The first thing that strikes you isn’t the track’s length or how much of it is visible from the club’s outside terrace. Instead, your eyes fixate on just how many elevation changes the private track at the Ten Tenths Motor Club incorporates into just 1.7 miles.
I’m in Concord, North Carolina, for its grand opening. Over the following days, this new members-only club will host vintage racing, a Concours, and over $500 million of collectible cars as part of its Heritage Invitational.
Located a few hundred feet from the historic Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Ten Tenths Motor Club results from a joint venture between Speedway Motorsports, owners of race tracks across the US, and NASCAR team owner and auto industry tycoon Rick Hendrick.
To understand the vision for this place, I sat for an interview with Speedway Motorsports CEO Marcus G. Smith, who explained how quickly the vision came together to build this club. According to Smith, construction began in October last year and ended in early April, just before its grand opening.
This includes creating an over 20,000-square-foot hospitality building where members can access racing simulators, a bourbon bar, a cigar lounge, and plenty of lounging areas. Given that the Ten Tenths Motor Club is as much a track as an event space, the team behind it opted to install lights on the circuit, making it possible to host driving sessions at night.
However, as Smith points out, the Ten Tenths Motor Club is built to be more than just a place where members can bring their cars for a track day. It includes private climate-controlled garages to store entire car collections and white-glove service should mechanical repairs be needed.
The club hosted the Heritage Invitational throughout its opening weekend, which kicked things off with historic Trans-Am cars on the track competing in two 25-minute races. Later that evening, attendees witnessed some Pro-Am racing completed at night with the circuits lighting system illluminating the course.
However, the weekend’s highlight was the Heritage Invitational Concours hosted the following morning. It’s estimated that around $500 million of collectible cars were in attendance, ranging from a Lamborghini Miura to vintage Porsche race cars in unrestored condition and even a pair of new AMG ONEs.
The track spans 1.7 miles in its complete configuration and incorporates 112 feet of elevation change through 19 turns. It’s the work of 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Alexander Wurz, and the course offers a 1.1-mi Short configuration and an even smaller 0.6-mi Inner Loop layout. The latter incorporates a water irrigation system to allow members to practice their drifting skills while also serving as a driver training area.
One of the largest benefits of this being a new facility is just how much runoff area it offers, about 42 ft on average. If you’ve ever experienced older circuits, you’ll often find that there isn’t much room for mistakes.
Member-only race tracks have become quite popular over the last 15 years. Whether discussing The Thermal Club in Palm Springs or The Concours Club in Miami, each facility has strengths and weaknesses. However, while Ten Tenths Motor Club might be the latest addition to the world of private circuits, its road course, complete with vast elevation changes and many turns packed into a relatively short course, should make it an exciting competitor to this segment’s established players.
While the Club has just opened, those interested in joining can do so via the Ten Tenths Motor Club website.