Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

WERA will race on a 1.8-mile infield road course at Nashville Superspeedway in 2003, according to WERA Operations Manager Sean Clarke.

“Our racers from the Nashville area heard there was a road course there, and they e-mailed to tell me about it,” said Clarke Thursday at Road Atlanta. “We had been talking with (WERA racer and Nashville resident) Scott Brown and the track people trying to set up a visit and inspection of the track to make sure it was suitable for motorcycle road racing purposes. And it is.”

The road course is close to 40 feet wide by Clarke’s estimation, measures 1.8 miles in length according to Nashville Superspeedway’s official website and a map of the layout shows at least 11 turns. The road course uses the speedway’s pit lane for the front straightaway and only a short section of the slightly banked back straight of the D-shaped, concrete oval. Clarke said that the NASCAR-spec pit lane is so wide it could potentially serve as the front straight and a pit lane for endurance racing, but Clarke hasn’t decided if WERA will hold a regional race, a National event or both at the Nashville Superspeedway.

“It’s tighter than Talladega (Gran Prix Raceway),” said multi-time WERA National Champion Brown. “I’ve been on the track in various vehicles, and it’s pretty safe. It doesn’t point you at any concrete walls, but they need to move a couple of chain-link fences and a light pole. They’re happy to do that to bring in motorcycles.”

“Yeah, the track’s General Manager loves bikes. He rides a motorcycle to and from work everyday,” added Clarke.

WERA hopes to also add BeaveRun and Barber Motorsports Park to its 2003 schedules.

WERA plans to release its 2003 Sportsman Regional, National Endurance and National Challenge series schedules in mid-to-late November, according to Clarke.