Wakefield Park set to reopen as bi-directional circuit

Wakefield Park is set to reopen in mid-2024 under a new name, with plans for racing on the circuit in both directions.

To be known going forward as ‘One Raceway’, the venue has been permission to reopen by Goulburn Mulwaree Council after being closed by the previous owner in September 2022 due to noise issues and an unfavourable court ruling.

Since then, Benalla Auto Club has sold the track to Steve Shelley, owner of the nearby Pheasant Wood Circuit, who has commissioned an extensive programme of works to ensure the track is up and running again next year.

While the works include new noise walls, the upgrades which will make One Raceway a first in Australian motorsport are those creating the capability of racing in either clockwise direction, as has been the case since the circuit first opened in 1994, or anti-clockwise.

“Our new brand name, One Raceway, will encapsulate our revolutionary ability to have two circuits – one clockwise and one anti-clockwise – in the same raceway, while also symbolising the unity woven throughout our journey with the community,” explained Shelley.

“Every step of our endeavour is informed by our interactions with our neighbours, insights from the Goulburn Mulwaree community, and invaluable feedback from the motorsport fraternity.

“With the ongoing and open dialogue with the Goulburn Mulwaree Council, we’ve charted a roadmap to rejuvenate and upgrade the raceway.

“This roadmap harmonises community sensibilities with motorsport thrills, including a comprehensive calendar of operations that ensures abundant opportunities for racing, practice, and training.

“Our plan has been reviewed and officially approved by Goulburn Mulwaree Council, underscoring the collective commitment to the project.”

While circuit licencing will not be undertaken until works are complete, a spokesperson for the circuit has told Speedcafe that the expectation is that the circuit is expected to receive FIA Grade 3 homologation for both directions.

That would represent an upgrade on the licencing which has applied to Motorsport Australia-sanctioned competitions until now.

“We have presented our plans to Motorsport Australia and Motorcycling Australia, and received positive responses,” said Shelley.

“Both regulatory bodies have expressed genuine enthusiasm, signifying that our measures bring the circuit into alignment with premier international standards.”

The upgrades include a full resurface of the circuit itself, a resurface of the paddock area, safety enhancements, and updates to the offroad facilities.

The noise walls, which will be built up to 10 metres high, will also serve as viewing platforms.

“When we first visited the track, it was immediately obvious that the circuit was in less-than-optimal condition,” recalled Shelley.

“While patches and temporary repairs would have been the easy option, we’ve chosen a more forward-thinking approach.

“Prioritising the safety of our participants and the longevity of the raceway, we have committed to a complete circuit resurfacing to provide a consistently reliable and safe racing surface.

“We are also undertaking extensive circuit drainage and water controls, to counter water pooling and seepage, eliminating the patches of standing water that would often form on the circuit after heavy rain.

“Additionally, we are undertaking critical safety enhancements, including refining the pit exit blend line, addressing long-standing safety concerns at Turns 1 and 2, the proximity and angle of the pit wall at the exit of Turn 10, and removing the risk-prone infield marshal bays.

“Changes to the profile of Turn 10 and some other alterations we are making to the pit entry and exit will enable the track to become uniquely capable of hosting races in both directions.

“This unparalleled move will not only present racers with fresh challenges but promises to reinvent the spectator experience. We will even be able to host multi-day events where we run one direction one day and the opposite direction the next day.

“In determining our scheduling of track days and other events, we will consider environmental factors including wind direction, and focus on how those conditions may affect our neighbours.”

One Raceway is also calling for volunteers to help with the works.

The reopening of the circuit means that New South Wales will have multiple permanent race tracks again, having been restricted to just Sydney Motorsport Park for over a year now.

A Grade 3 circuit licence would, in theory, make One Raceway capable of hosting the Supercars Championship, which held its last standalone Super2 round at the venue in 2008.