Carolina Motorsports Park
Carolina Motorsports Park at a glance
- Location
- Kershaw, South Carolina
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 2.279 mi (3.668 km)
- Turns
- 14
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 1999
- Owner
- Motorsports Capital LLC
- Address
- 3662 Kershaw Highway
- Website
- carolinamotorsportspark.com
Track map and layout
Carolina Motorsports Park is a purpose-built, 14-turn road course laid out by circuit designer Alan Wilson on the flat, wide-open site of a former World War II fighter-training base near Kershaw, South Carolina. The Full Circuit runs 2.279 miles and mixes long straights with tightening technical sections, and the facility also offers East and West configurations that split the property into shorter, tighter loops for club events that need to run multiple groups at once. A separate 0.7-mile kart track occupies its own footprint on-site. Because the land was built for wartime aviation rather than road racing, the circuit is notably flat and open by East Coast standards, giving drivers wide sightlines and generous runoff compared with the tighter, tree-lined club tracks common elsewhere in the Southeast.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Full Circuit | 2.279 mi | Primary 14-turn layout used for most club racing and professional events |
| East Circuit | 1.247 mi | 9-turn shorter configuration |
| West Circuit | 0.986 mi | 7-turn shorter configuration |
| Kart track | 0.7 mi | Separate on-site karting circuit |
Events and race weekends
CMP's calendar centers on club and regional motorsport rather than a single headline professional race: NASA and SCCA both hold regular club-racing and HPDE weekends there, and the track has hosted USF Juniors, F2000 Championship Series, Atlantic Championship Series and endurance events like 24 Hours of Lemons, along with grassroots festivals such as Gridlife. BMW CCA and other marque clubs also use the facility regularly.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASA Southeast race weekends | NASA Regional | spring & fall | Recurring club-racing and HPDE weekends |
| SCCA Club Racing weekends | SCCA Regional | spring & fall | Recurring club-racing weekends |
Getting there and parking
Carolina Motorsports Park is about an hour south of Charlotte, North Carolina and roughly 45 minutes northeast of Columbia, South Carolina, making Charlotte Douglas International Airport the more likely gateway for fly-in visitors given its larger flight network.
- Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) · about 60 min drive
- Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) · about 45 min drive
Parking
General spectator and participant parking is included with event admission.
Hotels and camping near Carolina Motorsports Park
CMP offers on-site RV and tent camping for many events, along with rentable day-garage bays for participants who want secure indoor space. Visitors who prefer a hotel typically stay in Camden, South Carolina, about 20 minutes from the track, where NASA's own event guidance points participants.
Where to look
Camden, South Carolina, about 20 minutes from the track, has the bulk of nearby hotel options.
Camping
General/tent camping is free of charge for many events, though availability depends on the specific event, so it should be checked against each event listing.
RV
42 RV sites are available with 30A-100A power hookups; a 24-bay day-garage building with individual 20A receptacles and lighting can also be rented.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
CMP is a regular stop for both NASA and SCCA club racing and HPDE programs, running across the Full Circuit as well as the shorter East and West configurations when organizers need to split groups. The flat, wide layout and generous runoff make it a popular venue for driver development and time-trial programs alongside wheel-to-wheel racing.
Who runs days here
- NASA Southeastcar
- SCCAcar
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race lap record, Full Circuit | 1:23.774 | Alex Mayer | JDR F1000 | 2021 |
Spectator guide
As a club-focused facility built for driver training and grassroots racing rather than large crowds, CMP does not publish fixed grandstand or bag-policy details. The flat, open former-airfield site gives spectators clear sightlines across much of the property from general-admission viewing areas.
Weather
- May: warm spring conditions, highs typically in the low-to-mid 80s°F
- Nov: mild late-fall weather, cooler mornings
History of Carolina Motorsports Park
Origins
Carolina Motorsports Park was designed by circuit architect Alan Wilson, who went on to lay out more than 20 road courses in North America including Barber Motorsports Park and Autobahn Country Club, and it opened in July 1999 on a 297-acre site near Kershaw, South Carolina that had previously served as a World War II fighter-training base. The property's flat, open military-airfield origins gave Wilson room to route a 14-turn, 2.279-mile Full Circuit with long straights and generous runoff, a layout distinct from the tighter, tree-lined club tracks more common across the Southeast.
Growth as a club-racing hub
Rather than chasing a single headline professional series, CMP built its identity as a flexible, club-focused facility, adding East and West short-course configurations that let organizers split the property for multiple simultaneous groups, along with a separate 0.7-mile kart track. Over the following two decades the track became a fixture on the NASA and SCCA regional calendars in the Carolinas, hosting everything from open-wheel series like USF Juniors, F2000 Championship and Atlantic Championship to endurance grassroots events such as 24 Hours of Lemons and Gridlife festivals, alongside marque-club track days from groups like BMW CCA.
Present day
Ownership passed to Motorsports Capital LLC in June 2020, which has continued operating the facility as a regional club-racing and driver-training venue. Today CMP hosts a steady calendar of NASA and SCCA weekends across its Full, East and West configurations, supported by on-site RV camping, free tent camping at many events, and a rentable day-garage building, making it one of the more accessible purpose-built circuits for Carolinas-area track-day drivers and club racers.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Carolina Motorsports Park?+
The Full Circuit is 2.279 miles (3.668 km) with 14 turns; shorter East (1.247 mi/9 turns) and West (0.986 mi/7 turns) configurations are also available.
Where is Carolina Motorsports Park located?+
At 3662 Kershaw Highway in Kershaw, South Carolina, about an hour south of Charlotte, NC and roughly 45 minutes from Columbia, SC.
Who designed Carolina Motorsports Park?+
Circuit architect Alan Wilson, who has designed more than 20 North American road courses including Barber Motorsports Park.
Can the public drive at Carolina Motorsports Park on a track day?+
Yes. NASA Southeast and SCCA both run regular club-racing and HPDE weekends at the track.
Is there camping at Carolina Motorsports Park?+
Yes. Free tent camping and 42 RV sites with 30A-100A power are available for many events, though availability varies by event.
Does Carolina Motorsports Park have karting?+
Yes, a separate 0.7-mile kart track operates on-site alongside the main road course.
Other tracks nearby
- Darlington Raceway · 42 mi · oval
- Charlotte Motor Speedway · 60 mi · road course & oval
- Martinsville Speedway · 154 mi · oval
- Virginia International Raceway (VIR) · 163 mi · road course
- Roebling Road Raceway · 166 mi · road course
- Bristol Motor Speedway · 168 mi · oval
Facts checked against 4 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-09.