NJ Track-Thunderbolt Raceway

[Andy]

A fellow MR2 owner is part of the planning group for this and said things were on schedule with ground breaking in Jan of 07 and opening 2008. The track looks pretty sweet. 3.98 miles but apparently will be pretty flat sort of like Miller Motorsports park in Utah for those that saw the USTCC on Speed.

http://www.njmotorsportspark.com

[G.Irish]

That'll be cool if it comes to fruition. There have been at least 4 or 5 tracks planned on the East Coast that haven't happened (yet) in the last few years. I'll be happy if we get just one more in a 4 hour radius. Still got my fingers crossed for Dragon's Ridge.

[Evan]

with so many tracks that are announced and never come to fruition, Im pretty jaded and look at each one as "ill believe it when i drive on it"

This track has better than average odds since its being lead by the developers/owners of VIR.
If it is completed, its going to be one hell of a busy track since its within reasonable driving distance of every major metro market in the NE

[Andy]

They awarded a construction contract to some company, recently got their building permit and announced ground breaking in Jan 07. That's a pretty close horizon if it's BS. Fingers crossed that this happens.

[Feersty]

Looks to be as far as VIR.

[Andy]

Our final hurdle is to see Governor Corzine sign the Sports and Entertainment District legislation (Bill # A 1054) that has been approved in the NJ Assembly and not yet heard in the senate economic growth committee and the full senate. The bill needs to be signed by Governor Corzine in December for NJMP to break ground in Feb-March 2007. Assemblyman Jeff Van Drew, the leading sponsor of A 1054 has asked that we all respectfully contact Senator Ray Lesniak, who holds the keys to the senate approval of the bill. Senator Lesniak chairs the senate economic growth committee, and he must agree to hearing the unaltered version of the assembly bill A 1054 in his committee and release the bill to the full senate, where Senate President Codey must agree to place the bill for a full senate vote. Senator Lesniak can be contacted as follows:

<!-- e --><a href="mailtoenlesniak@njleg.org">senlesniak@njleg.org</a><!-- e -->
telephone: 908 624 0880

Please take a minute and send an e-mail to Senator Lesniak urging him to support this important piece of legislation!!!!!! Let your voice be heard and prepare to race on a new track in 2008 !!!!!!!!!!!

I have emailed <!-- e --><a href="mailtoenlesniak@njleg.org">senlesniak@njleg.org</a><!-- e --> and mentioned I would spend an average of two nights per race, at several races per year if the track opened in NJ. You might want to mention where you are from and if you bring a crew/family to the race to help the local economy.

Thanks!

[Maengelito]

That'll be cool if it comes to fruition. There have been at least 4 or 5 tracks planned on the East Coast that haven't happened (yet) in the last few years. I'll be happy if we get just one more in a 4 hour radius. Still got my fingers crossed for Dragon's Ridge.

did they finish summit point shenandoah yet?

[Evan]

:?:

[Maengelito]

remember how long it took for shenandoah to be completed?

[.RJ]

:?:

[Apoc]

I got the humor and both :?: were unwarranted.

[Maengelito]

yay, suck it evan and rj

[.RJ]

Maeng is so ronery!

[Evan]

shenandoah was actually completed pretty quickly for a track, donkey

Rousch Creek, BeaveRun (still not finished), Dragons Ridge, etc have taken years

[.RJ]

[Maengelito]

shenandoah was actually completed pretty quickly for a track, donkey

Rousch Creek, BeaveRun (still not finished), Dragons Ridge, etc have taken years

i guess its standard procedure to open a track a full year and a half after the first scheduled event on it

[.RJ]

It was 6 months after the first scheduled event.

[Apoc]

...and that was a year after they said it would be ready for the first event.

[Evan]

...and that was a year after everyone hoped and speculated it would be ready for the first event.

fixed

[Apoc]

Uh no... it was ready a full year after Bill Scott himself told people like Cobetto (and other sanctioning bodies) that it would be ready for events. The internet speculation was on-going since most weren't privy to the BSR promises but that's not the entire story. NASA-VA even had it on their unpublished prelim schedule and had to remove it because the track wasn't going to be ready. Nice try though.