Sandown Raceway
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2007) |
FIA Grade 3 | | |
| Owner | Melbourne Racing Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Opened | 11 March 1962 | |
| Major events | Current: Supercars Championship Sandown 500 (1964–1965, 1968–1998, 2001–2007, 2012–2019, 2023–2024) Sandown SuperSprint (1965, 1970–1974, 1976–1989, 1991–1992, 1994–2002, 2008–2011, 2021–2022, 2025) Grand Finale (2001–2002) GT World Challenge Australia (1983–1984, 2007–2008, 2010–2011, 2014–2020, 2022, 2025) Former: TCR Australia (2019, 2022–2024) S5000 (2019, 2021) World Sportscar Championship (1984, 1988) Australian Grand Prix (1964, 1968, 1972–1973, 1976, 1978) Tasman Series (1964–1975) | |
| National Circuit (1984–present) | ||
| Length | 3.104 km (1.928 miles) | |
| Turns | 13 | |
| Race lap record | 1:04.5533 ( John Martin, Ligier JS F3-S5000, 2019, S5000) | |
| International Circuit (1984–2001) | ||
| Length | 3.878 km (2.409 miles) | |
| Turns | 17 | |
| Race lap record | 1:33.580 ( Jean-Louis Schlesser, Sauber C9, 1988, Group C) | |
| Original Circuit (1962–1984) | ||
| Length | 3.100 km (1.926 miles) | |
| Turns | 8 | |
| Race lap record | 59.60 ( Alfredo Costanzo, McLaren M26, 1981, F5000) | |
Sandown International Raceway is a motor racing circuit in the
History
Motor racing
The opening meeting, held on 11 and 12 March 1962, featured the 1962 Sandown International Cup, which was contested by world-famous international drivers including Jack Brabham, Jim Clark, Stirling Moss, Bruce McLaren and John Surtees. A second Sandown International Cup was held in 1963, the two races serving as the forerunners of the Sandown round of the annual Tasman Series from 1964 to 1975. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s the race meetings continued to attract international stars along with the best of Australia's drivers.
Australia's traditional Holden/Ford rivalry really surfaced at the track in the late 1960s and through the 1970s with drivers such as Norm Beechey, Ian Geoghegan, Allan Moffat, Bob Jane, Colin Bond and Peter Brock and continues to the present day. From 1968 to 1980 almost every major touring car race held at the circuit was won be those driving either a Holden or a Ford.
1984 saw an extension of the track to 3.878 km (2.410 mi) to comply with
In 1989, the 3.878 km (2.410 mi) International Circuit was abandoned and the track reverted to 3.104 km (1.929 mi), though not by using the original 8 turn layout, but a modified 13 turn course. This was achieved by simply bypassing the largely unpopular tight and twisty infield section that had been in use since 1984 and using only the re-configured National (outer) Circuit. The effect was also to bring the cars closer to the spectator area on the outside of the esses to bring back spectators to the area. The esses at the end of the back straight was a popular spectator area during the 1970s and 1980s with several converted double-decker buses frequenting race meetings.
Sandown continued to host both the 500 kilometre race and a sprint round of the championship, the
The infield section was still used for motorcycle racing at the track until about 2001 as the high speed
In late 2007 the Melbourne Racing Club, owner of the venue, brought the management of the motor circuit in house. As part of securing the future of motorsport at the venue Sandown's Manager Wade Calderwood negotiated a long-term deal with V8 Supercars. Under this deal the MRC invested significant funds as part of a 3-year upgrade to the pits and circuit safety.
Under the local Council permit, Sandown Raceway is limited to running five motorsport events per year, at no louder than 95 decibels. Currently these events include the Sandown 500, Historic Sandown, Shannons Nationals and two Victorian State Race Series events.
The long-term future of this historic circuit is unclear as the owners of Sandown Park want to have it rezoned so that they can sell it to a property developer who would then demolish the venue and turn it into high density housing.[1]
Sandown 500
The circuit is home to the famous
Traditionally the domain of touring cars, the race has also been held for Series Production cars from
is the most successful driver of the Sandown enduro with nine outright wins including seven in a row from 1975 to 1981. The race itself wasn't always run over a 500 km distance. The first two races ran for six hours while the next two ran for just three hours. The race distance was 250 km from 1970 until 1975. This was increased to 400 km in 1976 and stayed that way until 1983. It was changed for the last time in 1984 with an increase to 500 km.The 1990, 1993 and 1994 events had no major sponsor and were underwritten by circuit promoter and former Formula 5000 star Jon Davison.
V8 Supercars
With the creation of
For the 2008 season, the 500 kilometres endurance race was moved to the Phillip Island circuit. Sandown remained on the calendar as a venue, but hosted a regular multiple sprint race format event earlier in the year. The event returned to its single 500 kilometres roots in September 2012 as an enduro precursor to the Bathurst 1000, with the inaugural Dick Smith Sandown 500 won by the Holden Commodore Team Vodafone pairing of Craig Lowndes and Warren Luff.
World Sportscar Championship
On 2 December 1984, Sandown held the last round of the
The next (and only other) FIA World Sportscar Championship race held in Australia was also held at Sandown on 20 November 1988. This was the
. This race would prove to be the final top level motor race on the 3.878 km (2.410 mi) International Circuit, with Schlesser setting the circuit's outright lap record with a time of 1:33.580.Easternats
Easternats was a car festival held at the race track annually. It attracted a large number of entrants for the show'n'shine and various other events. It comprised usually a turn out of 750 entered vehicles. This event has since been discontinued.
