Hopwood miraculously escaped injury, but sadly a woman in the crowd was killed and nine other people were injured. [1] This began with a hillclimb track, as well as a dirt short track, a motocross track, a little used speedway track, and finally the main (relatively short) 1.8km bitumen track. All rights reserved. Various parties enquired about taking over where the ARDC left off, though all came to nought in the end. Frank Gardner's JPS Team BMW and its drivers Jim Richards and Tony Longhurst dominated from 1985 to 1987 (Richards in the 635 CSi was unbeaten at Amaroo in 1985 winning all 12 AMSCAR races, the ATCC round and the Endurance Championship race), while Gibson Motorsport, first with Nissan and later with Holden, also contested the series in the later years of Group A and into the new 5.0L V8 formula introduced in 1993, with Jim Richards winning in the team's Nissan Skyline GT-R in 1992 while Mark Skaife won for Gibson driving a Holden VP Commodore in 1993. A 10-minute drive to the iconic Penguin Parade, discover the natural wonders of the Nobbies or drop into the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit. Glaser owned around 250 acres of land in what was then just fairly rugged countryside, Sydney's suburbs then still remaining some distance away. In 2020, Sydney Motorsport Park rejoins the calendar while Phillip Island and Queensland Raceway drop off, but remain in the frame for a return in future seasons. The ACU decreed that changes would have to be made to provide some sort of run-off at Wunderlich Corner but the ARDC, mindful that to do so would require a re-alignment of the pit lane and severely reduce space in the already cramped paddock, refused. The dog-leg (or the flip-flop, depending on your generation) was a driver favourite, as was the kink at the end of pit straight, and the rolling left-hander at Suttons since replicated in the reverse direction at The Bend Motorsport Park while the bridge overpass was unique in Australian motorsport. Just as Amaroo had before it, Oran Park succumbed to Sydney's suburban sprawl. As the outright cars were proving more popular with spectators, it was seen as an attempt at attracting the headline ATCC teams (such as the Holden Dealer Team, Dick Johnson Racing, Allan Moffat Racing and Roadways Racing) to the AMSCAR Series. It was revived in 1997 and held at the ARDC's two circuits, Amaroo Park and Eastern Creek, but with the major teams holding exclusivity to V8 Supercar events, the mostly Sydney-based privateers were not numerous enough to make the series viable and the series folded after 1997. Primitive! Championship rounds held: 38 Despite this unpromising start to motor racing activities, plans for the rest of the complex continued. The brainchild of entrepreneurial developer Keith Williams, the circuit opened in 1966 and the Australian Touring Car Championship's first visit in 1969 proved momentous with Norm Beechey taking Holden's first ATCC race win. Last championship visit: 1987 Although I now live in Adelaide, when I get back to Sydney to visit family, I always go back to Amaroo. Amaroo Park Raceway was a 1.930km (1.199mi) motor racing circuit located in Annangrove, New South Wales, in the present-day north-western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. I had never heard of Laurie Knight, who lived in Benalla, but two of my best friends were his cousins, as coincidence would have it. I'm sure I never saw Freddy's car so animated! From 1970, Amaroo Park was run and promoted by the Australian Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) who also promoted the Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, and later were the promoters of Sydney's Eastern Creek Raceway. Was it 1982? Order a Photographic Print or a Download. Amaroo Park was located in Annangrove, on the outskirts of Sydney, in New South Wales, Australia. On many occasions these events featured larger grid numbers than did the rounds of the national level Australian Touring Car Championship. . Always tight racing, views over a great part of the circuit, very close to the cars at, what 65% of the track, terrific atmosphere.So glad I arrived in Oz in time to see racing at Amaroo and Warwick Farm. The circuit would go on to host 15 rounds of the championship between 1974 and its last ATCC round in 1994. Known as Wunderlich for sponsorship reasons, the turn was known during the 1970s as Ron Hodgson Corner due to sponsorship from Sydney's then largest Holden dealer, was the final turn on the circuit and led back onto the pit straight. The race was run as a Butchers Picnic as a salute to the very first meetings at the circuit where the first races run were indeed Butchers' Picnics. Hill into the Dunlop Loop remains, as does the Lake. Eventually, property developers acquired the land for $4 million and began tearing down the infrastructure. For 1981 the Australian Racing Drivers Club increased the maximum engine capacity limit of cars competing in their series to 3.5 litres. Supercars.com takes a look back at five iconic circuits from the championships past, each holding