Currently under construction with a tentative opening date of October, 2008, High Rock Raceway will be the first and only dedicated road course in North Carolina.
The track will be a 14 turn, 2.15 mile world class road course. There will be ten separate rolling changes in elevation of between thirty and sixty feet. The track is 40 feet with a 2,400+ foot front straight, a 1,600+ foot back straight and a 10+ acre paved paddock.
World renowned road racer, Elliott Forbes-Robinson designed the track with input from a number of motorcycle and auto racing sanctioning bodies, safety professionals and racers. The track was designed to meet and exceed all modern safety standards while providing with a driving experience second to none. High Rock Raceway will be seeking safety approval from the FIA, FIM, AMA, SCCA and NASA.
The property is located only a few feet off Interstate 85, located approximately forty minutes north of Charlotte and forty five minutes south of Greensboro. It is easily accessible by the largest of race car transporters and 18 wheelers
I hope this tack is nice enough to possibly have a F1 race in the future but probably won't happen. Looks like a really cool track. I wonder if this will become the new NASCAR testing spot?
Only about 20 min from home so have been keeping a close watch on progress. Hopefully with EFR's affiliation it will pick up some top tier sports car series quickly.
Only about 20 min from home so have been keeping a close watch on progress. Hopefully with EFR's affiliation it will pick up some top tier sports car series quickly.
According to the website, they're trying to interest both sports car series, possibly IRL, and the AMA. The location is about where I 85 and US 29 cross each other and is just a few yards away from the Yadkin River. From what the landscaping plans show, it should be as scenic as it is challenging.
I hope this tack is nice enough to possibly have a F1 race in the future but probably won't happen. Looks like a really cool track. I wonder if this will become the new NASCAR testing spot?
An F1 race in the heart of NASCAR country are you nutz?
Now granted the "South" has become diverse because of its low cost of living. But not diverse enough to fill the grand stands of that track to host an F1 race and I wouldn't call Charlotte a diverse cultural center of the South either.
ALMS race? Possible
Grand Am? I sincerely HOPE NOT! but because of its proximity to all things NASCAR, more than likely.
I hope this tack is nice enough to possibly have a F1 race in the future but probably won't happen. Looks like a really cool track. I wonder if this will become the new NASCAR testing spot?
An F1 race in the heart of NASCAR country are you nutz?
Now granted the "South" has become diverse because of its low cost of living. But not diverse enough to fill the grand stands of that track to host an F1 race and I wouldn't call Charlotte a diverse cultural center of the South either.
ALMS race? Possible
Grand Am? I sincerely HOPE NOT! but because of its proximity to all things NASCAR, more than likely.
And all the usual Road Racing suspects, yes
What does the south have to do with it? You know as well as I do people will travel long distances to see a race if it is something they want to see. I actually live in Atlanta adn there are actually a good amount of F1 fans. You don't think that F1 fans from New York or pennsylvania or anywhere on the east coast will come? Just because the track is in the south it doesn't mean they would only attract the southern NASCAR fan.
I hope this tack is nice enough to possibly have a F1 race in the future but probably won't happen. Looks like a really cool track. I wonder if this will become the new NASCAR testing spot?
An F1 race in the heart of NASCAR country are you nutz?
Now granted the "South" has become diverse because of its low cost of living. But not diverse enough to fill the grand stands of that track to host an F1 race and I wouldn't call Charlotte a diverse cultural center of the South either.
ALMS race? Possible
Grand Am? I sincerely HOPE NOT! but because of its proximity to all things NASCAR, more than likely.
And all the usual Road Racing suspects, yes
I don't see any reason to think there might be any ties to NASCAR. If there were there would be no mention of ALMS or any series NASCAR didn't have a hand in. This is road racing; NASCAR's interests go no further in this part of the country than Lowe's Motor Speedway, where they tried road racing in the old Camel GT series for a few years only to have the NASCAR regulars set up a howl about it. The problem was the damage ground effect sports cars of the early and mid 80s was doing to the sections of the oval being used; it was pulling up chunks of asphalt.
I would imagine NASCARwould use the track. Currently, they head up to VIR for testing before they hit the Road Courses. this track is a lot closer to the race shops than VIR
I hope this tack is nice enough to possibly have a F1 race in the future but probably won't happen. Looks like a really cool track. I wonder if this will become the new NASCAR testing spot?
An F1 race in the heart of NASCAR country are you nutz?
