The Australian Racing Drivers Club

For members and guests

ARDC News

Local Heroes take on the Worlds best

This year’s Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge is set to break all the records. A new track lap record has been set every year since the event’s inception in 2008, and it looks like 2013 will be no different.

The reigning champions – the Queensland-based Nemo Racing team (with driver Warren Luff), will be fronting up with a more powerful and faster incarnation of their 2012 winning car and are ready to break the lap record once again.

However, the local heroes will face their fiercest competition yet, with highly-competitive local entries plus international stars from Japan, USA and even Cyprus lining up to challenge them – and the clock – for the coveted World Time Attack title.

Held over two action-packed days, from Friday October 18 through to Saturday October 19 at the Sydney Motorsport Park, Eastern Creek, the Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge is a true motorsport festival with a number of supporting events taking place on and off the track:
• Turbosmart Flying 500 – a 500m rolling start race featuring Australia’s fastest tuner cars.
• Motul Turbo Legends – see the cars that shaped the history of Australian motorsport back in the 80s and the 90s. Far from being extinct, these fire-breathing monsters are alive and well and just have to be seen in a full flight to be appreciated!
• Tectaloy International Drift Challenge – as soon as the sun goes down, the show moves to the South Circuit for a drifting spectacular under lights, featuring the very best drifters from Australia, New Zealand, Scotland and Japan.
• A Freestyle BMX Show, Miss Time Attack contest, and the biggest outdoor Show’n’Shine display in the country

The records may keep falling at the Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge, but this year’s event is guaranteed to reach all-new heights.

What: Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge
Where: Sydney Motorsport Park (formerly Eastern Creek Raceway)
When: Fri 18th – Saturday 19th October
Parking: At the venue – Free.
For more information go to www.worldtimeattack.com

 

V8 Supercars to grid up twice at SMSP in 2014

The Australian Racing Drivers’ Club (ARDC) is proud to announce that not one, but two V8 Supercar Championship events will be held at Sydney Motorsport Park (SMSP) in 2014. Round nine of the 2014 V8 Supercars Championship Series, the Sydney Motorsport Park 400, will be held at the Eastern Creek circuit on August 22 – 24, joining the Sydney 500 and the Bathurst 1000 as the third NSW venue for the premier touring car series.

Earlier this month, V8 Supercars announced that SMSP would continue to hold the official Sydney.com V8 Supercars Test Day until 2016. The Test Day, which precedes the Championship season, is free for all fans to attend, and saw numbers in excess of 18,000 in 2013.

“We are excited and delighted to announce that Sydney Motorsport Park will host a round of the V8 Supercars series next August, in addition to the pre-season test and fan day on February 15,” said Glenn Matthews, CEO of the ARDC.

ARDC President Andrew Leithhead said: “The ARDC is keenly looking forward to welcoming V8 Supercars back to Sydney Motorsport Park for round nine of the 2014 Championship. Our Members and all motorsport enthusiasts will be delighted to have four separate V8 Supercar events in NSW next year, and we anticipate some exciting racing at SMSP.”

Sydney Motorsport Park is owned by the NSW Government and operated by the ARDC, and is the only permanent Australian race facility that holds a FIA/FIM Grade 2 International licence.

In August last year, the V8 Supercar Championship was one of the first major racing events to sample the $11 million track and facility redevelopment undertaken at the Western Sydney circuit, which was completed in May 2012 and jointly funded by the ARDC and the NSW Government.

“The support of the NSW Government has been important to the ongoing expansion of Sydney Motorsport Park’s contribution to economic activity in Western Sydney, in terms of infrastructure, employment and major events.” “We would like to thank Minister Souris and Destination NSW for their support in helping to bring a Championship round to Sydney Motorsport Park,” added Matthews.

“This is yet another great event that we have brought to SMSP, and 2014 will be a very exciting year with these premier events – the two V8 Supercar events, Top Gear Festival Sydney, and more still to come.”

The Championship round is just two weeks before the 10th anniversary of the Australian Muscle Car Masters, which celebrates the heritage of V8 Supercars with a weekend of racing and memorabilia from the glory days of the Bathurst 1000. Other major events on the 2014 Race Calendar at Sydney Motorsport Park include Top Gear Festival Sydney, World Time Attack, the Shannons Nationals, the NSW Motor Race Championships, FX Superbikes, Australian Superbikes, and the HSRCA.

A full calendar will be released shortly on www.sydneymotorsportpark.com.au.

