Track News: Flatrock Motorsports Park update
Flatrock Motorsports Park and Motorclub today marked the one-year anniversary since breaking ground on America’s newest premium racing facility in the heart of Cumberland County, Tennessee.
This day last year saw work officially commence on the Tilke-designed, 5.9-mile, 34-turn circuit situated in the beautiful, rolling Tennessee countryside.
The track will be a combination of both a 2.67-mile F.I.M and FIA Grade II certified competition ‘Grand Prix’ track and a 3.50-mile private members ‘Club’ circuit for members and is due to open in 2024.
Construction on the facility has been progressing at a rapid pace since the first shovel went into ground last year. Most significantly, the paving process on the ‘Club’ circuit has been underway since August with the first layer of the 3.5 mile members’ course due to be completed by December 2023, preceding the application of the final two layers in the first half of 2024.
Images released today show the scale of the progress to date and provide a tantalizing glimpse of what racing aficionados can expect when the facility opens in summer of next year.
The numbers that illustrate just how much work has been carried out to reach this stage of the Flatrock project tell their own story: over the course of the last 12 months, construction teams have moved over 45,000 loads of dirt with off-road trucks and close to 8,000,000 cubic feet of rock.
Furthermore, nearly 19,000 feet of storm water pipe has been installed during the project thus far with another 1,000 feet set to be added to complete the major storm water piping for Phase 1 of the project. This does not include the miles of underdrain, French drain, and additional track drain being installed simultaneously.
Moreover, 3,500 truckloads of base stone have been laid on the track and run-off areas, followed by 1,600 loads of asphalt. Additionally, the roadways around the track have been laid with 1,050 truckloads of base stone and 600 of asphalt. 350 truckloads of surface mix will then complete the process on all track, run-offs, and roadways.
Flatrock Motorclub is more than just a circuit where members can potentially reach an average speed of 101.53 mph; it is also set to become a haven for automotive enthusiasts seeking unparalleled luxury and refinement. As such, in the past year member applications and interest have soared as the state-of-the-art facility nears completion.
To date, 50% of all trackside Motorclub Villas have been sold, while 23 of the 40 available garage lots – overlooking either the stunning on-site wetlands sanctuary or the Motorclub track itself – are already off the market, with several more due to complete in the coming weeks.
These figures are a clear indication of the anticipation and enthusiasm that is building around the opening of this premium racing facility in east Tennessee before it has even opened its doors to members.
The reasons for this excitement are abundantly clear: Flatrock’s Motorclub members will enjoy a state of the art paddock, luxurious clubhouse with restaurant, lounge, and day spa, premium garages with rooftop viewing, track side villas, a multipurpose pit building with race control, meeting spaces, and more. Along with the Motorclub track and campus, Flatrock plans to open a CIK Karting Track by early 2024.
Future phases of the park include the Grand Prix track, a landmark hotel and destination restaurant, campgrounds, brewery, winery, additional lodging, a retail center, and a natural amphitheater, using Crab Orchard stone, that will play host to major motor sporting races, live concerts, and special events throughout the year.
Rusty Bittle, Developer and Founding Partner of Flatrock Motorsports Park was thrilled to mark the milestone anniversary: “The past year has been one of remarkable progress here at Flatrock. It is hard to fully appreciate the scale of the work done over the last 12 months. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone working on this monumental project. We have had to face heavy rains, extreme heat and many more obstacles in our path but the team never wavered in its desire to build what we believe will be one of the most spectacular circuits not only in the U.S. but the whole world. As we reflect on the last year with a sense of pride and satisfaction, we also know that there is much more to be done. The next few months will see the completion of the Club track paving, taking us ever closer to the day when we will experience cars on track here at Flatrock. Until that day, we will keep driving forward together.”
Situated right off Interstate 40 and a mere two-hour drive from Nashville – one of the nation’s fastest growing cities – and less than a day’s drive from 80 percent of the US population, Flatrock’s location already marks it out as one of the most easily accessible racing venues in the country.