Tucked away on 202 rolling acres just 35 miles west of Indianapolis in Greencastle, Indiana, the Putnam Park Road Course has spent more than three decades quietly operating as a premier haven for motorsports enthusiasts, club racers and professional teams alike.
Founded in 1991 by Richard L. Diasio with a vision for a safe, fast and challenging circuit visible in its entirety from the pits, the track has evolved from a grassroots facility into a revered boutique country club for driving aficionados. Today, under the ownership of Richard’s son, Christopher “Chris” Diasio — who took over operations in 2010 — Putnam Park is gearing up for its next major chapter, anchored by new garage construction, luxury trackside villas and unique lifestyle amenities slated to break ground this year.
A Rich History Rooted in Resilience
Putnam Park opened its gates on Labor Day weekend in 1991, hosting kart racing with the Indianapolis Kart Club. Early history at the track is laden with motorsport lore, including a legendary opening month when heavy rains turned the unpaved paddock into a sea of mud. Richard and Chris Diasio famously saved a Central Indiana Region Porsche Club of America driving school by buying every available sheet of plywood from local hardware stores and laying them end-to-end to create a pathway to the pits.
Over the years, the facility has prioritized safety and pristine maintenance, removing guardrails to widen runoff areas, adding gravel traps and repaving the 1.8-mile circuit. While professional team testing — once heavily driven by local IndyCar organizations and chassis builders like Riley & Scott Inc. — has shifted toward IMSA powerhouses like Brownsburg-based Wayne Taylor Racing and professional outfits like Conquest Racing, the heartbeat of Putnam Park remains its tight-knit members.
“We built it on a shoestring budget, and it pretty much stayed the same until my wife and I took over ownership in 2010,” Chris Diasio said. “In the fall of 2011, we started the club and then started building garages in 2012, the clubhouse in 2013, and then continued expanding into our garages.”
The Ultimate Driver’s Club
Operating on a modest scale compared to sprawling mega-tracks in major coastal markets, Putnam Park caps its membership at 150, currently hovering around 135 members. Drawing a dedicated clientele from Indianapolis, Louisville, Cincinnati, Columbus and St. Louis, the club functions as a high-octane sanctuary.
Diasio noted that the average demographic skews older, reflecting the capital required to indulge in high-performance track driving.
“When they come out here, they just want to be left alone and do their thing,” Diasio said. “On club days, we’re not open to the public. It’s mental therapy.”
Unlike commercial tracks that chase massive crowds, Diasio emphasizes manicured grounds, meticulous upkeep and an environment where multimillion-dollar vintage machines — such as classic Ferraris driven straight from local collectors’ driveways — are meant to be driven hard, not locked away as garage queens.
Expanding the Vision: Garages, Trails and Indoor Shooting
Looking ahead, Putnam Park is executing an aggressive infrastructure expansion pipeline. Diasio notes that all current projects are fully engineered, designed by Haus, and moving to the construction phase this year.
Central to this expansion are the new “Garage Nero” units. Departing from the traditional split-face block utilized across previous buildings, these larger, 2,025-square-foot luxury garages are constructed from structural brick — a material four times stronger than concrete with a sleek fired black finish and silver detailing.
Each bay is 45 by 45 feet with a 16-foot clear-height ceiling allowing for a mezzanine of up to 750 square feet. It will feature two 12-by-12-foot overhead doors, a man door on the south side facing away from the track, plumbing for a full bath and climate control.
This area will have seating, fire pits, a bar area and, after immense pressure from certain members, a cigar lounge. Construction of the building will begin in September and take about six months to complete.
Because overnight stays are not permitted in these buildings, plans are underway for the Apex Villas to be constructed soon. The villas will offer accommodations for visiting members and their families.
In addition to upgraded garage footprints, upcoming developments include:
- Trackside Event Center: A multi-use facility facing the circuit featuring rooftop access, designed to host private gatherings, meetings and events.
- Indoor Shooting Range: Developed in partnership with Putnam County Sheriff Jerrod Baugh — a national firearms instructor and longtime friend of Diasio — the indoor facility will cater to members looking to combine precision shooting with motorsports fellowship.
- Nature and Biking Trails: Expanding into the heavily wooded, creek-lined acreage at the back of the property, Putnam Park is laying down walking and bicycle trails equipped with a large fire pit and overnight stay accommodations, offering family-friendly recreation beyond the asphalt.
“If you’re coming from Louisville or Cincinnati, you’re spending a week here,” Diasio said. “You bring your family here, and the kids care for about two minutes before you go on the track and then they’re bored. Keeping them occupied is also important to me.”
As Putnam Park breaks ground on these ambitious additions this year, it continues to honor Richard Diasio’s original 1991 vision while cementing its status as America’s premier boutique motorsport destination, where powerful machines, pristine grounds and camaraderie reign supreme.
For more information about this longtime supporter and sponsor of ARTOMOBILIA, to view schedules or to learn more about memberships and facility updates, visit the official website at putnampark.com.
Photography: Laura Arick Photography
Rendering: HAUS