Winton Motor Raceway
_track_map_--_with_extension.svg.png) | |
| Location | Winton, Victoria |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 36°31′6″S 146°5′15″E / 36.51833°S 146.08750°ECoordinates: 36°31′6″S 146°5′15″E / 36.51833°S 146.08750°E |
| Owner | Benalla Auto Club |
| Opened | November 1961 |
| Major events | V8 Supercars, Shannons Nationals |
| Winton National Circuit | |
| Length | 3.0 km (1.864 mi) |
| Turns | 12 |
| Lap record | 1:14.5697 (Christian Murchison, Reynard 95D Holden, 2000, Formula Holden) |
| Winton Club Circuit | |
| Length | 2.03 km (1.261 mi) |
| Turns | 11 |
| Lap record | 0:52.9900 (Mark Larkham, Reynard 90D Holden, 1992, Formula Brabham) |
Winton Motor Raceway is a motor racing track in Winton, near Benalla, Victoria, Australia.
History
The Benalla Auto Club began planning for a permanent racing track around 1958, as a replacement for their existing track at Barjarg.[1] In 1960 it was decided to build the track at Winton Recreation Reserve and the track was completed in twelve months. The circuit hosted its first race meeting on 26 November 1961.[2] The circuit was immediately popular - a March 1965 meeting featuring the Neptune touring car and the Victorian Formula Two championship drew a crowd of approximately 10,000 spectators.[1] The circuit length was extended prior to the 1997 round of the V8 Supercar championship and the upgrade included a new pit complex.
The circuit
Racing at Winton Motor Raceway is always exciting and close because the circuit has a combination of long fast straights and twisty and tight bends. It is also known as "Australia's Action Track".[3] Dick Johnson once described the circuit being 'like running a marathon around your clothes-line'.
The original circuit (now called the Winton Club Circuit) is 2.03 km in length and comprises 11 turns. The circuit was lengthened to 3.0 km with the cars turning left prior to the esses and a series of right hand turns added before the extension rejoins the original track at the esses. The long circuit is called the Winton National Circuit.
Layouts
-
National Circuit
-
_track_map_--_original_track.svg.png)
Club Circuit
V8 Supercars
The track is currently used as a round in the V8 Supercar series, hosting the Winton Super Sprint. The track is one of the more popular tracks in the series with spectators, especially those who live in the area. Easy access to the track and the fantastic viewing from one of the many areas around the track makes it very popular. It attracts some of the biggest crowds of any of the permanent race tracks in the series.
Although the circuit held various rounds of national championships such as the Australian Drivers' Championship and the Australian Sports Car Championship, Winton was not awarded a round of the Australian Touring Car Championship until the start of the Group A era in Australia in 1985. The first ATCC race was won by then triple-Bathurst 1000 winner Jim Richards in his JPS Team BMW 635 CSi. That race holds its place in ATCC/V8 Supercar history as not only the first all-Group A race in Australia, but the first ATCC win by BMW and the only race in history in which there were no Holdens on the grid.
Richards holds the record for most ATCC round wins at Winton with four, having won in 1985 and 1986 for BMW, while winning in 1990 and 1991 for Nissan.
Australian Drivers' Championship
Winton has played host to 19 rounds of the Australian Drivers' Championship since 1980.
| Year | Driver | Car | Entrant | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Formula 1 | ||||
| 1980 |  Alfredo Costanzo |
Lola T430 Chevrolet | Porsche Distributors | |
| 1982 | Alfredo Costanzo |
Tiga FA81 Ford | Porsche Cars Australia | |
| 1983 | Alfredo Costanzo |
Tiga FA81 Ford | Porsche Cars Australia | |
| Formula Mondial | ||||
| 1984 | John Bowe |
Ralt RT4 Ford | Chris Leach Racing | |
| 1986 |  Ken Smith |
Ralt RT4 Ford | Watson Motor Racing Pty Ltd | |
| Formula Holden | ||||
| 1989* | Rohan Onslow |
Ralt RT20 Holden | R.J.Macarthur Onslow | |
| 1989* | John Briggs |
Ralt RT21 Holden | John Briggs | |
| 1990 | John Briggs |
Ralt RT21 Holden | John Briggs | |
| Formula Brabham | ||||
| 1992 | Mark Larkham |
Reynard 90D Holden | Larkham Motor Sport | |
| 1994 | Paul Stokell |
Reynard 90D Holden | Birrana Racing | |
| Formula Holden | ||||
| 1997 | Jason Bargwanna |
Reynard 92D Holden | SH Racing | |
| 1999 | Simon Wills |
Reynard 94D Holden | SH Racing | |
| 2000 | Tim Leahey |
Reynard 92D Holden | Greg Murphy Racing | |
| 2001 | Paul Stokell |
Reynard 94D Holden | Birrana Racing | |
| 2002 | Will Power |
Reynard 94D Holden | Ralt Australia | |
| 2003 | Paul Trengove |
Reynard 95D Holden | CPA Australia | |
| 2004 | Rob Nguyen |
Reynard 97D Holden | Hocking Motorsport | |
| Australian Formula 3 | ||||
| 2009** | Tim Macrow  Joey Foster |
Dallara F307 Mercedes-Benz Dallara F307-Mercedes-Benz |
Scud Racing Team BRM | |
| 2011 | James Winslow |
Dallara F304 Spiess-Opel | R-Tek Motorsport | |
* The 1989 Australian Drivers' Championship was contested over ten rounds at five race meetings at five different tracks. Although the races were held on the same day both Rohan Onslow and John Briggs are credited with separate round wins.
