Thunderbolt Raceway to open in 2008!

Great news! Here are a couple articles recently posted about Thunderbolt Raceway, NJ Motorsports park that I picked up on another board. It looks like constuction will begin shortly.



Racing by the spring of 2008 at NJMP

By JEAN JONES, Millville News Staff Writer

Friday, April 06, 2007



MILLVILLE -- The words "collaborative effort" were echoed over and over Thursday, as those involved in bringing the New Jersey Motorsports Park and its Thunderbolt Raceway to Millville thanked and congratulated each other. Congressman Frank LoBiondo was credited with providing the final push that led to the FAA releasing land at Millville Airport that will be part of the park. Without that action, everything was stalled. "The congressman pushed the ball out of the red zone," said Millville City Commissioner Joe Derella.



Joe Savaro, one of the principals in the project, said he might know by next week when groundbreaking will take place.



"We should be racing by spring 2008," he said. Derella, presiding in the absence of Mayor Jim Quinn, who had a prior commitment, said the project couldn't have occurred without the effort by people at every level of government.



Sen. Nick Asselta said it was all because of bipartisan levels of support.



LoBiondo said his help with getting the FAA to move on releasing the land was only a small part of the federal role, but it was "the last piece of the puzzle." He said Millville had the kind of fantastic opportunity that doesn't come along very often, calling it "an outstanding accomplishment that is going to benefit all of South Jersey and a model for how to get something done."



DRBA board member Gary Simmerman also cited the collaborative effort between private citizens, government and the private sector. "I can't wait to get that shovel in the ground," he said. Savaro said it was members of the Green Flag Committee, community and business leaders that kept the project moving forward. "They mobilized us," he said



And Here is a second article



Motorsports Park clears final obstacle

By JOSEPH P. SMITH, Staff Writer

The Daily Journal



MILLVILLE -- The last regulatory roadblock to the New Jersey Motorsports Park is gone.



The Federal Aviation Administration, after more than two years of review, has cleared the sale of 139 acres at the municipal airport for use in phase one construction of the theme park.



The FAA contacted developers with the news Friday, according to Lee Brahin, one of three principal investors.



Brahin and partner Joseph Savaro were at Tuesday night's City Commission meeting to witness commissioners approval of the release by resolution.



After the unanimous vote, Brahin said construction should start on the park in weeks. Some land title work and talks with Atlantic City Electric about power provisions need to be finished, he said.



The four-page resolution authoring the land sale states that the land will be sold for $556,000, a figure based on a February 2005 independent appraisal.



The sale proceeds go into an interest-bearing account to be used for capital development projects at the Cedarville Road airport.



Under the deal, the city retains rights to maintain aviation routes over the future park.



The motorsports park project was unveiled June 1, 2004. It has battled environmental opponents in court, ultimately but not quickly winning, and then complex regulatory reviews at the state and federal level.



The FAA review, first requested in March 2005, was a particular frustration.



"The early litigation by Citizens United may have chilled the process and made them more stringent," Brahin said. "I think they wanted to make sure it was done with all the 'i's dotted and the 't's crossed. And believe me -- it was!"



The park eventually is to cover about 707 acres, with 507 acres to start phase one.



The developer and city estimate the park as an eventual $100 million ratable.



But that is said to be on the conservative side.



The meeting agenda also contained a final approval of a tax reduction agreement for the project. The payment in lieu of taxes was approved.



Paul Porreca Sr., of the group Millville First, challenged the commission for hard evidence of the project's financial benefits.



As part of the response, city Economic Development Director Donald Ayres said the park's residential component by itself should be a $70 million ratable. It also is subject to regular taxes.



Ayres also said the city should collect $2 million for the land sold for phase one

 

If they continue to have 3 helicopter transports per day like the event I spectated at last summer, I wouldn't expect them to keep those dates... :roll:

 

yep. that was the one! not to mention the director explaining/bragging to the riders the the CR's were all expert racers! I wonder if that was the same CR that almost took me out in T5 at that NESBA day? :?

 

Me too. especially now that neight appears to be threatening me... it ought to be a good read!
that CR apologised like my ex-wife does... not so much an apology as an attempted justification.

 

The P38 saw limited use in the european theater, mostly in the north african campaign. You're right, though- the P38 was heavily used by the army air corps in the pacific theater- Richard Bong flew a p38 for most of his 40 confirmed kills.
It's also noteworthy that Kelly Johnson was 27 when he designed the P38! when I tally my life achievements up to that age, designing one of the coolest twin prop fighters of all times doesn't even come close to making that list.