a special place in its history. Last championship visit: 1994 Championship rounds held: 15 Championship races held: 20 Most race wins: Jim Richards, John Bowe, Mark Skaife (three apiece) Set in a natural amphitheatre, Amaroo Park was a dream for spectators as much as it was a nightmare for a tyre on a V8 touring car. Spectators enjoyed it too, thanks to high sandstone bank providing a natural grandstand and offering good views of the whole circuit. Banks Skoda Special - Amaroo Park 31th May 1970 - 70-AM31570-066, A. Dietrich Morris Cooper S - Amaroo Park 31th May 1970 - 70-AM31570-073, A. Dietrich Morris Cooper S - Amaroo Park 31th May 1970 - 70-AM31570-077, A. Dietrich Morris Cooper S - Amaroo Park 31th May 1970 - 70-AM31570-081, A. Tucker Rennmax - Amaroo Park 31th May 1970 - 70-AM31570-033, A. Tucker Rennmax - Amaroo Park 31th May 1970 - 70-AM31570-035, Alan Cameron Morris Mini - Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-134, Allan Hunt Nota Toyota - Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-160, Allan Hunt Nota Toyota - Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-164, Allan Johns Renault - Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-124, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-092, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-093, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-101, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-103, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-105, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-106, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-107, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-119, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-140, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-145, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-156, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-157, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-158, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-159, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-182, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-183, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-184, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-186, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-188, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-202, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-203, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-204, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-206, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-212, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-213, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-214, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-215, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-216, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-217, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-218, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-219, Amaroo Park 13th September 1970 - 70-AM13970-220, Amaroo Park 31th May 1970 - 70-AM31570-003, Amaroo Park 31th May 1970 - 70-AM31570-005, Amaroo Park 31th May 1970 - 70-AM31570-006, Amaroo Park 31th May 1970 - 70-AM31570-008, Amaroo Park 31th May 1970 - 70-AM31570-009, Amaroo Park 31th May 1970 - 70-AM31570-010, Amaroo Park 31th May 1970 - 70-AM31570-011, Amaroo Park 31th May 1970 - 70-AM31570-012, Amaroo Park 31th May 1970 - 70-AM31570-013, 'The butcher, baker and candlestick maker", Autopics.com.au is a HUGE Image Library perfect for Graphic Designers. It was the premier form of Touring car racing in Australia from 1960 to 1964.For more Appendix J info see:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appendix_J_Touring_CarsGROUP N is the modern name for the category, which is broken into 3 time periods represented by Na, Nb and Nc:Group Na is for cars commercially available in Australia prior to 31 December 1957.Group Nb is for cars manufactured prior to 31 December 1964 of which 100 have been produced.Group Nc is for cars of a make and model which competed in Australia between 1 January 1965 and 31 December 1972 in either the Australian Touring Car Championship or in other races for Group C Improved Production Touring Cars.Historic Touring Car Association of New South Wales:https://www.htcansw.org.au/GROUP N (Australia) wiki:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_N_Touring_CarsAmaroo Park Raceway info:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaroo_ParkCommentated by: Mike Raymond, Neil Crompton and Garry Wilkinson.All credit to Channel 7 Sport, Australia.http://www.audioblocks.com for music.Motor sport is an international language. The rest of the land was left to grass, but all traces of the circuit itself are now long gone. At its closing the outright lap record for the 1.94km circuit was 0:44.36, set by John Bowe in 1987 driving a 5.8L Chevrolet powered Veskanda C1 sports car. Further disaster came in 1986, this time during a Formula Mondiale race at the August meeting. Opened in 1967. How the Photo Download Works. