Darlington Park

[racer69]

A few years ago i read a story about a new track, Darlington Park, applying for an ATCC round, in 1998 i think. They said the track was going to be state of the art and had heaps of facilities and so on. Just wondering what happened to it, and whether it could host V8, Super Touring or Nations Cup or Trucks in the future, or any othe national championship races.

[Crash Test]

The track has been laid, and all of the ground work and landscaping has been done (and it is a corker race track) but at the moment the owner of the track wont be completeing the circuit (walls etc). Mainly this is because the track in its current state is doing quite a good trade, many movies, TV ads, drive days and driving schools are held there, as well as non-Motorcycling Australia bike meets.

If/when they do get the track going it will probably be the best permanant facility in Australia. An awesome set of corners, up and down hill, and some really quite good spectator areas. Actually the first turn reminds me a lot of the old Surfers Paradise.

They have built their hill climb already, and that looks fantastic. It is set in a valley, so all of the spectators have a fantastic view.

[mac]

Sounds fantastic. I say bring it on!

If only there were more.

[Ray Bell]

It has some features that emulate some of Bathurst's finest, and the way they've squandered attention on the surrounds is great. I understood that the Track Inspection Committee were there about three years ago and gave them a list, but the background would be spoiled for a lot of the cinematographic work, though the owners agreed to what was requested.

It has some length to it, too, I believe... but it's worrying to see all those houses getting closer and closer while it's still inactive.

[Buckshot]

Where abouts is this track ?

[DAVID PATERSON]

Half way between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Smack in the middle of some of the fastest growing housing developments in Australia. Already there are houses directly acoss the road from the front gate. I believe some houses are just 200m from the track itself. Sadly, i fear we will never see this facility function as a race circuit.

[Ray Bell]

Narrowing it down more.. just south of Yatala, about 4km along Peachey Road from the Ormeau turnoff on the Pacific Hwy, at the corner of Stanmore Road.

I haven't been by there in a bit over a year... didn't know there were houses opposite... what chance does the place stand?

[Crash Test]

Well the race circuit is on the otehr side of the hill to where the housing is, so the sound might be deflected somewhat.

Yep, it is fairly long, somewhere near 5km, but there are various layouts that can be used.

[Ray Bell]

What is the length of the longest optimum layout, the longest circuit that can be used without too much sinuous twisting about?

[Crash Test]

Not exactly sure, it has been a few months since i was last down there. Here is a map of the main racing circuit that is in place.

[mac]

I know where it is now! I forgot the names of the places. I've raced on that go-kart track. It's a good little track itself. The first and last turns are sensational, as is the little esses section over the back. Last time I was there (about four years ago), I didn't realise there was going to be a full circuit built. When did they start building it? It's a lovely part of the world.

[Crash Test]

They started building the main track way back in 1989... so at it's current construction rate, it should be ready in time for the 2230 SCS

[Ray Bell]

I think you may be at cross purposes, mac... there's another go-kart track just a little way up Stanmore Road, I'm sure. Darlington Park, as Crash says, has more or less always been there. My brother has run rally stages on bits of it when it was still dirt.

[Crash Test]

At the moment, there really isn't much there. At the far southern end of the complex is a landscape supply, brick works type of place. Around the track itself there is actually a quarry or two.

Here is a picture of the esses, looking against the direction of traffic, back towards the turn 2 hairpin.

[Crash Test]

Here is a pic of the main straight, once again looking against the dirction of traffic, with the pitlane on the right of the photo. Notice how steep it is going downhill...

[Crash Test]

One last one

This is the corner at the bottom of the map, looking towards the exit of the corner, to the left. (Note the track runs clockwise) As you can see, fairly wide open spaces at this point...

[mac]

Ray - I'm pretty sure that little track on the right hand side of Crash's picture is the one I raced on. It's not 100% accurate (probably because it is such a small map), but it definitely looks like the track I went to. I certainly remamber those three successive hairpins in the last half of the layout. And how I just could not get my line right through the turn 4 & 5 (it looks like turns 2 & 3 on that map, as you cannot see turns 1 & 2) esses at the back of the track. I think they also hired karts there. If that isn't the track I'm thinking of, it sure looks like it.

As for my recollection of Darlington Park's existence - I was only 15 at the time, and was probably far too obsessed in my own importance to take much notice of many surroundings.

Crash - thanks for the pics. It certainly looks like an interesting place. I would say it would obviously need a bit of an upgrade, and maybe even widen it a bit for V8s. It looks like fun though.

[Crash Test]

That little track there on the rigth hand side of the map is the hill climb. The photo below shows the part which is at the bottom of the map.

[Ray Bell]

Funny, driving past, I thought it was part of the carpark... that might be a way you can remember if it's really it, mac... that long ago it would have been absolutely brand new, and you can see the road from there... the go-kart track down the road can't be seen from the road.