The Australian Racing Drivers Club

For members and guests

Ian Hansen

Sydney Motorsport Park to host Top Gear Festival!

The Australian Racing Drivers’ Club is excited to announce that Sydney Motorsport Park will host Top Gear Festival Sydney in March 2013.
For two adrenaline packed days, Top Gear Festival Sydney will transform Sydney Motorsport Park into a motoring enthusiast’s heaven, as cars and stars take to the track in this inaugural outdoor motoring spectacular.

Joining us will be UK Top Gear presenters Jeremy Clarkson and James May, along with Top Gear’s mysterious racing driver The Stig! They’ll also be bringing along some of their legendary racing mates and celebrity friends, all across the weekend of the 9 – 10 March 2013!

Top Gear Festival Sydney promises to be an awesome track based festival, with every corner of Sydney Motorsport Park ablaze with action all weekend long.

At the centre of the event two race circuits will see racing legends and stars pitted against one another whilst the rest of the Park plays host to thrilling stunts and challenges, live actions zones, a packed exhibition area featuring some of the world’s latest and greatest cars and much more!

Do not miss the ultimate Top Gear fuelled day out, for one weekend only and only in Sydney on 9 -10 March 2013!

Top Gear Festival Sydney falls outside regular ARDC Member benefits. ARDC Members will not receive discounted or complimentary entry to the Festival.

ARDC Members will receive access to an exclusive presale later this week, details will follow shortly.

For more information on Top Gear Festival Sydney, visit www.topgearfestivalsydney.com.au.

 

Sydney Motorsport Park V8 return offers great value

The Australian Racing Drivers’ Club (ARDC) has announced a one-off, celebratory ticket price to mark the return of the V8 Supercars to Sydney Motorsport Park on August 25 and 26.

To be known as the Sydney Motorsport Park 360, it offers tremendous value for fans and kicks off a week of major celebrations for the ARDC’s 60th anniversary, with the eighth running of the Australian Muscle Car Masters on the following weekend. The Sydney Motorsport Park 360 will offer a sensational, action-packed weekend of motor sport entertainment, with a single $60 pass providing general admission access – including paddock pass – for the entire weekend.

A grandstand upgrade is available for $35 and special limited on-site parking for $15.

Free parking will also be provided at the adjacent Sydney Dragway, with a shuttle bus delivering spectators to the main gate. In line with all V8 Supercar events, kids under 12 receive free admission with a paying adult. This means that a family of four with two children under 12 will be able to enjoy the two-day race meeting for only $120.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on July 9 via ticketek.com.au.

Spectators will be treated to a huge weekend of racing across two packed days, headlined by a 140km race for the V8 Supercars on Saturday and a 220km race on Sunday, with practice and qualifying both days.

While there will be plenty of V8 Supercar action, four support categories will also run across the weekend, including Aussie Racing Cars, Formula Vee, Production Sports and Improved Production/Production Touring.

This means that there will be 25 sessions of on-track action, including 14 races, across the weekend. Each support category will race once on Saturday and twice on Sunday, with much of their practice held on Friday.

ARDC CEO Glenn Matthews says that the return of the V8 Supercars in the ARDC’s 60th year was a time for celebration of Australian Motorsport, and that ticket prices for the Sydney Motorsport Park 360 reflected this celebratory mood.

“These prices come as the ARDC marks its 60th anniversary, and we are making a one-off gesture to the motor sport-loving public of Sydney to celebrate the return of the V8s and kick off a massive week of motor sport in Sydney, with the eighth Muscle Car Masters to be held the following weekend,” said Mr Matthews.

“We are very excited about the return of the V8 Supercars to Sydney Motorsport Park, and we want to share that excitement with the people of Sydney.

“We think that the amount of racing on offer, including 360km of V8 Supercar racing and four support categories, plus the fantastic ticket prices make for an unbeatable weekend of sporting entertainment. “We’re very much looking forward to it, and we hope the fans are too.”

Burrows Drive Day a Huge Success!

What can we say? The Burrows drive day on May 30 was absolutely massive, and the image at the top of the page says everything!

Run by the team at Events O’Neill, Burrows Drive Days bring together stunning machinery, like minded enthusiasts and some of Australia’s best drivers for a great day of fun and education.

There were literally millions of dollars worth of machinery on site at Sydney Motorsport Park, with the one and only Pagani Zonda in Australia and TWO McLaren MP4-12Cs here too!

There were Radicals, including the Sydney Motorsport Park SR3 and the absolutely mental V8 powered SR8 on display.

All of the drivers who brought out their vehicles had a ball, with instruction coming from some of the best drivers in the country.

If you haven’t been to one of our track days – you don’t know what you’re missing. Book one now!

V8 Supercars to run sprint format for Sydney Motorsport Park

The return of V8 Supercars to Sydney Motorsport Park will become a weekend race meeting with a two-race format on the traditional 3.9km Grand Prix layout.

The newly renamed and refurbished Sydney Motorsport Park, formerly Eastern Creek Raceway, will host the V8 Supercar round on August 25-26.

Sydney Motorsport Park was recently upgraded in a $12m investment by the NSW State Government and Australian Racing Drivers’ Club (ARDC).

The two-day meeting format will be trialled at Sydney Motorsport Park, promising a condensed weekend loaded with a full V8 Supercar card and support class action.