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. Popular with spectators and easy for Sydney's Channel 7 to telecast, it became the backbone of the Sydney touring car scene, a scene which once consisted mostly of privateers, who have largely disappeared since Amaroo closed. The dirt circuit was off to the upper right of that photo. Drive up the hill and the memories come flooding back, I used to flag there from '77 - '80. It was won by Sydney driver Ray Lintott driving a 4WD, twin-turbo Porsche 911 Turbo with a race time of 9:16.4942. (wikipedia) - CSP required. From there it was a short straight up to Wunderlich Corner, with the pit entry on the outside of the turn. Amaroo Park 31th May 1970 - 70-AM31570-064. Hmm. [3] Each series win from 1988 to 1990 was attained with a Ford Sierra RS500, these three wins being the most for a single model of car. Holden's Torana XU-1 had the Ford Falcons covered in the championship's early visits, while BMW's M3 gave the turbocharged Sierra and Nissan GT-R drivers headaches in the late '80s and early '90s. Enjoy this four way tussle with Steve Masterton's amazing Ford XE Falcon, Garry Scott, Nissan Bluebird Turbo, Jim Richards, BMW 635 and Terry Finnigan, Holden Commodore, the last year of Group C touring cars. [1][2] The name Amaroo comes from the Aboriginal word meaning beautiful place. It would've been a hell of a track, quick lots of elevation and next to no run off. Free shipping for many products! At the end of the circuit's longest straight, the nearly flat right hander under a bridge with both sides lined by walls represented one of the most demanding corners in the country. Here is the plan of Amaroo taken from Sports Car World, July 1959. mounted on that big supercharger thrusting Phallus-like in front of the Healey 3000 motor . Other top line teams to contest the AMSCAR series after the switch to Group A were Peter Brock's Holden Dealer Team (later known as Mobil 1 Racing), Dick Johnson Racing, 1988 series winner Colin Bond's Caltex CXT Racing Team, Tony Longhurst's Benson & Hedges team (evolved from JPS Team BMW), as well as Robbie Francevic's Volvo team. A full length Grand Prix circuit was planned but never built. On many occasions these events featured larger grid numbers than did the rounds of the national level Australian Touring Car Championship. Pulled many drivers out of crashed cars, cleaned up dozen's of oil spills, froze in winter and burnt to a crisp in summer. Drainage had also proved an issue, with the circuit subject to frequent flooding, particularly at its lowest reaches. Most race wins: Mark Skaife (15). Drag Racing 1960's . The complex had a hillclimb, a motocross track, a little used speedway track and a short circuit track. The meeting was billed as the "Goodbye Amaroo State open Meeting" with a mix of classes including Sports Sedans, HQ's and Group N Historic Touring Cars. I'd like to but you're closer to it than I am Of course and Frank G raced the Corvair there too, didn't he? And the most sickening experience I ever saw at Amaroo was the Historic Meeting of Aug 1982 which saw the ex Gulf Team GT40 spin out going up the main straight hill, get out of shape on the last bend and destroying itself comprehensively starting against the earthen bank on the left and on and on shedding bits as if in slow motion. The final driver, Andrew Papadopoulos driving an Alfa Romeo GTV, crossed the line at 4:40pm bringing the curtain down on one of Australia's most popular race circuits after over 31 years of continuous operation. Needless to say, this was a far cry from the luxurious surroundings that had been promised. The ARDC lost money promoting the Super Touring Bathurst 1000 from 1997 to 1999 and this circuit was sold to recover some of the loss. In Group C, the factory backed Nissan team also contested the series with Sydney-based team driver Fred Gibson (the Bathurst 500 winner in 1967 with Harry Firth in a Ford XR Falcon GT) and his wife Christine (regarded as the "fastest female in Australia") driving the team's second Bluebird turbo and its powerful, but evil handling, front-wheel drive Nissan Pulsar EXA respectively. The first meeting of the revived track was, in keeping with past tradition, an event for motorcycles in May 1970, won by Victorian Peter Jones onboard a Suzuki TR500. cognition is a synonym for quizlet. Initially just one mile in length with only four corners, the deceptively simple Calder Park layout was a true bullring. Drivers such as Amscar series winners Steve Masterton and Terry Shiel, as well as Terry Finnigan, Garry Willmington, Brian Callaghan, Barry Jones, and the late Mike Burgmann got national TV exposure they would otherwise have struggled to get in the ATCC, or had ATCC headline drivers like Peter Brock (HDT), Dick Johnson, Allan Moffat, Allan Grice (Roadways), and Jim Richards (JPS Team BMW) been regular competitors, although Grice did win the 1982 series, Brock and Johnson contested limited rounds from 1982 to 1984, while Richards was a regular competitor from 1983 and placed 3rd in the 1984 series. Ray Lintott in a Porsche 911 Turbo entered the history books