Winton Motor Raceway is a motor racing track in Winton, near Benalla, Victoria, Australia.
 National Circuit (1997–present) | |
| Location | Winton, Victoria |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 36°31′6″S 146°5′15″E / 36.51833°S 146.08750°E |
| FIA Grade | 3[a] |
| Owner | Benalla Auto Club |
| Broke ground | November 1960 |
| Opened | 26 November 1961 |
| Major events | Former: Supercars Championship Winton SuperSprint (1985–1986, 1988–1995, 1997–2004, 2006–2019, 2022) S5000 (2023) TCR Australia (2019, 2023) Australian GT (1982–1985, 2011–2012, 2016–2017) Australian F4 (2018) |
| National Circuit (1997–present) | |
| Length | 3.000 km (1.864 miles) |
| Turns | 12 |
| Race lap record | 1:14.3058 ( John Magro, Dallara F311, 2019, F3) |
| Original Club Circuit (1961–present) | |
| Length | 2.028 km (1.260 miles) |
| Turns | 10 |
| Race lap record | 0:52.9900 ( Mark Larkham, Reynard 90D, 1992, Formula Brabham) |
History
editThe 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
editWinton Motor Raceway 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 2.028 km (1.260 mi) in length and comprises 10 turns. The circuit was lengthened to 3.000 km (1.864 mi) 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
edit-
National Circuit (1997–present)
-
Original Club Circuit (1961–present)
V8 Supercars
editThe track was used as a round in the V8 Supercar series, hosting the Winton SuperSprint. The track was one of the more popular tracks in the series with spectators, especially those who live in the area.[citation needed] Easy access to the track and viewing areas made it very popular.[citation needed] It attracts some of the biggest crowds of any of the permanent race tracks in the series.[citation needed]
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
editWinton has played host to 19 rounds of the Australian Drivers' Championship since 1980.
* 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
editWinton played host to a round of the Australian Sports Car Championship on 7 occasions between 1978 and 1985.
| Year | Driver | Car | Entrant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Porsche Carrera | Ross Mathiesen | |
| 1979 | Porsche Carrera | Ross Mathiesen | |
| 1980 | Porsche 930 Turbo | Porsche Distributors | |
| 1981 | Porsche 930 Turbo | John Latham | |
| 1983 | Kaditcha K583 Cosworth | Kaditcha Factory Racing Team | |
| 1984 | Romano WE84 Cosworth | Bap Romano Racing | |
| 1985 | Lola T610 | Terry Hook |
Australian Sports Sedan / GT Championship
edit1980, 1981, 1997, 1998 and 2003 were run for Sports Sedans. 1982–1985 were run for GT style cars.
| Year | Driver | Car | Entrant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Ford XC Falcon Hardtop | Jim Richards | |
| 1981 | Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV Chevrolet | Donald Elliott | |
| 1982 | Porsche 935/80 | Porsche Cars Australia | |
| 1983 | Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV Chevrolet | Donald Elliott | |
| 1984 | Chevrolet Monza | Re-Car Racing | |
| 1985 | De Tomaso Pantera | Paul Halstead / The Toy Shop | |
| 1997 | Mazda RX-7 | Wayne Park | |
| 1998 | Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV Chevrolet | Basil Ricciardello | |
| 2003 | Saab 9-3 Aero Chevrolet | Darren Hossack |
Australian Nations Cup Championship
edit| Year | Driver | Car | Entrant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Lamborghini Diablo GTR | Team Lamborghini Australia | |
| 2003 | Holden Monaro 427C | Garry Rogers Motorsport | |
| 2004 | Holden Monaro 427C | Garry Rogers Motorsport |
Australian Superbike Championship
editWinton 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 | Yamaha YZF-R1 | |
| 2006 | Yamaha YZF-R1 |
Formula X-treme Motorcycle Championship
| Year | Rider | Bike |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Honda CBR1000RR | |
| 2010 | Yamaha YZF-R1 |
Drift Attack
editWinton 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
editAs of June 2023, the official race lap records at Winton Motor Raceway are listed as:[4][5]
Notes
edit- ^ Winton Motor Raceway's Grade 3 licence expired 1 June 2022.
References
edit- ^ a b 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 22 February 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Winton Lap Records". Retrieved 7 December 2022.
- ^ "Natsoft Race Results - Winton". Retrieved 7 December 2022.
- ^ "AMRS WRAP: Magro breaks lap record in F3 round win". Retrieved 11 March 2019.
- ^ "2023 SpeedSeries Winton Race 3 Statistics". Retrieved 11 June 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "Winton Motor Raceway Motorcycle Lap Records" (PDF). Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ "Australian Trophy Winton 2017". Retrieved 18 June 2022.
- ^ "Suhle the consistent in six race Australian F4 round at Winton". Retrieved 7 December 2022.
- ^ "Round 2, 2022: Winton". Retrieved 18 June 2022.
- ^ "TCR AU 2019 » Winton Motor Raceway Round 15 Results". Retrieved 7 May 2022.
- ^ "2023 Trans-Am Australia Winton Race 1 Results". 10 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ "ASTC 1998 » Winton Motor Raceway Round 14 Results". Retrieved 18 June 2022.
- ^ "Australian Formula Ford Lap Records". Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ "WASTC 1996 » Winton Motor Raceway Round 9 Results". Retrieved 18 June 2022.