Register for 2015 Tire Rack Bowling Green Match Tour!

In America, we hold dear so many things that we associate with being traditionally American – "as American as baseball and apple pie", as the cliché goes. But those are very circa-1930’s types of things to identify ourselves with. It's 2015, which means that baseball and apple pie are every bit as American nowadays as Starbucks traffic jams, property foreclosure, and of course, wanton displays of excess. And there are few symbols of American excess more relevant than the Chevrolet Corvette.

While often misunderstood as the wheels of choice for bail bond sales reps and arthritic retirees, the Corvette has always been a car that has been remarkably ahead of its time. It was one of the first American cars to feature an all-fiberglass body, and the first American car to fit independent rear suspension, all the way back in 1963. It had a limited-slip (okay, “positraction”) differential, attractive two-door looks with two-plus-zero seating, and a big ol’ V8 with more power than your dad’s dad knew what to do with. Despite the relatively simple and straightforward engine to which the Corvette owes its attribute of “excessive” to, it was – and still is – a serious enthusiast’s car, and for seven generations has been born and bred right in Bowling Green, Kentucky. To commemorate the car’s sporting heritage, the National Corvette Museum, located just across the street from the famed plant, spent the last few years laying out a 186-acre race and test facility designed specifically for the Corvette. Twenty-two of those acres are dedicated strictly to autocross. It's within those twenty-two acres that, on the first weekend in May, the 2015 Match Tour season will officially begin.

Seeing that the Corvette has long been one of the most popular cars to participate in Solo, it’s a very fitting start - and a proper homage to the opening of a facility that will undoubtedly test the cars of Solo future.

NCM Motorsports Park officially broke ground back in June of 2013, with the intention to build a world-class racing facility that could be used to develop both production and racing versions of the Corvette. The end result is the map you see below: 3.15 miles of road course intended to mimic some of best features of the famed LeMans circuit. A control tower with meeting rooms and classrooms. And of course, the twenty two acres of autocross/paddock space mentioned earlier. But this is only the beginning: the park plans to expand further to include yet more road course space, residential area, camp grounds, and even a karting track – important information for future SCCA Solo program visits.

Hat tip to Chris Harp for the video

The park also has its own concessions provided by Shogun, which should be good news for those who are fans of fast Asian food, including sushi. Not into that? The museum itself just up the road has a very cool 50’s-themed restaurant with more traditional fare, where you can also enjoy a guided tour of Corvette history, if you have the time. If you're a current or former Corvette owner, you can even look up your VIN and build sheet right at the museum. Those with any interest in geology can also explore a section dedicated specifically to “the sinkhole”, which the museum has weirdly taken ownership of, along with full acknowledgement that it ruined several priceless cars – a story you can now relive again and again.

Speaking of 'murica...

When you're bored of racing or looking at historic plastic cars with big engines, you can venture into Bowling Green itself for a little nightlife. There are several watering holes and eateries in downtown that Yelp has declared to be local favorites. You have a selection of chain restaurants around the outskirts/hotel areas, but venture into town and you'll find a few barbecue joints, dive bars, and even a Mellow Mushroom.

Don't hesitate to be part of Solo history and be able to declare that “you were there” like a grizzled war veteran when the first NCM Match Tour happened – if you haven't registered, get to it. While you're at it, feel free to familiarize yourself with the new and revised rules for the Match Tour here. You might be thinking of it referred to as a “math tour” and all that. But the national staff has been working hard to constantly improve the format, and the revised indexes this year make Match Tours a lot more attractive to those running in Street classes.

Don't be a terrible American and try to hide your closet fetish for pushrods and transverse leaf springs any longer – start making your plans for Bowling Green, KY today.