Yeah flat rock seems pretty cool. A guy that represents flat rock comes out to TKA (Tennesse Karting association). A month or so ago he gave us the run down and it seems very very cool. Says the Kart track is supposed to be top notch FIA rated and that theyâre aiming for a summer open for the kart track of next year. Will that happen who knows.
This one seems to be more promising as the middle Tennessee area has had multiple track developers say they were going to build only for some complication to arise and nothing to happen. Flat rock seems to have all their ducks in a row.
Will this hurt Twin Cities/TKA?
Depends. If they get on the same tire and do races on opposing weekends I doubt it could hurt it.
Thereâs two great case studies of a good and a bad way to handle a shiny new track opening next door in the southeast region.
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Atlanta Motorsports Park & the GSKA // Barnesville in Georgia (approx 2 hours apart)
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Carolina Motorsports Park & GoPro Motorplex in NC / SC (Approx 1.5 Hours apart)
In case #1, the GSKA first tried to run the same classes and tires and draw AMP newcomers down. It did for a bit, but they didnât feel like it drew enough down and felt like they lost more to AMP than they gained, so now theyâre on a completely different tire and have hardly any crossover.
In case #2, GoPro opened its club series on Sundays and copied CMPâs exact class format, with CMP racing on Saturdays. Crossover was huge, and it kickstarted GoPro. But as Rotax died, CMP slowly let its karting operations die down as well. But I think there still was a lot of crossover that couldâve happened and still can.
Iâd say TKA falls somewhere in the middle with the facility in it that itâs not a CMP level but itâs not as small and outdated as Barnesville GA either. If both tracks schedule around each other and mimic classes well, they could do really well. If they go different on classes and tires, it could hurt it. But even if you align together, TKA needs to understand they wonât be able to âout-sexyâ flatrock, and that theyâll be a #2 track and club in the state potentially.
What about Speedsportz Racing Park and Gulf Coast Karters as a case study? They are about an hour apart and they run the same class structures. They make sure they do not race on the same weekends, but have the same tire and class structures. For the first few years, they ran âThe Greater Houston Seriesâ, where there was a combined championship for running at both tracks. I do feel that Speedsportz gets more entries than GKCI does, but I think itâs due directly to the track surface and layout, yet I donât think GCKI has lost anyone to Speedsportz, they just donât get as many of the non-locals showing up.
I donât think so as of now. From what weâre were told and like I said Jamie had the guy give a whole presentation after a drivers meeting so the feeling towards flat rock seems fair. I think what the plan is now is for TKA to continue on at Twin Fountians and schedule around Flatrock and maybe encourage some of the club to go out there for a couple days. Like for me Flatrock is about a 45 minute extra drive. For those Alabama and Mississippi guys itâs probably another 2 hours + the 1.5-2 hrs already. Really it all depends on how the off-season talks go with twin fountains track. Iâm 80% sure itâs up for sale and it doesnât help that ownership of the track very persnickety to put lightly. And a literal rock throw away is talks of another big track country club is supposed to be built called Tennessee downs. By rock throw I mean if a shifter didnât brake in the back straight and there werenât trees theyâd be racing Porsches.
In the end I donât think itâll hurt because there seems to be connections already built. But, this off season may define change things. Hoping all goes well and to keep everyone updated.
Edit: Just looked it up to make sure I was right, but Twin Fountains was listed for sale for 7.5million on 7/28/2022. As of today the record shows it was removed 10/26/2022 âŚ. Today⌠what a coincidence.
ââThatâs what I think will make Flatrock different is that we will be a destination with hotels and villas, a winery, brewery, restaurants and things for people to do that arenât even interested in getting on the track.â
Sounds too fancy for me. I bet they wont like my racing jacket and holey jeansâŚ
If they race on Sundays, just tell them they are holy jeans⌠
From what was said the kart track is going to be pretty separate from the country club.
Call me crazy but I am ready for a country club karting facility. Iâd like a place to hang out as well as race. Place to go eat with family, etc.
We have a membership to a country club here for just the hanging out part, no golf or tennis for us.
The problem would be convincing my spouse that thereâs something in it for her. A good gym and pool, for example.
Iâve never been but thereâs a Monticello car club not too far from Manhattan that is a club. Itâs crazy expensive, though and I am not a hedgie.
Amp appears to be putting up condos and may have plans.
I guess the big problem with the club idea is proximity to home. I have yet to meet a kart track that doesnât require minimum 45 mins drive. 700 million powerball, though, could change things up if willing to lose money trying to see if thereâs a market for this. 
Thereâs a really cool car club in CT, theyâve got a âgarageâ which is basically a super luxurious space where they eat caviar and keep their $1,000,000 cars. Than theyâll go out on drives and stop by coffee shops and other stuff. I once saw them pass me and I nearly broke my neck when I saw a CLK gtr, accompanied by 2 carrera gtâs pass by.
Where was I going with this
Tanguy joined kind of a cool club in nyc. Basically they have a big fleet of cars and members can use them. They also have sim stuff, lounge etc. they do track days, races, etc. sounds pretty cool as a club.