New Road Course in CT - 2014 - Thompson

StephF said:
Oh, here: I helped you with this one. http://lmgtfy.com/?q=perineum
Click to expand...
Huh. Explains why I was putting that stuff on incorrectly...felt right, though...

Unlike you folks, I'm not that excited about this "track". Lots of constant turns, no long straights? Just looking at the scale of the drawing, with the oval at 5/8-mile; quick estimate puts the track distance at around 1.5 miles... I suspect it's going to be a tight little go-kart track that only something starting with "Miata" will be competitive at; FWD will be the suck. Think Lime Rock Park with the whole track being nothing more than three iterations of T2 through the Esses and not a whole lotta anything else...keep that in mind, all you "we don't want to run the chicanes at LRP!" crowd. Not a very large paddock, either, I suspect 125 entries will get shuffled into the oval, skidpad, and lawn.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for more options, but with "new" tracks popping up over the last couple decades such as the revised Watkins Glen, Virginia Int'l Raceway, NJMP, Barber, and so forth, the bar for "good" tracks has been significantly raised; it's going to take a lot more than nostalgia to make this a fun and desirable place to race. Hope I'm off base.

Should be a fun HPDE, autocross, and Solo 1 track, though.

GA
 
Last edited:
It will all be about the flow and elevation changes. If it works, 1.5-1.8 miles would be ok. If it doesn't flow, it won't be much fun regardless of what you drive.

PS: FWD is always the suck.
 
You guys have seen the New York safety track? It's in davenport ny...track is there facilities are not yet.
 
StephenB said:
I don't think that track ever have plans on doing a racing. :(
Click to expand...

Idk...there is a lot of talk of them trying to comply with scca safety rules...runoff, tire-walls, etc. I'm kind of hoping they get it together its only 45 minutes from my house. People are definitely testing there and they run motorcycles safely so there is plenty of runoff. Lol
 
"Bryar Motorsport Park(NHMS, now but only a great RR track then)"

Bryar had both a 5/8 mile and 1/3 mile oval track. They also ran the road course both CW and CCW
 
Last edited:
Looks like it may have more elevation change than I ever thought it had... I don't really remember this track at all even though I know I walked it during an autocross when I was a kid :)

Stephen
 

Attachments

  • thompson.jpg
    thompson.jpg
    68.5 KB · Views: 46
If thats where I think it is, I'm going to imagine that was leveled at least a few years ago. Given where the 'current' course would loop back into the woods before shooting out towards the road along the edge of the property, there is a cut through so to speak that goes maybe 100ish feet where the road course exits the oval, makes a 90 degree right, straight for ~200 yards, then another 90 degree right to re-join the course.

That being said, there is still some rolling elevation change, but nothing drastic.
 
Thompson

For those that don't know Thompson, this roadcourse is actually for the most part in place now. It is mostly the last version of that was run into the 80's. So it is a matter of refurbishing what is there.

The owner is also a golf course designer, so at the same location is a very nice 18 hole course. the 5/8 mile banked oval is I believe the first paved NASCAR track. Also on site is a banked quarter midget track.

The place is well run, clean and great food.

There are also plans to possibly add a go-kart sprint course.

So for anyone who thinks racing is for southerners, Connecticut was a founder of Nascar, and for a small state we have LRP, Thompson, Waterford and Stafford. Two road courses and three ovals. We also have the Consumer Reports Automobile Testing Center.

If you like racing, we are your state. But you'll also need to like high taxes, housing costs and negative job growth.
 
JChimbolo said:
For those that don't know Thompson, this roadcourse is actually for the most part in place now. It is mostly the last version of that was run into the 80's. So it is a matter of refurbishing what is there.

The owner is also a golf course designer, so at the same location is a very nice 18 hole course. the 5/8 mile banked oval is I believe the first paved NASCAR track. Also on site is a banked quarter midget track.

The place is well run, clean and great food.

There are also plans to possibly add a go-kart sprint course.

So for anyone who thinks racing is for southerners, Connecticut was a founder of Nascar, and for a small state we have LRP, Thompson, Waterford and Stafford. Two road courses and three ovals. We also have the Consumer Reports Automobile Testing Center.

If you like racing, we are your state. But you'll also need to like high taxes, housing costs and negative job growth.
Click to expand...

Well stated. And for anyone wondering (or not), the consumer reports facility is actually the former Connecticut Dragway, which ran till the mid-70's I think.

Thompson should prove to be a great, well rounded facility. The only slight possibly small drawback is its more or less in the middle of no where (as far as CT goes).
 
Since we are talking so much about Palmer I figured I would update this thread as well!

Lots of progress with a little resistance right now from some locals but I am hoping those hurdles will be gone soon!

Stephen
 

Attachments

  • 09-09-13_speedway_016.jpg
    09-09-13_speedway_016.jpg
    98.3 KB · Views: 36
Sounds like it's a tad bit more than a "little"...

Thompson Speedway to be subject of special town meeting

"A $4 million construction plan at the Thompson International Speedway has some residents crying foul about what they see as a flawed approval process. Since June, there have been upgrades made to facilities including the construction of a new entrance, a registration building, a scoring building and a 32-car garage. Plans also call for paving a 1.7-mile road racing track. The project is expected to be complete by June 2014. It will be called the Thompson Speedway Motor Sports Park.

"Resident Nicholas Swearer believes that local and state permit applications should have been filed and approved before construction began in June 2013. He said the construction amounts to an expansion project that will have a significant impact on the environment and the neighboring community."
...

http://www.remindernews.com/article...peedway-to-be-subject-of-special-town-meeting
 
Doesn't look like he has much ground to stand on either. they seem to have done everything by the book. That isn't a very current pic either. I believe there is a lot of track surface down at this point.
 
Eh......... sounds like one guy trying to make a big stink............
Click to expand...

That's how it's done. Eventually they will form a legal group (google TrackRacket) and ask for money. They will have to settle just like NJMP did. Pretty routine in this country.
 
Andy Bettencourt said:
It will all be about the flow and elevation changes. If it works, 1.5-1.8 miles would be ok. If it doesn't flow, it won't be much fun regardless of what you drive.

PS: FWD is always the suck.
Click to expand...

c6447f1168fbdc1c7b876c2e0a958c72.image.241x250.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top