TMS announces plans for Pit Stop Park

Texas Motor Speedway announced plans for the addition of tailgating area Pit Stop Park to its array of fan amenities.

Pit Stop Park will encompass a huge tract of parking area larger than the size of an NFL football field -- 146 yards in length by 53 yards wide -- catering to race fans who desire to entertain in the premier tailgating area at TMS offered exclusively for personal vehicles.

Pit Stop Park, located fewer than 100 yards from the speedway's main entrance gate, will be a private tailgate community with various amenities for fans visiting on Texas' three major race weekends. The gated park will consist of up to 76 reserved tailgating spots and a common area with sod entertainment areas, numerous trees and an expansive flower bed entrance that will landscape the project. Pit Stop Park, currently under construction, is scheduled to be completed in early March and open for the April 7-9 Samsung Mobile 500 weekend.

Each reserved spot is 36 feet deep by 15 feet wide -- nearly the size of four traditional parking spots -- to allow fans the room to park their personal vehicle (no RVs or campers), set up a traditional 8x10 tailgate tent and have enough space for tables, chairs and a barbeque grill. The tailgate area also will have half of each reserved spot being natural grass, 12- to 14-foot ash or oak trees dividing each and a white picket fence enclosing the park.

Pit Stop Park also will provide various amenities including, but not limited to, an upscale portable restroom station; common area featuring picnic tables, horseshoe pits and bean-bag toss areas; security staffing; catering options through Levy Restaurants; and daily bagged trash pick-up.

"Pit Stop Park will serve as the perfect complement to Burnout Alley that we opened on the backstretch in 2009 for RV owners wanting something more," TMS president Eddie Gossage said. "This concept caters to those fans that may not have RVs but still want an upscale and park-like alternative for tailgating with family and friends on race weekends."

To secure a Pit Stop Park tailgating spot, fans must purchase a Personal Parking License (PPL) -- which is similar to a Personal Seat License (PSL) -- for $1,000. The PPL holder will then be charged a $750 yearly maintenance fee. TMS is offering its PSL and season-ticket holders introductory pricing on both the PPL and annual fees with huge savings, ranging from 17 to 34 percent.

PSL holders can purchase the Personal Parking License for $500 and have a $650 annual fee, an initial savings of $600. Season-ticket holders can purchase the PPL for $750 and have a $700 annual fee, a savings of $300.

Pit Stop Park tailgate spots went on sale Thursday and are available by calling the Texas Motor Speedway ticket office at (817) 215-8500. A diagram of the layout of Pit Stop Park as well as rules and regulations are available at www.texasmotorspeedway.com.

A video package of the current construction and comments from Gossage are available by clicking this link -- http://bit.ly/gKOyIW. The video package also will be available on www.image.net along with a diagram of Pit Stop Park. New users will need to register for the site and use referral code "3516" for instant access.