The V8 Supercars Sydney weekend will consist of two V8 Supercar 30-minute practice sessions, a qualifying session and 140km race on Saturday, while Sunday will host one morning practice session, qualifying and a longer 220km race.

Teams will use a combination of hard and soft tyres in both races.

CEO David Malone says V8 Supercars is very interested in the new section at Sydney Motorsport Park should the category return after the one-off 2012 event.

“We will be watching the first few race meetings on the extended layout with great interest.

“In the meantime, the 3.9km Grand Prix layout at Sydney Motorsport Park is a proven, known quantity and distance for V8 Supercars and the teams,” Mr Malone said.

“It has been the scene of some amazing events across 20 years, including Marcos Ambrose’s first two championships and the infamous Mark Skaife and Russell Ingall incident in 2003, right back through to the very early days of V8 Supercars.

“Given the standard of the racing and the drama of our two races at the fast-flowing Phillip Island layout last week we are in for a great two days of racing.”

ARDC CEO Glenn Matthews said he was very confident the Sydney V8 Supercars race meeting format will be successful at Sydney Motorsport Park.

“Taking an already exciting race meeting and condensing it into two days can only mean one thing – more on-track action, and more excitement for the fans,” said Mr Matthews.

“We’re very proud of the facility we’ve built here at Sydney Motorsport Park, and the Grand Prix circuit is one of four configurations now available.”

Additional announcements regarding support categories, ticket pricing and on-sale dates will be made in coming weeks.

 

The shutters are up and the ARDC Garage is open for business

A vastly different type of pit stop and refuel will have everyone talking at Eastern Creek from this month.

It is the ARDC’s brand new bar, café and hospitality clubhouse, known as The Garage.

Situated directly above the existing pit lane, The Garage takes in great views of turn one, and draws inspiration from the workshops and garages at the heart of motorsport.

 

The café and bar provides a casual, relaxed place to either prepare for a day of racing or share stories of the day’s exhilaration over a wine or beer long after the chequered flag has fallen.

Concrete floors, painted brickwork and a toolbox-inspired bar bring a unique character to the clubhouse. A variety of seating, including stools and lounges, caters to diverse customer groups.

Australian Racing Drivers’ Club CEO Glenn Matthews praised The Garage when it officially opened its doors on Saturday, December 10.

“It’s fantastic to finally provide ARDC members, competitors, crews, race experience operators and clients, enthusiasts, and the local community a quality venue to match and complement their on-track experience”,” Mr Matthews said.

 

It marks the beginning of an exciting 2012 for the ARDC, Mr Matthews continued.

“2012 is going to be a big year for the ARDC with the finalisation of the Eastern Creek track extension,” he said. “Plans for the new South Circuit pit lane are now finalised; new and exhilarating events and experiences are in the offing, and of course there is the excitement of celebrating the ARDC’s 60th year.”

Visitors will quickly appreciate the detail and planning that has gone into the design of The Garage, highlighted by a special ‘Pole Position’ section in the north west corner. This is where guests can view cars and bikes reaching top speed before braking hard into turn one.

The excitement and external focus of this space is offset by quieter spaces in the opposite corners where guests can lounge, relax, talk a little business, or linger around ‘Memory Lane’ – a specially-designed space where the history of the ARDC will be on display.

 

The Garage will continue with a soft opening phase between now and Christmas before resuming in early January, when it will look to establish regular seven-day-a-week operation. The Summer Season Opening hours are 8am – 5pm 7 days a week up until 31 January 2012. The Garage will be closed for Christmas, closing 24 December 2012 through to the 6 January 2012. The Garage will be reopening its doors in 2012 on Saturday 7 January 2012 and we look forward to seeing you there.

Bathurst legend inducted as life member

Champion Australian touring car driver Allan Moffat has been inducted as a life member of the Australian Racing Driver’s Club (ARDC).

At the club’s Annual General Meeting last month, Moffat – a member of the ARDC board – was given the club’s highest honour, joining legends such as Sir Jack Brabham and Leo Geoghegan.

ARDC CEO Glenn Matthews said it was a simple decision to induct Allan as a life member, given his iconic status in the motorsport community.

“Allan Moffat has given over 30 years of his life to our club, and changed motor racing in Australia,” said Mr Matthews.

“Coming into our 60th year in 2012, the ARDC is taking steps to recognise the people who have shaped the face of not only our club, but also Australian motorsport in general.”

“Allan Moffat has lived and breathed motorsport for 50 years. He is one of the sport’s icons, and the ARDC is proud to have him on the board, helping to steer our club into the future.”

Moffat first joined the ARDC in 1976, the year he won the inaugural Australian Sports Sedan Championship and his second Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC) crown.

Throughout his career, Moffat enjoyed incredible success – he is a four-time ATCC winner, four-time Bathurst winner and six-time Sandown enduro winner.

Moffat also enjoyed numerous successes overseas, specifically at Sebring, Le Mans, Daytona, Monza, and his famous class victory in the Rothmans Commodore at the 1987 Spa 24-hour.

“Allan is an Australian sporting great, and one extremely deserving of this honour. We hope that he sees fit to remain on the board of the ARDC for a long time to come,” said Mr Matthews.