**The 2009 round saw two heats. Tim Macrow and Joey Foster each won a heat while also finished second on the other heat giving the pair equal points (35) on the day.
Australian Sports Car Championship
Winton played host to a round of the Australian Sports Car Championship on 7 occasions between 1978 and 1985.
| Year | Driver | Car | Entrant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Ross Mathiesen |
Porsche Carrera | Ross Mathiesen |
| 1979 | Ross Mathiesen |
Porsche Carrera | Ross Mathiesen |
| 1980 |  Allan Moffat |
Porsche 930 Turbo | Porsche Distributors |
| 1981 | John Latham |
Porsche 930 Turbo | John Latham |
| 1983 | Bap Romano |
Kaditcha K583 Cosworth | Kaditcha Factory Racing Team |
| 1984 | Bap Romano |
Romano WE84 Cosworth | Bap Romano Racing |
| 1985 | Terry Hook |
Lola T610 Chevrolet | Terry Hook |
Australian Sports Sedan / GT Championship
| Year | Driver | Car | Entrant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Jim Richards |
Ford XC Falcon Hardtop | Jim Richards |
| 1981 | Tony Edmondson |
Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV Chevrolet | Donald Elliott |
| 1982 | Alan Jones |
Porsche 935 | Porsche Cars Australia |
| 1983 | Tony Edmondson |
Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV Chevrolet | Donald Elliott |
| 1984 | Allan Grice |
Chevrolet Monza | Re-Car Racing |
| 1985 | Kevin Bartlett |
De Tomaso Pantera | Paul Halstead / The Toy Shop |
| 1997 | Wayne Park |
Mazda RX-7 | Wayne Park |
| 1998 | Tony Ricciardello |
Alfa Romeo GTV Chevrolet | Basil Ricciardello |
| 2003 | Darren Hossack |
Saab 9-3 Aero Chevrolet | Darren Hossack |
Australian Superbike Championship
Winton Raceway is one of the most prominent Superbike races on the Australian Superbike Championship racing calendar. Winton Raceway has seen riders such as Mick Doohan, Kevin Magee and Mat Mladin ride regularly at the venue.
| Year | Rider | Bike |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Jamie Stauffer |
Yamaha YZF-R1 |
| 2006 | Jamie Stauffer |
Yamaha YZF-R1 |
Formula X-treme Motorcycle Championship
| Year | Rider | Bike |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Craig Coxhell |
Honda CBR1000RR |
| 2010 | Kevin Curtain |
Yamaha YZF-R1 |
Drift Attack
Winton Raceway is one of Australia's most popular Drift circuits. It hosts Australia largest drift event Drift Attack. Drift Attack is promoted by the Victorian Drift Club and offers the largest Prize Pool in Australian Drifting and is contested by Australia's 32 best Drifters in the Pro class and 32 Drivers in the street class.
