New track in Monticello, NY

[brucesallen]

Have y'all seen this one? Ground is broken.
http://www.driveandrace.com/home.html

[StephanAlfa]

Phew! Thank God they have a heliport!!! Could not live without it... convenient when I land there while my Alfa crew workers are hauling my newly classed SSC onto the track...

All kiding aside, I love the comment "Mark Hales comments that: “I see the elevated grandeur of Spa-Francorchamps combined with the technical trickery of Laguna Seca, together with the all-out speed of Interlagos or Suzuka. I think Drive & Race has created something unique in the sport.â€

[irondragon]

Bruce:
Tnx for telling COM about DriveandRace in Monticello.
Seems as though it might be a fun place to visit if it opens in 2008.
But at about $7,500 per driver, how many of us will have to put in to create a COM presence??
Just doing simple arithmetic I divide a $10 million (est) cost by $7,500 and come up with about 1350 potential investors who will each need to pony up that same amount each year. How likely is this??
I read the prospectus which seems to guarantee lots of track time to share holders on all but Tuesdays - so what does this venture offer peanut gallery racers like me?? And at what price??
When I read about this (possible) track I am reminded of all that has occurred, and not, at Valley Motorsports in Tamworth.
So let's all be hopeful that D&R will come to be built and paved.
Meanwhile it would be prudent to keep the reservations at the Red Roof in Loudon.
Best Regards - Bill Miskoe

[brucesallen]

BIll,
Club Motorsports has similar membership annual prices (paid in advance). But they would still rent the track to COM or SCCA for whatever use. Also I read on a forum that this track also had a $100,000 buy-in fee.

[enjoythemusic]

Have y'all seen this one? Ground is broken.
http://www.driveandrace.com/home.html

But no tarmac. No tarmac means wait and see. And wait, and wait, and wait... This is the 5th or so new track, and none i know have laid tarmac and are open. General consensus with other track guys is to wait for them to open, they will open things up for club days.

Bruce, as you posted this i wonder if you going to join and, if so, what you spent. Reason i ask is, sometimes i wonder how much of these are real, or scam, or a way to basically get others to pay for someone else's track they then open up for every club.

Sorry and all, these things are beginning to smell like sorta scams to me. Funny how the SCCA is working on a track and NO they ARE NOT begging for money nor selling 'dreams and sunny skies or happiness.'

FYI: Bought into Club Motorsports for around $3.5k a few years back. STUPID me. If i took that money and bought some Google or other stock... Frankly, these track things are smelling of kinda scam to me. Of course i hope all open, as we could use more tracks to enjoy. Still, none are laying down tarmac.

Time to relax and wait. Besides, 5k could buy A LOT of track time at MANY tracks, not the same one over and over and over.

[brucesallen]

Have y'all seen this one? Ground is broken.
http://www.driveandrace.com/home.html

Bruce, as you posted this i wonder if you going to join and, if so, what you spent. Reason i ask is, sometimes i wonder how much of these are real, or scam, or a way to basically get others to pay for someone else's track they then open up for every club. ...


FYI: Bought into Club Motorsports for around $3.5k a few years back. STUPID me. If i took that money and bought some Google or other stock... Frankly, these track things are smelling of kinda scam to me. Of course i hope all open, as we could use more tracks to enjoy. Still, none are laying down tarmac.

No, I won't buy in to Montecello. Too far. I note it as a future possibility for the COM Board to follow for potential rental.
Note that COM has a $1,000 deposit paid on a Club Motorsports date. For 2004! I still hope they will be successful. Sentiments of CMI investors like you have made it difficult to raise money for other tracks. The SCCA New England Ragion, as a consequence, is taking a very conservative approach to the Palmer Motorsports Park development to avoid over promising. However, according to the presentations at last weekend's NER annual meeting they will soon be looking for investors. The track location is perfect for access to all of New England and for noise containment.

[tmak26b]

These guys cant get all their approval before asking for money?!?

[brucesallen]

Approval is expected soon then the price of the land must be raised in short order. Fund raising is planned after approval.

[enjoythemusic]

Note that COM has a $1,000 deposit paid on a Club Motorsports date. For 2004! I still hope they will be successful. Sentiments of CMI investors like you have made it difficult to raise money for other tracks.

It is a hard proposition no matter how one slices it. CMI has been fighting with the (T)huggers and that has really slowed things down to a painful crawl Truly do wish all the new tracks open, sincerely i do.

My fear is that other tracks will fall into the same trap as CMI. How about a gentleman agreement. We all sit back and wait for all permits in hand, tarmac to be laid, and a sure thing the track will actually open up. Until then it is hard for me to <cough> invest <cough> into anything. Sure CMI is a hard lesson for many people, though it is also a good learning lesson that perhaps waiting for a track to actually open and be operating is the wisest move. Then one can weight the benefits of membership versus taking part only during club days.

Would enjoy hearing opinions from others here on COMSCC, both CMI and other track owners/investors PLUS drivers about their stance on this situation. As a longstanding journalist i realize there are many sides of a coin (not just two). Perhaps this thread can be a good forum for various track owners to chime in and discuss things for COMSCC and other organizations to benefit from. Let us hear from said owners and their hardline sets dates to lay tarmac, scheduled opening dates, reimbursement to members if they do not meet said schedule, and their plans for membership fees if said track is never opened.