1988 NASCAR Goodyear 500 - Calder Park THUNDERDOME

[Franco Cozzo]

I thought this was interesting - coverage of the first NASCAR race outside of the USA, here in Melbourne in 1988 at the new at the time Calder Park Thunderdome.



I wonder how long before it turns into housing?

[Franco Cozzo]

Tour of the track as it sat in 2018 (30 years later)

[Charliewool]

I was at the first one... Old Bob even put on free buses to Calder
Them days chocablock eskys were allowed.
Huge crowd too. From memory Gricey’s car was painted Aussie flag colours.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Charliewool

I was at the first one... Old Bob even put on free buses to Calder
Them days chocablock eskys were allowed.
Huge crowd too. From memory Gricey’s car was painted Aussie flag colours.

Some of the high level footage from that event - nothing around Calder Park, looks like its in the middle of the desert.

Now known as 'Hillside', 'Taylors Lakes', ' Taylors Hill' and 'Sydenham'

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Now known as 'Hillside', 'Taylors Lakes', ' Taylors Hill' and 'Sydenham'

Or Wastelands.

As a kid, maybe ~13 or so, I remember going to an event and it was awesome. Never really got into it long term but as a spectacle it was cool.

[Franco Cozzo]

What happened to NASCAR in Australia and AUSCAR? Was the competition from the locals too fierce in the heyday of Australian motorsport?

Seems like a huge waste to have a $54M track deteriorating into nothing.

I found an article with the specifications of the AUSCAR setup

http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article...-Auscar&A=0422

The only motorsport event I've been to is F1 in Melbourne with the V6 engines and it's not very exciting for general admission the cars are way too quiet - there's no atmosphere.

[EFFalcon]

I went to the Thunderdome countless times as a kid, loved it.

Nascars, Auscars, HQ's, Truck Racing

great vision from everywhere, i have more fond memories of the thunderdome then i do of the various ATCC rounds from the same period.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

What happened to NASCAR in Australia and AUSCAR? Was the competition from the locals too fierce in the heyday of Australian motorsport?

Franco,
On my local news last night seems Winton just got a big cash injection. Supercars to run 2020 Queens Birthday weekend.
Few weeks ago I was there and they ran a strange NASCAR mini pick up series.
Supertrucks will be on 15th Sept with the truck and car show the same day.
You might like this from Calder, 1st truck race in Oz, featuring some big names and plenty of politically incorrect Grid girls.
Love the bogie drive LTL Louie. enjoy.

https://youtu.be/EuPtXnJuZPw

[janddbone]

I absolutely loved it here as a kid. Would still go today if I could.

[FairmontGS]

Originally Posted by Charliewool

I was at the first one... Old Bob even put on free buses to Calder
Them days chocablock eskys were allowed.
Huge crowd too. From memory Gricey’s car was painted Aussie flag colours.

I also was at the first one. We put deck chairs on a roof rack on an XB Fairmont and sat out in the middle of the park. I think we dented the roof pretty good with our feet

[XR Martin]

The banks of the track at Calder Park are full of asbestos, tyres and contaminated soil, so until value of the land exceeds the cost of cleanup it will remain as is for while.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by XR Martin

The banks of the track at Calder Park are full of asbestos, tyres and contaminated soil, so until value of the land exceeds the cost of cleanup it will remain as is for while.

Given how far Melbourne is expanding and how quickly it has to be getting close to becoming worth it.

Or they'll sell to some Chinese wood duck and run.

[janddbone]

Pretty sure they also own a fair chunk of the land around the raceway, so that should help with noise issues.

[yakcam]

I just typed Calder Park into Google and it describes it as a suburb... maybe a sign of things to come :(