Barbagallo Raceway

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Barbagallo Raceway
Barbagallo Raceway AKA Wanneroo Park (Australia) track map.svg
Location Wattle Avenue, Wanneroo, Western Australia
Time zone GMT +8
Coordinates Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Owner Western Australia Sporting Car Club
Opened 2 March 1969
Major events Australian Touring Car Championship
V8 Supercars Championship
Australian Drivers' Championship
Australian Grand Prix (1979)
Australian Festival of Speed
Long circuit
Length 2.411 km (1.498 mi)
Turns 7
Lap record 0:52.2610[1] (Gary West, Lola T88/50 Buick, 2005)
Short circuit
Length 1.760 km (1.094 mi)
Turns 8
Lap record 0:45.4365[2] (Peter Morley, OMS CF10, 2014)

Barbagallo Raceway is a motorsport circuit located in Wanneroo, approximately 50 kilometres (31 mi) north of Perth in Western Australia.

The circuit was originally known as Wanneroo Park and the first race meet took place in March 1969. Initially the major race per year was a 6-hour Le Mans style race for sedans and sports cars known as the Six Hour Le Mans. However, as interest dulled in that event, production car racing took over as the major race type. The circuit was also known as Wanneroo Raceway.[3]

In 1979, the Australian Grand Prix was held for the first and so far only time at Wanneroo Raceway which coincided with the opening of the new pits and paddock area to the west of the circuit. The Grand Prix was won by South Australian Johnnie Walker driving a Lola T332 Formula 5000. Walker was the last driver to win the AGP driving a Formula 5000.

In 1992, it was decided that a short circuit would be constructed by linking Turn 5 on the current circuit to the back straight forming a new 1.7 kilometres (1.1 mi) long circuit. This extension was funded by prominent West Australian motorsport identity Alf Barbagallo and hence the circuit name was changed to Barbagallo Raceway Wanneroo.[4] The short circuit allowed for an increase in the types of racing including the inclusion of truck racing and also allowed events to be run at night.

The circuit was completely resurfaced in 2004 and this saw almost all lap records broken in the first few months of 2004. The surface changed from an abrasive surface which was renowned for being very hard on tyres to a grippy, smooth surface.

Events

File:Webber Barbagallo 2010.png
Formula One ace Mark Webber drove a demonstration run at the circuit on 28 November 2010.

The track holds a number of major race meets each year, with the biggest being a round of the V8 Supercars Championship called the Perth Super Sprint. This is one of the biggest sporting events in Western Australia each year with over 50,000 people attending the 3 day event.

The circuit offers patrons "drift" racing as an occasional spectacle. Some criticism has also come from opponents of drifting, due to damage caused to the track surface, especially heading into Cat Corner at the end of the main straight, where entries of over 100 km/h (62 mph) are not uncommon.

The circuit hosted the inaugural Australian Festival of Speed in 2010. Formula One team Red Bull Racing and driver Mark Webber attended for a demonstration.[5] The festival never returned to the circuit, having bankrupted the owners.[citation needed]

Upgrades

Due to the removal of the circuit from the V8 Supercar calendar for 1 year, the state government considered upgrading the track to improve the quality of the track and its facilities.

Many options were considered, which included extending the track to the north which would roughly double the length of the circuit, there were also alternative extension plans which were smaller. The widening of the track was also addressed, which would be needed to extend the track for safety regulations. The plan of the track extension was expensive if all aspects of the plan were considered, this would see this major upgrade of the circuit be postponed until the necessary upgrades are completed.

On 18 July 2011, The tracks control tower was torn down, beginning the first stage of upgrades that will see the track widened, and a new pit facility built in the centre of the circuit, with connecting bridge. The first stage upgrades will also include improving lighting and safety barriers, as well as upgrades to facilities and buildings within the circuit.