as the victor of the very last race. Amaroo Park was built by Industrialist Oscar Glaser as part of a plan to build a full motorsport complex. In afinal ignominy, it was sold off to developersto make way for a housing estate for the well-heeled. Credits & Thanks; Along with its abrasive surface, 3-2-3 grid format, and drainage ditches in close proximity to the tarmac it had been built on a Nerang River flood plain, after all the circuit's signature was its first corner. The early seasons of touring car warfare featured more than a bit of panel bashing and the spectators that filled the hill surrounding the final corner were often treated to fierce scraps. The AMSCAR Series had its origins in Amaroo's own Sun-7 Chesterfield Series for touring cars, first held in 1971 and was won by Sydney's Lakis Manticas driving a Morris Cooper S. This would continue, under various names relating to series sponsorship, through to 1981. The following table lists the winners of the annual AMSCAR Series. Copyright 2023: The Sierras would have been quick around there I would imagine. With no funds to improve, it was the perfect storm and the circuit fell quiet in early 1968, with the only activity on site being a reduced schedule of events on the Short Circuit. Drag Racing 1964; Drag Racing 1965; Drag Racing 1966; Drag Racing 1968; Drag Racing 1969; Drag Racing 1970's . Amaroo Park Raceway was a 1.930km (1.199mi) motor racing circuit located in Annangrove, New South Wales, in the present-day north-western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Oh, and the Sydney Showgrounds! A total of 34 venues have held rounds of the Australian Touring Car Championship/Virgin Australia Supercars Championship since its inaugural running in 1960. Ah! Championship races held: 20 Championship rounds held: 25 That meant Amaroo was also the perfect place for David to trump Goliath. AMSCAR (Amaroo Saloon Cars) was a touring car series held in Australia between 1979 and 1997, based at Amaroo Park in Sydney . Last championship visit: 1994 Originally posted by Catalina Park Here is the plan of Amaroo taken from Sports Car World, July 1959. The increasing national popularity of the Australian Touring Car Championship, improvements in Channel 7's ATCC telecast, and the 1991 economic recession which saw a number of privateer teams only racing in the two ATCC rounds in Sydney and the Bathurst 1000, all gradually reduced the grids until the AMSCAR Series was discontinued after the 1993 season. The races were held over 155 laps of the 1.94km (1.20mi) circuit for a total of 300.7km (186mi). Without hesitation he announced that it was because she was always so very far out in front!Unfortunately, Laurie was to crash Sabrina at Hume Weir two months later, putting him and the car out of commission for some time. Set in a natural amphitheatre, Amaroo Park was a dream for spectators as much as it was a nightmare for a tyre on a V8 touring car. Wally Gates, knowing my stockpile of 3-litre Austin engines, asked me if I had one for him that same week a gent came to a screeching stop in front of my place, having seen the sedans the engines were in"I'd like one of those for a Demolition Derby," he said, "they'll cop more of a bashing than a Holden How much? Order a Photographic Print or a Download. Amaroo remained on the calendar for one more year after that spectacular 1993 race, while the circuit was sold off by its owners, the Australian Racing Drivers Club, and held its final race meeting in 98 before it succumbed to Sydney's housing sprawl. The official fastest race lap records at the Amaroo Park are listed as: Last edited on 13 December 2022, at 21:54, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "ASTC 1997 Amaroo Park Round 8 Results", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Amaroo_Park&oldid=1127283407, This page was last edited on 13 December 2022, at 21:54. The restaurant and club house that was built by the Amaroo Country Sporting Club still remains, though these days is a roadside Indian restaurant. At the opening motorcycle meeting of 1984, 27-year-old rider Jayne Litterick was killed at the final turn when she was high-sided from her machine and struck by two following riders. This was the 84 Historic meet. Former motor racing circuit in Annangrove, New South Wales, Australia. Another innovation came with the Willoughby club's introduction of Superbike racing, years before the name caught on worldwide. Originally posted by Andrew Fellowes Did many internationals race there? Championship rounds held: 17 More events followed, however poor spectator attendances blamed in part on poor facilities lead to the temporary closure of the circuit in mid 1968. Opened in 1967, the road circuit served as a venue for a variety of competitions including the Castrol 6 Hour motorcycle race, rounds of the Australian Touring Car Championship, Australian Drivers' Championship, Australian Formula Ford Championship, Australian Sports Sedan Championship, the AMSCAR Series for touring cars, historic racing and others. Thereafter the gates were locked and the venue fell