Marcus Smith, Rick Hendrick debuting new Ten Tenths Motor Club in Charlotte by hosting Heritage Invitational

A new motor club is opening right outside of Charlotte Motor Speedway, courtesy of Rick Hendrick and Marcus Smith. The Ten Tenths Motor Club is a new luxury destination for auto enthusiasts. This weekend, they are hosting one of the biggest historic car shows of the year.

Invitations for the Ten Tenths Motor Club have not even been sent out yet. Still, Marcus Smith and Rick Hendrick have big plans as they debut their new club to the masses.

Situated more or less on the same campus as Charlotte Motor Speedway, this week is just the beginning of the collaboration between the two race tracks. The Charlotte AutoFair will be going on at the big track, while the Heritage Invitational will be showcased at the club.

“So, the Heritage Invitational event is sort of a bolt on, an extension of AutoFair,” Smith explained in an interview with 5GOATs. “That’s the first thing that we’re doing. And then I think when we get into NASCAR weekends [at Charlotte Motor Speedway], I think we’ll find some opportunities to merge where we can, you know, do some special things.

“We currently on the schedule, our annual charity gala is going to be happening at the new Ten Tenths clubhouse. So, that will be a nice, you know, hospitality style use for it. But I’m sure that we’ll find a way to use the track as well with our NASCAR weekend.”

The Ten Tenths track includes three configurations designed by endurance racer and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Alexander Wurz. Wurz has designed some of the newest motorsports tracks, including the Formula One circuit in Riyadh.

First, drivers can choose the 19-turn, 1.7-mile “Full Circuit”. This looks like a track you would see F1, IMSA, or IndyCar take on, just from looking at the configuration. But the track is 42 feet wide with a lot of runoff areas. After all, this isn’t just for professional racers.

The “Short Course” cuts off six turns and is 1.1 miles in length. A bit of an easier ride. Finally, you have the “Inner Loop.” Ideal for those just learning or to use as a drifting track. Seven turns and just 0.567-miles in length. Each track races forward and backward, depending on what the driver wants to do.

Of course, there is more to a motor club than just the track. Ten Tenths offers more to its potential members and guests.

A destination for motorsports and auto enthusiasts

There are motor clubs and race tracks all over the country that someone can pay money to drive at. So, how does a new venture like Ten Tenths stand out among the rest? A variety of ways.

Marcus Smith is very excited about the new club and rightfully so. He very well may have the newest destination spot in Charlotte for a certain niche demographic.

“It’s a small niche, but it’s a niche on its own that, you’ve got a lot of enthusiasts that have, might have a car, but they don’t have enough garage space, and they don’t have a racetrack. So, this kind of gives you the ability to enjoy a hobby, and you know, enjoy it with other people of like-mindedness.”

It isn’t just the secure, gated and climate-controlled storage bays. It goes above the luxury lounge that can be used for hospitality, work meetings, or other events. There is a reason why they add in things like a bourbon bar, cigar lounge, and even a putting area to work on your short game.

This isn’t just a club, it is selling a lifestyle. One that is about expensive, rare, and oftentimes fast cars. Every detail down to the service provided to the people – and the cars.

“From a service standpoint, if you do have your car at the track, at the club, we have every brand covered on white glove, top level service technicians. So, that’s a huge advantage and you know, the ability to have your car serviced under warranty with experts and have the transportation to and from the dealership when needed.”

When it comes to driving, Marcus Smith is all about it. As someone with a car collection himself, a place like Ten Tenths is exactly what he needs to be able to actually enjoy them, and maybe enjoy them with a few people who REALLY know how to drive these cars.

Ten Tenths Motor Club getting interest from NASCAR drivers

With a new motor club literally in their backyard, the NASCAR world is going to be very interested in Ten Tenths. Not just NASCAR, but other drivers who happen to live in and around Charlotte.

Marcus Smith knows that the interest is that, and that can be an extra selling point. Bring out your Porsche for some laps and who knows, you might run into a familiar face.

“I’ve had a number of drivers ask about membership … I would guess that we’ll have them on the [invitation] list and would love to have our local stars to be part of the club if they like to be,” Smith explained.

“And it’s, you know, if you’re into cars and you’ve got an interest in driving, it’s certainly gonna be a fun place to be around. So, I wouldn’t be surprised to see some of the NASCAR stars out there, as well as, you know, some sports car professionals as well.”

For the Heritage Invitational, the stars will be out. First, on Friday, the Historic Trans Am race. Beautiful race cars from the 1960s and 70s are giving this track its first big test. Then there will be a Pro-Am Race. Tons of drivers, both active and retired, will be there.

Jeff Gordon, Daniel Suárez, Tommy Kendall, Katherine Legge, Patrick Long, Max Papis, Kyle Petty, Boris Said, and more will be there. Then, the Heritage Initational will officially kickoff. This is the third annual event. Heritage is expecting more than 65 vehicles to be included in this year’s event.

Will the Ten Tenths Motor Club be the new hot place for drivers and industry insiders? With all that Marcus Smith and Rick Hendrick have put into this, I’m sure it will.