Lap records

As of 2 May 2015.[6][7]
Class Driver Vehicle Time Date
Outright Australia Gary West Lola T88/50 Buick 0:52.2610 3 December 2005
Racing Cars
Formula Ford Australia Ashley Walsh Spectrum 011b Ford 0:59.5717 24 March 2007
Formula Ford Kent Australia James Small Van Diemen 011b Ford 0:59.7669 13 June 2004
Formula Vee 1600 Australia Ryan Simpson Jacer F2K6 Volkswagen 1:07.9889 14 October 2006
Formula Vee 1200 Australia Jez Hammond Spook Mk 1 Volkswagen 1:09.6141 9 August 2004
Formula 1000 Australia Jordan Oon Stohr 0:54.4289 23 August 2015
Sports Cars
Sports Sedan Australia Tony Ricciardello Alfa Romeo GTV-Chevrolet 0:54.9563 7 August 2005
Carrera Cup New Zealand Steven Richards Porsche 997 GT3 Cup 0:56.9816[8] 1 May 2011
Clubman Sports Australia Terry Smith Hooper 1:03.8160, 8 April 2006
Historic Sports Cars
Group Sc Australia Harvey Leys Porsche 911 Carrera 1:07.1633 26 July 2009
Group Sb Australia Ted Jordan Porsche 356C 1:11.8089 18 April 2004
Group Sa Australia John Rowe Austin-Healey 3000 MkI 1:14.9372 6 May 2007
Touring Cars
V8 Supercar Australia Jason Bright Holden VY Commodore 0:55.9440 13 June 2004
Dunlop V8 Supercar Series Australia Andrew Thompson Holden VE Commodore 0:57.5276 1 May 2011
Group A Australia John Bowe Ford Sierra RS500 0:59.04 7 June 1992
Group C Canada Allan Moffat Mazda RX-7 1:02.37 1 April 1984
Improved Production Australia Matt Cherry Holden Monaro CV8 1:03.5910 22 August 2010
Aussie Racing Cars Australia James Abela Toyota Aurion-Yamaha 1:05.3837 18 May 2014
Mini Challenge Australia Leanne Tander Mini Cooper R56 JCW 1:05.6260 11 May 2008
Saloon Cars Australia Rick Gill Ford AU Falcon 1:06.7312 20 June 2010
Group 3E Series Production Australia Graham Stones Mazda RX-7 1:07.1823 15 August 1999
V8 Utes Australia David Sieders Holden Ute VE SS 1:07.1837 2 May 2015
HQ Holden Australia Tony James HQ Holden 1:14.1755 11 July 2004
Historic Touring Cars
Group Nc Australia Paul Stubber Chevrolet Camaro 1:03.8405 8 May 2005
Touring Car Masters Australia Michael Almond Porsche 911 RS 1:02.9005 4 May 2013
Group Nb Australia Bill Meeke Ford Falcon Sprint 1:07.2807 19 September 2009
Group Na Australia Terry Smith Ford Zephyr 1:20.7941 11 July 2004
Motorcycles
Superbike Australia Adam Fergusson Honda CBR1000RR 0:55.8580 29 May 2005
Supersport Australia Cameron Keevers Yamaha YZF600R 0:57.5490 18 November 2007
250cc Grand Prix Australia Rip Crocker Yamaha TZR250 0:58.0500 8 October 1995
Superstock Australia Cameron Keevers Honda CBR600RR 0:58.9650 9 September 2007
Sidecar United Kingdom Steve Abbott/United Kingdom Jamie Biggs LCR-Suzuki GSX-R1000 0:59.4480 29 May 2005
125cc Grand Prix Australia Josh Brookes Honda RS125R 1:00.7983 8 October 2000

References

  1. ↑ http://www.natsoft.com.au/cgi-bin/results.cgi?03/12/2005.BARB.R2
  2. ↑ http://racing.natsoft.com.au/636465352/object_314285.80U/Result?2
  3. ↑ Souvenir Programme, Australian Grand Prix, Wanneroo Raceway, Sunday, March 11th, 1979
  4. ↑ Building the Short Circuit, www.wascc.com.au via web.archive.org Retrieved on 12 July 2014
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]

External links

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