New Roadcorse coming to Knoxville area?

[Erich]

I use to road race and run some track days, so when I ran across this, I was pretty excited to see some possibilities that are closer / easier to get to.

https://www.roadracingworld.com/news/new-road-course-being-proposed-in-oak-ridge-tennessee/

What do you local folks think of putting a track there. Seems far enough out and not too close to some higher rent districts to the south?

[peejman]

They've been talking about this for 10-15 years. Google Thousand Suns raceway.  The lack of a decent access road is major problem, that's partly what killed Nashville Speedway.  I doubt the county will cough up the millions to build a road. 

I'd love to see it come, it's a lot closer than Road Atlanta or VIR, but I have serious doubts it'll happen. 

[DaveTN]

NOT IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE THEY WON'T

[gregintenn]

1 hour ago, peejman said:

They've been talking about this for 10-15 years. Google Thousand Suns raceway.  The lack of a decent access road is major problem, that's partly what killed Nashville Speedway.  I doubt the county will cough up the millions to build a road. 

I'd love to see it come, it's a lot closer than Road Atlanta or VIR, but I have serious doubts it'll happen. 

The state built a very nice access road to the racetrack in Wilson county. It provides access to US231 and 840. I couldn’t imagine a place easier to get in or out of. What am I missing?

[Grayfox54]

I don't think road racing is popular enough around this part of the country to support such a track. Now if they were to build it and then add a big NASCAR oval around it, it just might fly.  

[E4 No More]

15 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

The state built a very nice access road to the racetrack in Wilson county. It provides access to US231 and 840. I couldn’t imagine a place easier to get in or out of. What am I missing?

That speedway tanked because they screwed up on the bank. It's not steep enough.

[gregintenn]

43 minutes ago, E4 No More said:

That speedway tanked because they screwed up on the bank. It's not steep enough.

I never heard a convincing reason why it tanked. They was grade work started for a dirt track and a couple of dragstrips as well. It looked to me like it had promise, then it was closed.

[Garufa]

48 minutes ago, Grayfox54 said:

I don't think road racing is popular enough around this part of the country to support such a track. Now if they were to build it and then add a big NASCAR oval around it, it just might fly.  

We’ve already got Bristol up here.  It would be refreshing to have something interesting in motor sports we who care nothing for NASCAR can enjoy.

Back in the day there was the Atomic Speedway in Oak Ridge (kinda).  Now, that was real racing.

[FUJIMO]

20 minutes ago, Garufa said:

We’ve already got Bristol up here.  It would be refreshing to have something interesting in motor sports we who care nothing for NASCAR can enjoy.

Back in the day there was the Atomic Speedway in Oak Ridge (kinda).  Now, that was real racing.

Dirt oval, 400hp pintos, late models,paper sack tall boys, occasional sprint car racing. Them were the days

[Erich]

53 minutes ago, Grayfox54 said:

I don't think road racing is popular enough around this part of the country to support such a track. Now if they were to build it and then add a big NASCAR oval around it, it just might fly.  

With Barber and Road Atlanta being clos-ish, I think its makes a good argument to support it, even if its not a huge revenue center that a NASCAR event would be. But on the upside, city would not have to worry about logistical support of a NASCAR weekend.

I hope there is enough support, but yeah, its a tough sell for folks that think NASCAR is it.

I bet some of those folks would be real confused if they saw the NASCAR events at Sears Point / Sonoma. 

 

 

 

[Garufa]

4 minutes ago, FUJIMO said:

Dirt oval, 400hp pintos, late models,paper sack tall boys, occasional sprint car racing. Them were the days

And pulling over on the shoulder of I-40 to watch a race. 

[DaveTN]

1 hour ago, gregintenn said:

I never heard a convincing reason why it tanked. They was grade work started for a dirt track and a couple of dragstrips as well. It looked to me like it had promise, then it was closed.

The Nashville Superspeedway failed because it was built for a Cup race it never got. The people involved didn’t have the horsepower to get it done. No other reason.

Now they are trying to convince everyone they need to build a new track closer to Nashville. They must think people in Middle Tennessee are as stupid as they are.

[Ronald_55]

I grew up at Knoxville Dragway. They finally re-opened the dirt track a few years after we stopped going. Wish I had seen it. 

Exhause fumes from bored out V8s drinking fully leaded race fuel and burn out smoke... it is any wonder I still have brain cells.

A road course could be a nice addition to the area.Takes a bit more skill than turning left. 

[gregintenn]

I regret I didn’t go watch a figure 8 race before they stopped them. I’ll bet that was entertaining.

[TomInMN]

7 hours ago, gregintenn said:

I regret I didn’t go watch a figure 8 race before they stopped them. I’ll bet that was entertaining.

Fun for the whole family!

Wife and kids didn't seem to think so, though. For some reason, they kept trying to get out of the car...

[BrasilNuts]

This will never happen, the City of Oak Ridge will find some way to screw it up.

[peejman]

18 hours ago, gregintenn said:

The state built a very nice access road to the racetrack in Wilson county. It provides access to US231 and 840. I couldn’t imagine a place easier to get in or out of. What am I missing?

Neither of those are big enough for raceday traffic. 231 is only 2 lanes. The access road is only 4 lanes. 

 

17 hours ago, Garufa said:

We’ve already got Bristol up here.  It would be refreshing to have something interesting in motor sports we who care nothing for NASCAR can enjoy.

Back in the day there was the Atomic Speedway in Oak Ridge (kinda).  Now, that was real racing.

Check out 411 Speedway, Smoky Mtn Speedway, and Volunteer Speedway. All are good venues. 

[tacops]

3 hours ago, BrasilNuts said:

This will never happen, the City of Oak Ridge will find some way to screw it up.

This times 2.

The City of Oak Ridge tends to have grandiose ideas yet no business sense or fiscal intelligence.  They are a soft target for developers to rip off.

[BrasilNuts]

1 hour ago, tacops said:

This times 2.

The City of Oak Ridge tends to have grandiose ideas yet no business sense or fiscal intelligence.  They are a soft target for developers to rip off.

I could not agree more.

[10-Ring]

I spent 5 years of my life as a track day photographer/track junkie.  I've photographed/ridden most every track in the Southeast.  Nashville is my absolute least favorite.  It's pretty obvious that the road course was an afterthought.  I know that there has been talk of the Oak Ridge track for at least a decade.  At one time it was too be a rather lengthy track.  Tracks have a difficult time making ends meet.  Tracks that make good NASCAR tracks, are usually just okay for any other use, and road tracks just don't produce the revenue.  I'll never understand the obsession with watching cars turn left for 4 hours when there is Indy, F1, rally cross, Moto GP, or even WERA.  Heck I even enjoy a little dirt track action, both cars and motorcycles, when the guys are racing like they are depending on the win to keep the lights on.  NASCAR is pretty good to dose off to on a Sunday afternoon though. 

Edited February 16, 2020 by 10-Ring