Australian Motor Racing Trip
Discussion
Having ridden around the PI track, there is one thing that's not obvious : there is a very slight rise and fall on the main straight.
This means that as you exit the last corner and start down the straight, turn one is not visible - all you can see is the sea in the distance, which is a bit surreal!
This means that as you exit the last corner and start down the straight, turn one is not visible - all you can see is the sea in the distance, which is a bit surreal!
AW111 said:
Having ridden around the PI track, there is one thing that's not obvious : there is a very slight rise and fall on the main straight.
This means that as you exit the last corner and start down the straight, turn one is not visible - all you can see is the sea in the distance, which is a bit surreal!
Absolutely, and i wouldn't say slight! I was a passenger on a Phillip Island track day the week before last. What a track. Flat out looking at sky and sea before diving into that sweeping right is something else...This means that as you exit the last corner and start down the straight, turn one is not visible - all you can see is the sea in the distance, which is a bit surreal!
Chevron, fantastic thread, thanks. I've some (relatively poor) pics of the Sydney V8 round and of the PI trackday but won't spam your thread without your nod.
Yes, rather a lot of words, sorry about that. I've got the photos ready to go for the Gold Coast 600 but sadly commissioned writing, my day job and buying a new house have all kept me away from it recently. I'll get it online shortly.
I'd be delighted for anybody to share their photos - please proceed and with solid captions to go with as well so we know what we're looking at. I assume this is the round on the Olympic Park? I thought that sounded a decent day out actually. We drove past the Olympic Park on our way to Bathurst but didn't have time to stop. Maybe one for the next trip.
As an aside, we've just booked flights to Texas for this year's USGP so there will be a report on that in a similar style later in the year.
I'd be delighted for anybody to share their photos - please proceed and with solid captions to go with as well so we know what we're looking at. I assume this is the round on the Olympic Park? I thought that sounded a decent day out actually. We drove past the Olympic Park on our way to Bathurst but didn't have time to stop. Maybe one for the next trip.
As an aside, we've just booked flights to Texas for this year's USGP so there will be a report on that in a similar style later in the year.
chevronb37 said:
Yes, rather a lot of words, sorry about that. I've got the photos ready to go for the Gold Coast 600 but sadly commissioned writing, my day job and buying a new house have all kept me away from it recently. I'll get it online shortly.
No worries. Was at the 600 too. Got the T shirts and the photos! Love the V8's and the Utes, and being within 6' of them doing 250ks at Surfers.
The final installment (and only a few months after the event...)
From the wilds of Phillip Island to the party capital of the Gold Coast – Surfers Paradise. A couple of hours on a plane from Melbourne, Surfers had been described to me by one wag as being ‘like Blackpool but nice’. Recommendations simply don’t come any higher. Still, whatever it takes to watch fast cars.
In fact the flight from Melbourne up to Coolangatta featured some significant racing royalty and we found ourselves sharing a plane with most of the Holden Racing Team’s enduro driver line-up. That meant Garth Tander, Nick Percat and Greg Murphy occupying a small corner of the business class end of our conveyance.
Regular readers will be mortified to know that we had finally parted company with the Tesco Value tent which had ensured terrible nights’ sleep at both Bathurst and Phillip Island. Instead we had taken a room in a hostel about 15 minutes walk from the centre of Surfers. In spite of the depressingly slim, tanned and energetic teenagers who were our neighbours for the weekend, it was a terrific find: cheap, comfortable and close to amenities. For those doing racing on a budget, it sure beats camping.
Surfers gives itself over to the Gold Coast 600 for a whole week with all manner of entertainments available – mostly suitable for kids and big kids. The town is, I must confess, a little like Blackpool. It’s a party place featuring theme parks and glorious sandy beaches. There are bars and strip joints, tattoo studios and a beauty pageant. The Goodwood Revival it’s not. Still, the sun shone intermittently and we even found a bar which sold beer by the pint – and for less than $10/each so we got stuck in.
