Track Usage

[GTRMagic]

Interesting to read that the 2.1km HPDC circuit at Norwell has had a major upgrade, with a full resurfacing of the facility.

What caught my eye was the utilisation of the circuit. According to the press blurb, the centre is in use 300 days a year! Presumably this would be the use of the V8Superschool, plus driver training days and the like...

You would imagine that a circuit that busy would be able to "wash its own face" financially.. without a single motor racing event being held there. A $500k resurfacing would be expensive.. but the old surface is 18 years old... cheap to keep?

It offers an insight into how some of the less raced tracks seem to keep their heads above water.. like a Mallala or a Wakefield Park and the like...

There is still value in the idea of a Silverstone-style motor industry business park around a race track (like Norwell but with a load of teams and industry players there). Eastern Creek has tried to do something along these lines, but all that is around that space seems to be small businesses unrelated to the surroundings.

[GTRMagic]

A view from above...

[Chatters]

Is the circuit anywhere near big enough/safe enough to ever hold a V8 Supercar event GTR?

[v8man]

Originally Posted by Chatters

Is the circuit anywhere near big enough/safe enough to ever hold a V8 Supercar event GTR?

I can tell you that it is not big enough to hold a V8 event, I had v8supercar drive around it and you don't even get out of 4th gear, was still good fun

[00 XR8]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

[img]
A view from above...

The similarity in layout to Eastern Creek is extraordinary!

[Uncle Cranker]

What is it about SEQ tracks that have them all the same shape.

Just look at the track map from the paper-clip !

[Just Do It!]

Check out Hampton Downs Motorsport Park at www.hamptondowns.co.nz

Hopefully this is a successful venture. It looks set to have a really strong business base around it, include a mini-Hampton Downs kart track!

In other race track news, it is reported that Taupo Motorsport Park needs to raise $3 million in equity quite urgently, most of which is to repay debts. This is not good news for the venue that holds NZ's premier single-seater event, A1GP Taupo.

[NewsStalker]

Originally Posted by Uncle Cranker

What is it about SEQ tracks that have them all the same shape.

Just look at the track map from the paper-clip !

Don't know about SEQ - when I first saw that image, the track that immediately sprang to mind was Wakefield Park.

[Razor]

Could you say it's could be used as a multi car public car track, ala original Nurburgring? Take your own car, pay a few bucks and have a blast around in your own car. I reckon Mt Panorama should be like that.

[stoned pony]

Norwell was never approved to be a race circuit. It was only ever approved as a training track. The race team (first Longhurst and now Morris) is not even allowed to run its race cars there for test or demonstration purposes.

Razor, I would suggest there might be some subtle differences between Germany's OH&S laws and those of Australia and I would further suggest that ours might be a little tougher.

Like what you say but you can kind of do that now by joining a car club and turning-up for a club day at a track near you.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by v8man

I can tell you that it is not big enough to hold a V8 event, I had v8supercar drive around it and you don't even get out of 4th gear, was still good fun

And believe me that's all you want with the general public. 4th gear and the associated speed is just fine for ride or drive days. You'd be surprised how many people can't even drive in a straight line down a straightaway. That circuit is a perfect size and shape for driver training and V8 rides.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Just Do It!

Check out Hampton Downs Motorsport Park at www.hamptondowns.co.nz

Hopefully this is a successful venture. It looks set to have a really strong business base around it, include a mini-Hampton Downs kart track!

In other race track news, it is reported that Taupo Motorsport Park needs to raise $3 million in equity quite urgently, most of which is to repay debts. This is not good news for the venue that holds NZ's premier single-seater event, A1GP Taupo.

I heard that about Taupo and that is a significant amount to raise in a short time. Hopefully they will get it sorted out. I like the track, if a bit narrow for my taste. Every time I've been there, there has been something happening on track, so they must have some turnover. It doesn't seem like the business units there have really taken off though. Overall though very nice facility.