Queensland 500 Enduro 2006

[Marlin]

*** EDIT*** It's 28th of May, NOT the 25th - I don't know how to change the sub-heading?

G'day all,

Here's a copy of an email I recieved this morning from John Tetley, manager of Queensland Raceway.

Sounds like a great FUN team event, I can see the "TEAM SAU" stickers now! I know a couple of guys who are already planning their attack on it, and was certain there'd be plenty of interest on this forum now that there are plenty of cars that I believe are fast/reliable enough to do the job!!!

What do you think?

Copy follows;

An invitation to race at

The rebirth of the Queensland 500

On May 28th Queensland Raceway will have a true long-distance race available to you, the regular motorsport competitors. Entry forms will be sent by request to 07 5461 9100 and entries will close on the 11th of May with the Entrants Information Pack mail out scheduled for May 17th. A copy of the entry form and this invitation will also be available on our website: www.queenslandraceway.com.au - please tell people to ring us or get the data off the site if you discover they didn't receive this invitation directly.

What is it?

It's a very simple team race concept to give you, the entrants, the maximum possible flexibility in how you participate and enjoy this novel new event. As the name suggests it's a 500 km race which finishes when the first car completes the distance. We anticipate this will take about three hours and 30 minutes. The minimum run time for each car and driver entered is 35 minutes unless there is a certified mechanical failure (for the car), in which case the next slower car must complete the 35 minute period.

There is NO judiciary or appeal process for the results. This is a Recreational Competition FUN event so if you're in the "Go Hard or Go Home" camp it may not be to your liking. We are not inviting overseas teams and the rules will be liberally applied by the Race Director but competitor safety will always be paramount. If you have experience with our TopGear race meetings you'll understand and be comfortable with the format.

What's a team & what's it cost?

General Entry will be restricted to the first 45 correct entry forms received. This may be a dangerous precedent as according to Ron Turvey this means we will have no entries...

A team has to have at least one car and up to a maximum of four cars, a minimum of two drivers and a maximum of four drivers, in this way we give you the maximum possible flexibility for assembling a team for the event. The entry fee for each team, including both the garage and pit lane accommodation, is $1250. Each team will be allocated a pit Bay and garage for their exclusive use during the event. The pit lane car ports will be lit for the occasion.

Do you have categories?

Not as such but we will bracket the teams by adding together the capacity of each car to establish the Team Capacity of the cars entered. Where there are less than four cars entered in a team we calculate the Team Capacity by adding together the capacity of all the cars entered (entered capacity) and then fudging up the Team Capacity. We do this by taking the entered capacity and multiply it by either 4 for a one car team, 2 for a two car team, or 1.33 for a three car team. This means the team rating for a one car team of a 7 litre Monaro will be 28.

Supercharged and turbo charged cars will have their capacities multiplied by 1.5 and rotaries are rated as 2.5 litres for normally aspirated and 5 litres for turbocharged. This means a team of an RX7 Series 6 and a Gemini of 1.584litres makes 6.584 multiplied by 2 to make a Team Capacity 13.168 Litres - easy eh?

For our first event the Team Capacity brackets have been set as:

1. Less than 7 Litres

2. More than 7 Litres and less than 10 Litres

3. More than 10 Litres and less than 17 Litres

4. More than 17 Litres and less than 22 Litres

5. More than 22 Litres

Prizes & trophies will be awarded for teams that place within the Team Capacity brackets.

How does it run?

It is a Sunday only event starting with scrutineering at noon, qualifying commences at 1:30 for which each team will nominate a specific car and driver combination to qualify. There will be ten, approximately equal performance cars, in each qualifying session and the qualifying sessions will last 15 minutes each; there will be a discretionary qualifying session to finalise the qualifying period. The main race will commence at three o'clock which means we will have approximately 1 hour of racing in the dark, therefore all cars entered must have headlights that work. Specific parts of the track will have lighting and some areas will be in total darkness. All racing and qualifying will be on the National circuit.

Who is running it?

QR is the promoter and organiser. The event will be run under the AASA auspices to give QR the maximum flexibility with accepting entries for the event. This means you can enter cars with and without a CAMS log book (providing it has headlights). Cars without a CAMS logbook are required to have a full harness for the driver, clearly marked tow points and battery points and at least a half roll cage. Drivers will need to have either an AASA National licence or minimum CAMS C3.

What about Pit & Refuel stops?

Firstly, dry break refuelling systems will not be required as there will be an undercover refuelling area with a fire marshall. Every pitstop has a minimum duration of three minutes. This will minimise pit lane traffic and ensure teams with professional pit lane crews will not have an advantage over the rest of us mere mortals. Dry break refuelling systems will be required if you intend to refuel in pit lane. You are free to leave pit lane at any time you choose but if there is less than three minutes between "car in-car out" the untaken time will be added to your overall time for the event. For safety's sake a fuel truck with premium unleaded will be used for all competitors not using a dry break system. THERE IS TO BE NO FUELLING FROM DRUMS DURING THE RACE.

Any Prize money?

As well as trophies we are actively seeking prizes for the event and we have kicked it off with Dunlop. There is a $2000 cash prize for the outright winning car if it's on Dunlop tyres. There is also $1000 for outright second and $500 for outright third place on Dunlop tyres. For each category there will be a prize of $500 against the purchase of Dunlop race tyres for the first Dunlop shod car home.

We are currently assembling other prizes for the event and these will be advised to you in the Entrants Information Pack and on the web site as they become available. We have a $500 cash prize for the all Gemini four car team that goes the greatest distance (courtesy of Rod Dawson & John Tetley). Just so you know it's not a setup, Rod Dawson is supposed to be running his V8 Supercar team at Wakefield Park that day - we shall see!

Any TV or sponsorship opportunities?

Yes to both. Zuraya and her talented production team will cover the event for Rev Central series 3 - we expect it to be our best series yet. Did you know more people watch Briz31 than all Brisbane cable channels combined?

There are sponsorship opportunities for the event naming rights, bracket prizes, best presented team, etc. etc. Contact Keith on 5461 9104 if you see an opportunity for your business.

Best of all?

Our traditional post race sausage sizzle with tall stories will commence at 7:00pm and presentations will commence as soon as we have sorted out the results and who won what.

Just to make the point again, in keeping with the AASA recreational racing philosophy, this event is for recreational purposes so do not expect to see, or compete with, top line international teams etc. It is an opportunity for cars that currently do not race in Australia to have a serious run and it is the first of the AASA enduro events and it is followed on the next weekend by Queensland's first AASA National event. Two weekends of making motor racing history in a row, how's that?

Don't forget you have ring us for the Entry Forms.

Lets have some long distance fun, jt

Edited March 21, 2006 by Marlin