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SYDNEY MOTORSPORT PARK SHINES UNDER LIGHTS

18/08/17: Supercar night-racing at Sydney Motorsport Park could be a permanent fixture, following successful lighting tests at the Eastern Creek venue last night.

Sydney Motorsport Park CEO, Glenn Matthews, said he had held positive discussions with the NSW Government over the installation of permanent floodlights at the park, providing year-round, site-activation and serving a host of motorsport and industry uses, including Supercar racing.

“Last night’s testing highlighted the potential of night-time racing and activities here at Sydney Motorsport Park and we’re very hopeful that this is a sign of things to come,” Mr Matthews said.

“Full-time, permanent lighting will not only add a whole new level of excitement to motorsport racing, and the spectator experience in this country, but open up a range of commercial and tourism opportunities at Sydney Motorsport Park, including driver safety programs, corporate hospitality packages, and more track access for all levels of racing.

“We’ve held some preliminary, and positive, discussions with NSW Government which is supportive of our long-term vision for Sydney Motorsport Park, and we’re looking forward to continuing to collaborate with all of our partners to set the benchmark for Australian motorsport facilities.”

The 92ha Sydney Motorsport Park precinct is one of the busiest sites in Western Sydney, hosting more than 600 events and over 300,000 visitors annually, and is nearly fully booked a year in advance.

Mr Matthews said the Park’s proximity to the proposed Western Sydney Airport, as well as one of the fastest growing populations in the region, are two of its key strategic drivers.

“Our long-term plans are focussed on making the most of our central location and looking at the opportunities to leverage Western Sydney’s growth as a visitor destination, and provide jobs and education for its vast, and diverse skilled labour,” he said.

“We’ve looked closely at the UK’s integrated education, industry and innovation facility at Silverstone and see no reason why Sydney Motorsport Park can’t adopt a similar model – one that’s heavily focussed on partnerships, education and innovation for Western Sydney.”

“The introduction of permanent lights is the first step towards establishing the necessary infrastructure to support our long-term vision for the site, and we’re committed to working with Government and our partners to make it happen.”

For further information, please contact the ARDC on (02) 9672 1000 or email media@ardc.com.au.

TWO WORKS OF AUTOMOTIVE ART HIT SYDNEY MOTORSPORT PARK

Two unique sculptures have just been delivered to the ARDC by automotive sculpture artist James Corbett to commemorate and celebrate Australian motorsport at SMSP.
The two sculptures, based on a vintage three wheeled Morgan racecar and a racing motorcycle of the same era, were commissioned by the ARDC to celebrate the passion and community spirit of both the two- and four-wheeled enthusiast.
“For a while now, we have been wanting to bring some fun, creativity and artistic flair to the Park,” says Glenn Matthews, ARDC CEO.
“We have been searching for a project that could encompass all of this, and found this world-renowned artist in our own backyard. He has not only delivered on our idea, but created two automotive masterpieces for all enthusiasts to enjoy and admire.”
The two sculptures will be officially revealed and launched at Sydney Motorsport Park on August 12, 2017 at the Morgan Supersprint and first day of the CMC Shannons Sydney Classic.

About the artist: James Corbett, originally from Ningi, Queensland, has been creating uniquely lifelike sculptures since 1998. Back then he was the owner of an auto recycling business and found himself transfixed by old car parts and metal objects. It wasn’t until he was gifted a sculpture made from welded gears that he had the idea to build his first car part sculpture.
“Sydney Motorsport Park is a fitting permanent home for some of my work,” says Corbett.
“I am hoping that their patrons will get a bit of a kick out of my racers. The two pieces go together to portray a race between an early vintage three wheeled Morgan, and a similarly early era racing motorcycle. These pieces are at the same time both very different to my normal subjects, yet are still very much my signature style of subject. Early Bikes and Three Wheelers are some of my favourite subjects, but this is only the second time I have done a car sculpture even close to this scale, and the motor bike is a first.”

