New Jersey Motorsports Park Continues Improvements
Following last season, over 1500 feet of Federation Internationale de L'Automobile (FIA)-approved step curbing was added to Thunderbolt Raceway. The curbing, installed to the outside of existing curbs, was added at the entrance and exit to almost all of the track's 14 turns with additional apex curbing added to appropriate corners.
Drivers on the track beginning with the first club event on March 21 will notice changes entering and leaving pit lane. Additional pavement has been added to the entrance and the exit of pit lane. Barriers have been moved to widen the entrance, allowing for an easier pass through for both competitors and safety trucks and equipment. The pit lane exit has been extended around turn one and moved further from the hot track, with the divider between the racing surface and pit lane transition extended and more defined.
Additionally, 14,000 square feet of paved runoff area has been added at the end of the high speed front straight as an additional braking area for cars that overshoot the track's first turn.
The Thunderbolt Raceway improvements were made following last season's successful debut at the South Jersey facility. The changes were designed not only as additional safety measures, but also to reduce both the number and the length of full-course caution periods for racers and spectators alike.
"Our team has worked hard during the off-season to improve several aspects of the facility," said Kevin Wittman, New Jersey Motorsports Park General Manager. "The track changes were designed to increase the safety for competitors and emergency personnel and to protect the integrity of the grounds around the track. The improvements should make races more enjoyable for both competitors and spectators."
A number of changes and activities are also in development for off-track activities and spectator amenities, which will be announced in the coming weeks. The New Jersey Motorsports Park spectator season opens May 1-3, when New Jersey-native and Rolex 24 At Daytona winner David Donohue and teammate Darren Law lead the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series to Thunderbolt Raceway.
Sitting on over 500 acres in Millville, N.J., New Jersey Motorsports Park is conveniently located to Philadelphia, the Jersey Shore, New York and Baltimore, and offers diverse and dynamic motorsports attractions. The facility includes two world-class road courses (Thunderbolt and Lightning), an exclusive motorsports country club known as the Drivers Club, the Breighton Room Restaurant open to the general public, and F1 New Jersey, one of the top karting facilities in America. Opened in July 2008, New Jersey Motorsports Park hosts seven major motorsports events in 2009, beginning with the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series May 1 – 3. The 2009 spectator schedule also includes the Formula X weekend featuring the Atlantic Championship powered by Mazda and a host of Mazda-powered race series; the debut of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Pro Road Race Series, including the American Superbike class and the new Daytona Sportbike program; the return of the ARCA/ReMax Series as the only road course visit on the series schedule; a Ferrari Challenge event and the excitement of two separate Vintage race weekends.
For more information on New Jersey Motorsports Park, F1 New Jersey, Breighton Room or race events, visit www.njmp.com. To purchase tickets to spectator events, call 856-327-7217 or e-mail tickets@njmp.com.