Questions and Answers
1. What is Alpine’s Road Course driving really like? It’s all about the exhilaration of precision driving at speed. The more you participate, the better you get and the more dynamic the driving sport becomes. Here’s how we describe driving at the Club:
a) The Club is a place for driving enthusiasts to drive their cars the way they were designed and engineered to be driven.
b) Driving at Alpine is a pro-active opportunity to refine driving technique, experience vehicle dynamics, tire traction limits, and to drive “the line” (which is the smoothest way around the course and where you should be driving your car). Or just hit the Road Course and have some fun in a safe and controlled environment with like-minded enthusiasts.
c) It’s one of the great experiences you just have to feel for yourself and one that words cannot adequately describe.
d) There are no speeding tickets, potholes, two-way traffic, dogs, kids on bikes, 18-wheelers or other public road hazards.
e) You don’t have to be Defending Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel to enjoy the Club. You’ll be able to drive on the Road Course at your own “comfort level” with other like-minded drivers.
2. How long is the Road Course? A total of 4.2 miles with the longest of the nine (9) Road Course configurations, the Grand Prix circuit, being 3.2 miles in length.
3. How wide is the Road Course surface? A full 40 feet wide everywhere. It is note-worthy to mention that the course is comprised of seamless “Super-Pave” asphalt construction with engineered tolerances of +- 3 mm per 24 m of linear track length. In plain English, this simply means that there are absolutely no seamed edges anywhere either on the course or at any access point to the Road Course, including all of its various configurations.
4. What is the elevation change of the Road Course? A Low-to-high elevation change of 220 ft. with one lap total elevation changes of up to 580 ft. This is slightly more elevation than the Washington Monument’s height which extends 555 ft. into the DC skyline. From a driver’s perspective, dramatic elevation shifts combined with a mountainous and professionally-designed European-inspired Road Course create a truly compelling track-side experience!
5. Is the Club completely exclusive to Members only? Yes, including Member Guests and a limited number of Member Car Clubs. (See individual “Membership Plans & Benefits“). Alpine is first and foremost a Members-Driven Club. This is our pledge to you.
6. Will the longer Road Course configurations or the shorter configurations be used on most days? Generally one of the longer course configurations will be used each day. The shorter West Course will be used occasionally for Auto-Cross or Go-Kart driving activities if Member demand and popularity warrants that two courses be used simultaneously.
7. Does a Member have to register in advance for a driving day, or can they register the night before…or just show up? All three types of driving-time reservations will be used at the Club; however, our Members will likely make advance reservations. You may also just “show up” and drive stand-by. Reservations may be made on-line or by phone and Members will be able to see and review Alpine’s schedule in advance on the Alpine Internet System.
8. What kind of amenities will be available for our Family Members and Guests who aren’t driving? A Swimming Pool & Whirlpool Spa; Tennis, Basketball & Volleyball Courts; Athletic Fields; Three-Mile Walking & Fitness Trail; Picnic Area & Children’s Playground; and the Clubhouse & Fitness Center.
9. Will there be a restaurant at the Club? Yes.
10. Will there be places for spectators? Yes, our Members and Guests will be able to view the Road Course from several unique places: the buildings containing our Control Tower and Restaurant and from a walking trail located on the outside perimeter of the Road Course, all accessible to Members, Guests and Visitors. Additionally, Members and their Guests will enjoy the luxury of viewing up close, “live action” Road Course footage via video monitors located in the Clubhouse, Restaurant, Paddock Area and other key points throughout the facility.
11. Will you have any type of storage facility or lockers for tires, tools, etc.? Yes.
12. Will there be a set schedule for my available driving time? No, not exactly. Alpine will be operated similar to a golf course setting “tee times”. Members can drive once they’ve booked a Drive-Time reservation (even on short notice). Alpine’s scheduling process will limit the number of drivers each day, so that there will be plenty of driving time and space available to each participating Member, regardless of their driving experience.
13. Will the Club and Road Course be open 7 days a week in-season? Yes.
14. Will your Road Course be open in winter? Our driving season will officially begin on April 1st and end about November 20th. Depending on weather conditions there may be opportunities for Alpine to be operational during extended dates on the annual calendar.
