Thompson International Speedway management is expected to formally announce its plans for a new road course to be built at the facility next month, though some details of the plans are already emerging.
Plans for a new road course set to open in 2014 at Thompson International Speedway (Click to enlarge)
Jonathan Hoenig, director of business of development and marketing at the track, contacted some individuals involved with road course and sports car racing recently and offered up what will be in the works.
In the message, Hoenig said construction of the road course will begin in 2013 in preparation for a full season of road course events in 2014.
“We will work throughout the 2013 NASCAR racing season with a final build out set for mid-fall 2013,” read the statement from Hoenig. “I must point out that during this time, every effort will be made to minimize disruptions to our NASCAR events and to our customers at the Speedway golf course. Both of these operations will continue to be a part of our sports complex and we look forward to maintaining a high level of commitment to these activities going forward.
“With this being said we project to have a full 2014 road racing season. To help everyone plan for our opening and your racing activities, we will begin reserving club rental dates in February 2013 for the 2014 season. You will be notified of the process on reserving these dates soon.”
The track also released a graphic plan for the new road course to be built.
Hoenig said Wednesday that more formal details about the road course efforts will come in February. Hoenig also said expects to have a schedule for short track events for 2013 prepared for release by the end of this week.
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A very pretty part of Connecticut should be a beautiful track.
Best of luck to the Hoenig family with the new venture. Quite a few years ago I remember watching some of the road course races at Thompson prior to the former small block modified events on Sunday evenings. Looked like a lot of fun.
hope it works out for them
What a great start to the new year.
our tax dollars at work.
What Diane? How are tax dollars being used here? Please do tell.
Really? People will pay even more to watch portions of a race? No thanks. Cost too much driving in circles, can't imagine what the cost will be now. Why wouldn't the track try to win back the circle trackers? Had a good thing and thought JZ would be an asset, but now it looks like his job is going to be tougher than I thought.
Absolutely the most ignorant comment ever made in the history of ignorant comments… You can NOT be serious with this…
Some people couldn't buy a clue… LOL
This is going to be a great addition for the track. Looking beyond the road course I see a skid pad located at Paddock B that will also allow for events such as Autocross, Drifting and much more… The sheer versatility that this will bring to the facility is going to be huge in so many ways. Anyone who thinks this is a bad idea is very wrong. This is going to solidify Thompson Speedway's presence in our racing community for years and years to come!
Next time I visit CT, I´ll be there!
idiot
Not to sound negative, but i'll believe it when it actually happens.
I'm all for it, love racing, love that part of the state, but… unless I'm reading this incorrectly, the last sentence in the second paragraph and the last sentence in the last paragraph, I think, sums up that it "could be", in fact, our tax dollars at work…. I suppose it depends on whether it's considered a "new" racetrack or modification to an "existing" track… Good luck to the Hoenig family. I, too, hope it works out for them.
The 11th-hour deal to avert the so-called fiscal cliff preserved billions of dollars in corporate tax giveaways even as it slashed take-home pay for millions of American workers.
Tucked inside the last-minute fiscal cliff package were more than a dozen tax loopholes, many of which will benefit Wall Street financial firms and some of the nation's biggest corporations. These breaks will cost billions of dollars in the coming year, underscoring the lobbying power of corporate interests.
The deal was less kind to the middle class. Congress permitted a cut in the payroll tax to expire, meaning that the tax burden for the average worker will increase about $1,000 in 2013.
"This shows that the lobbyists are able to get what they want even when everyone else is starving," said Phineas Baxandall, senior analyst for tax and budget policy at the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. "It also shows they are best able to get what they want when no one else is paying attention."
The corporate loopholes were part of a package of so-called tax extenders tacked onto the main bill. The extenders package, first approved by the Senate in early August, mixes popular benefits, like a deduction for teachers who buy classroom supplies, with corporate-friendly carve-outs, such as the "active financing" exception that permits businesses earning interest on overseas lending to defer U.S. taxes on that income indefinitely. There is even a tax break for construction of new racetracks.
girl clown
Um…Where do I park?
Well Diane, that's not true…but if it were, I'd rather see my tax dollars going to something I'll use, not an Obamaphone!
Great to hear this – brings back many memories.
My brother-in-law is a race official there.
Anything they do to keep this place afloat is cool by me. It’s got a great history, super track crew, and tons of local fans.
I expect BMWCCA, PCA, SCDA and others will flock to incorporate Thompson in their activities. I spend lots of money every year on track days at all local tracks and am excited about the possibility of a new track. This is not to mention sanctioned racing by SCCA, NASA, that should be significant as well. I will strongly encourage the chapters I’m involved with, to pursue days there, and I may seek details from the management at Thompson regarding reserving dates, cost, policies, etc. to facilitate. Hopefully prices and policies will be similar to other tracks. The idea of a newly paved track, the challenge of finding the best line(s), the beauty of rural CT.. I find very attractive. Full speed ahead (I hope)!
GREAT NEWS!!! raced my MG Midget there many times and look forward to sitting on the hills with a bottle of wine watching the races once again.
Does anyone know if they are incorporating motorcycles for the road course alo??
@Charles Burke – Before you say something stupid out in public…the “Obamaphone” was a program started by Savior of the Republican Party Ronald Reagan in the 80’s. The program started in 1984 that subsidized phone services to low-income individuals. The program started offering cell phones in 2008 (under George W Bush), and is paid for entirely by telecommunications companies through a non-profit program and not through tax money.
I can’t wait to not have to drive to NH to race! Sign me up.
Great to see another place on the list of road courses in the northeast. Hope to make it there in 2014.
Are they going to incorporate motorcycle track days at this place?
Very Exciting! I hope the project stays on schedule. I can’t wait to get my M3 on the track in 2014.
its not our tax dollars but even if it was i would say hell ya to being abke to have a track 45 mins from my house CANT WAIT!!!!!
I raced there in the ’60s many times and will tow my current racecar up from Florida to do it again in 2014. It was my favorite track in a beautiful part of the country. Much like Lime Rock, and they’ve done extremely well even with no Sunday racing!
Some of the best racing I have seen has been at the road course at Thompson. like Don Yenko in his Vette, Mike Gamino in his Ferrari. Sherm Decker in a Cooperford, Ken Duclosin his Vette, Janet Guthrey in a Jag, Donna Mae Mims in the think pink. BRING BACK the REAL & original Thompson. I have been going there since the early 60’s and saw many great mod races there including seeing Richie Evans ,Bugsy, Geoff, and Buddy Baker. PLEASE BRING THE ROAD course!!!!
Can,t wait for the season to start. lance
Not enough run off on the new road course.