New Jersey Motorsports Park

New Jersey Motorsports Park is a road course "Motorsports Entertainment Complex" located in Millville, Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It has hosted races since opening in 2008 and currently hosts a schedule including MotoAmerica Pro Road Racing, 24 Hours of LeMons, American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association, SCCA events, SCCA Pro Racing's F2000 Championship Series. It is not to be confused with the New Jersey Motorsports Park: Field of Dreams, an unaffiliated Motocross facility across the street.

New Jersey Motorsports Park
Thunderbolt (top) and Lightning (bottom) circuits
Location8000 Dividing Creek Road, Millville, Cumberland County New Jersey
Time zoneUTC−5 (UTC−4 DST)
Coordinates39°21′32.29″N 75°3′41.86″W
CapacityOpen seating without capacity limitation
FIA Grade3
Opened31 August 2008 (2008-08-31)
Major eventsCurrent:
MotoAmerica (2009–present)
FR Americas (2018, 2022–present)
SCCA (2008–present)
Former:
Trans-Am Series (2010, 2012, 2014–2017)
K&N Pro Series East
JustDrive.com 125 (2016–2018)
ARCA Racing Series (2008–2016)
Rolex Sports Car Series (2008–2012)
Pirelli World Challenge (2008–2009, 2014)
Indy Pro 2000 Championship (2008–2010, 2020–2021)
Thunderbolt Raceway (2008–present)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length2.250 miles (3.621 km)
Turns13
Race lap record1:11.197 (United States Peter Portante, Swift 016.a, 2017, Formula Atlantic)
Lightning Raceway (2008–present)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length1.900 miles (3.058 km)
Turns10

Current tracks and facilities

Thunderbolt and Lightning Raceways

New Jersey Motorsports Park is located on 500 acres (200 ha) immediately adjacent to the Millville Municipal Airport, a location that was dedicated in 1941 as America's First Defense Airport, which played a key role in the country's World War II military efforts.

NJMP is one of the few facilities in the world housing two circuits that can be operated simultaneously. The tracks both feature many elevation changes, along with lengthy front straightaways. One of the best known features of this course is a stretch on Thunderbolt Raceway known as "the Jersey devil."

The Park offers open seating which allows spectators to venture throughout the grounds. Grandstands are available in several locations, in addition to camping areas and on-site hotel and condominium accommodations. The facility includes a full-service bar and restaurant, The Finish Line Pub, located at the center of the property.

Go-karting

In addition to the two road courses, NJMP includes a 1.1 mi (1.8 km) karting facility called Tempest Raceway. Like the park itself, Tempest consists of two tracks that can be operated simultaneously. It hosts daily arrive-and-drive programs, and offers custom experiences for groups. The complex also hosts competition events sanctioned by various regional and national series.

In 2011 The Motorsports park declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy, defaulting on its contracts with the City of Millville.[1]

Millville Army Air Field

The Millville Army Air Field opened as a gunnery school for fighter pilots for the Republic P-47 “Thunderbolt” in 1941. During its four-year existence, about 1,500 pilots received advanced P-47 Thunderbolt fighter training here.

New Jersey Motorsports Park commemorated this history by naming its marquee 2.250 mi (3.621 km) racetrack “Thunderbolt Raceway.” The 1.900 mi (3.058 km) road course – Lightning Raceway – is named after the P-38 Lightning, a World War II fighter aircraft.

The facility also carries the historical World War II theme by naming its track-side condominiums “The Villas at Breighton.” Breighton was the name of an allied airfield in Great Britain, where many of the Millville-trained P-47 pilots served during World War II.

Other ties to the World War II theme include the English Tudor design of the clubhouse, the Officers Club's Q-Hangar design that contains Cumberland County's largest banquet facility and the Timing Tower that resembles a World War II air traffic control tower. NJMP safety and security vehicles are based on World War II MP Jeeps.

While building the various structures at New Jersey Motorsports Park, many World War II artifacts were found and collected for display at the Millville Army Air Field Museum, located on the opposite side of the Millville Airport. The Bore Site range, located just outside Thunderbolt Raceway Paddock was used by Thunderbolt pilots during training as a range to calibrate their machine guns.

Today, a P-47 Thunderbolt - No Guts, No Glory aircraft is based out of Millville Airport. It is one of only nine in the world still in working condition.

