Gearhead' s Backyard Racetrack Is The Ultimate Car-Guy Dream CarBuzz News Features New Cars Used Cars Sell My Car Shopping Tools Car Reviews Car Finder Compare Cars Best Cars Car Dealerships Used Car Reviews Car Advice Home News Gearhead' s Backyard Racetrack Is The Ultimate Car-Guy Dream
Gearhead' s Backyard Racetrack Is The Ultimate Car-Guy Dream
Jun. 10, 2022 7:28 PM ET by Gerhard Horn Offbeat / 12 Comments He lives in a manor with a private race track and endless toys. Here's a lovely tale of the American Dream coming true in the most gearhead-friendly way. It starts with Siggi Wilzig, who survived the infamous German concentration camps during World War II. Wilzig came to the States in 1947 and built a financial empire, which he left to his son when he died in 2003. Instead of spending a lifetime working, Alan Wilzig cashed out at 57 and is living his best life in cars like the McLaren 650S Spider, Ariel Atom, and Toyota GR86 in the video. Wilzig owns a 275-acre estate in New York state on which he built Wilzig Racing Manor. It's like your usual manor, but with a sprawling private race track. Private race tracks are usually owned by corporate entities like Porsche. Not by one man. It's literally the ultimate gearhead fantasy. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alan Wilzig (@alanwilzig) Alan Wilzig/Instagram Wilzig Racing Manor/YouTube Wilzig Racing Manor/YouTube Wilzig Racing Manor/YouTube The Wilzig track is relatively small but can be run in multiple configurations. It's 1.15 miles long, 40 feet wide, and there's an 80-foot elevation between the lowest and the highest point. The longest configuration is 2.75 miles. Wilzig first had to pay $500,000 in legal fees to build the track as his neighbors weren't as enthusiastic about having a track in their region. The track itself cost $7.5 million to construct. Next to the track, Wilzig built a three-story building to house all of his toys. There are several track toys and 110 motorcycles. There are some cars not allowed on Wilzig's track, though. Given his father's history, Wilzig does not allow Mercs, Bimmers, or Porsches on his property. Alan Wilzig/Instagram Wilzig Racing Manor/YouTube Wilzig Racing Manor/YouTube Wilzig Racing Manor/YouTube "I don't need to see that three-pointed star when I know it was the last thing my grandparents saw before they were murdered by the Nazis," said Wilzig in an interview with Johnchow.com. While this track might never see a 911 GT3, we spotted dozens of race-ready motorcycles and a nice Nissan 370Z that appears to be heavily modified for the track. Wilzig says he's done more than 20,000 laps and he loves having friends over to enjoy it with him. He also opens the track one day per year to the public as part of a charity campaign. Wilzig Racing Manor/YouTube Wilzig Racing Manor/YouTube Wilzig Racing Manor/YouTube Wilzig Racing Manor/YouTube Source Credits: johnchow.com Join The Discussion
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Toyota GR86 Gerhard Horn Senior Editor Gerhard knew from a young age that he wanted to be an automotive journalist. He completely disappointed his parents by completing degrees in communication and English, as well as diplomas in graphic design and film and art appreciation. He later interned at various automotive publications, before landing a permanent position at a newspaper. He became the editor within two years, after which he landed a job as the deputy editor at a national publication, where he spent eight years traveling the world, driving, and writing. In his current role as senior editor, he writes news, reviews, scripts, and opinion pieces. When he’s not supposed to be working, you’ll probably find him working. When he’s forced to take a break, you’ll find him at the movies, or behind the wheel of a ‘92 NA Miata called Kimiko. Contact Gerhard @GrootScreenGerhard LoginSign Up Home News Features Car Reviews Car Advice 2021 CarBuzz Awards New Cars Used Cars Future Cars Compare Cars Sell My Car Car Dealerships Buy Here Pay Here Used Car Reviews Popular Tags Cars # Video # TOP # Spy Shots # Reveal # Rumor # Auto Show # Supercar # Tuning # Car Culture # Industry News # Motorsport Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Make Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Car Type SUVs Crossovers Sedans Coupes Trucks Sports Cars Wagons Vans Hatchbacks Convertibles Small Cars Luxury Cars Electric Cars Hybrid Cars Future Cars By Price Up to $15K $15K - $25K $25K - $35K $35K - $45K $45K - $55K $55K - $75K $75K - $100K $100K - $200K $200K - $300K Above $300K Back To Top