Drag Strip in eastern Melbourne ?

[Falcon Coupe]

This article is in the latest Cranbourne Journal:
I ran into Rick today, he is very keen to pursue this and is looking for support, permission from council has been granted for any land between Cranbourne and Tooradin to be used.

Article :

A CRANBOURNE resident fed up with illegal street racing is appealing to Casey landowners to offer land for a legal track. Evans road resident Rick Langoor said securing a suitable location for drag racing was the only way to stop the ongoing problem of residential streets being used as racetracks.

He said racing and "burnouts" were always going to be a problem until municipalities provided a safe and competitive environment for drivers to race.

Mr Langoor said the legal off-street drag racing at Calder racetrack on Friday nights had given drivers in the western suburbs somewhere to race, and had reduced the level of illegal street racing.

A similar operation has been ruled out at Sandown, following a Geater Dandenong Council crackdown on hoon behaviour. Sandown manager Wade Calder wood said council had already indicated it would not consider issuing a permit for legal off-street racing in light of the trouble at Noble Park recently caused by "intolerable hoon behaviour".
"We can't offer that even if we wanted to because we have been told we wouldn't get a permit for it."

However, Mr Langoor said he planned to meet Gerater Dandenong Council to push for a Sandown permit.
"What they don't realise is that legal drag racing would reduce hoon behaviour on the road."

The owner of several high-powered cars, Mr Langoor said he doesn't blame the hoon drivers.
"These are young kids who drag around the street have nothing else to do and nowhere to go. " They just need somewhere where they can do this legally.
"I've spoken to them when they've been dragging up my street and they are fantastic young kids who just want somewhere to drive their cars fast.

"I don't want to tell them to stop driving their cars, but I do want them to be safe and I do want them to be able to do what they like doing."
Casey Mayor Colin Butler said the council would gladly support the development of a legal drag racing venue if suitable land could be found " ... I think it's a fantastic idea,"

[T3ts50]

Apparently they want to open Sandown on Friday nights for legal off street drags to avoid things like the Noble Park incident. Im hoping so its too far to drive to calder for me.

[naughts]

I know the owner of tooradin airport is still trying....

[FPV8U]

Well lets hope something comes of this, can only be a positve for everyone.

[brenx]

Anywhere in the South East would be good for drag racing.

[ratter]

and we'll still get the idiots doing burnouts on the street because they don't want to pay to race or don't want to buy a helmet.

[BlackBa]

By all reports if any one can, get WHOOSHA on the job.

[CAMS290]

Originally Posted by naughts

I know the owner of tooradin airport is still trying....

Gary Morrison who owns TGS sand at Nyora also owns the Tooradin air field, i have heard that it has almost sent him broke with his King Island joy flights, so he wouldnt spend the $$$ for bugger all return. And if they used the air field it would only be an 1/8th of a mile anyway.....

We have got no hope of anyone donating land for a track down that way, there is hardly any return on investment for a race track. There would be better return growing brussel sprouts !

There was going to be a new track off Robinsons rd Derrimut a few years back, plans approved and funds available, but the land was worth big $$$ to investors for factorys...it was sold !!

Unless the Vic Government or one of the local councils donate some land we have got buckleys of getting a fully ANDRA sanctioned 1/4 mile track.

[4Vman]

Great initiative for those who participate in and enjoy drag racing but i really doubt having a drag strip in the Eastern burbs is going to stop or reduce "intolerable hoon behaviour".
These idiots will probably be too tight to pay the enterance fee or provide a vehicle that would pass scrutineering anyway, i think they enjoy the "rebel" element associated with doing it on our streets..
All it will do IMO is provide an alternative venue for people who travel to calder/heathcote to use, which in issolation is probably a good thing.. but i dont see it as a way of reducing bad behaviour on our roads.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Great initiative for those who participate in and enjoy drag racing but i really doubt having a drag strip in the Eastern burbs is going to stop or reduce "intolerable hoon behaviour".

All it will do IMO is provide an alternative venue for people who travel to calder/heathcote to use.

