The very first thing that strikes you isn’t the observe’s size or how a lot of it’s seen from the membership’s outdoors terrace. As a substitute, your eyes fixate on simply what number of elevation modifications the non-public observe on the Ten Tenths Motor Membership incorporates into simply 1.7 miles.
I’m in Harmony, North Carolina, for its grand opening. Over the next days, this new members-only membership will host classic racing, a Concours, and over $500 million of collectible automobiles as a part of its Heritage Invitational.
Positioned a number of hundred toes from the historic Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Ten Tenths Motor Membership outcomes from a three way partnership between Speedway Motorsports, house owners of race tracks throughout the US, and NASCAR staff proprietor and auto business tycoon Rick Hendrick.
To grasp the imaginative and prescient for this place, I sat for an interview with Speedway Motorsports CEO Marcus G. Smith, who defined how rapidly the imaginative and prescient got here collectively to construct this membership. Based on Smith, building started in October final 12 months and led to early April, simply earlier than its grand opening.
This contains creating an over 20,000-square-foot hospitality constructing the place members can entry racing simulators, a bourbon bar, a cigar lounge, and loads of lounging areas. On condition that the Ten Tenths Motor Membership is as a lot a observe as an occasion area, the staff behind it opted to put in lights on the circuit, making it attainable to host driving periods at evening.
Nonetheless, as Smith factors out, the Ten Tenths Motor Membership is constructed to be greater than only a place the place members can deliver their automobiles for a observe day. It contains non-public climate-controlled garages to retailer whole automotive collections and white-glove service ought to mechanical repairs be wanted.
The membership hosted the Heritage Invitational all through its opening weekend, which kicked issues off with historic Trans-Am automobiles on the observe competing in two 25-minute races. Later that night, attendees witnessed some Professional-Am racing accomplished at evening with the circuits lighting system illluminating the course.
Nonetheless, the weekend’s spotlight was the Heritage Invitational Concours hosted the next morning. It’s estimated that round $500 million of collectible automobiles had been in attendance, starting from a Lamborghini Miura to classic Porsche race automobiles in unrestored situation and even a pair of latest AMG ONEs.
The observe spans 1.7 miles in its full configuration and incorporates 112 toes of elevation change via 19 turns. It’s the work of 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Alexander Wurz, and the course provides a 1.1-mi Brief configuration and an excellent smaller 0.6-mi Internal Loop structure. The latter incorporates a water irrigation system to permit members to observe their drifting abilities whereas additionally serving as a driver coaching space.
One of many largest advantages of this being a brand new facility is simply how a lot runoff space it provides, about 42 ft on common. In the event you’ve ever skilled older circuits, you’ll usually discover that there isn’t a lot room for errors.
Member-only race tracks have grow to be fairly standard during the last 15 years. Whether or not discussing The Thermal Membership in Palm Springs or The Concours Membership in Miami, every facility has strengths and weaknesses. Nonetheless, whereas Ten Tenths Motor Membership may be the most recent addition to the world of personal circuits, its street course, full with huge elevation modifications and lots of turns packed into a comparatively quick course, ought to make it an thrilling competitor to this phase’s established gamers.
Whereas the Membership has simply opened, these concerned about becoming a member of can achieve this through the Ten Tenths Motor Membership web site.