Shannons Nationals Round 4 Preview

OFFICIAL RELEASE: The Shannons Nationals heads north of the Australian border to New South Wales for the first time this season, as part as the fourth round on the 2017 schedule.
Racing at Sydney Motorsport Park for the first time this season, this round will feature a few firsts—with the introduction of a new race format and a fresh-faced category.
Amongst those changes is in the Australian Production Car Series, which will see the series run four one-hour races, a completely different format to their last round where two endurance races completed the event.
The battles will go down to the wire this weekend, as the current series leaders are ‘on leave’ racing in Townsville, so expect to see some surprise winners and intense class battles.
The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge will run their fourth round for the season, with this year’s title fight proving to be one of the most exciting yet.
Jordan Love currently leads the Professional class and the Jim Richards Endurance Trophy—but it hasn’t come easy, with Anthony Gilbertson claiming pole at Winton, former Olympian John Steffensen winning the first round of the Professional class, Brenton Grove taking debut race wins and Sam Shahin taking the outright round win at Sandown.
As well as the Porsches and Production Cars, two of the most exciting sports car series in the country return to Sydney, thanks to the company of the Australian Prototype Series and Radical Australia Cup.
Arguably delivering the most exciting racing at Winton, Jason Makris will be looking to continue his winning-streak at Sydney after taking three wins at the previous round.
Peter Paddon currently leads Radical Australia Cup and will be one busy steerer, competing in both the Radical and Prototype series’ across the event.
Notable mentions to Oliver Smith and Michael Shaw in Radical who will both be looking at taking race wins on home-soil.
A new category also joins the Nationals this weekend, with the Alfa Romeo Challenge featuring a field of over 20 Alfa Romeos, ranging from Group S to Under 2 Litre.
The Nationals TV Livestream also returns this Sunday 9 July, with the action live and free at thenationals.com.au/live

Feature F5000 race honours – and features – Gold Star champion

This weekend, the feature race of the F5000s at Sydney Classic Speedfest will be named in honour of one of its era’s most recognisable drivers – a man who will also feature in the race itself.

The large field will be racing for line honours over the weekend, and for the top spot in the feature race named after Alfredo ‘Alfie’ Costanzo, a famous F5000 driver who won four CAMS Gold Stars as Australia’s National racing champion.

Costanzo will be racing for his original mentor and Melbourne car owner Alan Hamilton in a McLaren M10B, who remembers his early days of Alfie’s driving:

“At the Australian Grand Prix held at Sandown on September the 10th 1978, I crashed rather heavily in my F5000 Lola T430 whilst running second with only two and a bit laps to go,” says Hamilton.

“My injuries left me an insulin-dependent diabetic which, at that time, meant that my circuit racing days were over. Earlier, I had purchased the two Lola T430’s from Team VDS so whilst my crash had totally destroyed the Lola I was driving, there was another in the shed.

“I instructed my team to rebuild the second car to exactly the same condition and settings that the car I was in, prior to the crash. I then began to seek the services of someone to drive my car.

“My thoughts rapidly focused on Alfredo Costanzo who’s talent had always impressed me whilst disappointing results were largely attributable to a lack of budget to compete at the level he was seeking. Alfie accepted my offer graciously and we continued apace with the reconstruction of the second Lola.

“Our entry for the Sandown meeting in February 1978 for the !st Gold star event of that year was accepted and we arrived at the first practice session with a high level of trepidation….new car and a new driver. Alfie proceeded cautiously, trying each corner individually but not putting a full lap together. As he came in at the end of practice, the mechanics rushed up to hear what might need adjusting.

“Alfie sat quietly in the Lola and then said ‘donna touch the car!’

Following the next practice session, Alfie had pole position and went on to win the race the following day.

“His first gold star followed at the end of the year and this performance was repeated the following year with our new F500 based on an M26 Formula 1 McLaren… But dark clouds were massing,” says Hamilton.

“There had been considerable agitation, originally from NSW but quickly adopted by others, for a change in the Formula. I was against the change. We had a new car that threatened rewrite the record books wherever it ran; at Sandown it set a lap record that has never been surpassed. However, Bob Jane stepped in and purchased my McLaren allowing me to buy a pair of Tiga Formula Atlantic, Pacific, Mondial cars with which to compete against the most successful Ralt RT4’s

“Although most thought that Alfie might not be able to transition from winning in 500 horsepower cars, he and our head engineer won the next two gold stars championships. He also was leading the Australian Grand Prix against many of the top F1 stars from Europe until gearbox failure sidelined him.