And in turn take customers from Calder and Heathcote and then those places will get worse.

Is an hour or so that far for people to drive? I wouldn't have thought so.

[4Vman]

Originally Posted by Polyal

And in turn take customers from Calder and Heathcote and then those places will get worse.

Is an hour or so that far for people to drive? I wouldn't have thought so.

That's a good point, what if this new venue meant that calder's attendance dropped 50%... under such conditions would calder stay open or remain viable?

[Poetic Justice]

It really depends on how it's run and how it's priced.

Anything done in this situation will be a step in the right direction

[4Vman]

I think there are a couple of points here that need careful consideration before they do this, or at very least how they portray this.

The first point id make is the linking of a new drag racing facility or drag racing in general with "hoon behaviour". Is this what we want? do we want "hoon behaviour" linked or associated with the image of drag racing and "drag racers"?
I know many people who drag race as a hobby or sport, these people a decent law abiding people who drive sensibly and safely on our roads, they know that there is a time and place for their hobby or sport, they don't mix the 2.
I think advertising the use of a drag racing facility as a means of curbing "hoon behaviour" may send the wrong message..

The second point is the inference by this that "hoon behaviour" is an uncontrollable behaviour that needs to be "satisfied" or given a "release".. its a bit like saying gun enthusiasts need shooting ranges to stop them shooting in public.
The "lack" of appropriate facilities or "place" to conduct the hobby is no excuse for breaking the law, drivers need to learn to respect the laws not break them because they feel like it..
I think a fair component of "hoon behaviour" is the opportunism of being out late at night and being "challenged" but others and the thrill associated with breaking the law in the first place..
I doubt a structured, supervised, heavily regulated and monitored environment like a properly run drag track is what these people are interested in.

If Drag racing was a serious hobby of mine id be pretty annoyed that my sport was being associated with the hoon element and as a result drag racers portrayed as "hoons".

If the numbers stack up and a new drag racing facility is viable i say go for it, but build it for the genuine racers and enthusiasts, not for the "Hoons"..

[Craig]

Well i know first hand that there is a group currently talking with the STATE government, there's not alot of (if any) public attention about this as there will be
some negativity from certain sectors of the community so it's all very low key ATM.

Lets just remain calm and some good will be released pretty soon.

Cheers Craig

[XPcoupe]

Why doesn't someone call Rusty French (Skye Sands) he gots heaps of land around Cranbourne and loves his motor sport. I am sure he would have a old quary some where they could build a strip in.

Also Sandown will not work as of the noise the locals winge about the V8's during the day. Also at Esternats Police were at the front enterance checking cars as they came out of the grounds. that will encourge people to go ..NOT..

[sfr rob]

It has to happen, we all know Sandown will never get a friday night drag facility because of the noise being so close to residential areas, but I still cant believe that the government havent drawn up plans to open something like this down our way, it's a joke.
If i remember correctly, wasn't there a petition going around a while back about this?
It's pretty simple really, If nothing is done, we will only see more and more of the "maccas" incident, not everyone has the time or could be bothered driving all the way out to Calder or Heathcote for 2 or 3 runs on a friday.

[BJ]

I applauded this blokes action's.

But having said that, have a look at Driva. What have they done NOTHING as yet, all we keep hearing from them is the word's fund raising. The bottom line is that the state government don't what to back some thing like this, if they did they would be all over it like a rash. There are some good and bad point on here, i just hope some thing is done in my life time.

[brenx]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Is an hour or so that far for people to drive? I wouldn't have thought so.

Depends on where you live. I'll use Calder for example and assume the person lives in the Cranbourne/Dandenong area. Most would have to take a day off work unless they finish work @ 2-3pm. I'll assume whomever lives close to work (say within 15-20mins).

I generally go by similar rules as my work as we travel quite a bit too. Basically the rule is anything more than 30mins is unjustifyable (sp??). Imagine finishing work @ 5->6pm on a Friday, collecting a hire trailer and then driving to Calder in peak hour traffic (as an example from Cranbourne). If you got their prior to 8pm I'd be suprised. By the time you unloaded it'd probably be around 8:20. Scruitineered around 8:30-8.45. You'd probably get 2 runs between 9-10pm.