There’s been racing in the area for years – since the 1950s in fact. While I was researching our trip it came as a surprise to learn that a permanent track had existed in Surfers right up until the late 1980s. It was a regular feature of the legendary Tasman championship during its 1960s glory days.
The Gold Coast 600 grew out of the IndyCar / Champ Car race which rocked a street circuit at the town’s northern end for many years. Unable to agree terms with the unified IRL, the organisers struck a deal with A1GP and the series was due to race around the streets in 2009. Just a week before the event though, A1GP imploded. The resourceful promoters bumped the V8 Supercars support races to the top of the bill and invited a few celebrity drivers to join them. The Gold Coast 600 was born and it’s now one of the region’s top sporting events.
Today the V8 Supercars battle in a brace of two-driver 300km races around a short layout which clings to the beach front. The social media presence is savvy and the town is awash with the sound of V8 thunder with fans flocking to the area in their droves.
Beyond the shops bedecked in bunting, Friday night features bands playing, while there are films played on a giant screen on the beach for all to enjoy – and gratis too. Highlight of the in-town entertainment is a display of racing memorabilia laid on in a pop-up boutique. Generously loaned by the public (including many racers from Surfers history), it’s an Aladdin’s Cave of IndyCar and touring car treasures.
The racing world moves pretty quickly and it’s easy to forget that monster CART IndyCars pummelled the Surfers streets just a few years ago. In fact, it’s probably safe to say I hadn’t heard of the place until a moustachioed Brummie called Nigel inaugurated his CART career with a famous win on the Gold Coast. The on-board footage from those days is enough leave you breathless. It’s great to see some memorabilia from the Mansell days on display in the gallery. In fact, it’s clear that racing around Surfers has always been characterful: where else are winning drivers rewarded for their efforts with surf boards as trophies?
We flew up to the Gold Coast on Wednesday and spent Thursday relaxing on the beach in preparation for a sole day at the track. Unfortunately we were limited to just one day at the circuit before having to return to the UK. Even so, it’s a great place to round off a holiday with a nice vibe and plenty of good places to eat and drink. Everyone’s in high spirits and you’re never far from a crazed V8 Supercars fan – though that may, admittedly, not suit everybody.
Our hostel was situated about 45 minutes’ walk from the circuit’s southern entrance but it was actually an enjoyable novelty being able to walk along the beach to watch racing - and a far cry from crawling along a sodden M1 to get to Silverstone.
The circuit is a short, tight, layout and actually makes for superb spectating. We had purchased fan stand tickets so had roving access to a number of grandstands. This was a good choice if you wanted to actually sit down but general admission offers spectator access to pretty much the entire circuit so grandstands should be considered non-essential for practice sessions.
The timetable for Friday consisted of one frenetic Formula Ford encounter and practice sessions for everyone else. We decided simply to work our way around the track and see what we found. Our day kicked off in the ‘stand high above the Beach Chicane as Porsche Carrera Cup Australia contenders hit the track. The Beach Chicane lives up to its name, with barely ten metres separating the white sands from the track surface. It’s a bizarre juxtaposition but one which is central to the event’s unique character.
The Beach Chicane is one of the most dramatic spots on the entire circuit. An abrupt but extremely rapid flik-flak formed from sleeping policeman-type kerbs, it’s here that the classic two-wheeling images of V8 Supercars are born. Every category, even the spindly-looking Formula Fords, were kerb-hopping spectacularly through here and it was fascinating to study the rhythm required for a quick passage through the chicane. Taking a big bite of kerb through each direction change is essential but it’s a delicate balance: not enough and there’s too much direction change required from the chassis, while lunging hard over the kerbs kicks the cars onto two wheels, losing steering and causing understeer which carries into the next part of the complex. It’s easy to watch an entire practice session from this one spot.
While on plan it might look a relatively simple track, the chicanes alone demonstrate the incredible accuracy and patience required to lap quickly. The infield here offers the best views and standing on the exit as the cars drift towards you under full power provides a vivid illustration of the enormous potency of a modern V8 Supercar.
