Jump to content
SAU Community

Recommended Posts

RE-OPENING OF CALDER PARK'S GRAND PRIX CIRCUIT

January 20, 2006

The Nissan Skyline that won the Thunderdome Super Speedway's first feature race in 1987 returned to the scene of that victory this week to celebrate the re-opening of Calder Park's Grand Prix circuit.

Though built for NASCAR and AUSCAR stock car racing, the Thunderdome's inaugural meeting, held on August 10, 1987 featured a 300km event for Group A Touring Cars after Calder Park created the Grand Prix circuit; a combination of the iconic venue's National road racing track and Thunderdome.

V8 Supercar ace John Bowe and Terry Shiel drove the Nissan Motorsport Skyline (now owned by Melbourne Nissan enthusiasts Gavin and Mandy Strongman), to victory in that event and the win remains the only Thunderdome success by a Japanese-made vehicle. It was also Bowe's first touring car win.

And fittingly, the car's original pilot, George Fury, won the first touring car race held on the extended National circuit in the same machine a year earlier.

Unused for several years, the daunting combined track will be the highlight of this new, action packed event, which also includes drag racing, go-to-whoas, motorkhanas and other demanding auto tests.

Staged entirely within the grounds of Calder Park rather all over the State as happens with touring tarmac rallies, Rally Masters will uniquely allow spectators to take in all of the action as high-performance cars power-slide their way around the various courses.

Multiple Bathurst 1000 winner, NASCAR champion and tarmac rally superstar Jim Richards has been tempted by the Grand Prix circuit sprint, and says he will be doing his best to make the event on the Sunday even though sponsorship commitments prevent him from competing on day one.

Strongman meanwhile will park the ex-works Skyline and compete in his beautifully presented and highly-modified Datsun 260Z.

While the competition is expected to be fierce, Rally Masters aims to recreated all the run, friendship and camaraderie of the days when motor racing was a family-orientated sport, not a hard-nosed business.

I hate to say it, but you guys are soft c&cks doing this. You should be at the Island with us. It's the only place that scares the drivers to hell.

  • Replies 65
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Haha - and you've taken your car on the Thunderdome how many times before Aaron?? LOL

I really wish the dates didn't clash as I'd love to do the Island. My suspensions done finally so I'm ready to keep you honest.

But if you try and tell me that doing the Thunderdome at well over 200km/hr with walls all around isn't going to be scary then you're an idiot.

But we'll find a PIARC day later in the year to go down there together.

Haha - and you've taken your car on the Thunderdome how many times before Aaron?? LOL

I really wish the dates didn't clash as I'd love to do the Island. My suspensions done finally so I'm ready to keep you honest.

But if you try and tell me that doing the Thunderdome at well over 200km/hr with walls all around isn't going to be scary then you're an idiot.

But we'll find a PIARC day later in the year to go down there together.

you're calling me the idiot ?????? teee hee hee :D

Are you doubting the speeds????

Calder.gif

The main straight at Calder isn't that much longer than the length of the Dome straight and considering we start that in 2nd gear and reach a top speed of about 245km/hr on the main straight then given that Jeff tells me the end corners are taken at 180km/hr+ from when he went on the Dome I expect most of the lap to be over 200km/hr!

Well there is still no word on an entry price for spectators.

Although we have been allocated 2 wrist bands each for people to enter so it does suugest maybe there will be an entry fee.

As a side note - apparently the Police have entered a BF Falcon in the competition. Hope that doesn't lead to defects! LOL

Yep - $$$ are what Denham said.

I just rang back to confirm the above and they said the prices changed from when they advised me earlier.

Good for us I spose as its now cheaper :dry:

Thats cause they only got 40 entries. It's going to be less successful than an SAU DECA day.

PS. Me and Snowballs are gonna win!

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.



  • Similar Content

  • Latest Posts

    • This looks great! Awesome to have the 5 speed with an LSD in this. The Recaro's look like SR2's or SR3's. It's a shame they've been retrimmed as they would have looked sweet in their original colours. I think I'd want my agent to be a little more up front and informative too. I've never imported but I reckon it would make me a little nervous, so the more info the better.
    • Thanks for doing that Duncan! Makes you a good person in my books. We don't get kangaroos or wombats here. But we have bats and it's similar. AFAIK it's often the mums with a baby attached that get hit because they drop lower when starting from a tree. If you hit an animal, check on it. https://www.ifaw.org/au/resources/wildlife-rescue-app An app to get the closest wildlife rescue contact.
    • My dream is also to have a proper hoist, but I don't think it will ever happen. My quickjack is probably as close as I'll ever get, it really is very good though. 
    • Yeah we keep on in the dailies, it is pretty poor how many animals get hit and the driver leaves without checking....have saved a couple of little ones over the years. Bit of a gruesome job though, pouches generally need to be cut open because they are so tight and often the joey doesn't realise mum is gone so they are still locked onto the teat. I checked the modules in front of the DS wheel where an oil cooler should go.... There is the radar unit - that can go for race use) One of the 2 HX water pumps, the silver cylinder. That needs to be kept but might be able to be relocated But the bad news, the big computer mounted vertically in front of the wheel (blocking any potential air exit) is the electric steering computer. That is required until/unless i do a hydraulic steering conversion, and in CAD based modern car design it is not like I can just pop a big unit like that somewhere else (plus the loom would be too short anywhere else too). So, the passenger side is OK to clear out (just use a smaller washer reservoir, potentially elsewhere), but the DS no beuno
    • Well, all the best with the new camry It was interesting to hear about the UK process, it is generally a lot more streamlined here with a shipping agent looking after all the import side (noting the exact final price can still be a surprise.....) and I've used a few different brokers on the japan (or US) side, and never had any trouble with any of them....luck of the draw I guess. You mentioned you didn't get the auction sheet (understandable since you bought it from a dealer, not auction), but I always try and get hold of that because they are pretty thorough. I've imported 2x R grade vehicles over the years and both were fine, repairs in Japan are pretty thorough compared to here in Oz.
×
×
  • Create New...