silent. I couldnt take my eyes of her two beautiful big jugs . The headline event, a 40 lap race for production bikes, was nearly washed out, when the fine sunshine of qualifying turned to unrelenting rain on race day. Fittingly, the record crowd saw yet another piece of history made. The opening event at the new circuit came on February 26, 1967, with a motorcycle meeting organised on behalf of the Amaroo Motor Cycle Committee. My parents used to take us kids to Oran Park and Amaroo every year from about 1980 until it closed Ahh, the memories. After witnessing its hugely successful debut that day, I was part of the large admiring group gathered around Laurie Knight and his creation, when someone asked him why he called it Sabrina. Hmmm. With Amaroo Park now firmly on the map and with the backing of the ARDC giving it proper promotion, soon the top categories of four-wheeled racing would come calling. Here is the plan of Amaroo taken from Sports Car World, July 1959. Just found this one too, this may be a couple of years earlier, I failed to make a note on it and now its just in a pile of 100's of others I took. amaroo park races from the 1960. by | Jun 21, 2022 | yahoo facebook clubhouse | preluna hotel malta mercury direct | Jun 21, 2022 | yahoo facebook clubhouse | preluna hotel malta mercury direct Amaroo Park Raceway was a 1.9 kilometres (1.2 mi) motor racing circuit located in Annangrove, New South Wales, in the present-day north-western suburbs of Sydney, Australia.Opened in 1967, the road circuit served as a venue for a variety of competitions including the Castrol 6 Hour motorcycle race, rounds of the Castrol 6 Hour motorcycle race, rounds A compromise of a dog-leg chicane was installed on the inside of the corner, regaining the track it's licence, but it was deemed unsuitable for use by the Willoughby Club, who switched the Castrol 1000 to Oran Park. Originally posted by smithy Oran Park is about to go the same way. During Seven's telecasts of the AMSCAR series at Amaroo, many minor race series for other CAMS categories were also telecast, including: Sports Sedans, Formula Fords, Formula Vee, Sports Cars, Appendix J Touring Cars, and Series Production cars, with many of the categories running their own series at Amaroo outside of the national championship series. * Amaroo hosted two rounds of the 1989 Australian Drivers' Championship (both held on the same day). Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1960 Garden State Park Racing Program - HOF BOWL OF FLOWERS in Gardenia Trial at the best online prices at eBay! brilliant shotsthose were the days (and of course a lot earlier than that). Neil Crompton won Round 7 and Simon Kane won Round 8. Amaroo was sitting on the rocks on the hill, choking on dust, avoiding the big ants that bit you, that giant hill to walk up at the end of the day to get in the car before the last race ended to escape the traffic nightmare. It was revived in 1997 and held at the ARDC's two circuits, Amaroo Park and Eastern Creek, but with the major teams holding exclusivity to V8 Supercar events, the mostly Sydney-based privateers were not numerous enough to make the series viable and the series folded after 1997.[3]. Alongside the road racing circuit would be other motorsport facilities, including a hillclimb, scrambler course and go-kart facilities, to help cash in on the age's new-found fascination with speed. That layout was later known as the South circuit once the over-under loop was added in the 1970s. Oran Park is about to go the same way. After the turn at Honda, there was another short right hand kink leading up to the tight right hand Stop Corner (sometimes called the Lake Corner). 11 talking about this. RacingCircuits.info. . AMSCAR (Amaroo Saloon Cars) was a touring car series held in Australia between 1979 and 1997, based at Amaroo Park in Sydney. The circuit will forever be linked with Craig Lowndes' terrifying rollover during the 1999 event, while its final championship round in 2001 delivered an underdog victory for Paul Morris. Last championship visit: 1998 -28 pit/start. Between 1980 and 1987, Amaroo Park ran what was usually the second endurance race of the touring car season (the Adelaide International Raceway endurance race usually preceded it by two weeks), though it was not until 1983 that it became a round of the Australian Endurance Championship. At times but the usual run of it was such that someone wanting to get some good placings on their CV without facing an ASSC field could do all right. Eventually, after two years of being effectively mothballed, Glaser did a deal with the Australian Racing Drivers Club to take over the running at Amaroo. . Amaroo Park Raceway was a 1.930 km motor racing circuit located in Annangrove, New South Wales, in the present-day north-western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Amaroo Park was located in Annangrove, on the outskirts of Sydney, in New South Wales, Australia. Last championship visit: 2001 [5] This allowed the V8 powered Holden Commodores, Ford Falcons and Chevrolet Camaros, as well as the V12 Jaguar XJS, to compete in the series alongside the under 3.5-litre cars such as the BMW 635 CSi, the Ford Capris and the growing list of rotary powered Mazda RX-7s, as well as the factory Nissan Bluebird turbo's. The AMSCAR Series had its origins in Amaroo's own Sun-7 Chesterfield Series for touring cars, first held in 1971 and was won by Sydney's Lakis Manticas driving a Morris Cooper S. This would continue, under various names relating to series sponsorship, through to 1981, with a 3-litre maximum engine capacity limit being applied from 1975 to 1980. Three decades ago, it was the site of Surfers Paradise International Raceway. Amaroo Park is also the perfect location to leave your car and explore the . more stories, one day perhaps? