NOLA Motorsports Park

NOLA Motorsports Park is a full service motorsports facility in Avondale, Louisiana approximately twenty minutes from downtown New Orleans. NOLA Motorsports Park includes an FIA Grade 2 road course, one of the largest (fully-lit) outdoor karting tracks in the country, and a 300,000 square ft. soft-grade asphalt skid pad, perfect for drifting and autocross.

NOLA Motorsports Park
IndyCar A Course (2015–present)
Location11075 Nicolle Boulevard, Avondale, Louisiana 70094
Time zoneUTC-06:00 (UTC-05:00 DST)
Coordinates29°53′1″N 90°11′52″W
FIA Grade2
OwnerLaney Chouest
Broke groundDecember 2009 (2009-12)
Opened2011
Construction cost$62 million
ArchitectAlan Wilson
Major eventsCurrent:
GT World Challenge America (2022–2023)
Trans-Am Series (2015–2016, 2023)
FR Americas (2018, 2022–present)
24 Hours Of Lemons (2018–2019, 2021–present)
Former:
IndyCar
Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana (2015)
IMSA Prototype Challenge (2015)
Mazda MX-5 Cup (2015)
Cooper Tires WinterFest (2014–2015)
AMA Superbike Championship
Triumph Big Kahuna New Orleans (2012)
Websitewww.nolamotor.com
A Course (2011–present)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length2.748 miles (4.423 km)
Turns17
Race lap record1:32.336 (United States Spencer Pigot, Star Formula Mazda 'Pro', 2014, Pro Mazda)
IndyCar A Course (2015–present)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length2.670 miles (4.300 km)
Turns14
Race lap record1:28.5583 (New Zealand Scott Dixon, Dallara DW12, 2015, IndyCar)
B Course (2011–present)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length1.877 miles (3.020 km)
Turns12
C Course (2011–present)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length2.312 miles (3.720 km)
Turns12

The kart circuit and North Track opened in Q4 2011.

Future plans include completion of an off-roading area, a supercar driving experience, and more.

Design

NOLA Motorsports Park was designed by Alan Wilson, whose other designs include Utah Motorsports Campus and Barber Motorsports Park. In addition to the two international standard race tracks, the facility also features three karting tracks, full service seven acre kart center, paddock, on-site speed shop, clubhouse, eight acre autocross pad, and a state-of-the-art event center, perfect for business conferences, weddings, and other large events.[1]

The park was designed with forward thinking electronic systems including over 100 miles of fiber optics and the latest timing and scoring equipment to allow for accurate timing on both the main and karting tracks.[2]

Activities

East of the main track is a short and thin track. Usually being divided up in the center, it serves its north side as the rental go-kart track. The south can be rented out and holds smaller events such as motorcycle races.[3] Behind the track is a gift shop with racing memorabilia and a plethora of other items. The two-story building also houses two private balconies and an upstairs lobby with a small kitchen, which can be rented out for parties.[4]

There is motorcycle safety training[5] and on-track exotic car rentals provided by Xtreme Xperience.[6] Housed at Nola Motorsports Park for rental are the Huracán LP610-4, the Ferrari 458 Italia, the Porsche 911 GT3, and the Slingshot SLR.[6]

Competitive racing is also hosted at the park, with a Go-Kart League racing for 2 seasons a year. Autocross, hosted on the skidpad, and NASA racing as well.

Accidents

In chronological order

On April 15, 2017, Jesus Martinez was riding an unspecified motorcycle on the east track about 8:30 p.m. when he inadvertently hit another rider and suffered life-threatening injuries.[7] He later died of injuries shortly after getting an ambulance to University Medical Center. The accident was found to be a racing incident caused by rider error and no outside debris on the track was found.[7]

On September 22, 2018, Jeff Hagaman was topping out his 2000 hp heavily modified 2010 Nissan GTR during a speed trials event laid out on a half-mile course utilising the pit straight of the circuit.[8] He was in the shutdown area after finishing his half-mile run at speeds exceeding 200 mph (320 km/h) during the run when he lost control of the vehicle. He flipped upwards landing on the front right side of the bumper; this was the collision that was assumed killed him.[9] "It was surprising" friends and family said. Jeff was 52 years old and has been racing most of his life, from Granite Falls, North Carolina, he was experienced.[10] The event was "unsanctioned," without requiring a roll cage (which is required in the NHRA if a car exceeds 135 mph (217 km/h)).

