[9] For the 2018 race, the circuit was lengthened to 1.475 mi (2.374 km), extending the course farther north and west to Summit Street and Hamilton Avenue.

Grandstand 1 is located on the main straight in front of Pier 11 of the ship terminal, just to the west of the start-finish line, providing a view of the starting grid.

[20] Following a crash in the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup, the New York State Legislature banned all automobile racing outside of self-contained circuits.

[23] To this day, Wall Stadium is a popular Modified stop for various Northeastern-based touring series, including the Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR's popular touring series in the Northeast, and forms the core for their local racing program, which has featured legendary engineer Ray Evernham and premiership champion Martin Truex Jr. as drivers who have raced on local cards, which is most notable for Turkey Derby held in late November since 1974.

[24] For many years afterwards, attempts have been made to establish an event for a major auto racing series within the New York metropolitan area, including Formula One, NASCAR, and IndyCar.

[25][26][27] In 1975 and again in 1983, a racing circuit to host a Formula One Grand Prix event was proposed for the New York City area.

Potential sites included Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in the borough of Queens, and the Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey.

[28][29][30] The Flushing Meadows plans were opposed by the local community and environmental groups, and the race was postponed and ultimately cancelled by 1985.

[34] Beginning in 2003, a NASCAR track called Liberty Speedway was planned, with potential sites at the Meadowlands and Linden in New Jersey, and Bloomfield in western Staten Island.

[35][36][37] In December 2004, the International Speedway Corporation (owned by NASCAR) and The Related Companies purchased the 675-acre (273 ha) Staten Island site.

[36][37][38] After protests from environment groups over pollution and the loss of wetlands in the area, and from local residents over potential traffic congestion and parking issues, in 2006 NASCAR cancelled plans for the track.

[36][37][38][39] In July 2012, New York State Assembly candidate Paul Saryian proposed reviving the plans for the Staten Island track as part of a potential bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

[46] In March 2014, it was announced that Formula E was working with New York City authorities to bring a motor race to the area.

[47] On September 21, 2016, Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) President Jean Todt, Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag, and New York City government officials announced that the New York City ePrix would be held in July 2017 at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook, with a track layout presented.

[51] In June 2017, NYC-based McLaren Engineering Group [52] (unrelated to the racing team) and D’Onofrio General Contractors Corp were contracted to create the circuit within the terminal.

[2][53] The temporary infrastructure of a typical Formula E street circuit includes track barriers and curbs, grandstands, pedestrian overpass bridges, and electronic cables for television broadcasting and race scoring.

[12] The B61 bus route runs one block east of the circuit along Van Brunt Street, between Downtown Brooklyn and Park Slope/Windsor Terrace.

[61] The circuit is also close to the NYC Ferry stops at Red Hook and Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6.