Now granted the "South" has become diverse because of its low cost of living. But not diverse enough to fill the grand stands of that track to host an F1 race and I wouldn't call Charlotte a diverse cultural center of the South either.
ALMS race? Possible
Grand Am? I sincerely HOPE NOT! but because of its proximity to all things NASCAR, more than likely.
And all the usual Road Racing suspects, yes
Wow, not too much stereotyping and profiling going on in that post, is there?
I hope this tack is nice enough to possibly have a F1 race in the future but probably won't happen. Looks like a really cool track. I wonder if this will become the new NASCAR testing spot?
An F1 race in the heart of NASCAR country are you nutz?
Now granted the "South" has become diverse because of its low cost of living. But not diverse enough to fill the grand stands of that track to host an F1 race and I wouldn't call Charlotte a diverse cultural center of the South either.
ALMS race? Possible
Grand Am? I sincerely HOPE NOT! but because of its proximity to all things NASCAR, more than likely.
And all the usual Road Racing suspects, yes
Wow, not too much stereotyping and profiling going on in that post, is there?
I think its only YOU that got THAT much out of my post.
I didn't say it was a bad idea, I just said that the likelihood of an F1 race isn't that good and I am positive Uncle Bernie has some choice words about the Southern part of the United States.
I didn't say anything offending!
I wasn't talking about other areas just the area they are putting the track in and who it would likely attract. 95% of the people at the Long Beach GP are area residents and hardly puts a dent in the 3.5 million that make up Los Angeles County, yet they pack the house. That's what I am comparing it too.
I would imagine NASCARwould use the track. Currently, they head up to VIR for testing before they hit the Road Courses. this track is a lot closer to the race shops than VIR
Given the fact that Penske Racing is only half an hour or a little more away, it would be possible to see their cars in all three series thaey race in testing here.
It seems like a wonderful race track in the heart of NASCAR country (or close enough). I always say that Barber Motorsports Park and Miller Motorsports Park are two of the youngest and exceptional road courses in America. This course will give the American Southeast another stellar race track. It might be a stretch, but it looks like a race track even NASCAR could take on. North Carolina is NASCAR country, and for a road racing challenge, this would be a great challenge. As for sportscars in the ALMS and Grand-Am, this will just be business as usual with competitive racing. I must say I'm quite excited for this track envisioning ALMS and Grand-Am action here. I even envision if this hosted a major international series. "A major international series" doesn't exactly mean F1, but it could also be a MotoGP course, World Superbike, A1GP, and series like that. So my hopes are high for this course.
It seems like a wonderful race track in the heart of NASCAR country (or close enough). I always say that Barber Motorsports Park and Miller Motorsports Park are two of the youngest and exceptional road courses in America. This course will give the American Southeast another stellar race track. It might be a stretch, but it looks like a race track even NASCAR could take on. North Carolina is NASCAR country, and for a road racing challenge, this would be a great challenge. As for sportscars in the ALMS and Grand-Am, this will just be business as usual with competitive racing. I must say I'm quite excited for this track envisioning ALMS and Grand-Am action here. I even envision if this hosted a major international series. "A major international series" doesn't exactly mean F1, but it could also be a MotoGP course, World Superbike, A1GP, and series like that. So my hopes are high for this course.
It could work. The old Camel GT series drew good crowds from what has always been a traditional NASCAR market and the idea of seeing Cup cars on a road course should be even better received. It would, however, be a question of which oval race to drop.
To be honest, I used to be a fan of Watkins Glen. But really, I've never really liked Watkins Glen much anymore for some reason. I think Charlotte used to have a road course configuration that 7/8 of the course was the NASCAR oval (and I'm not talking about that pathetic joke of a race track when the Speed World Challenge raced at Charlotte). Question is, do you think NASCAR can actually market having stock cars road race in the heart of NASCAR country? It's a competitive race track for a variety of motorsports. Or at best, NASCAR could use this as a test track for road racing. They can use this track or VIR.
Otherwise, NASCAR country has a competitive road course.
I had given up on this ever being built, as the locals were inevitably fighting it. I had not heard that it was approved and is apparently under construction.
I am VERY excited about this, as I live less than 30 min from the site. I may drive down and look around.
This will be the ONLY road course in NC. Who care who races there, as long as it isn't NASCAR (that's is just painful to watch). RCR is less than 10 mi from there.
