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.
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Location | 11075 Nicolle Boulevard, Avondale, Louisiana 70094 |
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Time zone | UTC-6 (UTC-5 DST) |
Coordinates | 29°53′1″N 90°11′52″W |
FIA Grade | 2 |
Owner | Laney Chouest |
Broke ground | December 2009 |
Opened | 2011 |
Construction cost | $62 million |
Architect | Alan Wilson |
Major events | Current: GT World Challenge America (2022) Formula Regional Americas Championship (2018, 2022) 24 Hours Of Lemons (2018–2019, 2021–present) Future: Trans-Am Series (2015–2016, 2023) Former: IndyCar Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana (2015) IMSA Prototype Challenge (2015) Cooper Tires WinterFest (2014) AMA Superbike Championship Triumph Big Kahuna New Orleans (2012) |
A Course (2011–present) | |
Surface | Asphalt |
Length | 2.748 miles (4.423 km) |
Turns | 17 |
Race lap record | 1:33.523 (![]() |
IndyCar A Course (2015–present) | |
Surface | Asphalt |
Length | 2.670 miles (4.300 km) |
Turns | 14 |
Race lap record | 1:28.5583 (![]() |
B Course (2011–present) | |
Surface | Asphalt |
Length | 1.877 miles (3.020 km) |
Turns | 12 |
C Course (2011–present) | |
Surface | Asphalt |
Length | 2.312 miles (3.720 km) |
Turns | 12 |
Website | www |
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.
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]
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.
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 manual mistake 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 wannagofast[8] event. He was at speeds of more than 200 miles per hour down the track parking-drag section of the park 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 official fastest race lap records on the NOLA Motorsports Park are listed as:
Category | Time | Driver | Vehicle | Date |
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A Course: 4.423 km (2011–present) | ||||
FR Americas | 1:33.523[11] | Raoul Hyman | Ligier JS F3 | 2022 NOLA FR Americas round |
GT3 | 1:34.800[12] | Giacomo Altoè | Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo | 2022 NOLA GT World Challenge America round |
Formula 4 | 1:41.227[13] | Bryson Morris | Crawford F4-16 | 2022 NOLA F4 United States round |
GT4 | 1:44.321[14] | Stevan McAleer | Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport | 2022 NOLA GT4 America round |
TC America | 1:51.072[15] | Lucas Catania | BMW M2 CS Racing | 2022 NOLA TC America round |
IndyCar A Course: 4.300 km (2015–present) | ||||
IndyCar | 1:28.5583 | Scott Dixon | Dallara DW12 | 2015 Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana |
US F2000 | 1:37.706[16] | Aaron Telitz | Van Diemen DP08 | 2015 NOLA US F2000 round |
Pro Mazda | 1:52.815[17] | Pato O'Ward | Star Formula Mazda 'Pro' | 2015 NOLA Pro Mazda round |
GT World Challenge America circuits | |||||||||
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Current (2022) |
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Returning (2023) |
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Former |
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Formula Regional Americas Championship circuits (2018–present) | |
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Current (2022) |
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Former |
Formula 4 United States Championship circuits (2016–present) | |
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Current (2022) |
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Former |
Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America circuits (2013–present) | |
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Current (2022) |
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Future/Returning (2023) | |
Former |
Tracks of the IndyCar Series (1996–present) | |||||||
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Current (2023) |
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Former |
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USF Pro 2000/Indy Pro 2000/Pro Mazda Championship race venues (1991–present) | |||||||
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Current (2022) |
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Returning (2023) |
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Former |
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Former regional championships |
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U.S. F2000 National Championship race venues (1990–present) | |||||||
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Current (2022) |
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Returning (2023) |
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Former |
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Tracks of the Trans-Am Series (1966–present) | |||||
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Current (2022) |
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Returning (2023) |
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Former |
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IMSA Prototype Challenge & VP Racing SportsCar Challenge race tracks (2006–present) | |
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Current (2022) |
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Returning (2023) | |
Former |
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Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup tracks (2003–present) | |
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Current (2022) |
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Former |
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AMA Superbike/MotoAmerica circuits (1976–present) | |
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Current (2022) |
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Former |