Lap records

As of April 2023, the fastest official race lap records on the NOLA Motorsports Park are:

CategoryTimeDriverVehicleDate
A Course: 4.423 km (2011–present)
Pro Mazda1:32.336[11]Spencer PigotStar Formula Mazda 'Pro'2014 New Orleans Pro Mazda Winterfest round
Formula Regional1:33.523[12]Raoul HymanLigier JS F32022 New Orleans FR Americas round
GT31:34.800[13]Giacomo AltoèLamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2022 New Orleans GT World Challenge America round
US F20001:35.650[14]Aaron TelitzVan Diemen DP082014 New Orleans US F2000 Winterfest round
Lamborghini Super Trofeo1:36.476[15]Loris SpinelliLamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo Evo22022 New Orleans Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America round
Trans-Am1:37.029[16]Matthew BrabhamFord Mustang Trans-Am2023 New Orleans Trans-Am round
Superbike1:39.487[17]Josh HayesYamaha YZF-R12012 Triumph Big Kahuna New Orleans
Formula 41:41.227[18]Bryson MorrisCrawford F4-162022 New Orleans F4 United States round
GT41:44.284[19]John Capestro-DubetsBMW M4 GT4 Gen II2023 New Orleans GT4 America round
TC America1:48.430[20]Kyle LohHonda Civic Type R TCX2023 New Orleans TC America round
IndyCar A Course: 4.300 km (2015–present)
IndyCar1:28.5583Scott DixonDallara DW122015 Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana
Pro Mazda1:33.7313[21]Weiron TanStar Formula Mazda 'Pro'2015 New Orleans Pro Mazda Winterfest round
Prototype Lites1:36.012[22]Kenton KochÉlan DP022015 New Orleans IMSA Prototype Lites round
US F20001:36.6613[23]Jake EidsonVan Diemen DP082015 New Orleans US F2000 Winterfest round
Porsche Carrera Cup1:36.012[24]Elliott SkeerPorsche 911 (991 I) GT3 Cup2015 New Orleans Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA round
Mazda MX-5 Cup1:57.302[25]Chad McCumbeeMazda MX-5 (NC)2015 New Orleans Mazda MX-5 Cup round

Maps
  • North Course C
    North Course C

References
  1. "Facility Features". nolamotor.com/. Archived from the original on 3 March 2012. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
  2. Alejandro de Los Rios (2 October 2012). "NOLA Motorsports innovates with new track". ESPN The Magazine. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  3. "Karting – Arrive & Drive – NOLA Motorsports Park". nolamotor.com. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  4. "NOLA Motorsports Park – Parties / Groups – NOLA Motorsports Park". nolamotor.com. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  5. Academy, NOLA Riding. "Racetrack Training". NOLA Riding Academy. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  6. "Exotic Driving Experience New Orleans". Xtreme Xperience. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  7. rvargas@theadvocate.com, RAMON ANTONIO VARGAS. "44-year-old Houston man killed in motorcycle accident at NOLA Motorsports Park". The Advocate. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  8. "wannaGOFAST - 1/2 Mile Racing Events". wannaGOFAST. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  9. NOWAK, JEFF. "Driver was going over 200 mph at time of fatal crash Saturday at NOLA Motorsports track". The Advocate. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  10. "Fatal wreck at NOLA Motorsports racetrack during 'wannagofast' event". WWL. 24 September 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  11. "NOLA Winterfest 2014 - Pro Mazda Race 2" (PDF). 22 February 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  12. "2022 NOLA SpeedTour FR Americas Round 2 Official Race Result" (PDF). 10 April 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  13. "2022 NOLA Motorsports Park Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by aws Race 1 - Classification - Final" (PDF). 21 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  14. "NOLA Winterfest 2014 - USF2000 Race 2" (PDF). 22 February 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  15. "2022 Lamborghini Super Trofeo at NOLA >> Race 2 Official Results (50 Minutes)" (PDF). 24 May 2022. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  16. "2023 Trans-Am Series NOLA Motorsports Park Official Race Results" (PDF). 12 March 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  17. "New Orleans AMA SuperBike - Race 2 Results". 8 October 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  18. "2022 Formula 4 United States NOLA Motorsports Park Statistics". Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  19. "2023 NOLA Motorsports Park GT4 America Race 1". Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  20. "2023 NOLA Motorsports Park TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing School Race 1 - Final". Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  21. "2015 Pro Mazda Winterfest - NOLA Motorsports Park Unofficial Lap Report Race 1" (PDF). 19 February 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  22. "2015 Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda - Provisional Race Report - Round 3" (PDF). 11 April 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  23. "2015 USF2000 Winterfest - NOLA Motorsports Park Unofficial Lap Report Race 1" (PDF). 19 February 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  24. "2015 Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama - Official Race Report - Round 3" (PDF). 12 April 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 September 2015. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  25. "MX-5 Cup: Copeland claims NOLA win". 11 April 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
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