Aussie NASCAR

[kelvin88]

hi, i wonder if you guys can help me. as i trawl around the internet i keep finding referances to a Australian Nascar series yet i cannot find any information on it at all. did it exist? does it still exist? if it doesn't then what happened to it? hope some of you can help. thanks.

[mountainstar]

It's long gone now. It began to fade away when V8 supercars started to grow. Last time I remember them having anything going was on the powertour in 2002.

[peckstar]

calder park

hi kelvin. NASCAR and AUSCAR ( NASCAR using australian cars) weer run mainly at the Calder Park thunderdome. they also used a number of other tracks mostly in adelaide but ran at bathurst and the Gold coast indy track at least once

it ran for about ten years from the late 80 to late 90's but have been linked to soem other series like the power tour since

I have included a link to the thunderdome which may supply more info

i used to go regularly and always had a ball

[D.R.T.]

Yeah agreed Peckstar. Only managed to get to the Thunderdome once to see Nascar there but it was something I wont forget.

Really enjoyed Nascar and Auscar which is somewhat odd in that I cant stand Nextel Cup in America these days.

[karl Aldridge]

Winton Raceway & Calder Park have tried for a few years to get the owners to bring their cars out of the sheds. Sadly the drivers seem only to want to run the thunderdome

This at present is not an option, but as far as Flat track goes, both these tracks would provide 5 races a weekend at each of their Victorian Motor Racing Championship weekends if they would get a field together
This equals 6 race meetings a year to begin with and 30 races for their money
It would be great to see the big bangers on the track again
sadly I dont believe it will happen
We do have a couple of Auscars with a few more in the wings running in the VMRC mixed sedan races at present
They are always looking for more cars to join in, if you know where any wanting to run are, let us know here at Winton & we will chase them up

[Cambo]

As far as i can remember:

There was a push (I think just after the Power Tour) to get it up and rolling again, but fighting within (i dont think between) the admin/competitors turned a little nasty and nothing was done (wish I kept the emails).

More recently Rusty French also had a go at getting NASCAR's back on, but again nothing substantiated.

The most recent attempt at asphalt oval racing was Bob Jane’s Monaro series (which unfortunately nothing has come of). The cars do look and sound great (as seen at a Fast Track ride day) it’s a real pity, would have been a real sight!

[hoffy]

Why are they not able to run on the 'Dome?

[Sultan]

They are, & the track is still used (eg Fastrack), but it needs alot of work....

At its peak racing at the thunderdome was definitely big, awesome fields of NASCARs, AUSCARs, Sportsmans, HQ's, hell even the FVees had a go - (30 cars in one big splistream, completely flat!!). There was also great coverage & very decent prizemoney...

[peckstar]

and trucks. i was there the day it rained rubber into the crowd

[Cambo]

It all just came about a little early IMHO. NASCAR is much better understood now by the general public than it was in the "glory years" on the dome. If only...

I never saw the Vee's or Truck's (scary!) on the dome but was lucky enough to see the rest of the classes. A real treat to see and something that will not be forgotten.

[Chatters]

All I can remember is seeing John Faulker at Bathurst in an AUSCAR. Bradley Jones also ran for a few years didn't he? Before moving to Super Touring?

[Senna05]

Brad's a 5 or 6 time AUSCAR champ and won NASCAR before Jim took over the mantle as champ.

I can always remember the Aussie NASCARS taking out 4 or 5 of the top 10 against the US big boys in the Japanese trial race in 98 or 99.

[hoffy]

Originally Posted by Chatters

All I can remember is seeing John Faulker at Bathurst in an AUSCAR. Bradley Jones also ran for a few years didn't he? Before moving to Super Touring?

I heard that Brad Jones did ok.......

[hoffy]

Originally Posted by Senna05

Brad's a 5 or 6 time AUSCAR champ and won NASCAR before Jim took over the mantle as champ.

I can always remember the Aussie NASCARS taking out 4 or 5 of the top 10 against the US big boys in the Japanese trial race in 98 or 99.

I remember reading an interesting article on this once. This was the first time ever that NASCAR ran on wet tyres. Apparently, all the NASCAR drivers were sitting in the pits, watching the rain during practice, while richards was out there, droppping lap times & having a ball.

[Chatters]

They don't call him "The Rainmaster" for nothing!

[racer69]

Originally Posted by Sultan

hell even the FVees had a go - (30 cars in one big splistream, completely flat!!)

I've still got one of their Thunderdome races on video, it was the meeting that was washed out due to heavy rain, the only cars allowed to race on the 'Dome were the Formula Vee's that day. There was also a drag truck that did a demo run down the pitlane that wet Sunday, got it all wrong and slid into grass at high speed........


Here's abit of a Thunderdome honour list:

Australian NASCAR Champions

1989/90 - Robin Best
1990/91 - Robin Best
1991/92 - George Elliot
1992/93 - Max Dumsney
1993/94 - Barry Graham
1994/95 - Brad Jones
1995/96 - Jim Richards
1996/97 - Kim Jane
1997/98 - Kim Jane
1998/99 - Kim Jane
1999/00 - Kim Jane (a very shortened 3 round series though, round 1 was at the dome, round 2 at Wanneroo, round 3 at the AGP)

[johnh875]

Another snippet for kelvin88 is that Auscars are RHD and run clockwise on the track (opposite to Nascar)

[blaarg]

One would think the development of another paved highspeed oval in Victoria would invigorate speedway racing.

Hopefully someone will do it, one day.

[Chatters]

Rodney Jane, we're looking at you...

[Rombles1]

Originally Posted by racer69

........


Here's abit of a Thunderdome honour list:

Australian NASCAR Champions

1989/90 - Robin Best
1990/91 - Robin Best
1991/92 - George Elliot
1992/93 - Max Dumsney
1993/94 - Barry Graham
1994/95 - Brad Jones
1995/96 - Jim Richards
1996/97 - Kim Jane
1997/98 - Kim Jane
1998/99 - Kim Jane
1999/00 - Kim Jane (a very shortened 3 round series though, round 1 was at the dome, round 2 at Wanneroo, round 3 at the AGP)

Is that the same George Elliot that races a ute now?

[racer69]

Certainly is

[kelvin88]

thanks for all your info guys, i really appreciate it. its a shame if all those cars are still out there that they dont find their way to a race circuit,be it oval or otherwise. anyway thanks again.

[RotorFan]

I saw some of these cars racing in the Power Tour, where they were labelled "stock cars" I think. At Oran Park, they were less than inspiring. I would have liked to see them at the Thunderdome at least once.

Someone said they ran Trucks at the dome? That sounds wild, are we talking what they at one stage a few years ago called "supertrucks"? When did this happen? Were they speed limited to 160 still?

[peckstar]

i rember it as being a one off. probably early 90's

they were the same trucks who ran at other tracks (not sure of top speed)

but i dont think the concret wall could take the punding they were given and after a collision on pit straight which showered the crowd in a blown tyre, they never raced again, but they were enjoyable to watch

[fordlover]

i have a dvd somwhere with the first ever race on the thunderdome, the goodyear 500 in February 1987, with the likes of Dave Marcis, Billy Venturini, Harry Gant, Kenny Wallace, Michael Waltrip, Dick Johnson, Jim Richards, Alan Grice, robin best and many more, some great racing, also have the second somewhere too the christmas 500, with many more big names.