OFFICIAL RELEASE: 2014 V8 Supercars Calendar and race formats

OFFICIAL RELEASE: Innovation follows Consolidation for V8 Supercars in 2014

V8 Supercars has announced ground-breaking changes for 2014, building on a year which has featured multiple race and rookie winners, captivating racing and new generation V8 Supercars.

Innovation is the key to further broadening the appeal of V8 Supercars and making it accessible to more people than ever.

Key initiatives for 2014 include a shift towards prime time twilight racing and new standardised race formats; and an exciting new ANZAC Day weekend in New Zealand. Sydney will host three events in 2015.

“We have the opportunity to continue with an entrepreneurial approach, with high levels of innovation and commitment to our fans,” V8 Supercars CEO James Warburton said.

“There is a chance to build on the energy and passion of the business created through the course of this year; taking it to the next level in 2014 and even further in 2015.

“We have had the period of consolidation, now is the time for innovation, growth and building for the next five to ten years.”

A minimum of five Saturday twilight races are possible in 2014. V8 Supercars will announce timings of all races early in the New Year in consultation with host broadcaster Seven.

As a precursor the first 250km race at the Sydney 500 this December will run from 5.10pm to 7.30pm. The ARMOR ALL Top Ten Shootout at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 next month will also be staged later on Saturday afternoon.

The prospect of racing at twilight has received unanimous support from fans with 85 per cent supporting a Saturday evening race and almost 50 per cent more people would attend or watch a twilight race.

V8 Supercars also announced a move to three categories of events – SuperSprint, SuperStreet and the PIRTEK Enduro Cup – to standardise and simplify race formats into a consistent package. The 60/60 format of this year has been scrapped.

Accordingly the Townsville 500 and ITM 500 Auckland become 500km events in line with the SuperStreet formats, while all SuperSprint events are two 100km races on Saturdays with a single 200km feature race on the Sunday.

All SuperSprint races will count towards the Championship.

The 2014 V8 Supercar calendar consists of 16 events including the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne and the hugely popular sydney.com V8 Supercars Test Day at Sydney Motorsport Park.

The Sydney 500 was locked in for a further three years earlier this month by the New South Wales Government, with an option for a further two years. This followed the recent the extension of the three Queensland events, also for a further three years.

Additionally, V8 Supercars will return to Sydney Motorsport Park for a Championship event in 2014 in August, meaning Sydney will host three events in 2014.

In New Zealand the ITM500 Auckland will be held on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the ANZAC weekend.V8 Supercars believes racing on ANZAC weekend in New Zealand is a huge drawcard for the event that will encourage fans to travel to Auckland on the long weekend.

The blockbuster Clipsal 500 in Adelaide kicks off the Championship year once again.

V8 Supercars will delay a return to Texas until 2015 because of a clash of dates with the recently signed X Games and the composition of the V8 Supercar and COTA calendars.

“The timing of COTA securing the X Games next year led to the mutual agreement of a gap-year before consolidating, planning and returning to Texas in 2015,” Warburton said.

“The first Texas 400 was an enormous success at all levels and a tremendous platform to build into the future; in conjunction with developing an extensive international strategy for 2015 and beyond.

“The prospects are virtually limitless; there is that much potential in the sport.”

COTA President Steve Sexton said he was looking forward to V8 Supercars return in 2015 after a highly successful North American debut in May.

“Circuit of The Americas is quickly becoming a year-round destination for a variety of large-scale sports and entertainment properties, and with our packed schedule, we were not able to find mutually workable dates to facilitate a return of V8 Supercars to Austin in 2014,” Circuit Chief Executive Officer Steve Sexton said.

“V8 Supercars continues to be one of the most exciting shows in world motorsports. We know our US and international fans really enjoyed the Austin 400 event this year, and we are very excited to have V8 Supercars return to the United States in 2015.”

V8 Supercars has had preliminary discussions with several venues in the US with a view to „twinning%u201F the Texas 400 in the future.