The spectator areas are pleasing close to the track itself and the corner exits each saw big crowds gathering to savour the proximity of these monsters at full attack. As a spectacle it’s different to Bathurst, but no less remarkable. In fact, for pure, visceral, all-consuming aural and visual entertainment I’d rank it among the finest motor racing spectator experiences anywhere. It’s that’s good.
As we progressed around the circuit, crossing various bodies of water as we went, it was apparent that there were a good number of children in attendance. It transpired that groups of local school kids were given special invitations and taken to the event as an extra-curricular day trip. There were plenty of diversions on the infield for those who didn’t just wish to savour the cars on track. As a means of ingratiating the event with the locals, and engaging with the population’s youth, what a great idea. The youngsters seemed to be having a fine time, with many watching the track action attentively. Who knows whether the next Jamie Whincup or Craig Lowndes might have been among the junior crowd members?
The Old Government Chicane forms the circuit’s first corner and it’s another kerb-hoping thriller. The exit sees a belted tyre barrier forming the left-hand extremity of the track and all the V8 Supercars runners appeared to be playing a game with one another to see who could get closest to the barrier. With car after car skimming the surface it was inevitable somebody was going to over-do things and a large crowd had gathered in anticipation.
The corner exit featured a slight dip just adjacent to the tyres so the cars were already in compression and kicking up the dust as they went. It was a fantastic place to watch and eventually the #360 Nissan gave it a clout, raising a cheer from the crowd as it did so. On the whole, all the drivers were very well behaved all day but it was a salient reminder of how unforgiving a street circuit can be.
The final V8SC session of the day was the best and towards the end all runners dived into the pits for fresh rubber and a chance to go for a representative time. On a tight, narrow, circuit, space will always be at a premium and the drivers weaved and jostled to buy themselves sufficient room for a quick lap.
The final couple of tours were just awesome, the cars bristling with energy, visibly working even harder than the earlier sessions, drivers gaining confidence and leaning on their machines. Every downchange was accompanied by a fierce crack on the over-run and these ricocheted off the surrounding high-rise buildings, adding to the sheer violence of the cars at maximum attack. Sticky tyres clawed for grip, smearing themselves across the dusty surface in gentle arcs, that tight, dense V8 thunder in surround sound as 27 V8 Supercars rampaged through the streets.
Jamie Whincup set the pace, taking a fraction over 70 seconds for a lap of the confined circuit, with almost every driver setting his best time in the dying seconds of a thrilling session. An entertaining Formula Ford encounter brought the curtain down on a fantastic day’s action on the Gold Coast and the last track activity we would see on our little Antipodean jaunt.
There is no definitive answer to the question of which is the world’s finest touring car championship, in spite of widespread debate. Today’s V8 Supercars are not subtle, nor are they terribly sophisticated when compared to, say, a DTM weapon, but they are hugely entertaining. I came away spell-bound by the spectacle of the cars at speed, but also by the incredible level of crowd involvement and the openness of the teams and the events.
The Gold Coast 600 proved itself a fantastic event to attend, even just for a day. The combination of circuit, beach and evening entertainment makes it an event which is as wild or civilised as you wish to make it. I will admit that Australia is a terribly long way to travel just to watch a bit of motor racing, but there are some other things to see and do while you’re out there. Just make sure Bathurst, Phillip Island and Surfers feature somewhere high on the itinerary.
From the wilds of Phillip Island to the party capital of the Gold Coast – Surfers Paradise. A couple of hours on a plane from Melbourne, Surfers had been described to me by one wag as being ‘like Blackpool but nice’. Recommendations simply don’t come any higher. Still, whatever it takes to watch fast cars.
In fact the flight from Melbourne up to Coolangatta featured some significant racing royalty and we found ourselves sharing a plane with most of the Holden Racing Team’s enduro driver line-up. That meant Garth Tander, Nick Percat and Greg Murphy occupying a small corner of the business class end of our conveyance.
