IMPORTANT UPDATES AND PRESS RELEASES |
Happy Holidays from all of us at Bluegrass Motorsports Park! 12.25.09
For us, we are thankful for the things we have, rather than the things we don't have or lost along the way. I hope everyone is having a Happy Holidays and we look forward to seeing you in 2010.
Event Update
Let's talk racing! During these stressed economic times we see the sport changing every week as teams and series suffer the effects of this recession. These economic difficulties have impacted the motorsports industry in a particularly deep fashion; many racing teams and series have been thrown into a test to see who will survive the challenges.
Even though there is much more work to prepare for when hosting a spectator race (versus a track day that primarily hosts particpants), our goal is to become "race-ready" prior to the Labor Day race weekend. If we are unable to accomodate the race weekend, we will provide ample time for the sanctioning body to make alternate plans if necessary.
Rusty Wallace Drives Bluegrass
Today was a great day at Bluegrass; I received a call last night that Rusty Wallace wanted to Drive Bluegrass.
I can tell you without a doubt that Rusty got through our banked turn better than any previous attempts; he was very much in his element on that section of the track. Rusty was always regarded as a NASCAR Ace on the Road Courses which many attribute to his early days on the short tracks of the midwest. Wallace was suitably impressed by the new Bluegrass Course and commented on the challenging layout " it has a lot of character to it...there's a lotta places that will bust your butt...it just keeps going... that's cool man, it's a cool course..."
Rusty Wallace and Brad Poppell prepare to Drive Bluegrass
IMPORTANT CONSTRUCTION UPDATE
The track surface is closed for driving so we can facilitate the cleaning and preparing of the surface for the next layers of asphalt. We contiue to be open for tours on Saturday afternoons, 12 - 4 pm. let us know if you would like to visit the track, walking is encouraged.
As we continue to grow from start-up pup to an operating race track continue to delegate responsibilities that I have been solely undertaken the past few years. We have been wanting to do this for the past seven months and we now have the resources and manpower to expand our staff.
IMPORTANT CONSTRUCTION UPDATE
We have over 30 people at the track working every weekend if you would like to stop by to discuss the project and take a touring lap. We are also there most days during the week.
To all supporters, I thank you for your commitment to Bluegrass. We all make the World the way it is and it's awesome to see people who share a common passion come together to ensure the success of Bluegrass Motorsports Park. Even though the past few months have been very lean, it has been the most rewarding from a social and business aspect since I started the company. Thank you.
Brad Poppell
OPERATIONS UPDATE
The cure for insomnia for many people is to count sheep. For the dedicated and hard working tire wall assembly crew at Bluegrass Motorsports Park, counting tires is their trick. With about 6,000 tires on site and having created a system that assembles the first phase tire modules at a rate of 100 per hour, it's easy to have dreams about tires night after night.
The push is on. These amazing volunteers hail from Lexington, KY; Louisville; Cincinnati and as far away as Columbus, Ohio. It’s also great to see some of our members among the volunteers. The next step in the process, which will begin this week, is to assemble a module that is four tires tall. If needed, and to conform to FIA requirements that the tire walls cover the top of guard rails (and no taller than 1m 20 high - a little over three feet for those metrically challenged), the team could add one more set to the top. The end result, as this second phase of assembly begins and working simultaneously with the first phase, will be modules that are a 2x3 or 3x3 tire matrix, bolted to the guard rails and banded together.
BMP is very grateful to the efforts of Mark Rivera in coordinating the volunteer e-mail list, getting the messages out announcing the work schedule, overall planning the assembly process and developing the efficient method of assembly.
-Mike Dickerson
OPERATIONS UPDATE
Bluegrass Motorpsorts Park spent Saturday training with The Kentucky Speedway F.A.S.T (Fire And Safety Team). This is a great relationship with our neighbor up the road. In addition, we now have a qualified employement base on tap for our fire and safety team.
Brad drove his M3 on the Speedway after Mike Dickerson took his try with the jaws of life on a chasis cadaver.
OPERATIONS UPDATE
 TOPEKA, Kan. – The Muscle Milk® SCCA® Trans-Am® Series will headline the first professional weekend at Bluegrass Motorsports Park, Sept. 5 – 6. The race, to be operated by SCCA Pro Racing, completes the eight-round 2009 Trans-Am schedule.
Opening this spring, Bluegrass Motorsports Park features a multiple configuration, 2.2-mile road course designed by Derek Daly and is conveniently situated between Louisville, Ky., Lexington, Ky., and Cincinnati, Ohio. As part of the first professional motorsports event at the facility, Trans-Am will headline an exhilarating weekend of road racing with a cadre of closed and open-wheel support series to be announced shortly.
“SCCA Pro Racing is thrilled to be taking Trans-Am to Bluegrass Motorsports Park,” SCCA Pro Racing President & CEO Robert Wildberger said. “It’s a great fit to have a fresh, new venue on the schedule for the rejuvenated Trans-Am series. There are some exciting plans in store for the weekend, and I’m hoping this is the start of a long and successful relationship with Bluegrass Motorsports Park.”
The event is tentatively scheduled to hold a promoter test day on Friday, Sept. 4, with practice and qualifying taking place on Saturday, Sept. 5, and racing on Sunday, Sept. 6. Circuit maps and updates on the paving process are available at www.drivebluegrass.com.
“We are honored to have the Muscle Milk SCCA Trans-Am Series for our first professional event,” Bluegrass Motorsports Park President & CEO Brad Poppell said. “To have a series with a history as rich as Trans-Am racing at Bluegrass will quickly establish us as a key venue in motorsports. Drivers will find the course both exhilarating and challenging, and I look forward to seeing those beautiful machines racing across the start-finish line.”
The eight-race Muscle Milk SCCA Trans-Am schedule for 2009 is now complete. The season is already underway with the first race which took place March 22 at Road Atlanta. The second round is set for April 19 at VIRginia International Raceway. For a full schedule, results, photos and more visit www.sccatrans-am.com.
OPERATIONS UPDATE
Bluegrass Motorsports Park announces the hiring of
Michael E. Dickerson as Track Manager.
Dickerson, of Lawrenceburg, Kentucky brings to Bluegrass Motorsports Park an extensive 35 year career dedicated to customer service with a strong knowledge of road racing and road course facility operations.
Michael served the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) with over 20 years of experience as a competitor and racing official, ensuring safe competition event operations to racers, crews and officials. In addition, he recently served as the SCCA's Region Development Manager, advising franchise management teams in all aspects of competition program management and member customer service.
I have all the confidence in Michael's experience and job performance to meet and exceed the expectations of our members, spectators, participants, and shareholders, said Brad Poppell. We've put together a solid team and with the recent addition of Michael, we now have the key players in position who can successfully carry this track into operations.
"I am looking forward to help develop Bluegrass Motorsports Park into an exhilarating road racing experience for our members and customers," he said. "The facility will be home to one of the premier road courses in North America, and it is exciting to have it located in the prettiest part of the country, the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky!"
Welcome to Bluegrass Motorsports Park Michael!
Construction Update
We have moved 420,000 cubic yards of earth and finished paving the base coat of the 2.2 mile road course for phase I. When the ground freezes we will work on the safety design of the track with runoff, tyre barriers, guardrail, & deer fencing.
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Derek Daly Joins Bluegrass
For more information on Derek Daly, 