I'd rather not drive through the peak hour traffic from the East, West and North. East is bad enough.

Now to finish work @ 5-6pm, sort the above stated, drive 1/2hr and you've be there by 7-7:30ish latest. You get roughly 2 hours racing for your $, which isn't too bad.

Whenever I raced @ Calder I usually left home @ 2:30-3pm that way I missed all the traffic, just cruised and wasn't in a hurry.

The very reason Heathcote is so popular is racing on the weekend. No need to beat peak hour for the Mon-Fri 9-5 workers. Just a long drive is required.

Hopefully something happens. It'd be practical for some of the Gippsland racers also. There's plenty of them too.

[BJ]

Originally Posted by brenx

Depends on where you live. I'll use Calder for example and assume the person lives in the Cranbourne/Dandenong area. Most would have to take a day off work unless they finish work @ 2-3pm. I'll assume whomever lives close to work (say within 15-20mins).

I generally go by similar rules as my work as we travel quite a bit too. Basically the rule is anything more than 30mins is unjustifiably (sp??). Imagine finishing work @ 5->6pm on a Friday, collecting a hire trailer and then driving to Calder in peak hour traffic (as an example from Cranbourne). If you got their prior to 8pm I'd be surprised. By the time you unloaded it'd probably be around 8:20. Scruitineered around 8:30-8.45. You'd probably get 2 runs between 9-10pm.

I'd rather not drive through the peak hour traffic from the East, West and North. East is bad enough.

Now to finish work @ 5-6pm, sort the above stated, drive 1/2hr and you've be there by 7-7:30ish latest. You get roughly 2 hours racing for your $, which isn't too bad.

Whenever I raced @ Calder I usually left home @ 2:30-3pm that way I missed all the traffic, just cruised and wasn't in a hurry.

The very reason Heathcote is so popular is racing on the weekend. No need to beat peak hour for the Mon-Fri 9-5 workers. Just a long drive is required.

Hopefully something happens. It'd be practical for some of the Gippsland racers also. There's plenty of them too.

Couldn't agree more.

[LTDHO]

If they will not open Sandown due to noise, they will not open anything on Evans road either.
I always thought Tooradan would be best, it just need financial backing.

Ideally there is a track required near our side of town.

[4Vman]

The sobering thing for all this unfortunatly is the sheer cost of doing such a development, land costs a fortune within an hr of melbourne, and then there's the set-up costs, fesibility studys etc etc..
The only way i could see it becoming viable is if its built as a multi purpose motorsport facility i.e circuit as well because as a purpose built Drag racing only facility it has too much competition from Calder and Heathcote. That way they can then derive income from it 7 days a week with testing, driver training etc. A once a week facility IMO wouldnt be financially sustainable.
If Sandown was to close and make way for housing i think it could be made viable because it could attract V8supercar racing as well as other National motorsport events and corporate drivier training etc to help cover the enourmous development and on going running costs.

[Falcon Coupe]

When i spoke to this bloke he was prepared to put his hand in his own pocket and said he new many blokes that would do the same, he was talking about leasing some land that had an old highway section on it already, he mentioned he works with Nitro sercurity and said they had enough blokes volunteer to to keep it all under control.

[Falcon Coupe]

Originally Posted by brenx

Depends on where you live. I'll use Calder for example and assume the person lives in the Cranbourne/Dandenong area. Most would have to take a day off work unless they finish work @ 2-3pm. I'll assume whomever lives close to work (say within 15-20mins).

I generally go by similar rules as my work as we travel quite a bit too. Basically the rule is anything more than 30mins is unjustifyable (sp??). Imagine finishing work @ 5->6pm on a Friday, collecting a hire trailer and then driving to Calder in peak hour traffic (as an example from Cranbourne). If you got their prior to 8pm I'd be suprised. By the time you unloaded it'd probably be around 8:20. Scruitineered around 8:30-8.45. You'd probably get 2 runs between 9-10pm.

