'Unreal': V8 Supercars legend test drives Goulburn's new racetrack

Cameron Hill has delivered his verdict on Goulburn’s new-look racetrack, with only a few areas ‘needing improvement’.

The Canberra-born V8 Supercars legend was invited to become the first race driver to sample the new-look One Raceway this week.

“To touch the track, to be the first one to hit it in anger, was unreal,” he said.

“It was a bit dusty, but I did my best. It was just incredible to see all the work that’s gone down.”

Cameron knows all 2.2 kilometres of what was once Wakefield Park Raceway well. At least every month, he and his dad would drive one hour from Canberra to train here for the Australia Formula Ford Series. And in 2015, the training paid off when he won the series title – also at Wakefield.

“I mean, this was the track I used to come to all the time,” he said.

“I essentially learned how to drive a race car here, so there are a lot of fun memories. To have it online again is awesome. I’ll definitely be here quite a lot.”

The circuit was closed indefinitely in September 2022 in the aftermath of a legal battle over noise restrictions, so it’s been some time since Cameron was last on it.

“I work with some young drivers, and we basically have to drive five hours to Winton, so it becomes a more expensive, two-day endeavour. Whereas, to be able to do a day trip and get track time in was always so valuable.”

Steven Shelley, who also owns the Pheasant Wood Circuit at Marulan, bought the circuit in April 2023 with a vision to transform into the only racetrack in Australia that allows for racing in both directions (not at once, obviously).

Construction crews have spent the past few months moulding massive dirt sound walls, upgrading facilities and laying tarmac.

Behind the wheel of his team’s current-spec Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, Cameron says the biggest differences are the banked corners on the east and west ends of the track. This enables faster speeds in what were previously flat and tight corners.

“There are not many corners with banking in Australia, and I think this is about 10 per cent gradient, so it’s really unique,” he said.

“Two circuits, one raceway”, as the slogan goes, and that was another discovery for Cameron – going the other way around the track.

“The fact you’re now able to drive around it both ways is totally different to what I’m used to, but I found my groove.”

He certainly did. By the end of his warm-up laps, he was getting within a whisker of the “magic 60-second mark” – both ways.

“I wasn’t game to go off the road yet – they’ve done the track, but they haven’t finished the infield areas,” he explained.

One Raceway officially reopens for the Australian Superbike Championship from 4 to 6 October, and superbike racers Troy Corser and Tom Toparis followed in Cameron’s tyre marks and also got to sample the track.

Steven said it was the perfect opportunity to hear feedback before the big day.

“There’s actually been some really good feedback on a couple of places in the circuit we might need to have a little look at,” he said.

“For some of these, we have to dig up the ground and put concrete curbs in, so you want to get it right, so you might as well have a pro driver tell you where they should be.”

In the end, he said, “Everybody is super, super chuffed and very excited”, and looking forward to turning up the wick come October.

Original Article published by James Coleman on Riotact.