15. How will a Member’s driving time be organized? Members will be on the road course in a “run group” composed of other drivers of similar experience, ability and vehicle types. We currently anticipate that a typical weekend schedule might have one “Beginner/Novice” run group, one “Intermediate” and one “Advanced” (See “Illustrations of Daily Driving Schedules”). Weekday schedules will be more flexible, depending on the mix of Members who make reservations.
a) Each Member will be assigned to a “run group” based on their high-performance driving experience and ability, with the mix of run groups determined by the specific Members in attendance each day.
b) Different “run-groups” (experience levels) will alternate on and off the Road Course during the block of time in the morning from 8:00 AM to lunch time. The same will take place in the afternoon from lunch until approximately 6:00 PM. The schedule has time built in each day for unforeseen delays and/or weather conditions to insure that each Member receives their driving time in for the day, in a relaxed environment.
c) Each run group will drive for about 30 minutes at a time. Experience has shown that this is an optimum length, especially for inexperienced drivers. If you have never driven on a road course before, these may seem like short sessions. However, years of experience with Car Club driving suggests that 30 minutes or so is an optimum driving session for all but the most experienced drivers. Similarly, you will find 3 to 6 sessions make up a rewarding and action packed half-day or full-day of driving.
16. If I want advanced driver instruction, will instructors be available? Yes, highly experienced, certified Instructors will be on site everyday. Each Member with limited road course experience will be assigned an Instructor for his or her early driving sessions and until the Member and Instructor feel comfortable with the Member “driving solo”. At any time, Instructors will be available to work with you personally.
17. Are the track sessions segmented by vehicle speed, horsepower, or an “open session”? Is there a driver’s test? There is a driver orientation program provided by Alpine’s instructors. This is when we’ll orient our Members to the Club’s rules and regulations. Alpine will employ a system very similar to the Porsche Club of America (PCA) Driver Education format, which establishes run groups (driving sessions) based on driver experience and ability.
18. Will there be days when Alpine has reserved its facilities for Porsche, Ferrari, BMW or similar Car Clubs? What percentage of the open days will be days when Members can drive? Yes; however, Members will have the majority of all available days (approximately 85%) at the Club. (See “Illustration of Annual Road Course Schedule”).
19. When will construction begin? We plan to build the Alpine facility starting in early 2012 and open the Club exclusively for its Members approximately twelve months later.
20. Has Project financing been arranged? Yes.
21. What kind of safety equipment is required? Current Snell-Rated driving helmet, Regular Full-Tech and Daily Grid-Tech Vehicle Inspections, and a 5 or 6 point Safety Belt system in Intermediate and Advanced Run Groups. As a driver moves up to a higher run group where restrictions on speed are lessened, other safety equipment may be required for driver safety and added protection. Approved roll-over structures are required for convertible vehicles in intermediate and advanced session activities.
22. What types of cars will be permitted on the Road Course? Standard and high performance sports cars and sport sedans, vintage cars and dedicated “track cars”. Open wheel vehicles will be allowed in special run groups based on Member popularity and demand.
23. What kind of inspections will be required? Daily Grid-Tech Inspections plus periodic Full-Tech Inspections.
24. Will you allow convertibles? We plan to allow convertibles without roll bars and other special safety equipment on the Road Course in our Beginner/Novice run groups. These run groups will have more supervision and speed restrictions than Intermediate and Advanced run groups. If a driver moves up to a run group where restrictions on speed are lessened, roll bars and other safety equipment will be required for added driver protection.
25. What are the sound or noise restrictions? All vehicles must be mufflered with either original equipment manufacturer (OEM) mufflers or performance mufflers.
26. Can there be passengers in our cars? We anticipate that passengers will be allowed in a Member driven vehicle during controlled, lower speed “tour groups” on the Road Course. During normal Road Course driving activities, only the Member/Driver and an Instructor will be allowed in the vehicle, which is based on insurance provider regulations and Alpine Club rules.
27. Will you allow motorcycles? Possibly. Our Road Course has been designed by Alan Wilson to include all necessary safety elements specific for motorcycles. If there is sufficient demand by Alpine Members to warrant separate motorcycle run groups, we anticipate providing appropriate driving (riding) time on the Road Course. All motorcycle activities on the Road Course will be conducted exactly as they are for cars: ”Driver-Ed” and high performance driving with safety as “Priority Number One”, periodic full and daily grid tech inspections will be required; all vehicles (including motorcycles) must be mufflered to meet the Club’s noise abatement policy, and driver etiquette will prevail at all times.