Regular readers will be mortified to know that we had finally parted company with the Tesco Value tent which had ensured terrible nights’ sleep at both Bathurst and Phillip Island. Instead we had taken a room in a hostel about 15 minutes walk from the centre of Surfers. In spite of the depressingly slim, tanned and energetic teenagers who were our neighbours for the weekend, it was a terrific find: cheap, comfortable and close to amenities. For those doing racing on a budget, it sure beats camping.
Surfers gives itself over to the Gold Coast 600 for a whole week with all manner of entertainments available – mostly suitable for kids and big kids. The town is, I must confess, a little like Blackpool. It’s a party place featuring theme parks and glorious sandy beaches. There are bars and strip joints, tattoo studios and a beauty pageant. The Goodwood Revival it’s not. Still, the sun shone intermittently and we even found a bar which sold beer by the pint – and for less than $10/each so we got stuck in.
There’s been racing in the area for years – since the 1950s in fact. While I was researching our trip it came as a surprise to learn that a permanent track had existed in Surfers right up until the late 1980s. It was a regular feature of the legendary Tasman championship during its 1960s glory days.
The Gold Coast 600 grew out of the IndyCar / Champ Car race which rocked a street circuit at the town’s northern end for many years. Unable to agree terms with the unified IRL, the organisers struck a deal with A1GP and the series was due to race around the streets in 2009. Just a week before the event though, A1GP imploded. The resourceful promoters bumped the V8 Supercars support races to the top of the bill and invited a few celebrity drivers to join them. The Gold Coast 600 was born and it’s now one of the region’s top sporting events.
Today the V8 Supercars battle in a brace of two-driver 300km races around a short layout which clings to the beach front. The social media presence is savvy and the town is awash with the sound of V8 thunder with fans flocking to the area in their droves.
Beyond the shops bedecked in bunting, Friday night features bands playing, while there are films played on a giant screen on the beach for all to enjoy – and gratis too. Highlight of the in-town entertainment is a display of racing memorabilia laid on in a pop-up boutique. Generously loaned by the public (including many racers from Surfers history), it’s an Aladdin’s Cave of IndyCar and touring car treasures.
The racing world moves pretty quickly and it’s easy to forget that monster CART IndyCars pummelled the Surfers streets just a few years ago. In fact, it’s probably safe to say I hadn’t heard of the place until a moustachioed Brummie called Nigel inaugurated his CART career with a famous win on the Gold Coast. The on-board footage from those days is enough leave you breathless. It’s great to see some memorabilia from the Mansell days on display in the gallery. In fact, it’s clear that racing around Surfers has always been characterful: where else are winning drivers rewarded for their efforts with surf boards as trophies?
We flew up to the Gold Coast on Wednesday and spent Thursday relaxing on the beach in preparation for a sole day at the track. Unfortunately we were limited to just one day at the circuit before having to return to the UK. Even so, it’s a great place to round off a holiday with a nice vibe and plenty of good places to eat and drink. Everyone’s in high spirits and you’re never far from a crazed V8 Supercars fan – though that may, admittedly, not suit everybody.
Our hostel was situated about 45 minutes’ walk from the circuit’s southern entrance but it was actually an enjoyable novelty being able to walk along the beach to watch racing - and a far cry from crawling along a sodden M1 to get to Silverstone.
The circuit is a short, tight, layout and actually makes for superb spectating. We had purchased fan stand tickets so had roving access to a number of grandstands. This was a good choice if you wanted to actually sit down but general admission offers spectator access to pretty much the entire circuit so grandstands should be considered non-essential for practice sessions.
The timetable for Friday consisted of one frenetic Formula Ford encounter and practice sessions for everyone else. We decided simply to work our way around the track and see what we found. Our day kicked off in the ‘stand high above the Beach Chicane as Porsche Carrera Cup Australia contenders hit the track. The Beach Chicane lives up to its name, with barely ten metres separating the white sands from the track surface. It’s a bizarre juxtaposition but one which is central to the event’s unique character.
