Barbagallo Raceway

Barbagallo Raceway

Location	Wattle Avenue, Wanneroo, Western Australia
Time zone	GMT +8
Coordinates	31°39′46″S 115°47′23″E / 31.66278°S 115.78972°E / -31.66278; 115.78972Coordinates: 31°39′46″S 115°47′23″E / 31.66278°S 115.78972°E / -31.66278; 115.78972
Owner	Western Australia Sporting Car Club
Opened	2 March 1969
Major events	V8 Supercars Championship Australian Grand Prix (1979) Australian Festival of Speed
Long circuit
Length	2.411 km (1.498 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	0:46.4414[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. Walker was the last driver to win the AGP driving a 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.

Events

Formula One ace Mark Webber drove a demonstration run at the circuit on 28 November 2010.

The track holds a number of major race meets each year, with the biggest being a round of the V8 Supercars Championship. 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 inaugural Australian Festival of Speed in 2010. Formula One team Red Bull Racing and driver Mark Webber attended for a demonstration.^[5] The festival never returned to the circuit, having bankrupted the owners.^{[citation needed]}

Upgrades

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.

Many options were considered, which included extending the track to the north which would roughly double the length of the circuit, there were also alternative extension 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 extension 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, with connecting bridge. The first stage upgrades will also include improving lighting and safety barriers, as well as upgrades to facilities and buildings within the circuit.

Touring Car round winners

* Overall round winner taken from placings after all races (2 in 2009, 3 in 2011, 2012 and 2013)

Lap Records

As of May 2013.^[6][7]

Class	Driver	Vehicle	Time	Date
Outright	Gary West	Lola T88/50 Buick	0:52.2610	3 December 2005
Racing Cars
Formula Ford	Ashley Walsh	Spectrum 011b Ford	0:59.5717	24 March 2007
Formula Ford Kent	James Small	Van Diemen 011b Ford	0:59.7669	13 June 2004
Formula Vee 1600	Ryan Simpson	Jacer F2K6 Volkswagen	1:07.9889	14 October 2006
Formula Vee 1200	Jez Hammond	Spook Mk 1 Volkswagen	1:09.6141	9 August 2004
Sports Cars
Sports Sedan	Tony Ricciardello	Alfa Romeo GTV-Chevrolet	0:54.9563	7 August 2005
Carrera Cup	Steven Richards	Porsche 997 GT3 Cup	0:56.9816[8]	1 May 2011
Clubman Sports	Terry Smith	Hooper	1:03.8160,	8 April 2006
Historic Sports Cars
Group Sc	Harvey Leys	Porsche 911 Carrera	1:07.1633	26 July 2009
Group Sb	Ted Jordan	Porsche 356C	1:11.8089	18 April 2004
Group Sa	John Rowe	Austin-Healey 3000 MkI	1:14.9372	6 May 2007
Touring Cars
V8 Supercar	Jason Bright	Holden VY Commodore	0:55.9440	13 June 2004
Dunlop V8 Supercar Series	Andrew Thompson	Holden VE Commodore	0:57.5276	1 May 2011
Group A	John Bowe	Ford Sierra RS500	0:59.04	7 June 1992
Group C	Allan Moffat	Mazda RX-7	1:02.37	1 April 1984
Improved Production	Matt Cherry	Holden Monaro CV8	1:03.5910	22 August 2010
Mini Challenge	Leanne Tander	Mini Cooper R56 JCW	1:05.6260	11 May 2008
Saloon Cars	Rick Gill	Ford AU Falcon	1:06.7312	20 June 2010
Group 3E Series Production	Graham Stones	Mazda RX-7	1:07.1823	15 August 1999
V8 Utes	Tony Longhurst	Holden Ute VE SS	1:07.3147	4 May 2013
HQ Holden	Tony James	HQ Holden	1:14.1755	11 July 2004
Historic Touring Cars
Group Nc	Paul Stubber	Chevrolet Camaro	1:03.8405	8 May 2005
Touring Car Masters	Michael Almond	Porsche 911 RS	1:02.9005	4 May 2013
Group Nb	Bill Meeke	Ford Falcon Sprint	1:07.2807	19 September 2009
Group Na	Terry Smith	Ford Zephyr	1:20.7941	11 July 2004
Motorcycles
Superbike	Adam Fergusson	Honda CBR1000RR	0:55.8580	29 May 2005
Supersport	Cameron Keevers	Yamaha YZF600R	0:57.5490	18 November 2007
250cc Grand Prix	Rip Crocker	Yamaha TZR250	0:58.0500	8 October 1995
Superstock	Cameron Keevers	Honda CBR600RR	0:58.9650	9 September 2007
Sidecar	Steve Abbott/ Jamie Biggs	LCR-Suzuki GSX-R1000	0:59.4480	29 May 2005
125cc Grand Prix	Josh Brookes	Honda RS125R	1:00.7983	8 October 2000

References

External links

• Barbagallo Raceway
• Track info from V8 Supercar