28. Will there be auto-cross or go-kart driving? Yes, based on popularity and Member demand.
29. Will there be timing of laps? Alpine plans to provide timing and other telemetric information to enhance our Members’ driving experience.
30. How old does a family member need to be to drive on the course? A driver must be between 18 and 25 years of age; must have a valid driver’s license from the state of his or her residence and must attend the driver orientation program provided by Alpine’s instructors. Written parental permission will be required for any driver under 21 years of age to drive on the Road Course.
31. What kind of car amenities will be available? Full-Tech Vehicle Inspections will be available along with mandatory Daily Grid-Tech Vehicle Inspections; in-car audio/video cameras will be available; daily garage space with compressed air/nitrogen & fresh water supply; secured storage lockers will be available for tires, equipment, tools & driving gear; and in-house “Soft-Touch” towing service will be provided during all driving times.
32. Can additional guest passes be purchased? Yes, Members can purchase daily visitor passes at prevailing rates as explained in the “Membership Plans & Benefits“.
33. Will membership prices increase and, if so, by how much after construction starts? Your advance reservation is certainly valuable to us, which is why we’ve reduced the price to reserve a “Pre-Construction Membership”. As soon as we commence construction the cost of Membership will increase by an estimated 25% to 33% over the special pre-construction incentive pricing.
34. Are memberships saleable or transferable? All Memberships are 100% Refundable by the Club as described in the “Membership Plans & Benefits“.
35. Are there any “Car Club” Memberships available? Alpine is currently sold-out of Car Club Memberships but we will accept “Wait List” reservations at this time. No reservation deposit is required for wait list status.
36. Are there any “Corporate” Memberships available? Alpine will accept Corporate/Commercial Memberships. We suggest that a company interested in using Alpine’s facilities for business purposes contact Alpine management now to discuss a customized program to match their company’s specific needs.
37. Will it be safe to drive on the Road Course? Safety considerations are paramount at Alpine and safety is our #1 Policy & Priority – Always.
a) The Road Course has been professionally designed with safety in mind. The state-of-the-art Road Course design features a laser smooth, “polymer Super-Pave asphalt” surface, ample run off areas, smooth transitions, clear sight lines, smart logic, and more.
b) The road course will be both safe and challenging for drivers of all skill levels, from beginner to expert. Driving will be in 30 minute driving sessions with drivers assigned to run-groups based on their experience and ability; ensuring compatibility and enjoyment for everyone. Each group will drive approximately once each ninety minutes, affording plenty of driving time for each member. (See “Illustrations of Daily Driving Schedules”).
c) All vehicles will undergo regular tech inspections.
d) All drivers will receive complimentary track orientation, classroom training and on-course driving instruction to receive an “Alpine Solo License”. Less experienced drivers will continue to have in-car instructors until both driver and instructor feel comfortable issuing an “Alpine Solo License”.
e) All on-track driving will be overseen by Professional Flaggers and Stewards, including a “Track Marshal” who will enforce Club rules and regulations. Alpine will also employ fiber-optic “video monitoring” around the entire course and “LED Advance Warning Lights” at all corner stations in addition to traditional flags.
f) All passing will require a hand “point-by signal” from the driver being overtaken. Passing will be limited to straightaway passing zones only. No passing will be permitted in the corners. Certain intermediate and expert sessions may have the point-by rule waived.
38. What type of medical services will be available? Professional and licensed EMT Service and Emergency MediVac Service via an on-site Helipad will be available during all driving times.
39. Will the Club have professional races? The Alpine Motorsports Club, its facilities and business plan are based on recreational high performance driving and “Driver-Ed” type road course activities. Practice and “test & tune” driving activities will be acceptable. However, professionally sanctioned, spectator racing events will not be held at the Club.
40. Are there any hotels/motels in the area? Will there be any on Club property? Yes, there are hotels and motels nearby, but Alpine is not currently contemplating building a hotel on its property.
41. Will there be “Long-Term” vehicle storage garages available for lease at the Club? Alpine has architecturally designed long-term storage garages. Each unit is capable of housing two vehicles with a Member leased lift being employed. A long-term storage garage can be expanded to house more than two vehicles if so leased by a Member. Member demand will determine the construction start date for “Long-Term” storage garages.