What is now One Raceway was opened earlier that year on May 8. It had taken just eight months from when the first sod was tossed in October 1993 to the informal shakedown day.
The circuit was privately funded, the first in Australia in 35 years, by veteran racer Paul Samuels and his business partner John Carter. They felt the need for a facility to cater for historic events and club races.
They also believed that inevitably Amaroo Park and Oran Park would close and there would be a need for an alternative to Eastern Creek Raceway.
The club house, timing tower and pit buildings were designed by Samuels and presented in Castrol colours, as he had secured a modest three-year sponsorship deal. The oil company was won over by the circuit’s name, chosen in honour of Castrol founder Charles Cheers Wakefield.
The circuit was considered a good challenge for drivers and riders. From the start, the main straight led onto the first corner or kink, dependent on the vehicle and or driver/rider.
After Turn 2, it was an uphill run to the top of the circuit, after which it was downhill to a trick and tight complex, dubbed ‘the fish hook’. The circuit returned to the start/finish via a short straight and a negative-cambered final corner.
The new 2.2km circuit was officially opened by then NSW Premier and local member John Fahey during the Historic Sports & Racing Car Association’s inaugural All-Historic. The meeting was well supported with 230 entries and attended by around 4000 spectators.
Interstaters from Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and West Australia make the journey for this momentous occasion. Practice took place on Saturday ahead of an 18-event program of races and regularities on the Sunday.
In Group Sa Queenslander Don Thallon and his 1960 Chev Corvette had the power to beat Victorion Bill Hemming aboard a 1959 XK150 Jaguar while there was a great scrap between a Triumph TR3s, a Bugeye Sprite and an MGA. Group Sb saw Peter Griffin debut the ex-Laurie Donaher Iso Rivolta for a pair of victories.
It was Frank Dartell (Mini Cooper S) who took out both the Group N races, ahead of David Stone (Ford Cortina GT) and Bob Asher (Cooper S). Visiting Englishman Duncan Rickett and his blown 1.5lt ERA headed the Group J & K field, while Ross Hodgson ruled in Group L Racing & Sports.
The ex-Kevin Bartlett Brabham BTIIa and an ex-Jim Clark/Leo Geoghegan Lotus 39 in the hands of Mike Ryves and John Dawson-Damer respectively, split the Group M wins. In Group O, Richard Carter won both Group O races and set the fastest lap of the day at 65.53s.
New to historic racing in NSW, commentary was available through an FM frequency as well as the traditional PA system. It certainly helped get the word around of an approaching hail storm and hurried track proceedings so everyone could get out before it hit.
That first meeting was celebrated 25 years later by the HSRCA not on exactly the same date but to the nearest weekend which was November 16-17 in 2019.
In the interim and before the circuit closed the venue featured ownership changes, circuit changes, Development Series (Super 2), Superbikes, GTs and a host of other national and state categories.
Now the circuit has been totally revamped and renamed One Raceway. Its official unveiling or soft launch, came 30 years to the day after the original.
Discussion about this post