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaroo_Park#AMSCAR_SeriesOne of the features of Amaroo Park's history has been the AMSCAR Series for touring cars, created by Amaroo's promoters, the Australian Racing Drivers Club and staged annually from 1982 to 1993. Free shipping for many products! how is the supercharger?WINTON, 1962, and I again beheld the spectacle of Sabrina, this time making her second debut, and this time with her clothes on. Uncategorized ; June 21, 2022 amaroo park races from the 1960 . Super2 raced at the track in its early seasons including a memorable battle between David Besnard and Wayne Wakefield in 2000 while more recently DJR Team Penske and Tickford Racing held ride days at the venue in 2014. A "Rothmans AMSCAR Series"[2] for touring cars was held in addition to the Sun-7 Chesterfield Series at Amaroo Park in 1979 for a reported A$60,000 in prize money, about $50,000 more than for the ATCC at the time. . Most race wins: Peter Brock (six). Peter Brock won in a Holden Torana and the track would go on to host 15 rounds of the championship between 1974 and its last ATCC round in 1994. As part of the construction of the Thunderdome, Calder Park's road circuit was increased to 2.28km with an extension to the pit straight, a new first corner hairpin, and a pair of chicanes linked by a rise over a new hill dubbed 'Mount Jane' by the drivers. The track then turned left and dropped down into the right hand Dunlop Loop and onto the back straight which again kinked to the right and led into the tight left hander at Honda Corner. At fourteen years of age, and with my hormones in a tangle, I was lucky enough to be at the pit counter, directly opposite the VIP stand where she was guest of honour, at Albert Park. One of the features of Amaroo Park's history has been the AMSCAR Series for touring cars, created by Amaroo's promoters, the Australian Racing Drivers Club and staged annually from 1982 to 1993. It reflected the rather straightened finances of the Country Club, whose debenture issue had failed to raise anything like the funds anticipated. The constant turning and hard accelerations out of the aptly named 'Stop' corner meant bigger cars were often at a disadvantage to smaller, lighter rivals. . Few mastered Lakeside better than Dick Johnson, but the local heros record at the circuit belied his speed. In the early Group C years of the AMSCAR series, several Sydney based drivers who regularly competed in the annual four round, three race per round series became household names through the national telecast on Channel 7 (at the time, Seven's only touring car telecasts were from Amaroo, Calder Park Raceway in Melbourne, and Bathurst as the ABC was main broadcast host of the ATCC until the end of 1984). Spent a lot of time in the "Loop" and at Honda. Today, little remains of the circuit, though the large Amaroo Park signs remain at the former circuit entrance, though most people today would imagine that it describes the small business park beyond, rather than a racing circuit. It was closed in 1998. Day-to-day operations were leased to the Amaroo Country Sporting Club in 1963, offering the public 250 membership opportunities at 25 per head, estimated to raise around a third of the cost of a luxurious clubroom that was envisaged. How the Photo Download Works. In fact, it straddled the pit exit, requiring traffic to pass under it to get out onto the circuit, in a sort of 1970s-style precursor to Jerez's famous 'spaceship' (though on a considerably more modest scale and budget!). Originally posted by Andrew Fellowes Did many internationals race there? Its final championship round in 2008 allowed long-time fans to pay their respects and say goodbye. Enhanced debris fencing was fitted thereafter, thankfully without a further need to be tested in the same circumstances. Can you list the top facts and stats about Amaroo Park Raceway? Once the heart of Sydney's motor racing scene, Amaroo Park went from a stuttering start to achieve great popularity, only to be overtaken by larger, better-funded projects. The cars of Peter Hopwood and Graham Watson touched wheels as they headed up Bitupave Hill on the first lap, with Hopwood's Ralt veering onto a 10-foot embankment and then catapulting a distance of 30 feet over the heads of onlookers before landing upside down in a group of spectators.