| Location | Wattle Avenue, Wanneroo, Western Australia |
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| Time zone | GMT +8 |
| Owner | Western Australia Sporting Car Club |
| Opened | 2 March 1969 |
| Major events | V8 Supercars Australian Grand Prix (1979) Australian Festival of Speed |
| Long circuit | |
| Length | 2.42 km (1.51 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 | 0:47.1800[2] (Gary West, Lola T88/50 Buick, 2004) |
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.
In 1979, the Australian Grand Prix was held for the first and so far only time at Wanneroo Park 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.
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.[3] 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.
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The track holds a number of major race meets each year, with the biggest being a round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. This is one of the biggest sporting events in Western Australia each year with over 50,000 people attending the 3 day event. However, in 24/07/2008, the V8 Supercar official website reported that the V8 Supercar contract for Barbagallo Raceway will ends next year and the Western Australian Government is investigating whether to upgrade the "dilapidated" circuit or build a new one. The site suggested that new track built or modifications to the existing circuit are needed or Australia’s most western state could lose a round of the Championship, leading to a major loss to the local economy.[4]
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 inagaural Australian Festival of Speed in 2010. Formula One team Red Bull Racing and driver Mark Webber attended for a demonstration.[5]
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.
Numerous options were considered, which included extending the track to the north which would double the length of the circuit, there were also alternative extention 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 extention 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. The first stage upgrades will also include, improving lighting and safety barriers, and upgrades to facilities and buildings within the circuit.
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