Lap records

As of July 2022, the fastest official race lap records at the New Jersey Motorsports Park are listed as:

CategoryTimeDriverVehicleEvent
Thunderbolt Circuit: 3.621 km (2008–present)[2]
Formula Atlantic1:11.197[3][4]Peter PortanteSwift 016.a2017 New Jersey Atlantic Championship round
Daytona Prototype1:12.440[5]Max AngelelliDallara DP012008 Supercar Life 250
Indy Pro 20001:12.8344[6]Fabrizio De SimoneTatuus PM-182020 Cooper Tires Indy Pro 2000 Grand Prix at New Jersey Motorsports Park
Formula Regional1:13.786[7]Kyle KirkwoodLigier JS F32018 New Jersey F3 Americas round
US F20001:17.7495[8]Nolan SiegelTatuus USF-172020 The Andersen Companies USF2000 Grand Prix at New Jersey Motorsports Park
Trans-Am1:19.073[9]Ernie Francis Jr.Ford Mustang Trans-Am2017 New Jersey Trans-Am round
Porsche Carrera Cup1:19.718[10]Andy Lally[11]Porsche 911 (997) GT3 Cup2008 Supercar Life 250
Formula 41:19.797[12]Cameron DasCrawford F4-162016 New Jersey F4 United States round
Superbike1:20.076[13]Jake GagneYamaha YZF-R12021 New Jersey MotoAmerica round
Supersport1:24.066[14]Keyan Edwards-TillmanBMW S1000RR2017 New Jersey MotoAmerica round
Pirelli World Challenge TC1:29.748[15]Michael DiMeoHonda Civic Si2014 New Jersey Pirelli World Challenge round
Mazda MX-5 Cup1:31.7819[16]Gresham WagnerMazda MX-5 (ND)2020 New Jersey Mazda MX-5 Cup round
Pirelli World Challenge TCB1:40.289[17]Brian PriceHonda Fit2014 New Jersey Pirelli World Challenge round
Thunderbolt Circuit with Turn 2 Chicane: 3.621 km (2008–present)[2][18]
Formula Regional1:18.700[19]Raoul HymanLigier JS F32022 New Jersey FR Americas round
Formula 41:22.979[20]Lochie HughesCrawford F4-162022 New Jersey F4 United States round

History of racing at the park

Events

NBC's Octane Academy held its east coast qualifier at the Park's 1.900 mi (3.058 km) Lightning Raceway in January 2013.

Records

New Jersey Motorsports Park's slowest hot lap was done in a Ferrari 458 Italia driven by automotive journalist Danny Korecki on the Lightning Circuit. Korecki drove the Ferrari 458 on three consecutive laps while going no faster than 25 miles per hour.

Pro racing

Many renowned racing series have visited New Jersey Motorsports Park. The first was Grand-Am Road Racing's Rolex Sports Car Series in 2008, with Oswaldo Negri and Mark Patterson capturing the first-ever Thunderbolt trophies. The ARCA Racing Series and AMA Superbike Championship also joined the NJMP schedule, holding annual points-paying races at the Northeast facility. In 2010, SCCA Pro Racing's Trans-Am Series held its first race at Thunderbolt Raceway and returned in 2012, and from 2014 on.

Other notable events include the "Devil in the Dark", a 12-hour endurance race put on by the South Jersey region of the SCCA. Regional and national sportscar and motorcycle clubs also hold hundreds of track-day events at the two circuits each season.

American Superbike
Year Date Driver Team Manufacturer Race Distance
Laps Best Lap
2009 September 5 United States Josh Hayes Yamaha Motor Corp. Yamaha 23 1:21.979
2009 September 6 United States Josh Hayes Yamaha Motor Corp. Yamaha 23 1:21.287
2010 September 4 United States Josh Hayes Team Graves Yamaha Yamaha 21 1:21.210
2010 September 5 United States Josh Hayes Team Graves Yamaha Yamaha 23 1:21.242
2011 September 3 United States Josh Hayes Monster Energy Graves Yamaha Yamaha 23 1:21.264
2011 September 4 United States Blake Young Rockstar/Makita/Suzuki Suzuki 23 1:21.904
2012 September 8 United States Josh Hayes Monster Energy Graves Yamaha Yamaha 23 1:20.737
2012 September 9 United States Josh Hayes Monster Energy Graves Yamaha Yamaha 23 1:20.895
2013 September 14 United States Josh Herrin Monster Energy Graves Yamaha Yamaha 20 1.21.804
2013 September 15 United States Josh Hayes Monster Energy Graves Yamaha Yamaha 23 1:20.716

MotoAmerica Superbike Series

[21]

