faster than you think. I do their summit point event mostly as they are one of the few clubs that runs the long course. They also have a nice BBQ bonfire the night before.

95jersey

Just found this on the NJ Motorsport website

Following Round Six at Mosport International Raceway, the series will cross the border and head east to the brand-new New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, N.J., home of Thunderbolt Raceway. The 14-turn 2.25-mile road course will host the penultimate round of the SCCA SPEED Touring Car Championship and a SPEED GT doubleheader, September 26 – 28. The series’ inaugural event at New Jersey Motorsports Park will be held in conjunction with the ARCA/RE/MAX Series

Too bad Lou isn't in WC anymore, I could finally get a chance to meet him. But this is great, I can drive my vette and check out Grand Am AND WC races 30 minutes from my house...someone PINCH ME!