Up for an unforgettable, pedal-to-the-metal, high-octane, adrenaline-fueled experience? Struggling to find a venue for your next company outing or birthday? Look no further than NOLA Motorsports Park.
NOLA Motorsports Park offers accessible, unforgettable automotive experiences.
Scott Touchton, the sales and marketing director at the park, took me on a tour and showed me around the grounds. “We’re more of an event venue that offers bucket list experiences than just a race track.”
The park is also home to several private businesses, such as NOLAsport, a company that specializes in service and repair to Porsches and other European exotics. Xtreme Xperience also calls the park home. They provide the experience of driving supercars around the park’s impressive track. But we’ll get to that later.
Designed by Alan Wilson, prolific race track designer and veteran of the motorsport scene worldwide, NOLA Motorsports Park offers a safe, welcoming, and thrilling view into the world of racing.
Wilson’s design features multiple configurations, of which the 2.75 and 1.8 mile options are most popular. The track is certified as FIA grade 2 (FIA uses a grading system to classify tracks; grade 2 means that basically every race category can use the track except for F1) and hosted the Grand Prix of Louisiana in 2015. FIA stands for Federation Internationale de l’Automobile.
The Park also offers the largest go karting track in the United States, boasting 30 acres of track. 3 circuits provide 80+ configurations, and it really is the best venue for a day out. They have many different sizes of karts that will safely accommodate children and adults of any age. You’ll also enjoy in-house catering. Reservations are not needed during public Arrive + Drive hours, however guests are encouraged to check schedules and hours of operation at nolakarting.com.
Arguably the main feature, the event center is located trackside and serves as the perfect venue to any private event or reception of any size with 34,000 square feet to play with. The event center has hosted a wide array of events from Beer Fests and reptile shows to national dealer training for clients like Jaguar and Alfa Romeo. Both the car and go kart tracks can be rented as well.
Through their in-house friends, NOLA Motorsports offers several different racing experiences from open track days to supercar rentals. They have events for both cars and motorcycles, including Xtreme Xperience, which allows you to either drive or ride passenger in exotic cars from a list that boasts names such as Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Porsche.
Among the other Xperiences that Xtreme Xperience offers, you can enroll in the Supercar Academy, a half-day program that teaches you the basics of performance car driving, cornering and racing lines, vehicle dynamics, and much more. You’ll also have the chance to drive 3 exclusive supercars with 1-on-1 coaching. This Xperience entitles you to VIP treatment at the track, with trackside hospitality, accommodations, and memorabilia.
NOLA Motorsports also offers climate-controlled garage rentals for private or public use, as several small business owners operate privately on the premises.
With all these offerings and more, NOLA Motorsports is truly a one-stop-shop for any automobile enthusiast in the New Orleans area. Perfect for bachelor/bachelorette parties, corporate functions, private rentals, go karting, events, festivals, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, this self-proclaimed “Autotainment Complex” is the complete package. From the website: “Nola Motorsports Park can do everything from a small company team building event to festivals to an IndyCar Race! In a city where events are big business, our team works individually with each client to customize the space and the event.”
I really enjoyed my tour at the park, and it was nice to see the effect the venue has on other local businesses. When a large event is booked at the park, such as a large company outing or a full on festival, area businesses such as caterers, waste management companies, healthcare professionals, sound engineers, and much more are employed. This gives the local economy quite the boost and ensures the events are top-notch, which really completes the picture. According to Scott, “the park is a skeleton that other local companies and businesses can branch out on in a complementary relationship.”
So, whether you’re looking for a place to bring the kids, a gift for the husband, or a place to host your next event, NOLA Motorsports Park is where it’s at.
Keep an eye out for major events and festivals, such as the recent West Bank Beer Fest and the upcoming Country Smooth Fest here:
Website: nolamotor.com; Xtreme Xperience: xxnola.com; Karting: nolakarting.com
Main Line: (504) 302-4875; Karting Center: (504) 613-4894; Xtreme Xperience: (504) 303-4732
