PBG Construction Builds Palm Beach International Raceway - Building Florida - The Voice of Commercial Construction March/April 2009

PBG Construction

Steve May began PBG Construction after a long tenure with other well known construction companies throughout southern Florida. The construction knowledge and experience, as well as dedication to long time clients in the Palm Beach County area enabled PBG Construction to facilitate projects with true hands on approach in every aspect of construction. PBG Construction's proficiency in maintaining project, budgeting, scheduling, completion goals and most of all safety has proven to be the highest sense of urgency through professionalism, reputation and security while delivering the ultimate quality. Their mission statement of "never getting caught between what you promise and what you deliver" assures their clients a level of security unsurpassed in the industry.

PBG Construction became involved with the project due to Mr. May's long time track record with other projects, (apartment buildings and shopping centers), which Mr. May built for many of the Palm Beach International Raceway investors around the country. Mr. May requested Lebolo Construction management to become involved for additional expertise in project oversight and fast track construction. Together they brought a foundation of experience and sense of urgency to the project that had short deadlines and no acceptance for failure. This fast track project was completed and opened for the Citrus Nationals in 151 days.

The uniqueness of this project is due to its history. Palm Beach International Raceway as it was known in the 1960s was purchased by Dick Moroso from David Rupp in the 1980s and renamed Moroso Motorsports Park. Located on over 200 acres of wooded property in northwest Palm Beach County, the motorsports park is known for catering to the motorsports enthusiasts hosting more than 850 events annually. Auto racing being the number one spectator sport in the country, events at the park draw an estimated one million people per year, with media coverage impacting several million or more. As a result, the park previously created an economic impact on Palm Beach County and surrounding areas in excess of $25 million. Now the new Palm Beach International Raceway is projected to double that figure.

To have the opportunity as local General Contractors and subcontractors to give back to the track, their spectators and the surrounding community is a privilege. The enhancement and needed refurbishment of the facility only broaden the scope of activities and bring a needed growth of tourism and employment to the area.

The construction of a project such as a race track is very intricate. The stringent specifications that are mandated concerning the design, safety, maintenance and upkeep have to be met and can be challenging. To meet the IRL sanctions specifications, the group effort lead by Lebolo Construction and PBG Construction involved the layout of the track by Boyle Engineering of Okeechobee, asphalt mix specifications designed by Advanced Materials Services in Auburn Alabama, asphalt supplier was East Coast Paving, a division of Hubbard Corp. of West Palm Beach and placement by John Carlo, Inc. of Michigan. Additionally, the construction of the 3,000 LF of Concrete SLip Formed Safety Barriers with Government Grade mixed design and a concrete pit road and garage road was completed.

A cross section of the construction of the road course is as follows:

  • Start Line to Finish = 2.03 miles
  • 12' stabilizer mixed fill
  • 8" limestone rock
  • 3 lifts of asphalt
    • 1st lift (base course) = 1.5" of Florida DOT S-111
    • 2nd lift (leveling course) = 1.5" of same mixture properties and gradation as the base course
    • 3rd lift (wearing course) = 2" of high Polymer PG 82 - 22 mix to prevent deterioration

Initially the drag strip specifications were to be a combination of ½ mile of concrete and the remainder in asphalt. However, Lebolo Construction and PBG Construction recommended modifying the specifications to a total concrete design that would achieve a higher quality and lower maintenance product.

Following is a cross section of how the strip was constructed:

  • Burn Out to 1st 1/8 mile consists of Super High Strength 6,000 PSI concrete (NHRA specifications). Burn Out area to end of shut down area = 3,800 LF
  • 1/8 mile to end of shut down area consisted of an average of 7" of high strength 4,500 PSI concrete (NHRA specifications).
  • Total concrete placed on Drag Strip including walls = 5,774.87 CY
  • Below track triple moisture barrier
  • Surrounded by an under drain system tied into the site drainage system.
  • Concrete Slip Formed Safety Barrier Walls with Government Grad concrete mix designed on each side the full length of the strip.
  • Underground Scale Weigh Station
  • FF-55 and Profilograph horizontal flatness testing (one of few Drag strips to achieve as standard)

The original track design was a 10 turn, 2.25 mile, 23' wide road course connected to the drag strip as part of the straight away. The new track configuration is 11 turn, 2.034 mile, 40'-60' wide road course with the drag strip being a separate entity. The original layout had canals on the perimeter road that were used to store excess water pumped from the track. During construction of the new track, an enormous uplift of ground water was discovered and an increase in track elevation was implemented. This also led to the installation of storm water management collection ponds, extensive under drains to relieve the pressure and send the waters to new storm collection areas. The water elevation was and is monitored daily in order to start the large overflow pumps installed to help keep the groundwater below a designed elevation and to insure the safety of the track.

Additionally, the quality of the project has received exceptional reviews from the racing community and has generated three (3) new world speed records in the last month. The race teams are proclaiming the racing surface and facility as phenomenal.

Phase two consisting of 100,000 square feet of industrial, pit garages, new bathroom facilities and concession stands will be added this year as soon as the economic forecast changes. These projects are in design at this time.

ABC MEMBERS WHO WORKED ON PROJECT:

  • H & J Contracting, Inc.
  • Unlimited Electric, Inc.
  • PBG Construction
  • Dixie Landscape, Inc.