Surrounded by area community leaders and Corvette enthusiasts, Commonwealth Secretary of Tourism, Arts and Heritage Bob Stewart and Corvette Racing Program Manager Doug Fehan joined forces with the National Corvette Museum to break ground on NCM’s $20 million, 184-acre, dual-track NCM Motorsports Park.
The groundbreaking today at 500 Grimes Road-- directly across Interstate-65 from the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green-- opens the throttle on up to 80,000 visitors each year, bringing an estimated impact of $15 million in motorsports tourism and racing events revenues.
“Motorsports enthusiasts from across America have a new favorite destination,” announced Bob Stewart, Secretary of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet. “Once fully operational, The NCM Motorsports Park will draw as many as 80,000 visitors to Bowling Green to drive their dreams.”
“Corvette Racing has long hoped for just such an outstanding track with exciting features,” noted Doug Fehan, Program Manager of Corvette Racing, who participated in the groundbreaking. “Our drivers and many proud Corvette owners are looking forward to experiencing this premier motorsports facility. We enjoyed every minute of our participation in the design process.”
The NCM Motorsports Park will be situated on 184 acres purchased and rezoned by the National Corvette Museum. Two circuits, “East” and “West” can be combined in multiple configurations ranging from a high speed loop of 1.96 miles to an extended 3.15 mile technical course. The Corvette Racing/Pratt and Miller Team advised NCM on the layout of the technical track that will include features from their favorite and most challenging track, the Le Mans circuit.
Jack Matukas, Chair of the NCM Board of Directors, added, “When the NCM Motorsports Park gates open next year, our region will not only see increased visits and events sponsored by Corvette owners and fans, but from just about every different sports car club in America.”
Wendell Strode, Executive Director of NCM observed, “Because of the outpouring of financial support by thousands of contributors including the Bowling Green Convention and Visitors Bureau, we are on track to open the NCM Motorsports Park on the 20th Anniversary of the National Corvette Museum—Labor Day weekend 2014.”
“As the community so fortunate to host an international attraction like the National Corvette Museum, the NCM Motorsports Park will turbo-charge Bowling Green’s already-powerful position in the high-performance motorsports world,” added Brad Howard, Chair of the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
