NCM Motorsports Park-National Corvette Museum Mulsanne Chicane
The NCM Motorsports Park is a 419-acres motorsport complex owned and managed by the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The track is right next door to the actual Corvette Assembly Plant, offering drivers of all ages and experience levels the opportunity to race their vehicles in a modern and safe facility. Top speeds of 180 mph are possible in the 2300-feet main straight, so it's no wonder why high-velocity lovers from all around the Bluegrass State flock into the park to test their skills behind the wheel. For a 200$ fee, aspiring racers and motorsport enthusiasts can get their hands in Ferrari, a Lamborghini, or a Porsche in the museum for a test ride.
The bluegrass state has a humid subtropical climate, with 120 days of rainfall a year, 14 more than the US average. That means it is not unlikely to find a wet surface in the NCM Motorsports Park. There are several layouts available for motorcycle, automobile, and go-karting in the park. A 1-miler East Course with ten turns and a 2-miler West Course with 13 turns offer many different track configurations when combined. The 23-turn Full Course is the most popular one, with two straightaway sections to reach top speeds.
The Mulsanne Chicane configuration at NCM Motorsports Park pays direct homage to Circuit de la Sarthe's famous interruption to the Hunaudières straight, adding a Le Mans-inspired chicane to three different layout options at Kentucky's National Corvette Museum facility in Bowling Green. This variant can be implemented on the Grand Full Course (3.15 miles / 5.07 km), Grand Max Straight Course (2.87 miles / 4.62 km), or Corvette Race Loop Course (1.97 miles / 3.17 km), with the chicane strategically placed to break up the 4,000-foot Mulsanne Straight before reaching the Mulsanne Corner. The addition transforms the circuit's character by removing the extended top-speed runs and replacing them with a technical braking-acceleration-braking sequence that tests chassis balance and driver precision rather than pure horsepower.
Implementing the Mulsanne Chicane reflects NCM Motorsports Park's deliberate Circuit de la Sarthe replication philosophy, which includes recreating the Porsche curves, the Mulsanne corner itself, and both chicanes that now break up Le Mans' famous straight. The chicane configuration proves particularly popular for club racing and track day events where organizers seek to reduce straight-line speeds for safety considerations while adding technical complexity that rewards driving skill over engine output. Located directly adjacent to GM's Corvette-producing Bowling Green Assembly Plant and the National Corvette Museum, the facility attracts Corvette enthusiasts specifically seeking to experience Le Mans-inspired sections on American soil. Kentucky's continental climate creates seasonal variations—summer track temperatures can exceed 50°C while spring and fall events offer cooler conditions that affect tire strategy differently when navigating the Mulsanne Chicane's sharp directional changes. The chicane option allows event organizers to tailor the circuit experience, with serious racers often preferring configurations without the chicane for maximum speed, while driving schools and novice groups benefit from the additional technical challenge and reduced straight-line velocities.