Year Date Race # Driver Team Manufacturer Race Distance
Laps Best Lap
2015 September 13 Race 1 United States Josh Hayes Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha Yamaha 9 1:22.496
2015 September 14 Race 2 United States Josh Hayes Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha Yamaha 25 1:22.148
2016 September 11 Race 1 United States Roger Hayden Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing Suzuki 25 1:21.289
2016 September 12 Race 2 Spain Toni Elias Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing Suzuki 25 1:21.521
2017 September 9 Race 1 Spain Toni Elias Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing Suzuki 23 1:21.092
2017 September 10 Race 2 Spain Toni Elias Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing Suzuki 25 1:21.044
2018 September 8 Race 1 United States Josh Herrin Attack Performance/Herrin Compound/Yamaha Yamaha 23 1:37.936
2018 September 9 Race 2 United States Cameron Beaubier Monster Energy/Yamalube/Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 18 1:43.626
2019 September 7 Race 1 United States Garrett Gerloff Monster Energy/Yamalube/Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 23 1:20.588
2019 September 8 Race 2 United States Cameron Beaubier Monster Energy/Yamalube/Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 23 1:20.902
2020 September 12 Race 1 United States Cameron Beaubier Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Yamaha 21 1:20.310
2020 September 13 Race 2 United States Cameron Beaubier Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Yamaha 14 1:20.937
2021 September 11 Race 1 United States Jake Gagne Fresh N' Lean Attack Performance Yamaha Yamaha 20 1:20.747
2021 September 12 Race 2 United States Jake Gagne Fresh N' Lean Attack Performance Yamaha Yamaha 20 1:20.076
2022 September 10 Race 1 United States Jake Gagne Fresh N' Lean Attack Performance Yamaha Yamaha 17 1:20.796
2022 September 11 Race 2 Italy Danilo Petrucci Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Ducati 14 1:31.698

NASCAR K&N Pro Series East
Further information: JustDrive.com 125
Year Date Driver Team Manufacturer Race Distance
Laps
2016 September 17 United States Noah Gragson Jefferson Pitts Racing Ford 55
2017 September 16 United States Will Rodgers Jefferson Pitts Racing Ford 55
2018 June 16 United States Will Rodgers Jefferson Pitts Racing Ford 55

ARCA Racing Series
Year Date Driver Team Manufacturer Race Distance
Laps
2008 September 28 United States Justin Allgaier Allgaier Motorsports Chevrolet 48
2009 September 13 United States Patrick Long Cunningham Motorsports Dodge 67
2010 August 15 United States Casey Roderick Bill Elliott Racing Dodge 67
2011 May 22 Canada Andrew Ranger NDS Motorsports Dodge 67
2012 July 1 Canada Andrew Ranger NDS Motorsports Dodge 67
2013 July 28 Canada Andrew Ranger NDS Motorsports Dodge 67
2014 June 1 Canada Andrew Ranger NDS Motorsports Dodge 67
2015 May 24 United States Kyle Weatherman Cunningham Motorsports Dodge 67
2016 May 28 United States Parker Kligerman Cunningham Motorsports Dodge 67

Rolex Sportscar Series
Year Date Driver Team Manufacturer Race Distance
Laps
2008 August 31 Brazil Oswaldo Negri & South Africa Mark Patterson Michael Shank Racing #60 Ford Riley 105
2009 May 3 Sweden Niclas Jönsson & Brazil Ricardo Zonta Krohn Racing #76 Ford Lola 87
2010 August 18 United States Jon Fogarty & United States Alex Gurney Bob Stallings Racing #99 Chevrolet Riley 116
2011 July 24 United States Scott Pruett & Mexico Memo Rojas Chip Ganassi Racing #01 BMW Riley 117
2012 May 13 Italy Max Angelelli & United States Ricky Taylor Wayne Taylor Racing #10 Corvette DP 117

Trans Am Series
Year Date Class Driver Team / Sponsor Manufacturer Race Distance /

Time Limit

2010 May 9 TA United States Tomy Drissi Rocketsports Racing Jaguar 101.25 miles / 45 laps / 75 minutes
2012 July 1 TA United States Amy Ruman Ruman Racing

McNichols Company

 Chevrolet 101.25 miles / 45 laps / 75 minutes
TA2 United States Pete Halsmer CTEK Battery Chargers Motorstate / Allstar Chevrolet 101.25 miles / 45 laps / 75 minutes
2014 June 1 TA United States Amy Ruman Ruman Racing

McNichols Company

 Chevrolet 101.25 miles / 45 laps / 90 minutes
TA2 United States Cameron Lawrence Miller Racing

