Search did not indicate any previous thread and my discovery of the former Packard Proving Grounds last evening got my interest flowing. Lets try to document these from around the planet.

Henry

The Chrysler Proving Grounds after remodel of the 4.71 mile oval:

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/17/chrysle...-after-rebuild/

Packard Proving Grounds

http://www.waterwinterwonderland.com/speed...e=9&noinfo=true

Large collection of Packard photographs here:

http://shelbyhistory.tripod.com/packard_pr...ing-grounds?i=0

More Packard photographs here, almost at bottom of page.

http://members.tripod.com/airfields_freema...Detroit_NE.html

Modern Day

I've got a few tagged on Google Earth - Nardo, Millbrook, the GM facility near Phoenix - will dig them out when I am next back at my own computer!

GM Desert Proving Grounds
13303 S Ellsworth Rd
Mesa Az

I think that track is 7 miles long. Haven't been there in a long time, but spent a few days observing the testing of the Lotus Powered Corvette back when. They hired a few people from the AZ Region SCCA to sort of act like flaggers, just to make sure there was some warning for the driver if some wild life ran on the track.
One car on a track that long is pretty boring, so a book was good company.
The lunch time run of the standard 928 was a little more interesting than the testing of the Vette.

Here's

Nardo

and

Millbrook

The Packard Proving Grounds in Utica (Van Dyke and around 23 Mile if I recall) was just recently turned into a subdivision. The CCCA held an annual car show there for many years.

Other proving grounds you can no doubt find in aerial views are Ford in Dearborn (next door to the museum) and the GM Proving Grounds in Milford, MI. Also the former Studebaker facility outside South Bend, Indiana though that one might be a challenge. It should be almost totally overgrown by now. But at one time there was landscaping spelling out "Studebaker" that was visible from the air.

Other private test track facilities one could look at from the satellites: Eaton Proving Grounds in Marshall, MI; Bosch Proving Grounds in Flat Rock, MI; the Dana test track in Ottowa Lake, MI; Transportation Research Center in Marysville, OH.

American Motors used to use Michigan International Speedway quite a bit back when AMC was still in business.

Once my memory got working I realized I was totally wrong about that. The former Studebaker Proving Grounds is now a park called Bendix Woods, and the tree stand that spells out "Studebaker" has been preserved by the local park authority. If you google-map "Bendix Woods, South Bend, Indiana" it's a nice picture.

Quite a few in my Google Earth file, been to a few of them over the years.

Google Earth file

Interesting.

I've had the trees in my 'others' folder as remember seeing it on a site somewhere but never noticed the test track, no idea how I missed it.

Who owns it now as it's obviously still an active test track?

(actually just googled it, it's owned by Bosch now.)

Proving grounds period photograph at bottom of page:

http://www.monon.monon.org/sobend/studeplant2.html

Entire facility here:

http://www.monon.monon.org/railpixs4/01-07studebaker1926.jpg

Proving Grounds is still in great shape today! "Studebaker" can be seen middle of photograph at top.



Volvo Test Track - Wittman, AZ

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/02/aerial-...is-and-nyc-mus/

Henry

Motor Industries Research Association Proving Ground - Nuneaton, Warwickshire

1954
http://www.webspinners.org.uk/weddingtonca...t%20Lindley.jpg

Modern Day


Henry

This could be a long thread....there are loads - and not just linked to the Manufacturers, but some component companies had test tracks of various sizes too.

So I will add GM's Milford, Michigan - said to be the original, and the model for Millbrook. And Ford's Lommel in Belgium, where once I spent many a happy hour!! Not to mention Gaydon, here in the UK....

In Australia we have..
Holden at Lang Lang.
Ford at You Yangs.
Toyota at Anlgesea. This was formerly the International Trucks test track.
Hardy Ferodo brakes at Pitt Town (now closed and partly built over)
Mitsubishi at tailem Bend.

What else?

Would be interesting to see a list of which test track owners have helped the sport by allowing their venues to be used for one or more competitive events.
MIRA is an example only in relatively recent years and Millbrook (1986) pre-dates such similar use.
Some others (rallies and/or sprints) :
Leyland at...Leyland?
Sherburn-in-Elmet - Mintex
Shennington - Automotive Products
Enstone - believe Esso in the days both road and stage rallies visited long before Bennetton/Renault.
Hethel - Lotus
Longcross - MoD (after too many years and now soon to be lost to housing)
Bagshot - MoD (loose surface)
Hurn - MoD (known to motorsport as Avon Park/Barnesfield Heath, now sadly lost to the sport)

Sorted out the test tracks in my file and extracted them for this thread.

Added in a few from above which I didn't have.

The list can be found HERE


My favourite where I've spent a number of weeks at in the past
Miramas

Mark:

A good list!

What about Lake Arjeplog, the winter testing lake in Sweden (or is it Norway)?

Frank

It's in Sweden.

If you use the following co-ords and have the panoramia pictures turned on there is a picture.


66 03'29.49, 17 53'07.13

I used to live in the next village , my dad used to take me there when i was a kid and watch the cars going round , there was one place you could seen in from the back lanes . Got a few mates that work there , still busy, but suffering from noise issues.
spent many happy afternoons in the co-drivers seat shaking down our WRC cars when i was at Mitsubishi, perk of the job, which as a backroom boy , i jumped at every opportunity to do.
Also did a session at Millbrook, trying to break a new crank doing full throttle landings off the big jump, did 100 in the day, reckon i managed about 35.