I'd rather not drive through the peak hour traffic from the East, West and North. East is bad enough.

Now to finish work @ 5-6pm, sort the above stated, drive 1/2hr and you've be there by 7-7:30ish latest. You get roughly 2 hours racing for your $, which isn't too bad.

Whenever I raced @ Calder I usually left home @ 2:30-3pm that way I missed all the traffic, just cruised and wasn't in a hurry.

The very reason Heathcote is so popular is racing on the weekend. No need to beat peak hour for the Mon-Fri 9-5 workers. Just a long drive is required.

Hopefully something happens. It'd be practical for some of the Gippsland racers also. There's plenty of them too.

Well said Brenden, also trailer rental would not be needed for a track in the east, i would just go get one if something broke.

[nugget378]

You guys need a world class strip down there,hopefully something like WSID,and get some nitro action happening.
From what I hear of Calder,its no loss if it goes under..

[JamesR]

id deffianatly be keen for something like this.
Calder, Heathcote and Bairnsdale are all too far away for me.

[BPXR6T]

Lets hope it happens, I'm moving back down that way in the next couple of months. There is no way I'll be driving to the other side of the city for Caulder.

[angelfury]

Two schools of thought: 1/4 mile world class ANDRA sanctioned drag strip - for the people who can afford those sorts of cars and that sort of venue; or: somewhere where people can let rip with their basically roadworthy cars, ie a bit of dragging, a bit of burnouts, etc - your average June Hoon.

if you start looking at something world class, it's not going to happen, mainly because you won't be able to justify the expense to council/state government if asking for a handout. and someone won't just come along and build it out of the goodness of their heart because there's no huge money in it to be made.

however, if you look for something smallish in stature (1/8 mile, so what?), as cheap as can possibly be built where people can have a good time letting rip in whatever road worthy condition car they bring, then you have a far better chance of achieving that. start small, show there's on going participants, show there's a constant desire for it, and THEN start to look at the bigger picture.

[brenx]

Originally Posted by angelfury

Two schools of thought: 1/4 mile world class ANDRA sanctioned drag strip - for the people who can afford those sorts of cars and that sort of venue; or: somewhere where people can let rip with their basically roadworthy cars, ie a bit of dragging, a bit of burnouts, etc - your average June Hoon.

if you start looking at something world class, it's not going to happen, mainly because you won't be able to justify the expense to council/state government if asking for a handout. and someone won't just come along and build it out of the goodness of their heart because there's no huge money in it to be made.

however, if you look for something smallish in stature (1/8 mile, so what?), as cheap as can possibly be built where people can have a good time letting rip in whatever road worthy condition car they bring, then you have a far better chance of achieving that. start small, show there's on going participants, show there's a constant desire for it, and THEN start to look at the bigger picture.

The problem with starting small ie 1/8 mile is it usually stays small. Mainly due to land constraints. Better to setup for a 1/4 from the get go and have room to move than start small and have no room to move at all. There's already enough 1/8 mile strips around. The drag racing fraternity doesn't need another.

[4Vman]

You can bet one thing for sure, the Insurance companies, Worksafe and the local council will have a large influence on the design, set-up and how its run....

[FPV8U]

Well with all this negativity it isn't going to get anywhere.

What about Calder if attendence falls?

Who cares if old Bob actually cared about drag racing/general motorsport he would have spend a few $$$ on that place a long time ago.

Is Calder really that far from the people from the east?

Yes, if i want to go, i have to leave here between 1-2pm on a friday, not only city people like drag racing.

Wont help with the hoons, they are rebels...

Well strike me down, the same people that ***** and moan about P Platers driving decent cars, hooning on the streets, Etc are on here saying it won't work, well to quote one of those peoples lines from another thread.

"It can't hurt..."

Lets get behind the idea, because evan if it pulls 10% of younger people off the streets, and onto a track, if thats 1 life saved a year, it is money well spent!

Not to mention it's will hopefully be a nice new Drag racing venue for all to enjoy young and old.