CTEK Battery Chargers / Northstar

 Chevrolet 101.25 miles / 45 laps / 90 minutes
TA3 – International United States Jason Berkeley BMG Management Chevrolet 101.25 miles / 45 laps / 90 minutes
TA3 – American United States Ernie Francis Jr. Breathless Performance Racing Chevrolet 101.25 miles / 45 laps / 90 minutes
2015 June 14 TA United States Amy Ruman Ruman Racing

McNichols Company

 Chevrolet 101.25 miles / 45 laps / 75 minutes
TA2 United States Adam Andretti Engineered Components Company (ECC) Ford 101.25 miles / 45 laps / 75 minutes
TA3 – International United States Andrew Aquilante Phoenix Performance / Hawk Chevrolet 101.25 miles / 45 laps / 75 minutes
TA3 – American United States Ernie Francis Jr. Breathless Performance Racing Chevrolet 101.25 miles / 45 laps / 75 minutes
2016 June 12 TA United States Paul Fix Stop Flex / The Car Coach / Classic Tube Chevrolet 101.25 miles / 45 laps / 75 minutes
TA2 United States Tony Buffomante Mike Cope Racing Ford 101.25 miles / 45 laps / 75 minutes
TA3 United States Andrew Aquilante Phoenix Performance / Hawk / Penske Chevrolet 101.25 miles / 45 laps / 75 minutes
TA4 United States Ernie Francis Jr. Breathless Performance Racing

Beta Tools / Liquid Performance

 Ford 101.25 miles / 45 laps / 75 minutes
TA5 United States Tim Kezman Fall-Line Motorsports / Calypso Porsche 101.25 miles / 45 laps / 75 minutes
2017 October 8 TA United States Ernie Francis Jr. Breathless Performance Racing

Beta Tools / Liquid Performance

 Ford 101.25 miles / 45 laps / 75 minutes
TA2 United States Gar Robinson Robinson Racing

Pura Vida Tequila / 74 Ranch Resort

 Chevrolet 101.25 miles / 45 laps / 75 minutes
TA3 United States Neal Walker Tullman Walker Racing Porsche 101.25 miles / 45 laps / 75 minutes
TA4 United States Brian Kleeman DWW Motorsports Ford 101.25 miles / 45 laps / 75 minutes

References
  1. "New Jersey Motorsports Park files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection".
  2. "New Jersey Motorsports Park - Racing Circuits". Racingcircuits.info. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  3. "Formula Atlantic Track Records". Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  4. "2017 New Jersey Motorsports Park Formula Atlantic Race 2" (PDF). 8 October 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  5. "2008 New Jersey Grand-Am". Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  6. "2020 Indy Pro 2000 New Jersey Race 2 Statistics". Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  7. "2018 F3 Americas Championship powered by Honda NJMP (Thuderbolt) - Round 7 Official Race Result" (PDF). 15 September 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  8. "2020 US F2000 New Jersey Race 2 Statistics". Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  9. "2017 Trans Am Championship Presented by Pirelli Round 11 - New Jersey Motorsports Park Millville NJ - Oct. 6-8, 2017 Trans Am TA/TA3/TA4 Official TA, TA3, TA4 Race Results" (PDF). 10 October 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  10. "250 miles New Jersey 2008". Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  11. "Grand American Rolex Series - GT 2008 standings". Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  12. "2016 F4 US Championship Powered by Honda Formula 4 New Jersey Motorsports Park Race 2" (PDF). 28 August 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  13. "2021 MotoAmerica Superbikes at New Jersey HONOS Superbike Race 2" (PDF). 12 September 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  14. "2017 Championship of New Jersey Supersport & Superstock 600/1000 Supersport & Superstock 1000 Race 2 practice laps" (PDF). 10 September 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  15. "Great Railings 150 at NJMP at New Jersey Motorsports Park-Thunderbolt on June 1st 2014 - Final Race Results - Pirelli World Challenge TC/TCA/TCB Round 6" (PDF). 1 July 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  16. "2020 Battery Tender Global Mazda MX5 Cup New Jersey Motorsports Park Race 2" (PDF). 11 October 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  17. "Great Railings 150 at NJMP at New Jersey Motorsports Park-Thunderbolt on May 31st 2014 - Final Race Results - Pirelli World Challenge TC/TCA/TCB Round 5" (PDF). 2 July 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 February 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  18. "Formula Regional Americas - Past Events". Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  19. "2022 FRA & F4US Rd 10/11/12 NJMP Thunderbolt w/ Chicane 2.250 miles FRA Round 10 Race Result" (PDF). 30 July 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  20. "2022 FRA & F4US Rd 10/11/12 NJMP Thunderbolt w/ Chicane 2.250 miles F4 US Round 11 Race Result" (PDF). 31 July 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  21. "Results | MotoAmerica Registration".
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