Palmer Motorsports Park (PMP) was conceived as the flagship track of the New England Region Sports Car Club of America (NER SCCA). NER formed a committee and LLC (NER Investments) ~ 1999. After five+ years, a 500+ site on "Whiskey Hill" in Palmer was found.
In December 2007, after professional review and public hearings, Palmer granted NER a special use permit. A local racer then took control and made further changes: a new circuit (shown here), a hotel, private garages suites and aBarkow Leibinger-designed structure,described here, which the Planning Board approved in February, 2009.
Following the 2008 recession, the project stalled. Eventually, all funding, land and permits were secured and ground was broken in late 2013 by J. Read Corp (Groundbreaking Memo). After much work and a few hiccups, in May 2015 Whiskey Hill Raceway opened: a bidirectional 2.3 mile circuit with 190+ feet of vertical elevation and vistas into New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut and New York. Road & Track magazine proclaimed Whiskey Hill Raceway one of the top 10 race tracks to drive in North America.
No history is complete without naming names. First and foremost, NER SCCA's Dick Patullo, Bruce Allen and Rob Laverty, who chaired the committee, Excel'd a biz plan, designed a balanced-site circuit; SCCA and town officials who cut red tape – Kathy Barnes, Bob Ring & Don Duffy, Mike Marciniec & Linda Leduc; Tim Pappas, for his eco-prescient plans; and Glenn Conser & Bill Kephart for their "Rocky Mountain High Plains" support. Credit (literally) goes to Don Anderson & Hampden County Bank for good faith money and Greg Read & Dan Moeller for their faithful labor. In cameo roles: HMS’ Joe Marko & TMS’ Will Turner for role modeling; Charli-Electrified Greenhaus for solar flares; and lastly, court jester & scribe "Fast Fred" and his trusted Uriah Heep attorney, Jono Fryer Esquire.
History continues to be made by: Christopher Tier, Al Sandy, JC, Kaleigh, Kevin, Matt, Mark, Nick, Stan & staff who scrub floors, wack weeds, wave flags, pump gas, guard the gates, post the pics & keep the lights on; and by our sponsors and members and everyone who races around the circuit or just hangs out in the paddock.