“Undoubtedly, Alfie was of international standard when he drove for me and this was recognised by the Italian Government who effectively Knighted him for his achievements.”

The F5000s are scheduled to hit the track this weekend for practice, qualifying at 9:50am Saturday, and races on Saturday at 1340 and Sunday at 0955 and the feature finale at 1415. The Sunday’s racing will be co-commentated by John Goss, and he along with F5000 Patron Fred Gibson will be presenting the winners trophies o the podium in the main paddock. Three more F5000 vehicles will also be on display in the main paddock, and their owners will be on hand to chat about their cars’ history for any spectators wanting to know more about this fantastic era of aero motorsport.

Strong Formula Ford Field Set for 50th Anniversary Celebration

A bumper field of 36 historic Formula Fords will line up to celebrate the 50th anniversary of international Formula Ford racing at the Sydney Classic Speed Festival, 10-11 June.

Formula Ford was conceived in England in 1967, and quickly evolved into a popular junior development category all over the world. It made its first appearance in Australia in 1969, and quickly earned a reputation as the primary stepping stone for young drivers aspiring to forge a professional career in motorsport.

The Sydney Classic Speed Festival has attracted an array of historic Formula Fords from Fa (pre-1978), Fb (1978-1983) and Fc (1984-1989) eras. All cars are powered by the venerable 1600cc Kent Ford motor, which was a mainstay of all Formula Ford competition up until 2006.

One of the most appealing aspects of Formula Ford was the ease and cost-effectiveness at which chassis builders could construct cars, and this was demonstrated in the variety of chassis that participated in Formula Ford races throughout the 1970s and ‘80s. Some chassis were imported, while some were locally-built, and a number of different brands will be represented at the Sydney Classic Speed Festival including:

  • Hawke (England)
  • Van Diemen (England)
  • Lola (England)
  • Reynard (England)
  • Lotus (England)
  • Hustler (Australia)
  • Mawer (Australia)
  • Elwyn (Australia)
  • Elfin (Australia)
  • Swift (Australia)
  • Zink (USA)

The race meeting has also attracted a number of well-credentialed drivers from all over Australia including:

  • Cameron Walters – 2015 Australian Formula Ford Kent Class Champion and NSW State Champion
  • Geoff Walters – two-time Australian Formula Ford Championship runner-up and NSW State Champion
  • Lyndon Arnell – Australian Formula Ford race winner
  • Jonathan Miles – Victorian State Champion

Other front-runners are likely to include experienced racers Andrew McInnes, Mark Lowing and Andrew Nethercote.

The event will consist of qualifying and Race 1 on Saturday, and Races 2 and 3 on Sunday.

There will also be a commemorative dinner on the Saturday night of the event, with entertainment including footage of historic Formula Ford races, and Q and A sessions with past Australian Formula Ford Champions.

Formula Ford will be one of eight race categories featured through the weekend’s racing on June 11 – 12, amid a prestigious line-up of Formula 5000s, Historic Touring Cars, Heritage Touring Cars, Group S Production Sports Cars, Historic Sports Racing Cars, Holden HQs, Modern Regularity (-1992), and Formula Ford celebrating its 50th Anniversary.

There will be new and exciting race formats including scratch, handicap and also split-grid starts; and Car Club displays, and Sydney’s newest Concourse event, which should attract hundreds of the best display vehicles Sydney has ever seen!

For more information on the Sydney Classic Speedfest or to buy tickets in advance and save, head to speedfestival.com.au or call the ARDC on (02) 9672 1000.

TOURING CAR SHOOTOUT AT SYDNEY CLASSIC SPEEDFEST

The Heritage Touring Cars series is set to return to Sydney Motorsport Park this Queen’s Birthday long weekend, June 10-11, for the Sydney Classic Speed Festival, bringing with it a glorious collection of golden era muscle.

The Heritage Touring Cars entry list is stacked with iconic race cars, with historic Australian Touring Cars from Group C, contested between 1973 and 1984, and Group A, which ran from 1985 to ’92.

