30 replies to this topic

[Quixotic]

G'Day All.


Does anyone know what is happening with Adelaide International Raceway????

Rumour has it that it always on the cusp of opening again, but it never seems to actually happen. A whole pile of work has been done to the surface from the end of the main straight right around to the Esses and up to where the track joins the bowl.

Hopefully it is not enywhere near as bumpy as it used to be.

The last time cars ran on there was when Mark Rundle was running his Formula Ford race school a couple of years ago.

I have been waiting for this place to re-open for what seems like ever.

Regards,

Quixotic

[timbo]

According to the Adelaide Raceway website, reconstruction and upgrading works are currently in progress with a completion date of mid to late March.

Dates for motoring activities will be posted on the website when they can be confirmed.

[Lee Nicolle]

Let us hope that it happens as Adelaide needs two circuits. Mallala is oversubscribed so much these days it is hard to get your car there.

[Lee Nicolle]

Although I was told today that a lot of the form up area has gone to the new road interconector being built in the vicinity.

[jeremy durward]

Although I was told today that a lot of the form up area has gone to the new road interconector being built in the vicinity.

some of it has but only its temporary i think. the fence has been moved for the construction but nothing has been built on the land

[tania34]

According to the Adelaide Raceway website, reconstruction and upgrading works are currently in progress with a completion date of mid to late March.

Dates for motoring activities will be posted on the website when they can be confirmed.

That has been on the website for at least a year maybe two.
It's kind of guess which year it will be.
I am in two minds about the place anyway it holds really great memories and a bad one

[Ray Bell]

Last I heard, Bob Jane has lost all interest in his circuits...

But he's a whimsical character, you just never know what's around the corner.

[timbo]

Last I heard, Bob Jane has lost all interest in his circuits...

But he's a whimsical character, you just never know what's around the corner.

Bob Jane started losing interest in his circuits when he promised big things for Hume Weir, none of which ever eventuated.

I notice that Adelaide Raceway didn't state which year works would be completed.

[Lee Nicolle]

That has been on the website for at least a year maybe two.
It's kind of guess which year it will be.
I am in two minds about the place anyway it holds really great memories and a bad one

VERY BAD

[Ray Bell]

And that was before he got AIR, was it not?

He was in the middle of doing an awful lot at Calder a couple of years ago when he cut the whole lot off. Plans were afoot to resurface and upgrade AIR at that time.

[Lee Nicolle]

And that was before he got AIR, was it not?

He was in the middle of doing an awful lot at Calder a couple of years ago when he cut the whole lot off. Plans were afoot to resurface and upgrade AIR at that time.

Reportedly they did resurface at least part of AIR. And then got some big equipment in and put dents all over the main straight.
While never my favorite track the drag strip with the bumpy return road was always interesting and more so when I had good horsepower. That changes the whole character of the place.
Though most Vee guys love it too, though the crocodile chains up the straight is probably part of that.

Over the years I have ran on the long circuit, short circuit, the bowl only BOTH ways and the Austin 7 club short circuit which was the long without the bowl. That was interesting!!
Last time I drove there was private practice about 98, I was bedding in an engine, brakes etc to go to Sandown. And it rained!! The then resurfaced drag strip[very fine grain bitumen, same as the GP track] was oh so greasy, 100 kmh max. Once you got off the new stuff it was not bad. I literally doubled my speed fromn the end of the dragstrip to turn 1.
But the rest of the circuit was breaking up. The gravel rash on the rear flares actually chewed a hole in them.

But come on Bob, get the place going again, Adelaide needs two circuits and they are chalk and cheese to drive on too.

[tania34]

[quote name='Ray Bell' date='Mar 12 2010, 10:44' post='4206818']
And that was before he got AIR, was it not?

Bob had taken it over only a month or 2 earlier.

[Ray Bell]

Just to be sure what you're saying here, Tania...

You mean he got Hume Weir just after taking over AIR?

[tania34]

Just to be sure what you're saying here, Tania...

You mean he got Hume Weir just after taking over AIR?

He took over AIR either February or March 1981, sorry don't know about Hume Weir.

[Quixotic]

Perhaps the inactivity could be related to Bob Jane's assorted legal issues. It would make sense. Although I am merely speculating, in his shoes, I would not be doing a whole lot to improve the value of my assets.

Perhaps that could be a reason.

I'd love to get on there.

[Ray Bell]

His legal problems were, IIRC, basically over before he quit the circuits...

He handed a lot of control over to Rodney, who didn't want to be bothered with running racing circuits, I think.

[Lee Nicolle]

I believe that Bill Jane has more to do with running the circuits.
Any comment in recent times about the circuits have been attriuted to him.
Rodney is mainly involved in running the T Mart empire, not the other Jane divisions.

Edited by Lee Nicolle, 15 March 2010 - 03:41.

[Quixotic]

His legal problems were, IIRC, basically over before he quit the circuits...

He handed a lot of control over to Rodney, who didn't want to be bothered with running racing circuits, I think.

Ahhhhhh I was thinking more of his marital issues. Although I suppose that is all resolved now as well.

[Ray Bell]

The marital issues were the ones I was also thinking of...

She was caught out arranging to do something underhanded, that must be over two years ago. It put paid to her claims.

[Doug Nye]

Setting aside the personal complications involving AIR's owners, every time I have run on the venue - four times I believe - one question always occurred to me. Why? Flat as a pancake, dull as ditchwater, utterly lacking in character....everything I have heard the oldtimers say about long lost, and little missed, Port Wakefield.

In such a huge State, with such magnificent tracts of rolling landscape all around, another Brands Hatch - or Lakeside - could surely have been possible? So why was AIR built in the way it was, where it is?

