Atlantic Motorsport Park
Atlantic Motorsport Park at a glance
- Location
- Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 2.575 km (1.6 mi)
- Turns
- 11
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 1974
- Owner
- member-owned club (volunteer-run)
- Website
- atlanticmotorsportpark.ca
Track map and layout
Atlantic Motorsport Park packs 11 corners into a tight 2.575 km (1.6 mi) lap cut into rolling Nova Scotia farmland, and it is regularly rated one of the most technical short circuits in Canada. The signature stretch is a downhill dog-leg through Turns 1 and 2 that drops the car onto a blind, roller-coaster run through Turns 4, 5 and 6, where elevation changes disguise the braking points. Because the track is narrow and built entirely by volunteer labour rather than reshaped for spectacle, it rewards precision over horsepower and has long been a proving ground for Atlantic Canada's open-wheel and superbike racers.
Events and race weekends
AMP's marquee weekend is its round of the Canadian Superbike Championship (CSBK), which brings the national motorcycle series to the East Coast each season. Through the rest of the year the calendar is filled by club car and motorcycle racing run by the Society of Atlantic Road Racing League and affiliated clubs, along with track-day and performance-driving school bookings. The circuit marked its 50th anniversary in 2024, and a commemorative history, "Atlantic Motorsport Park: A Short History, 1974-2024" by David A. Charters, was published for the occasion.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Superbike Championship round | CSBK | — | AMP's main national-level event; exact date varies by season |
Getting there and parking
AMP sits in rural Hants County near Shubenacadie, roughly 45-55 minutes' drive north of Halifax on Highway 102 and local roads. There is no public transit to the circuit, so a car is essential; most visitors fly into Halifax and drive out for the day or weekend. The track publishes a directions page on its website, and the Shubenacadie area is best known otherwise for the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park and tidal-bore rafting on the Shubenacadie River.
- Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) · about 45 min drive
Parking
Free general parking is available on-site for spectators and racers; arrive early on Superbike weekend as club-run grounds have limited capacity.
There is no public transport to the track, so plan to rent a car in Halifax if flying in.
Hotels and camping near Atlantic Motorsport Park
Most visitors base themselves in Halifax and make the roughly 45-minute drive out for race day, since Shubenacadie itself has only limited lodging. Truro, about 30 minutes north of the track, is a smaller alternative with motels and chain hotels convenient for anyone continuing on toward Cape Breton or Prince Edward Island.
Where to look
Halifax (45 minutes south) for the widest choice, or Truro (30 minutes north) for a closer, smaller-town base.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
As a member-owned club circuit, AMP is not open for casual drive-up laps, but it regularly hosts car and motorcycle track days and performance driving schools run by member clubs and outside providers who book the facility. Racers compete through club events sanctioned by groups such as the Society of Atlantic Road Racing League, with car and motorcycle lap records posted on the track's own website.
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formula Atlantic | 1:01.489 | Howdy Holmes | March 79B | 1979 |
| Superbike | 1:07.732 | Jordan Szoke | Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR | 2026 |
| Supersport | 1:08.231 | Torin Collins | Yamaha YZF-R9 | 2026 |
Spectator guide
Spectating at AMP is informal and low-key by design; fans line fencing along the front straight and the downhill Turns 1-2 complex to watch the action up close, with the CSBK weekend drawing the biggest crowds of the year. Facilities are basic compared to major speedways, in keeping with the track's volunteer-run character.
Seating
Limited grandstand seating exists near the start/finish line; most spectators watch from fenced viewing areas around the circuit.
Best places to watch
The downhill dog-leg at Turns 1 and 2, and the blind roller-coaster sequence through Turns 4-6, offer the best views of cars and bikes working hardest.
Weather
- Jun-Sep: mild Atlantic Canada summer, highs around 20-24°C (68-75°F); pack a layer for cool evenings
History of Atlantic Motorsport Park
Volunteer beginnings
Atlantic Motorsport Park opened in August 1974 on a 116-hectare site of rolling farmland near Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia, built and financed almost entirely by a volunteer group of car, motorcycle and snowmobile racing enthusiasts. Unlike most circuits that trace back to a corporate or municipal developer, AMP has remained under the ownership of its own membership club since day one, and it is widely described as the only track in North America to host a national-series event while being run entirely by volunteers.
Formula Atlantic years
The track's tight, technical 11-turn layout made it a natural fit for open-wheel racing, and from 1974 through 1979 AMP hosted rounds of the CASC Atlantic Championship, drawing some of the era's best Canadian talent. Bill Brack was a regular winner, and a young Gilles Villeneuve, then still building his reputation before Formula One, set an unofficial lap time on the circuit in 1975 that stood as the benchmark for years afterward. AMP also hosted NASCAR races during the 1970s, a rare northern outpost for the American oval series at the time.
Present day
Today AMP's headline event is an annual round of the Canadian Superbike Championship, which brings national-level motorcycle racing to Atlantic Canada. The rest of the calendar is filled with car and motorcycle club racing organised through the Society of Atlantic Road Racing League and affiliated groups, along with driving schools and private track-day bookings. The circuit celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024 with a commemorative history of the facility, underscoring its status as a fixture of grassroots Canadian motorsport built and sustained entirely by the people who race there.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Atlantic Motorsport Park?+
The circuit is 2.575 km (1.6 mi) long with 11 turns.
Where is Atlantic Motorsport Park located?+
It's near Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia, about 45 minutes' drive north of Halifax.
What is the biggest event held at AMP?+
An annual round of the Canadian Superbike Championship (CSBK) is the track's marquee national-level event.
Can the public drive on the track?+
AMP is a member-owned club circuit; public access is through organised track days, driving schools and club race events rather than drop-in laps.
Who owns Atlantic Motorsport Park?+
The circuit is owned outright by its own membership club and has been run by volunteers since it opened in 1974.
Did Gilles Villeneuve race at Atlantic Motorsport Park?+
Yes, Villeneuve set an unofficial lap record at AMP in a 1975 Formula Atlantic event before his rise to Formula One.
Other tracks nearby
- Halifax Citadel Hill Street Circuit · 56 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- New Hampshire Motor Speedway · 668 km · oval
- Circuit Trois-Rivières (GP3R) · 719 km · street circuit
- Sanair Super Speedway · 738 km · dormant
- Palmer Motorsport Park · 777 km · road course
- Circuit Gilles Villeneuve · 788 km · street circuit
Facts checked against 3 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.