Winton Motor Raceway
Winton Motor Raceway is a motor racing track in Winton, near Benalla, Victoria, Australia.
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Location | Winton, Victoria |
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Coordinates | 36°31′6″S 146°5′15″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 |
Race lap record | 1:14.3058 [1] (John Magro, Magro Farming Co (Dallara F308/11), 2019, Australian Formula 3) |
Winton Club Circuit | |
Length | 2.03 km (1.261 mi) |
Turns | 11 |
Race lap record | 0:52.9900 (Mark Larkham, Reynard 90D Holden, 1992, Formula Brabham) |
History
The Benalla Auto Club began planning for a permanent racing track around 1958, as a replacement for their existing track at Barjarg.[2] 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.[3] 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.[2] 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
The circuit at Winton Motor Raceway has a combination of long fast straights and twisty and tight bends. It is also known as "Australia's Action Track".[4] 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 10 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
- 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 viewing areas make 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 | ![]() |
Lola T430 Chevrolet | Porsche Distributors | |
1982 | ![]() |
Tiga FA81 Ford | Porsche Cars Australia | |
1983 | ![]() |
Tiga FA81 Ford | Porsche Cars Australia | |
Formula Mondial | ||||
1984 | ![]() |
Ralt RT4 Ford | Chris Leach Racing | |
1986 | ![]() |
Ralt RT4 Ford | Watson Motor Racing Pty Ltd | |
Formula Holden | ||||
1989* | ![]() |
Ralt RT20 Holden | R.J.Macarthur Onslow | |
1989* | ![]() |
Ralt RT21 Holden | John Briggs | |
1990 | ![]() |
Ralt RT21 Holden | John Briggs | |
Formula Brabham | ||||
1992 | ![]() |
Reynard 90D Holden | Larkham Motor Sport | |
1994 | ![]() |
Reynard 90D Holden | Birrana Racing | |
Formula Holden | ||||
1997 | ![]() |
Reynard 92D Holden | SH Racing | |
1999 | ![]() |
Reynard 94D Holden | SH Racing | |
2000 | ![]() |
Reynard 92D Holden | Greg Murphy Racing | |
2001 | ![]() |
Reynard 94D Holden | Birrana Racing | |
2002 | ![]() |
Reynard 94D Holden | Ralt Australia | |
2003 | ![]() |
Reynard 95D Holden | CPA Australia | |
2004 | ![]() |
Reynard 97D Holden | Hocking Motorsport | |
Australian Formula 3 | ||||
2009** | ![]() ![]() |
Dallara F307 Mercedes-Benz Dallara F307-Mercedes-Benz |
Scud Racing Team BRM | |
2011 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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 Chevrolet | Terry Hook |
Australian Sports Sedan / GT Championship
1980, 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
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
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 | ![]() |
Yamaha YZF-R1 |
2006 | ![]() |
Yamaha YZF-R1 |
Formula X-treme Motorcycle Championship
Year | Rider | Bike |
---|---|---|
2009 | ![]() |
Honda CBR1000RR |
2010 | ![]() |
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 12 June 2019.[5]
Class | Driver | Vehicle | Time | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Outright | ![]() |
Reynard 90D Holden | 52.99 | 4 April 1992 |
Racing Cars | ||||
Formula Brabham | ![]() |
Reynard 90D Holden | 52.99 | 4 April 1992 |
Formula Mondial | ![]() |
Ralt RT4 Ford | 53.80 | 12 August 1984 |
Formula 5000 | ![]() |
Lola T430 Chevrolet | 55.80 | October 1979 |
Formula 2 | ![]() |
Cheetah Mk 8 Volkswagen | 56.96 | December 1988 |
Formula Ford | ![]() |
Swift SC92F | 1:01.18 | April 1992 |
Formula Vee | ![]() |
Elfin 76 | 1:07.01 | March 1996 |
Sports Cars | ||||
Group A Sports Cars (Under 3-Litre) | ![]() |
Kaditcha K583 Cosworth | 57.10 | 14 August 1983 |
Group A Sports Cars (Over 3-Litre) | ![]() |
Kaditcha Chevrolet | 57.40 | 14 August 1983 |
Sports Sedan | ![]() |
Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV Chevrolet | 58.80 | 12 August 1984 |
GT | ![]() |
Porsche 935/80 | 59.00 | 16 May 1982 |
Clubman | ![]() |
Galloway | 59.60 | December 1987 |
Touring Cars | ||||
Group 3A Touring Car | ![]() |
Ford EB Falcon | 59.65 | 16 May 1993 |
Super Touring | ![]() |
Audi A4 Quattro | 1:00.6255 | 25 August 1996 |
Group A | ![]() |
Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R | 1:01.56 | 5 May 1992 |
GT Production | ![]() |
Porsche 911 RSCS | 1:02.3751 | 25 August 1996 |
Group 3E Series Production Cars | ![]() |
Holden VP Commodore | 1:09.42 | 16 May 1993 |
Motorbikes | ||||
Superbike | ![]() |
Honda RC45 | 1:00.7655 | May 1995 |
National Circuit
- As of April 2019.