The Beach Chicane is one of the most dramatic spots on the entire circuit. An abrupt but extremely rapid flik-flak formed from sleeping policeman-type kerbs, it’s here that the classic two-wheeling images of V8 Supercars are born. Every category, even the spindly-looking Formula Fords, were kerb-hopping spectacularly through here and it was fascinating to study the rhythm required for a quick passage through the chicane. Taking a big bite of kerb through each direction change is essential but it’s a delicate balance: not enough and there’s too much direction change required from the chassis, while lunging hard over the kerbs kicks the cars onto two wheels, losing steering and causing understeer which carries into the next part of the complex. It’s easy to watch an entire practice session from this one spot.
While on plan it might look a relatively simple track, the chicanes alone demonstrate the incredible accuracy and patience required to lap quickly. The infield here offers the best views and standing on the exit as the cars drift towards you under full power provides a vivid illustration of the enormous potency of a modern V8 Supercar.
The spectator areas are pleasing close to the track itself and the corner exits each saw big crowds gathering to savour the proximity of these monsters at full attack. As a spectacle it’s different to Bathurst, but no less remarkable. In fact, for pure, visceral, all-consuming aural and visual entertainment I’d rank it among the finest motor racing spectator experiences anywhere. It’s that’s good.
As we progressed around the circuit, crossing various bodies of water as we went, it was apparent that there were a good number of children in attendance. It transpired that groups of local school kids were given special invitations and taken to the event as an extra-curricular day trip. There were plenty of diversions on the infield for those who didn’t just wish to savour the cars on track. As a means of ingratiating the event with the locals, and engaging with the population’s youth, what a great idea. The youngsters seemed to be having a fine time, with many watching the track action attentively. Who knows whether the next Jamie Whincup or Craig Lowndes might have been among the junior crowd members?
The Old Government Chicane forms the circuit’s first corner and it’s another kerb-hoping thriller. The exit sees a belted tyre barrier forming the left-hand extremity of the track and all the V8 Supercars runners appeared to be playing a game with one another to see who could get closest to the barrier. With car after car skimming the surface it was inevitable somebody was going to over-do things and a large crowd had gathered in anticipation.
The corner exit featured a slight dip just adjacent to the tyres so the cars were already in compression and kicking up the dust as they went. It was a fantastic place to watch and eventually the #360 Nissan gave it a clout, raising a cheer from the crowd as it did so. On the whole, all the drivers were very well behaved all day but it was a salient reminder of how unforgiving a street circuit can be.
The final V8SC session of the day was the best and towards the end all runners dived into the pits for fresh rubber and a chance to go for a representative time. On a tight, narrow, circuit, space will always be at a premium and the drivers weaved and jostled to buy themselves sufficient room for a quick lap.
The final couple of tours were just awesome, the cars bristling with energy, visibly working even harder than the earlier sessions, drivers gaining confidence and leaning on their machines. Every downchange was accompanied by a fierce crack on the over-run and these ricocheted off the surrounding high-rise buildings, adding to the sheer violence of the cars at maximum attack. Sticky tyres clawed for grip, smearing themselves across the dusty surface in gentle arcs, that tight, dense V8 thunder in surround sound as 27 V8 Supercars rampaged through the streets.
Jamie Whincup set the pace, taking a fraction over 70 seconds for a lap of the confined circuit, with almost every driver setting his best time in the dying seconds of a thrilling session. An entertaining Formula Ford encounter brought the curtain down on a fantastic day’s action on the Gold Coast and the last track activity we would see on our little Antipodean jaunt.
There is no definitive answer to the question of which is the world’s finest touring car championship, in spite of widespread debate. Today’s V8 Supercars are not subtle, nor are they terribly sophisticated when compared to, say, a DTM weapon, but they are hugely entertaining. I came away spell-bound by the spectacle of the cars at speed, but also by the incredible level of crowd involvement and the openness of the teams and the events.
The Gold Coast 600 proved itself a fantastic event to attend, even just for a day. The combination of circuit, beach and evening entertainment makes it an event which is as wild or civilised as you wish to make it. I will admit that Australia is a terribly long way to travel just to watch a bit of motor racing, but there are some other things to see and do while you’re out there. Just make sure Bathurst, Phillip Island and Surfers feature somewhere high on the itinerary.
Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff