Plans to build a motorsports park right next to the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky were first announced in 2010. Now, four years later, the park is only eight months away from completion and has already booked 118 events.
The park, which is slated to be opened in time for the Museum’s 20th anniversary in August of this year, will feature a 3.15 mile road course which can be configured into a two mile, 13 turn west course and a 1 mile, 10 turn east course. The two tracks could be used for different events at the same time, or joined to make one large road course. It will also contain a 21 acre paddock/autocross area, which can be configured for autocross events as well as a wet/dry skidpad.
Despite its location in between the Bowling Green Assembly plant and the Corvette Museum, the racetrack will not be exclusively for Corvettes.
“One of the things that we’re facing is that we’re not a ‘Corvette-only’ facility, we’re open to any-and-all groups,” General Manager of the park, Mitch Wright, told WKU Public Radio. “As a matter of fact, our first group – other than a Corvette event that we’ve planned in late September – our very first client is Bluegrass BMW club.”
Wright said the park is designed for aspiring drivers to become more proficient behind the wheel, no matter their skill level.
Construction for the park is on schedule with the road base set to be laid down in the spring, and the track surface going down in late spring.
Comments
Its’s about TIME! Nice to see that the powers that be at GM are finally understanding the power of the brand that is CORVETTE. things like this is what will remove the well deserved rep GM had for lackluster customer appreciation and blatant disrespect and indifference to the performance minded.
Hopefully this will also translate into a perception of GM being serious about the business of building excellent cars. When John Q Public hears of museums, and Racetracks at the Corvette manufacturing facility, they may come and check it out. (i know people from Bowling Green who had no idea Corvettes were built there! WTH?!?) Just like how people go to Munich, Germany to visit the BMW factory, or Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg to visit Porsche, or even Maranello, Italy for Ferrari.
Those places are shrines to their products and GM (and most US car makers) have out right forsaken much of their past as they carried on with near indifference to the idea that their products may actually be arousing passion and loyalty in very vocal and dedicated customers.
@jzEllis – the Track is not being built by General Motors. It is being built by the National Corvette Museum, a 501c3 nonprofit foundation supported by Corvette enthusiasts. GM does not own or financially support the Museum or Motorsports Park.
Sam – the information you have about the track is incorrect:
“The park, which is slated to be opened in time for the Museum’s 20th anniversary in August of this year, will consist of two 3.1 mile road courses, a kart track, a 10 acre autocross course and a quarter-mile drag strip.”
The correct information is that it is:
– Road Course: 3.15 miles in maximum configuration with 4 miles of overall pavement, which can be arranged into four different configurations. (Two mile / 13 turn west course and a one mile / 10 turn East course. Both circuits will feature technical turns, straights and elevation changes. These two courses could be used independently for multiple events, or connected together into a unique large course.)
– Paddock / Autocross / Skid Pad Area: Variable configurations for autocross and wet/dry skid pad area 21 acres in size.
– Control Tower with Meeting Rooms, Administrative Offices, Classrooms
– Commercial Business Park
– Pavilion with Concessions
– Garages
– Tech Inspection Station
– Fueling Station
We do not have plans for a drag strip or kart track at this time.
http://www.motorsportspark.org/track/
Hey there,
Thanks so much for clearing that bit of information up. I have made the changes.
Technically – the line from Autoblog is correct: “It was 2010 when the plan was announced to build a complex of two road courses totaling 3.1 miles, a kart track, a 10-acre autocross course and a quarter-mile drag strip on 184 acres of land next to I-65.”
In 2010 – yes, we were planning on building a drag strip, kart track, and autocross was only 10 acres. They also correctly stated “two road courses totaling 3.1miles”. But, that’s not what will actually be constructed now.
Thank you for updating your information.
Really?!? You’d think GM would have a major hand in this project as well as the museum. Either way, I’m sure that this will be positive for GM and the Corvette brand as well as the facilitators of the Corvette museum and track.
Glad to know that there is such a following for the Vette that the Enthusiast saw fit to commemorate one of GM’s best cars.
Unfortunately this new info also proves my point about GM (and the other two US automakers) forsaking opportunities to capitalize on the loyalty and support their products generate.