The inside line on the new Tarlac Circuit Hill racetrack

Next month a brand new racetrack will be inaugurated in the north: Tarlac Circuit Hill.

Located in the Tarlac Recreational Park in San Jose, Tarlac Circuit Hill is a 1.5 kilometer long racetrack designed to handle karts and motorcycles.

The PhP30-million racetrack is being established by the provincial government of Tarlac under the initiative of Governor Vic Yap in line with his advocacies of road safety, among others.

We asked the Governor about the goals behind the new circuit: (1) To discourage street racing for cars and motorcycles, (2) to promote road safety training for motorists especially motorcycle riders, (3) to promote motorsport in a safe and exciting environment for the youth, (4) to enhance motorsport development for cars, karting and motorcycles and (5) to boost tourism, prestige and economic growth of the municipality and the province as a whole.

Road safety is one of Gov. Yap's primary concerns, given that “The province [of Tarlac] has one of the highest statistics in terms of motorcycle related injuries in the Philippines.”

The Province sought out the expertise of two key figures in Philippine motorsports: Pepon Marave and Richard Joson, both of which are highly experienced and decorated drivers and managers in various levels of racing, including Philippine Karter of the Year titles and Asian Formula 3 Championships.

Marave takes on the role as Track Designer and Technical Consultant while Joson stays on as Marketing and Operations Consultant.

The racetrack has 15 turns and a 145 meter long, 12 meter wide main straight. The tarmac on the infield section is 10 meters wide and total track length is 1.5 kilometers.

Marave incorporated several key features into the racetrack inspired by international circuits such as the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace's Senna S complex as well as Sepang International Circuit's complex containing Turn 1 and 2.

“The Government of Tarlac is very supportive of the governor’s project because of its advantages for the municipality and province,” said Marave. “It was particularly challenging to level the surface for the track as the natural terrain was difficult to work with.”

Marave also notes that the racetrack is paved with a mix of concrete and tarmac (bitumen), a formula designed to be very resistant to water. The track is also designed and engineered to prevent any standing water from accumulating at any section.

Tarlac Circuit Hill is being pushed for a June 2014 opening, a year since the groundbreaking took place in June 2013.