TAZ

With the newly-opened New Jersey Motorsports Park being just 69 miles from home, I took advantage of a rare 'off Sunday' to head out there and take a look.

The track's website: Welcome to New Jersey Motorsports Park

There was no indication of any scheduled activity on the NJMP website, but I took a chance. As I neared the track entrance, I saw that the road parallels the front straight of the Lightning circuit, and to my joy, there were cars on track (SCCA Spec Miatas, as it turns out) - an event was going on, indeed.

After signing the release, I stopped at the ticket building and bought a $15 ticket and then headed into the complex. Upon passing through the front gate, a left turn would take you to the as-yet unopened "Thunderbolt" course, while a right turn takes you to the Driver's Club building, and beyond that, to the Lightning course, which is where the SCCA action was going on.

Of course, I brought my camera, with the 400/2.8 and a 1.4x teleconverter, and took photos of some of the racing. (I'll post some shots in short order...)

My impressions of the track itself are mixed. On one hand, the surface looks new and very nice, and from what I can see, it looks like there is sufficient run-off. On the other hand, the course layout - at least that of the Lightning circuit - is pretty boring, with ten turns, consisting of a variety of sweeping rights, and just three lefts. On this day, the Lightning course (see track map on this webpage: NJMP Track Information) was being run 'clockwise', which I gather is to be the 'normal' direction.

Shortly after the start/finish line on the front straight, racers encounter turn one, which is near the top of a hill, and like six of the remaining nine turns on the course, is a right-hander; this one maybe 55-60 degrees. Since NJMP is in south New Jersey, this is surely a man-made hill, and it's not high, but I suppose it makes for a more interesting course. I couldn't get very close, but the turn does not seem to be off-camber. Interestingly, when I told the guy at the front gate that I planned to take some photos, he said "Take some in turn one. That's where everybody crashes!" Well, I didn't see any crashes there, but I'll be sure to keep that in mind in the future...

Turn two is another right of about the same angle, as is turn three, and it looks like the speeds may be fairly similar through each of the three turns, without much drama. Finally, in turn four, racers get to turn left, and then head up a second hill into the fairly tight turn five, which begins a high-speed section, as the course starts back downhill, sending racers through a long, sweeping right (turn six), and under the spectator/infield access bridge before entering the biggest braking area on the track, which precedes the second left-hand turn on the course, turn seven. The just-over-90-degrees seven is a low-speed left, and this seemed to be the primary passing area. With the cars, the technique seemed to be this: As you accelerate through turn six, gradually get to the outside, as you hopefully get a run on the guy ahead of you. Pull even or at least stick a nose under him as you both brake hard for turn seven. With a car blocking the apex on the ideal line, the guy on that 'proper' line will be forced to either yield, or square off the corner. On more than a couple occasions I saw the guy on the inside blow the braking, but still make the pass, as the other car had to avoid turning into a crash.

Coming off turn seven, cars (or bikes) accelerate hard and head through "turn eight", which is really just a very mild (left) bend. Turn nine seems to be pretty interesting, starting out as a constant-radius, banked right which looks to allow for some pretty nice speed. Turn ten is really the finish of nine, and is a very high-speed right-hand sweeper leading onto the front straight.

Being a guy who prefers left-hand turns, I don't think I'd be all that comfortable running the Lightning course in the "normal" direction, although there really are no tight, slow rights on the course. Still, I think the course might be better - at least for me - if run 'backwards'.

I should also make mention of the "F1" karting track(s), which are open to the public. I didn't investigate the cost, but it looks kid and adult-friendly, and besides the four-stroke karts, they have helmets and driving suits (and probably gloves) available. It looked like they were running a long, perimeter-version of the kart track, and although the karts are surely detuned, it still looked like plenty of fun. There was a lot of spinning out going on, particularly on the post-shower damp track later in the afternoon.

Overall, I got a great first impression of NJMP. The facility is owned by the same folks as VIR (in Virginia), and there is a vaguely familiar feel to the place. The infrastructure is nice, with impressive buildings and concession areas, a merchandise store, the kart rental area, and nice bathrooms. I saw some garages, but oddly, they were all fairly far from the pit area.

I'm looking forward to the opening of the Thunderbolt circuit (August 1st, I was told). I can't wait to see some future events at NJMP, and even get on the track(s) myself.

TAZ

Some pics...

Attached Thumbnails

         

 

ND4SPD

A BMW 2002? Wow, haven't seen one of those in years!

__________________
"This is your life - are you who you want to be?"
Learn all you need to know about Mac OS X

TAZ

That 2002 was leading the race at that point (lap 2, I believe). The Z4 that's giving chase obviously had a lot more power and a bit more straight line speed, and although probably not quite as nimble in the corners, was able to make the pass and eventually put a nice gap on 2nd and 3rd place. The 2002 ended up losing one more place (to a hatchback Civic), and I'm fairly sure he finished third.

Cool old car...

SomeStrangeGuy

Sounds boring, but it's new

Speaking of the 2002

These might be garnering a look.. 2008 BMW 1 Series Review and Specs

__________________
Come find yourself - GPS Discussion Forums
Time is the ultimate currency.

Friend #2353 of awesome seamus, enter coupon code BK67LY433 to save 5$ now on your membership!

Jetbdude

Great review TAZ, Thanks!!!

I thought that track was on a old airport? Or is there another track opening shortly in NJ?

__________________
The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best everything that they have.

TAZ

The airport (Millville) is still there; it is adjacent to the track(s). This is the only road racing facility in New Jersey, to my knowledge.

It was cool to see some planes flying in and out; one small business jet sounded and looked particularly cool...

HondaGalToo

I'll be riding Lightning this Wed, I'll let you know how it goes. I know some folks who have ridden it, and they said it's fun and fast. They were a bit concerned about run-off, but feel a gravel trap would do a lot to remedy it. They also feel the bridge abutments are too close to the track. Some say it's not an issue for trackdays, but race pace could be a problem. I can't imagine the car guys would be thrilled about it, either. Seems like they could have placed them a lot further back.

The more technical course will be Thunderbolt, that's the one folks are looking forward to the most. I'll be riding that one in August. I'll post up....

__________________
“I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can't see from the center.”
~Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

HondaGalToo

That's the one!

__________________
“I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can't see from the center.”
~Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Jetbdude

When in August? maybe some of us could tag along

__________________
The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best everything that they have.

HondaGalToo

I'll be there Aug. 25th with NESBA. Then I'll be there Oct 4-6. (The 4&5 are with Absolute Cycle, the 6th is with NESBA). Absolute is there on the 3rd, too, but I think 3 days in a row is enough for me! )

__________________
“I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can't see from the center.”
~Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

JH41

Running it clockwise, especially those last two turns (or 1 giant bowl depending on how you look at it) is torture on the right side of the tires.

Its a very fast track too.


Turn 1 is a pretty fast blind turn which has become one of my favorites (when folks arent braking so hard in front of me)


-jh

__________________
- I told my wife: 4 bikes or 4 girlfriends.... she's letting me keep the bikes

- Cars lean the wrong way in turns.