Tell me about Sydney Motorsport Park.

Fordman

Fordman

Well-known member
VIP Paid Subscriber
1000+ Posts
Fellow Frogger
Joined
May 14, 2004
Messages
2,428
Location
Perth/West Australia
Have booked accommodation and tickets for the Sydney & Bathurst rounds of the Shannons Speed Series incorporating the TCR World Tour in November, it will be the focal point of what will probably be my last road trip across the continent, getting old.

I'm familiar with Bathurst, and in fact have booked VIP tickets for this event, so wife and I can be assured of shelter, not to mention the view from a corporate room on pit straight, catering all day, closed circuit tv, and VIP parking - luxury!

But SMSP, never been there, and knowing there is a big grandstand on pit straight, haven't outlaid for the VIP tickets (quite expensive).
We are staying in the hotel at the main gate, so parking isn't a problem.
Would appreciate any info from you guys about good viewing positions, general layout, decent eateries, access to pits rooftop?, and anything else for a first timer.
Should General Access ticket allow us to be in the grandstand?

Thanks for any info.
 
Also, because they have decided to race into Fri and Sat nights (in Sydney), there is now no racing on Sunday, leaving us in a nearby hotel with nothing to do.
So, any suggestions of places to go, things to see, within say 10-15 kms of Eastern Creek, would be welcomed. On the Monday, we are heading to Katoomba for a few days enroute to Bathurst, so we've got that area covered.
Thanks.
 
That distance won't reach the Harbour or beaches or any of the associated sights. It will get to the lower mountains, but you are passing through there later.

It will also get you to Richmond and Windsor northwards on the Hawkesbury River where there is a concentration of remnants of early settlement. Sydney sprawl is creeping up, but hasn't "swamped" Windsor yet, and the surrounding flood plain will protect it from development. (Windsor has just been through four major floods in a year and a half, 14 odd metres deep ).

Windsor is the oldest town in Australia after Sydney and Parramatta (both now high-rise central) settled 1791. Two of Francis Greenway's buildings for Governor Macquarie are still in top condition - St Matthew's church and Windsor Courthouse. George Street, the main drag, is quaintly narrow and has a lot of interest and plenty of eateries. The traffic has been diverted out of it. There are some very fine colonial houses in the town.

If ancient pubs are your thing next to the bridge is the oldest.
 
Last edited:
Hi Fordman,

as COL said PM Bowie (he used to work there) and has all the inside knowledge. As for the rooftop above the pits, not withstanding the corporate rooms there are some areas open to the general public - a cafe of particular note. If you have access to the pits for almost all events you should have open and free access to the roof viewing areas. There’s not that much to see on the main straight in my opinion, but turn 1 and the area over near turns 3,4 etc offer a good view if you pick the right spot.

There’s also a really old pub not far from your hotel (short drive but quite a walk), called the Cricketers Arms now owned by the Atura group who also own the Drive In (the last remaining one in NSW as far as I am aware).

nearby to where you will be staying are two animal related tourist attractions - Sydney Zoo and Featherdale Wildlife park. Sydney CBD is about an 1Hr east by train. Parramatta Park and Old Government House (in the park) are within your radius, as is a few other settler related attractions in Rosehill.

I live about 10mins from SMSP so happy if you wanted to PM with more local info if required but without knowing your interests it’s hard to comment further.
 
Ah you should have a bit of fun up there.

I confess I'm a little out of the loop having been away for a couple of years, but there is only so many ways they can cut that track up for spectators. Bring your good walking shoes!

From memory I think they sell the grandstand tickets separately, No biggy, you can replicate those views from the pit roof. They used to be pretty open with the spectator areas for the TCR events, you could walk around the entire track, hope that's still the case.

The Cafe on the pit roof is the place to go when it gets hot, TV's with timing and any TV broadcast will be in there, you have a view around turn 1 and if you go up stairs, you can see Turn 4, 17,18, back on the main straight.

You should still be able to walk around the skid pan and paddock, and that's half of the fun, you'll get close to everythiing but the TCR's they normally have dumb media walls and extensive put structures. You'll hopefully be able to hand around everything else take photos and strike up silly conversations with em all :)

I loved standing at the fence at Turn 2-3. You can see all the Hero's go deep under brakes, cross it up on the exit, get light over the crest, cross it up again. Especially for the opening few laps, always some argy bargy. You will need to walk there.. Bonus points for carrying a camping chair, water, and a wide hat. They dont usually set catering up over there, no power / water.

From there I reckon you follow the track around to Turn 4 and 5. Again you should be able to stand on the fence and watch the chaos. You can continue on but it's a lot of walking for little visibility. Again you stand stand at Turn 6 to see them turn left and storm up the hill, then you have to walk the full width of the track before you arrive at Turn 17 and 18.

Again no services up there. BYO water and hope you still have that camp chair, but again you get a great view of some of the wild lines with them now coming straight towards you.

You can keep walking and you'll follow the main straight back down to the grandstand and hopefully, the gate you came in via so you can come and go as you please.