| Year | Driver | Car |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Luke Fink | S14 Silvia |
| 2010 | Josh Coote | Nissan 180SX |
Lap records
Club Circuit
As of 19 June 2015.[4]
| Class | Driver | Vehicle | Time | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outright | Mark Larkham |
Reynard 90D Holden | 52.99 | 4 April 1992 |
| Racing Cars | ||||
| Formula Brabham | Mark Larkham |
Reynard 90D Holden | 52.99 | 4 April 1992 |
| Formula Mondial | John Bowe |
Ralt RT4 Ford | 53.80 | 12 August 1984 |
| Formula 5000 | Alfredo Costanzo |
Lola T430 Chevrolet | 55.80 | October 1979 |
| Formula 2 | Arthur Abrahams |
Cheetah Mk 8 Volkswagen | 56.96 | December 1988 |
| Formula Ford | John Blanchard |
Swift SC92F | 1:01.18 | April 1992 |
| Formula Vee | Adrian Wilkinson |
Elfin 76 | 1:07.01 | March 1996 |
| Sports Cars | ||||
| Group A Sports Cars (Under 3-Litre) | Bap Romano |
Kaditcha K583 Cosworth | 57.10 | 14 August 1983 |
| Group A Sports Cars (Over 3-Litre) | Peter Hopwood |
Kaditcha Chevrolet | 57.40 | 14 August 1983 |
| Sports Sedan | Tony Edmondson |
Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV Chevrolet | 58.80 | 12 August 1984 |
| GT | Alan Jones |
Porsche 935 | 59.00 | 16 May 1982 |
| Clubman | Grant Taylor |
Galloway | 59.60 | December 1987 |
| Touring Cars | ||||
| Group 3A Touring Car | Glenn Seton |
Ford EB Falcon | 59.65 | 16 May 1993 |
| Super Touring | Greg Murphy |
Audi A4 Quattro | 1:00.6255 | 25 August 1996 |
| GT Production | Peter Fitzgerald |
Porsche 911 RSCS | 1:02.3751 | 25 August 1996 |
| Group 3E Series Production Cars | Terry Bosnjak |
Holden VP Commodore | 1:09.42 | 16 May 1993 |
| Motorbikes | ||||
| Superbike | Kirk McCarthy |
Honda RC45 | 1:00.7655 | May 1995 |
National Circuit
| Class | Driver | Vehicle | Time | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outright |  Christian Murchison |
Reynard 95D Holden | 1:14.5697 | 16 July 2000 |
| Racing Cars | ||||
| Formula Holden | Christian Murchison |
Reynard 95D Holden | 1:14.5697 | 16 July 2000 |
| Formula 3 | Ricky Capo |
Dallara F307 Mugen-Honda | 1:16.5494 | 14 June 2015 |
| Formula Ford | Jamie Whincup |
Van Diemen RF01 | 1:26.2188 | 18 August 2002 |
| Formula Vee | Kieren Glover |
Jacer | 1:35.4042 | 24 August 2008 |
| Sports Cars | ||||
| Sports Sedan | Tony Ricciardello |
Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV Chevrolet | 1:21.3739 | 17 May 2015 |
| GT | Cameron McConville |
Ferrari 458 GT3 | 1:22.3907 | 24 June 2012 |
| Nations Cup | Paul Stokell |
Lamborghini Diablo GTR | 1:23.8403 | 21 September 2003 |
| Aussie Racing Cars | Ben McCashney |
Ford AU Falcon | 1:32.3118 | 2 August 2008 |
| Touring Cars | ||||
| V8 Supercars | Jason Bright |
Holden VF Commodore | 1:22.5291 | 6 April 2014 |
| Dunlop V8 Supercar | Andrew Jones |
Ford AU Falcon | 1:24.5606 | 18 April 2004 |
| Porsche Carrera Cup | Shae Davies |
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup | 1:24.9840 | 25 August 2013 |
| Super Touring | Jim Richards |
Volvo S40 | 1:25.3181 | 9 August 1998 |
| Touring Car Masters | John Bowe |
Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 | 1:30.7925 | 17 May 2015 |
| GT Performance | Bob Pearson |
Mazda RX-7 Series 8 | 1:32.6533 | 21 September 2003 |
| V8 Ute | Layton Crambrook |
Ford BF Falcon XR8 | 1:39.2496 | 2 August 2008 |
| Motorbikes | ||||
| Superbike | Wayne Maxwell |
Honda CBR1000RR | 1:22.287 | 3 August 2014 |
| 600cc Supersport | Cru Halliday |
Yamaha YZF-R6 | 1:24.724 | 7 April 2013 |
References
- 1 2 Walker, Terry. Fast Tracks - Australia's Motor Racing Circuits: 1904-1995. Wahroonga, NSW: Turton & Armstrong. p. 184. ISBN 0908031556.
- ↑ Winton celebrates 50th birthday today Retrieved from www.speedcafe.com on 27 November 2011
- ↑ "Winton Motor Raceway, Victoria". v8supercars.com.au. n.d. Retrieved 2010-02-22.
- ↑ Winton lap records
External links
| ||||||||||||||