May 21st, 2010 by

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Ari Strauss, the president of the Monticello Motor Club (MMC) in upstate New York, has approached Bernie Ecclestone with the idea of bringing Grand Prix racing to the venue, which is the closest motorsports venue to New York City, located just 90 minutes by car from Manhattan. According to a letter addressed to the club members, Strauss and club chairman Bill McMichael met Ecclestone several months ago to talk about hosting a Grand Prix, with an eye toward a long-term, 10-year deal. Hermann Tilke, the architect of F1′s modern venues, has visited MMC and apparently determined that the facility is capable of hosting a Grand Prix, although it will require work. In its current format MMC is 4.1 miles long. It was designed by driver Brian Redman and Bruce Hawkins, a track architect and engineer. Strauss is now working to secure backing for the idea from “local, state, and federal politicians and organizations”.

“Securing F1 is like winning the Olympics,” Strauss wrote. “Competition is fierce, and this is not a done deal. While the prospect of F1 at MMC is exciting, we remain focused on our core business: the club and its members.”

Strauss said that a race “would transform the region into one of the motorsports capitals of the world, bring thousands of jobs to Sullivan County, inject over $100 million each year into the local economy, and place the club in the company of famous racing circuits like Monza and Spa.”

The club opened in the summer of 2008 with the plan being to sign up 125 “founding” members, each paying a membership fee of $125,000 and annual dues of $7,500. The club is aimed at Wall Street executives and members are generall worth more than $20 million. Although the membership list is private, it is believed that NASCAR star Jeff Gordon and comedian Jerry Seinfeld are among them. The track had garaging for its membership’s exotic cars and a helipad to allow easy access from Manhattan. The track is situated on a 175-acre site. The original plan was for the club to have a fleet of exotic for its members to drive, including an F1 car. Monticello members have access to their track a minimum 200 days a year

McMichael was previously a partner in a health care company that was sold in 2006 for $25 million.

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