Class | Driver | Vehicle | Time | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Outright | ![]() |
Dallara F311 | 1:14.3058 | 10 March 2019 |
Racing Cars | ||||
Formula 3 | ![]() |
Dallara F311 | 1:14.3058 | 10 March 2019 |
Formula Holden | ![]() |
Reynard 95D Holden | 1:14.5697 | 16 July 2000 |
Formula 4 | ![]() |
Mygale F4-Ford | 1:20.6106 | 2 September 2018 |
Formula Ford (Duratec) | ![]() |
Spectrum 014 | 1:25.4232 | September 2016 |
Formula Ford (Kent) | ![]() |
Van Diemen RF01 | 1:26.2188 | 18 August 2002 |
Formula Vee | ![]() |
Checkmate SP-02 | 1:35.0901 | 5 July 2015 |
Sports Cars | ||||
Sports Sedan | ![]() |
Audi A4 Chevrolet | 1:19.8777 | 12 June 2016 |
GT | ![]() |
Audi R8 LMS GT3 | 1:20.4298 | June 2017 |
Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge | ![]() |
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (991) | 1:21.6518 | 2 September 2018 |
Nations Cup | ![]() |
Lamborghini Diablo GTR | 1:23.8403 | 21 September 2003 |
Porsche Carrera Cup | ![]() |
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 997 | 1:24.3765 | 20 May 2007 |
Aussie Racing Cars | ![]() |
Mustang-Yamaha | 1:31.9005 | 20 May 2018 |
Touring Cars | ||||
Supercars Championship | ![]() |
Ford FG X Falcon | 1:19.7092 | 21 May 2016 |
Super2 Series | ![]() |
Ford FG Falcon | 1:23.7669 | 5 April 2014 |
V8 Touring Car National Series | ![]() |
Holden VE Commodore | 1:23.3446 | 22 May 2016 |
Super Touring | ![]() |
Volvo S40 | 1:25.3181 | 9 August 1998 |
Touring Car Masters | ![]() |
Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 | 1:28.0049 | 22 May 2016 |
GT Performance | ![]() |
Mazda RX-7 Series 8 | 1:32.6533 | 21 September 2003 |
V8 Ute Racing Series | ![]() |
Holden VE SS Ute | 1:35.2253 | 21 May 2016 |
SuperUtes | ![]() |
Holden Colorado | 1:42.9017 | 20 May 2018 |
24 Hours of Lemons | ![]() |
BMW E36 328 | 1:40.4680 | 27 April 2019 |
Motorbikes | ||||
Superbike | ![]() |
Honda CBR1000RR | 1:20.437 | 9 September 2018 |
600cc Supersport | ![]() |
Suzuki GSX-R 600 | 1:22.806 | 30 April 2017 |
F1 Sidecar | ![]() ![]() |
Windle - Suzuki GSX-R 1000 | 1:30.056 | 18 July 2010 |
F2 Sidecar | ![]() ![]() |
LCR - Honda CBR 600RR | 1:33.757 | 30 April 2017 |
References
- AMRS WRAP: Magro breaks lap record in F3 round win, www.speedcafe.com Retrieved 11 March 2019
- 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.
- Winton lap records