Historic Sandown
Historic Sandown is an annual event held at the circuit on the first weekend of November. Promoted by the VHRR (Victorian Historic Racing Register) and run by the MG Car Club of Victoria, it is a highly successful event which in 2009 attracted a record 400+ historic racing cars including touring cars, MG racers and
Cycling Victoria
Several Melbourne cycling clubs hold regular races over the summer season.
Athletics Victoria
Annually, Athletics Victoria hold a road race (sometimes a team relay) as a part of the AV Cross Country season.
Australian Grand Prix
Sandown Raceway has held the
The winners of the Australian Grands Prix held at Sandown Raceway are:
Special Guest at the 1978 Australian Grand Prix, the 50th anniversary of the event (and the final time it would be held at Sandown), was Argentina's five-time Formula One World Drivers' Champion, the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio. Following the race Fangio, Australia's own three-time World Champion Jack Brabham, Bob Jane and former racer turned Holden dealer Bill Patterson, staged a spirited three-lap demonstration/race. Fangio and Brabham cleared out and swapped the lead many times. Fangio was driving a Mercedes-Benz W196 that he raced in 1954 and 1955, while Brabham (not yet Sir Jack) drove the Repco V8 powered Brabham BT19 in which he won the 1966 Formula One World Championship to become the first and only person to win the Drivers' championship in a car of his own design and build. Brabham 'won' the demonstration, just ahead of Fangio, with Patterson (driving a Cooper) and Jane (driving a Maserati) some distance behind in 3rd and 4th.
Upgrades
Sandown was repaved and received many new safety features in 2013 in accordance with new FIA rules. More tyre barriers were added, and new catch fencing was also added during big events like Historic Sandown and the Wilson Security 500. The main grandstand was also upgraded to feature a new bar and food complex. Along with the grandstand, the pits were also upgraded. Following a spate of major accidents at the end of the back straight (particularly at turn 6) between 2010 and 2017, the run-off area was also extended in early 2019.
Events
- Current
- July: GT World Challenge Australia, GT4 Australia Series, Aussie Racing Cars, Radical Cup Australia, AU3 Championship
- August: Australian Formula Ford Championship
- November: Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia 86 Series, Historic Sandown
- Former
- Australian Grand Prix (1964, 1968, 1972–1973, 1976, 1978)
- Australian GT Production Car Championship (1999–2002)
- Australian Mini Challenge (2008–2009)
- Australian National Trans-Am Series (2022–2024)
- Australian Nations Cup Championship (2001, 2004)
- Australian Performance Car Championship (2001, 2004)
- Australian Production Car Series (2004, 2007—2015, 2018–2019, 2022–2024)
- Australian Sports Car Championship (1969, 1973, 1980–1981, 1983, 1986–1988)
- Formula 4 Australian Championship (2015–2017)
- Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship (2003–2008, 2014–2017, 2020–2024)
- S5000 Australian Drivers' Championship (2019, 2021)
- Supercars Championship
- Grand Finale (2001–2002)
- Sandown 500 (1964–1965, 1968–1998, 2001–2007, 2012–2019, 2023–2024)
- Tasman Series (1964–1975)
- TCR Australia (2019, 2022–2024)
- V8 Ute Racing Series (2001, 2004–2005, 2009, 2011, 2013–2015)
- World Sportscar Championship (1984, 1988)
Lap records
As of September 2024, the fastest official race lap records at Sandown Raceway are listed as:[2][3]
Notes
References
- ^ Lucas, Damien Ractliffe, Clay (30 March 2021). "'It's extreme': Plan to transform Sandown racetrack into new suburb meets resistance". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Sandown Racecourse". Ladbrokes Park - Sandown Racecourse - The Home of Horsepower. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
- ^ Natsoft Race Results
- ^ "2019 Shannons Nationals - Round 6 - Sandown - S5000 Australia - Heat 2". natsoft.com.au. 22 September 2019. Archived from the original on 15 September 2024. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ "2019 Shannons Nationals - Round 6 - Sandown - CAMS Australian Endurance Championship - Leg 1". natsoft.com.au. 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 14 September 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ "2024 Penrite Oil Sandown 500 - 2024 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Aust - Race 3". natsoft.com.au. 15 September 2024. Archived from the original on 15 September 2024. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ "Australian GT Championship Sandown 2019". 9 November 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- ^ "Historic Sandown 2007 - Groups Q & R Sports & Racing, & Formula 5000 Race 3". natsoft.com.au. 11 November 2007. Archived from the original on 14 September 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ "TCR AU 2019 » Sandown Raceway Round 18 Results". 22 September 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
- ^ a b "Australian Formula Ford Lap Records". Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ "Australian Endurance Championship Sandown 2019". Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- ^ "Chris Fitzgerald - Driver Database". Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- ^ "2024 Penrite Oil Sandown 500 - 2024 Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia GR Cup - Race 3". natsoft.com.au. 15 September 2024. Archived from the original on 15 September 2024. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ "1988 Sandown Park 360Kms". Motor Sport Magazine. 20 November 1988. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ^ "1969 Sandown Park Tasman". Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ^ "1966 Sandown Park Tasman". Motor Sport Magazine. 27 February 1966. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
External links
- Sandown Raceway Archived 20 April 2021 at the Wayback Machine
- Map and circuit history at RacingCircuits.info
- Easternats Archived 7 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine