In the late 1990s, the New England Region Sports Car Club of America (NER SCCA) formed a "New Track Committee" and LLC (NER Investments) to find or build a "flagship track". Some years later, land was found in Palmer for what would become Palmer Motorsports Park (PMP).
Site plans were then created. On December 17 2007, after professional review and public hearings, the Palmer Planning Board issued NER Investments a special-use permit. A pro racer & developer took over and submitted plans for a new circuit (shown here), a hotel, garage suites and aBarkow Leibinger building (summary), which the planning board approved on January 5 2009.
Following the 2008 recession, the project stalled while carrying costs accrued. By late 2011, the NER board was poised to write it all off, when a useful idiot appeared. In late 2013, with funding, land and permits in hand, ground was finally broken by J. Read Corp(News Release) and in May 2015, Whiskey Hill Raceway opened: a 2.3 mile circuit with 500+ feet of elevation and vistas into New Hampshire, Vermont, New York and Connecticut. Road & Track magazine named Whiskey Hill Raceway one of the top 10 race tracks to drive in North America.
No history is complete without naming names. First and foremost, NER SCCA's Dick Patullo, Bruce Allen and Rob Laverty, who: chaired the New Track Committee, Excel'd a biz plan, and designed a 2+ mile balanced-site circuit; SCCA and town folks – Kathy Barnes, Bob Ring & Don Duffy, Mike Marciniec & Linda Leduc; Tim Pappas, for his eco-prescient plans; Glenn Conser & Bill Kephart for their Rocky Mountain High Plains support. Credit goes to Don Anderson of Hampden Bank for funding; to Greg Read & Dan Moeller of JRead Corp for site work; to HMS’ Joe Marko & TMS’ Will Turner for sage advice; and lastly, to your short-order cook & scribe "Fast Fred."
History continues to be made by: Christopher Tier, Al Sandy, JC, Kaleigh, Kevin, Matt, Mark, Nick, Stan & staff who scrub floors, wack weeds, wave flags, pump gas, guard the gates, post the pics & keep the lights on; and by our sponsors and club members and everyone racing on track or just hanging out in the paddock.