Page 44 - July 2022

Track Days Could Go Local

Once a farm field, a soon- t o- be all t hings aut o-- road course t rack,
rest orat ion, engine building, condos wit h garages-- facilit y hopes t o
rise in Bedford Count y. Tennessee Downs held it s first communit y
building event on June 25 on t he Town Square.

Shelbville, there's a classic car community alive of the auto invitation list, with the goal of putting
and well. Rural Bedford County, at the nexus of a wide variety of makes, models, horsepower and
Murfreesboro, Tullahoma, and Eagleville. vendors on the Square for the public to enjoy.
Shelbyville even has its own long established car Then there was Jeremy Carpenter of GC
center of activity, Hoodlum Alley. A local car club Performance Classics, and, some of his clients,
hosts a popular "Cruise in on the Square" the who believed there was a need for a sportscar
fourth Friday of every month. While the majority oriented facility in the Nashville market.
of the interest centers, presently, around Carpenter also has a background in commercial
American hot rods, classics, and muscle cars, the development and construction. When he
occasional souped- up VW Bug, a stripped down combined that with his automotive business he
Lotus, Japanese speedsters, rat-rods, and had not only a vision but a plan.
pick-up trucks, in various states of owner
GC Performance Classics services cars like
dreaming modifications, make appearances, too.
Corvettes, Camaros, Mustangs, Shelby's, and
When and how did sleepy Bedford County performance cars from the '60s, and Carpenter's
become an emerging location for high clients also own Porsches, McLarens,
performance cars? Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and other high

Enter Tennessee Downs. When it announced performance cars. Driving them on the city streets
that they were bringing 2 billion dollars worth of and interstates as they were meant to be driven
cars, spread over 150 parking spaces, to the Town is a non-starter, so a club-based facility like NCM
Square on June 25th, plus vendors and live music Motorsports in Bowling Green had appeal.
, all to introduce the Downs to its new community, A group of like- minded investors decided to
the announcement got local attention. make that vision come true on the 195 acre parcel

Mike Gillespie is the Events Coordinator for the that has been purchased on HWY 321 between
Tennessee Downs project. He was also in charge Murfreesboro and Shelbyville.
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