The 2014 V8 Supercars calendar:

Feb 15
sydney.com V8 Supercars Test Day
Sydney MSP

Feb 27-Mar 2
Clipsal 500 Adelaide
Adelaide Street Circuit
SuperStreet DS

Mar 13-16
2014 Formula 1 Aust Grand Prix
Albert Park
TBC

Mar 28-30
Tasmania 400
Symmons Plains Raceway
SuperSprint

Apr 4-6
Winton 400
Winton Motor Raceway
SuperSprint DS

April 24-27
ITM 500 Auckland
Pukekohe Park Raceway
SuperSprint

May 16-18 TBC
Perth 400
Barbagallo Raceway
SuperSprint DS

June 20-22
SKYCITY Triple Crown Darwin 400
Hidden Valley Raceway
SuperSprint

July 4-6
Townsville 500
Reid Park
SuperStreet DS

Aug 1-3 TBC
Coates Hire Ipswich 400
Queensland Raceway
SuperSprint DS

Aug 22-24
Sydney Motorsport Park 400
Sydney Motorsport Park
SuperSprint

Sept 12-14
Wilson Security Sandown 500
Sandown Raceway
PIRTEK Enduro Cup

Oct 9-12
Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000
Mount Panorama
PIRTEK Enduro Cup DS

Oct 24-26
ARMOR ALL Gold Coast 600
Surfers Paradise
PIRTEK Enduro Cup

Nov 14-16
Phillip Island 400
Phillip Island Circuit
SuperSprint

Dec 5-7
Sydney 500
Sydney Olympic Park
SuperStreet DS

 

Seven News- V8 Supercars return to Sydney Motorsport Park

We are excited and delighted to announce that Sydney Motorsport Park will host a round of the V8 Supercars series next August, in addition to the pre-season test and fan day in February. We would like to thank Minister Souris and Destination NSW for their support in helping to bring a Championship round to Sydney Motorsport Park.

Event release- TOUGH MUDDER Sydney Spring 2013 Venue Change

The venue for Sydney Spring 2013 will now be held at Sydney Motorsport Park and Sydney Dragway.
Tough Mudder made this change after experiencingsome complications with our original site. Aside from the change of venue, everything else remains the same for the Sydney Spring event.
We have high standards when it comes to venues — we only sign with places that will bring you an unforgettable experience. Here’s what’s awesome about this venue:
The facilities are epic. Incorporating parts of a motorsport park and a dragway, the venue’s varied terrain includes dams, swamps, bush, scrub, and gravel traps. We’ll have complete run of the place, so you can expect to be running on racetracks, dragstrips, and on the 4WD proving grounds.
It gives everyone the chance to try out a new venue. We always change our courses from event to event, but sometimes a change of scenery is a bonus. For those who have already run a Tough Mudder at Fernhill Estates, this is a chance to try something totally different.
Of course, no matter where a Tough Mudder event takes place, there’s one thing you can always expect — an unforgettable challenge that will push you to your limits both physically and mentally. And you can expect to take on that challenge with thousands of your next best mates by your side.
Tough Mudder Sydney Spring 2013
October 12 & 13, 2013
New venue: Sydney Motorsport Park and Sydney Dragway

 

Event wrap- 2013 Round 7 CAMS Supersprint Championships

On Sunday Sept 8, Sydney Motorsport Park hosted Round 7 of the CAMS Supersprint Championships using the North Circuit track layout. A solid field of 97 competitors in eight different classes had a fabulous day racing the clock.
Andre Tan ( Radical) bettered his previous outings result on this circuit by nearly two seconds recording a 0:58.77 fastest lap of the day. Alexander Kenny (Juno LMP3) and Marek Tomaszewski (Stohr WF1) battled for second place honours, with Kenny just pipping Tomaszewski by the narrowest of margins: 0.005 seconds. Tomaszewski lowered his April meetings quickest time by 2.5 seconds, but had to settle with third-fastest for the day.
Ben Porter was the fastest of the tin tops, with a 1:03.79. This was 4.22 seconds faster than the previous best time this year on the SMSP circuit , recorded in June by Alan Bugh in his Clubman. Bugh also lowered his Round 3 time by 1.5 seconds.
Supersprint always features its fair share of exotic street and custom vehicles, and today’s event was no different. Andrew McLaughlin brought his magnificent little flyer, the 5.7L ELFIN MS8 Clubman and Rudy Franz’s 1973 VW L-Bug boasting 330kW “at the wheels” flew down pit straight at 240kph. “Not enough horses”, said Rudy, who after today’s event has plans to replace the current engine with a WRX unit, with 450kW the anticipated result.
Mike Pritchett (Clubman) retired early with an electrical gremlin, Mike Hicks (MX5) was having fun with his new 6-speed gearbox, and unlike fine wine, Mike Loomes (Clubman) complained he wasn’t getting any better with age.
Evan Jones, Supersprint event controller, commented: “Supersprint timed racing is the best value for laps racing available. It is the most economical way to get time on a race track if you want to gain experience, or if you are seeking to upgrade your racing licence in order to compete in other styles of competitive racing.”
– Rob Annesley