Road Course
★★★★☆
Kuhnle Motorsports Park is a road course in Thompson, Ohio. On a road course like this, racing is about rhythm: linking a sequence of turns cleanly, braking late, and carrying speed where others can't. With around 20 tracks inside a 75-mile radius, Thompson sits in a genuine pocket of racing — easy to build a road trip around. Plan the trip from the map on this page, and use the schedule link to see upcoming race days. New to this kind of racing? Our guides walk through what to expect, what to bring, and how a typical event runs.
Know Before You Go
- Gear requirements
- Track-day organizers typically require a Snell SA-2020 helmet (or newer), long sleeves, long pants, and closed-toe shoes. Many tracks have rental helmets for first-timers.
- Run groups
- Drivers are slotted into novice, intermediate, or advanced run groups based on pace and instructor sign-off. Group-jumping isn't permitted — you build up over time.
- Tech inspection
- Expect a pre-event tech form plus a visual gate check. Brake-fluid age, throttle return, battery tie-down, and seatbelt condition are the most common flags.
- Cost expectations
- HPDE / open-track days typically run $200-450 per day with 4-6 on-track sessions of 20-25 minutes each. Memberships at private clubs are substantially more.
- First-timer tip
- Most clubs require novices to ride with an instructor for the first day before being released solo. Sign up for instruction in advance — slots fill weeks ahead.