NOLA Motorsports Park, Racing Circuit

NOLA Motorsports Park is a permanent road course at Avondale, Louisiana, on the western edge of the New Orleans metropolitan area. It was the project of former physician Laney Chouest, who in 2009 announced plans to spend around 30 million dollars on a country-club-style facility primarily for wealthy car and motorcycle enthusiasts. Built on reclaimed swampland near the TPC Louisiana golf course and designed by Alan Wilson, the site posed engineering challenges that were overcome by mixing fly ash into the clay to form a stable foundation, while an extensive fibre-optic and wireless network was embedded for timing and broadcast use. The main road course and kart track opened in late 2011, and the venue soon grew popular for memberships and open-track days before adding professional events. The FIA Grade 2 circuit offers several configurations, the longest being the 2.748-mile, 17-turn A Course. Its highest-profile event was the 2015 Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana, the first IndyCar race in the state, which used a shortened 13-turn layout but was ruined by torrential rain and never returned. Since then the park has focused on regional and club racing, hosting series such as Formula Regional Americas, Trans-Am, GT World Challenge America and the SVRA SpeedTour. The facility also includes a karting circuit and a large asphalt skid pad used for drifting and autocross.