Calder Park gains national level licence ahead of Vic State Race Series

After 12 months of hard work, Calder Park has been granted a Motorsport Australia Category B2 licence, paving the way for the Victorian State Race Series to return for the first time since 2008 this weekend.

After 15 years away a Motorsport Australia endorsed meeting will take place at the revived and iconic Melbourne based circuit once home to the Australian Grand Prix and annual Supercars Championship rounds.

This weekend Saloon Cars, MGs and Invited, Formula Vee, Series X3 Hyundais and BMW E30s, Porsche 944 Challenge, Formula Vee, Improved Production and Combined Sedans will be the categories racing around the fast and undulating track.

The upgraded run off at the end of turn one at Calder Park.

To ensure the Victorian State Race Series could come to Calder Park this weekend to stage its anticipated season finale, the small, but dedicated track team worked around the clock to complete a number of upgrades.

As a result, Motorsport Australia’s David Stuart completed an inspection and approved the track to obtain the important Category B2 licence which entitles Calder Park to host state championship events.

The next step for the Calder Park team is working towards gaining a national level license.

An excited Calder Park venue manager Rowan Harman was pleased to confirm the B2 licence had been granted.

“We are delighted,” he told AUTO ACTION.

The revised gravel trap at turn two in front of the updated tyre barrier and conveyor belt.

“It was a small team effort, but we have achieved a lot of work and we are happy to report our licence has been granted for this weekend.”

Harman went onto reveal the extent of the recent works undertaken around the track, which were focused around the run-off areas of turns one, two, four and five, plus the back straight.

“The track has had a significant amount work including new curbing to realign turns 4 and 5, leading onto the back straight,” he said.

“We have also extended the run-off areas at turn one, the end of the front straight and turn 6, end of the back straight. 

A view from the track at the end of the Calder Park back straight.

“This has included significant upgrades to the gravel traps as well as increased track edge curbing in various locations.

“We have fitted conveyor belt/tyre wall protection areas in various areas and finished off a few of the items on the list that Motorsport Australia requested us to complete.”

In August the revived and iconic Melbourne based circuit received a Category C licence which led to the Victorian Motor Racing Championship ending a long drought between race meetings.

Now with the latest milestone breached, a significant and major weekend of racing awaits.

Victorian State Race Series representative David Vernall is excited to see the championship’s return of racing to the iconic Victorian race circuit and is buoyed by the number of operating racetracks now available to the series and the competitors.

“It’s great to have the track back and Rodney Jane and his team at Calder need to be congratulated for all the hard work they have put it to get the track back for Victorian Motorsport,” he told AUTO ACTION.

Hyundai Excels charge into turn one at Calder Park during the recent Victorian Motor Racing Championships round. Image: Vichen Photo

“It’s fantastic to have four race circuits up and operating in Victoria, we are very lucky to be in this position.

“Last time we held a round of the Victorian State Race Series was in 2008, it was an event which was run as a twilight meeting.

“It’s our final round of the series and it will be great to see racing return with a jam-packed program of racing over the weekend of October 27-29.

“We have good fields of Saloon Cars, MG’s and Invited British cars, BMW E30, Porsche 944 Challenge, there will be plenty of Hyundai Excels, as well as Formula Vee, Improved Production Cars. 

“We have a new combined category made up of sports cars and tin tops competing for the first time.”

The meeting will be a great one to attend and entry is only $5 per person, or a carload is only $10. For further information visit www.vsrs.com.au 

Main Image: Rebecca Hind-Revved Photography

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