Monticello Race Track Story & Video

[barondw]

From the New York Times website. A video with Brian Redman and article describing the track and membership.

Look for the yellow GT in the video.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/09/automobiles/09TRACK.html

Dave

 

[fjpikul]

200 days a year? Not much bad weather up there, or does your membership include climate control? Baron, do you know the yellow GT owner? Certainly, GTJoey must have ponied up.

 

[Kayvan]

Tops 65 days a year (Mar-Oct x 2dys)....in this climate.

Every new track is a plus in this country.

However, like Golf courses it takes 10+ yrs to get beautiful trees grown for sweeping classic views

 

[fjpikul]

And just like golf courses, trees don't belong on a track.

 

[barondw]

200 days a year? Not much bad weather up there, or does your membership include climate control? Baron, do you know the yellow GT owner? Certainly, GTJoey must have ponied up.

You mean you didn't get the climate control option from the factory, I'm shocked.

Except for Dec-Mar when you get some snow weather generally is not that bad. Being 90 miles north of NYC it is much coller also due to higher elevation. But some of the 200 days could be rather cool resulting in very poor grip. And we all know what that does to a GT...crash.... boom..... bang.

No I don't know the owner of the yellow GT.

I do have one acquaintance that belongs and loves the mile long straight. Since he goes during the week there are very few cars on the track.

 

[B O N Y]

I was invited by Cadillac for a CTS v test and drive day there. I have heard great things about that facility. Wish it was closer to us Californians.

 

[RADGT]

I went up toward the end of summer to look at the track as it was nearing completion. Really nice lay out and setting but @ 125,000 membership fee. Having grown up in NY and went to school in upstate NY, I think the season is short. Since I work full time and cannot take off on a whim to hit the track, I had to decline. For those with the $$$, nice place. They also have a helipad so those of you w/ your own helicopters can fly in and avoid the 90 min drive from NYC or nearby areas. I think the yellow GT in the video is owned by one off the partners, Ari Strauss.

Stu

 

[junior]

Jerry!!! :rofl

He only mentions Porsche, Ferrari, Lambo, BMW ? What happened to Vipers, Ford GTs and Corvettes :bored

 

[barondw]

I was invited by Cadillac for a CTS v test and drive day there. I have heard great things about that facility. Wish it was closer to us Californians.

Bony

If its like other Cadillac events you didn't miss much as they don't run on the track. The create a little course in the parking lot or skid pad area of a track and you drive the Cadillac products and competing products.

I'm sure they would have provided rides on the main track.

For those who declined membersip you can go with PDA as they currently have acquired track days for their use. Not sure that you can run the larger track with the mile straight-away. I think it's the shorter configuration.

Its a bit cheaper this way (Approx. $ 300 per day) than the $ 125,000 initiation fee plus annual dues of $ 7,500.00.



Dave

 

[B O N Y]

Holly smokes Dave! They sent out a brochure, promised track time with an instructor,,,,blah...blah-blah. That would have been a major disappointment for anyone
expecting to really ring out the machine... oh well. Thanks for your clarification.

 

[barondw]

Holly smokes Dave! They sent out a brochure, promised track time with an instructor,,,,blah...blah-blah. That would have been a major disappointment for anyone
expecting to really ring out the machine... oh well. Thanks for your clarification.

Maybe they changed the way they do it. I had a instructor in an SRX with 2 other passengers.

 

[2MCHPWR]

The caddy event was insane. There were 3 types of cars being demo'd. The CTS group went on the south east circuit. The XLR-V group was on the south west circuit. The CTS-V went on the larger North course. Then each group went to the next car and so on. There were about 40 people in each group and they had coach buses shuttling the groups to the destinations. Caddy gave each person a nice fleece sweetshirt and a video from their session in the CTS-V. It was a first class event.

 

[B O N Y]

Great the hear a positive report, wish they would do something on the left coast.

 

[gtinmyblood]

There is a similar but smaller private "country club" track here in Aspen called http://www.aspenmotorsportspark.com/

Last I heard membership was 60k initiation and 10k per year. I like the concept but have not yet been able to justify the membership when I can race in Phoenix with NASA or Pro Autosports for 300 a weekend. Cheaper to fly there where my cars are anyway than to buy garage space and track membership here.