DCN

[seldo]

Setting aside the personal complications involving AIR's owners, every time I have run on the venue - four times I believe - one question always occurred to me. Why? Flat as a pancake, dull as ditchwater, utterly lacking in character....everything I have heard the oldtimers say about long lost, and little missed, Port Wakefield.

In such a huge State, with such magnificent tracts of rolling landscape all around, another Brands Hatch - or Lakeside - could surely have been possible? So why was AIR built in the way it was, where it is?

DCN

Yep, yep...and yep. Always hated the place - awful to drive on with flat or reverse-camber corners, understeery, boring...Ok - it had the bowl..but so what?

[Lee Nicolle]

Setting aside the personal complications involving AIR's owners, every time I have run on the venue - four times I believe - one question always occurred to me. Why? Flat as a pancake, dull as ditchwater, utterly lacking in character....everything I have heard the oldtimers say about long lost, and little missed, Port Wakefield.

In such a huge State, with such magnificent tracts of rolling landscape all around, another Brands Hatch - or Lakeside - could surely have been possible? So why was AIR built in the way it was, where it is?

DCN

Because it was built by Keith Williams who wanted a 'motorplex' with an oval, a couple of road circuits and a drag strip. And with those parameters you are quite limited, particularly with the shape of the block it is on.
And ofcourse the land was advailable reasonably close to the city.
While not the greatest circuit it is not that bad.

[Ray Bell]

I really can't see the turn off the end of the straight being 'dull' in an F5000 car...

However, I do see your point, Doug. From memory, Williams was surprised when he got his proposal through the authorities and simply went ahead with the construction. But he had a history of flat circuits, he having built the Surfers Paradise International Raceway on flat land when there was an abundance of (then cheap) hilly stuff not far away. Certainly not as far away as AIR is from the city of Adelaide.

The need for a flat drag strip was important, everything else had to fall in behind that. A shame, but that's the way it happens. Look at what happened at Eastern Creek if you want to compare a less-than-flat drag strip scenario.

[Lee Nicolle]

I really can't see the turn off the end of the straight being 'dull' in an F5000 car...

However, I do see your point, Doug. From memory, Williams was surprised when he got his proposal through the authorities and simply went ahead with the construction. But he had a history of flat circuits, he having built the Surfers Paradise International Raceway on flat land when there was an abundance of (then cheap) hilly stuff not far away. Certainly not as far away as AIR is from the city of Adelaide.

The need for a flat drag strip was important, everything else had to fall in behind that. A shame, but that's the way it happens. Look at what happened at Eastern Creek if you want to compare a less-than-flat drag strip scenario.

Ray, I doubt that even then there would have been much land advailable to build a racetrack, where noise, traffic etc would not effect the application. That is part of the problem with that precinct now, both AIR and Speedway City have been operating under curfews for noise and closing time for a long time. Even Mallala has problems and that is 20 min drive further away.
If AIR ever opens for drag racing I suggest it may well be only a daytime venue because of this.

And your right a quick car makes AIR quite interesting, my XU1 Chev Sports Sedan was very interesting through turn 1 -2 where I entered the corner at close to 170mph. And the 5000s would be 10 mph faster in and about 20 out! Plus you can see ahead and not run into someone elses acident around the next blind corner. And getting the reverse camber right in anything can pick up a lot of time.
And the spectators can see the whole track from most positions, so unlike the Parklands dog and pony show where you can see one corner.
Too many circuits are very bad for spectators, AIR, Mallala, Sandown, Winton, Calder are some of the best and the Adelaide Parklands is probably the worst. As is Bathurst

Edited by Lee Nicolle, 16 March 2010 - 18:04.

[Ray Bell]

Lee, please don't confuse 'seeing all the circuit' with being 'good for spectators'...

Bathurst is a great spectator track, for instance, as was Amaroo, and as is Phillip Island. None of them allow you to see all of the track.

[Doug Nye]

...and that is certainly true of Brands Hatch, the Nurburgring, Spa, Watkins Glen, the old Osterreichring, Imola, Oulton Park, etc etc etc...

DCN

[Lee Nicolle]

Lee, please don't confuse 'seeing all the circuit' with being 'good for spectators'...

Bathurst is a great spectator track, for instance, as was Amaroo, and as is Phillip Island. None of them allow you to see all of the track.

Personally Bathurst does nothing for me as a spectator track, Great circuit it may be, The Island is a bit better though probably the best viewing is from the top of the pit garages!
To me[as a spectator] being able to see the circuit and keep in touch of what is happening in the race is more important.
As a competitor obviously I would sooner race at the Island than AIR. Though the Island is not as fast as I thought when I first went there, three second gear corners and a fair time in third too.
But for a promoter AIR has more variations to make a dollar, promoted properly would be open for something every weekend and most weekdays too.

[Quixotic]

Now poor old Bob is having riots occur at his shops in Melbourne, (I think), I do not think that anything is going to happen at AIR any time soon.

Perhaps the "NEW" track at the old Mitsubishi proving grounds will get up and going first.


Hmmmmmmm That's a thought. Does anyone know what that place looks like?

[Terry Walker]

Looks like a decent drag strip:

[Ray Bell]

Is there some plan for it to happen?

A shame if a lot of effort goes into that when there is so much hilly land around Adelaide that will provide better circuits. Especially circuits where you can't see the whole place at once.

[jeremy durward]

Is there some plan for it to happen?

A shame if a lot of effort goes into that when there is so much hilly land around Adelaide that will provide better circuits. Especially circuits where you can't see the whole place at once.

kinda, i think its at approval in principle stage and try to find funding stage.

yeah a track in the hills would be great, but even a go kart track got shut down years ago because one neighbor moved in and complained, so i can't see that happening unfortunately.