Racing Toward Innovation: How Stream Crossing Solutions Fueled the Award-Winning Ten Tenths Motor Club

By: Contech Engineered Solutions

A Victory Earned Before the First Lap

Stream crossing solutions Ten Tenths Motor Club

Before the rumble of engines even fills the air, Ten Tenths Motor Club is already making headlines. Tucked in the motorsports capital of Concord, North Carolina, and just steps away from the iconic Charlotte Motor Speedway, this ambitious new racing facility has done more than capture attention—it’s captured accolades.

Winner of the NCSPA Conversion Project of the Year, Ten Tenths Motor Club earned top honors not just for its high-octane future, but for the engineering ingenuity beneath it. At the heart of that success: innovative, cost-effective stream crossing solutions—led by corrugated steel structures—that redefined how racetracks get built.

The Birth of a Motorsports Playground

Set to open in April 2025, Ten Tenths Motor Club is a 100-acre dream. It was realized through a powerful partnership between Speedway Motorsports and racing legend Rick Hendrick. It’s more than just a racetrack—it’s a private motorsports haven designed to deliver pulse-pounding performance. It also offers a luxury experience in equal measure.

The centerpiece, the Ten Tenths Circuit, is a technical masterpiece. It spans 1.7 miles with 19 intricately designed turns and over 100 feet of elevation change. The track offers multiple configurations for varying skill levels and racing formats. Designed by former F1 driver Alexander Wurz, it’s built for high performance—but also built to last.

It features full lighting for night driving, creating an immersive and thrilling atmosphere. But beneath this racing paradise lies the lesser-known triumph: a civil engineering feat made possible by smart stream crossing solutions.

Three Streams, One Big Problem

Although the track’s surface promises unrelenting speed and excitement, the land below posed an early challenge. Three significant stream crossings cut through the site—posing serious design, environmental, and budgetary obstacles.

Traditional concrete bridges, as outlined in the original site plans, would have caused delays and inflated costs. They also increased the site’s environmental footprint. Fortunately, the project team, led by Baker’s Construction Services, Inc. (BCS), had the foresight to bring in Contech Engineered Solutions early in the process.

Contech, a national leader in stream crossing solutions, evaluated each crossing. They quickly determined that their structural plate and precast arch systems could offer the same structural performance. This was done with fewer headaches and significantly lower costs.

Award-Winning Innovation from the Ground Up

Working closely with BCS, Contech replaced traditional bridge concepts with a trio of buried arch structures. Two of the crossings utilized deep corrugated steel arches, delivering maximum strength, adaptability, and cost savings. The third crossing, limited by vertical clearance, incorporated a smaller precast element to maintain project momentum—but the heavy lifting, both literally and figuratively, belonged to steel.

Bridge #2, a 39-foot-10-inch span with just over a 10-foot rise, fit cleanly with the site’s contours and showcased the speed and simplicity of steel plate construction. Bridge #3 required a tight vertical profile, so a compact precast solution was used sparingly and without disrupting the steel-forward approach. Thanks to Contech’s ability to manufacture concurrently, the team kept timelines on track without compromising design priorities.

But the real engineering standout? Bridge #1.

With a severe skew and a meandering stream demanding a 72-foot span, this structure called for custom design only corrugated steel’s versatility could deliver. The result—a two-radius arch with a 20-foot-1-inch rise—met all structural, hydraulic, and environmental requirements while slashing installed costs by over 50% compared to traditional precast options.

The Real Engineering Test: Bridge #1

Bridge #1 didn’t play nice. With a sharp skew and a meandering stream requiring a 72-foot span, this was the toughest part of the project. But Contech’s deep-corrugation steel arch system allowed the team to develop a two-radius arch with a 20-foot-1-inch rise that perfectly matched the terrain.

By choosing a buried arch instead of a precast solution, the team achieved more than 50% savings on installed costs. This was achieved without sacrificing durability or environmental performance. That’s the magic of custom-engineered stream crossing solutions: they fit the problem, not the other way around.

Built for Performance, Above and Below

Beyond the structural success, one of the most underrated wins was the racetrack’s uninterrupted driving surface. With no need for bridge decks or approach slabs, the same racing pavement flows seamlessly across all three crossings. It’s smooth, safe, and reliable—exactly what’s needed when cars are hitting triple digits.

Traditional bridges often suffer from settling and transitions that disrupt the driving experience. But with these buried arches, the surface stays unified—enhancing performance and reducing maintenance headaches. For Ten Tenths Motor Club, that meant delivering a world-class driving experience while saving time and money during construction.

The Big Picture: Why It Matters

In an industry where cost overruns, environmental delays, and cookie-cutter solutions are all too common, the Ten Tenths project stands out. It proves that with the right team, bold ideas, and proven stream crossing solutions, even the most complex site can become an award-winning success story.

It’s not just a racetrack. It’s a showcase for what happens when engineering, innovation, and ambition align perfectly.

💡 Why Corrugated Steel Outpaces Concrete in Stream Crossings

When it comes to speed, flexibility, and total installed cost, corrugated steel leaves concrete in the dust:

Faster installation = shorter timelines, fewer delays
Lighter weight = easier transport, less site disruption
Custom shapes & spans = tailored solutions for complex sites
Lower environmental impact = fewer resources, no need for heavy lifting equipment
No approach slabs or decks required = seamless, settlement-free surfaces

While precast concrete might serve a role in niche situations, steel is the go-to for performance, cost-efficiency, and design flexibility—especially in fast-paced, high-stakes projects like Ten Tenths Motor Club.