Sure to be leading the charge are a set of Group A’s technological marvels, including one of Nissan’s highly-developed Skyline GT-Rs and a pair of turbocharged Ford Sierra RS500s.

Tony Alford will be aboard the 1991 Sandown 500-winning GIO GT-R and working hard to fend off Carey McMahon, who’ll pilot the ex-Tony Longhurst 1990 Benson & Hedges Ford Sierra. This car was the last Sierra built by Frank Gardner, Jim Stone and the Benson & Hedges team and the only one built entirely at home in Australia.

The second Sierra will be driven by Terry Lawlor and is a legendary machine from Dick Johnson’s stable. The 1990 Shell Sierra is the last of six built by Dick Johnson Racing and competed in the Australian Touring Car Championship until 1992. It recently joined the Heritage Touring Cars series at Bathurst, where Chris Stillwell went three-for-three and set a new lap record.

Six Group A BMWs will compete over the weekend, including David Towe in the ex-Jim Richards/Tony Longhurst JPS BMW M3, Harri Jones in another ex-Jim Richards JPS M3 and Duncan MacKellar in an ex-Anthony Reid M3. Rick Allen’s ex-Tony Longhurst/Johnny Cecotto Benson & Hedges BMW M3 will return to the Heritage Touring Cars series after its debut earlier this year, while Kyle Alford will pilot one of the Mobil Team cars from Bathurst in 1998. David Harris will break out something a little different, competing in his Group A 325i.

David Gardner’s ex-Alf Barbagallo VN Commodore is an interesting car and one to watch. It is one of just a few VN Commodores that were built for Group A competition in Australia.

Fans of many-cylindered muscle should keep an eye out for Garry Willmington’s Jaguar XJ-S. The 5.3-litre V12 is something you need to hear opened up at full race pace!

On the other end of the cubic capacity spectrum will be the ex-Mark Skaife Gibson Motorsport Peter Jackson Nissan Gazzelle run by Brian Henderson and the Bob Holden Motors Toyota Corolla Sprinter of David Paterson.

The Sydney Classic Speed Festival will see the second outing of Craig Foster’s ex-Toyota Team Australia AE86 Toyota Corolla Coupe, after the pair dominated the class at Phillip Island earlier this year. This was the last factory-built Toyota Racing Development TTA AE86 to come across from Japan and it competed from 1986 through to 1989, when John Smith helped Toyota secure a manufacturer’s championship.

Dean How’s ex-Allan Grice/Jim Richards JPS Team BMW 635CSi will debut after 30 years off the track and will show the younger Group A BMWs a thing or two. One of three Group 2 635CSis that Werginz Motorsport in Austria built and raced in Europe, it was brought into Australia by Frank Gardner and Allan Grice. Grice competed in the ’81 James Hardie 1000 in the car and the following year it would be driven at Bathurst by Denny Hulme and Stephen Brook.

Keeping with the European theme, but moving to muscle from a Swedish marque, and you have the Volvo 242GT of Peter Woods. The car ran in the 1979 Hardie-Ferodo 1000, driven by Spencer Martin and David McKay.

And, finally, returning home for some classic Australian muscle, the weekend’s competition will see series-regular Frank Binding once again unleash the awesome Army Reserve XD Falcon Group C on Sydney Motorsport Park. The car was originally bought by Bob Muir, who built it up with running gear from an ex-Colin Bond Falcon XC Touring Car and ran it in 1980 and 1981.

Heritage Touring Cars will be one of eight race categories featured through the weekend’s racing on June 11 – 12, amid a prestigious line-up of Formula 5000s, Historic Touring Cars, Group S Production Sports Cars, Historic Sports Racing Cars, Holden HQs, Modern Regularity (-1992), and Formula Ford celebrating its 50th Anniversary.

There will be new and exciting race formats including scratch, handicap and also split-grid starts; and Car Club displays, and Sydney’s newest Concourse event, which should attract hundreds of the best display vehicles Sydney has ever seen!

Head over to www.heritagetouringcars.com.au for more from the Heritage Touring Cars series, or more information on the Sydney Classic Speedfest or to buy tickets in advance and save, head to speedfestival.com.au or call the ARDC on (02) 9672 1000.