The TCR product was just starting when I left Sydney, so it may have changed a little, but its expensive to position security all over the place to limit access so promoters usually don't bother.

Hat, camp chair (should you go walking), access to water, you'll have a good time :)
 
Thanks muchly, Seasink, Renault8&10, and Bowie.
Great info, will make a difference to how we plan our days.
Besides the motorsport, our interests are mainly good views, old places, animals and gardens, so Windsor and the local zoo and wildlife park sound good. And I see we are in the middle of a long green strip (could be brown in November) with many gardens and at least one lookout view.
And the inside info at the track - I'll follow that on a map and be fully prepared. Thanks for that. Yes, I went to two TCR events in 2019 and both were very free to wander around in the pits. I felt that it was more like a friendly race meeting of 40 years ago. Pit crew were actually coming out behind the pit and talking to the punters. That was at Sandown and The Bend, when it was known as the Shannon's Nationals. I like to think I was instrumental in the name change to the Shannon's Speed Series, when I was at Sandown in the VIP area (first timer), I jokingly argued with the MA host that they shouldn't call it Nationals if they weren't going to WA, maybe they listened.
Thanks again.
 
There are some interesting places in Windsor, Tebutts observatory is worth a visit. Don't know if they still allow anyone inside, just a photo op of the old buildings now.

Back in the day, the adjoining building being run as a restaurant was booked by the production car series organisers for a teams dinner after our Amaroo round. Craig Denyer, Grants dad, was series promoter and part of the marketing team.

After we had a few bottles of red, Tebutts grandson opened up the observatory so we could take a look at a few stars and planets. Cool stuff for something built in 1845.
 
Fordman said:
Also, because they have decided to race into Fri and Sat nights (in Sydney), there is now no racing on Sunday, leaving us in a nearby hotel with nothing to do.
So, any suggestions of places to go, things to see, within say 10-15 kms of Eastern Creek, would be welcomed. On the Monday, we are heading to Katoomba for a few days enroute to Bathurst, so we've got that area covered.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
If you're going to Katoomba and the weather's kind (it often isn't! - do ask me how I know that, I used to live there) you could take a look at Catalina Park circuit. Long time since that's seen any wheels (apart from the bushcare volunteers ute) - its a public park now, its 1.5km walk around the track - and an education in how horrific it would've been to overcook it and slam into either rock wall or wooden barrier. Alternatively / in addition you could go to The Carrington Hotel - just as historic and less weather-dependent :)
Regards,
Rob
 
Thanks for the above tips, everybody.
As there is no racing on Sunday, I don't see much point in getting back to SMSP on Sunday, and I have rebooked our accomm that night to a budget motel in Windsor, so we'll have a bit more time around the area. Then it will be a nice drive through to Katoomba the next day. Also I have found an alternate route Katoomba to Bathurst, via Oberon, where the well-known Mayfield Gardens are. This is important, because like all of us, I need to find offsets to the motor racing to suit the other half, although she doesn't mind the racing either. After Bathurst we'll head to Cowra for the Japanese gardens, then on to Parkes to see The Dish.
The itinerary is coming together.
 
There are some lovely drives south of the present route of the Great Western Highway once you cross the Blue Mountains. Almost any road will do in rolling hills. The Oberon district in winter, now over, is elevated enough to be one of the coldest places in the country.

If you want mountain vistas and short cliff edge walks without the Katoomba tourists, go the cliff edge at Leura instead.

From Windsor to the highway to reach Katoomba, travel via the Yarramundi Bridge to Springwood for a more pleasant way to skirt much western Sydney sprawl. As you climb the escarpment there are views over the Nepean River back to Sydney.

In central Bathurst the park and courthouse area is well worth a look.
 
Last edited:
An alternative to going via Jenolan and Oberon, would be to continue up great western Highway to bowenfels (a stop at the pub is worthwhile) then turn left at the garage just south of Lithgow (when heading towards Lithgow) and head to Bathurst via Tarana.

maybe Google each route and see what scenery takes your fancy - they are both nice but in a different way.

KB
 
Well on our way now, been travelling for over 2 weeks, enjoying the Australian countryside. Koleos packed to the hilt. Taking it easy, going the longer way around via Mt Gambier, currently at Lakes Entrance. Arriving Sydney Motorsport Park next Thursday.
Anyone else going to the World Tour TCR events at Sydney or Bathurst? (Among other categories also racing).
 
Enjoy the drive up the coast. Despite all the destructive bushfires it is still fantastic
 
Did ya get wet last night Fordman?

I heard it was more or less a knarnacross last night :p
 
photos.app.goo.gl

New video by Chris Munday

photos.app.goo.gl photos.app.goo.gl

Had a good day - didn't get wet, they had the big open marquees up on the top deck above the pits.
Just enough rain to make it interesting. Light drizzle in TCR qualifying saw a surprising bit of sideways action, track got surprisingly slippery on the U-turn behind the pits. In the main TCR race, last for the night, after a few laps it got wet enough to red flag, they changed to wet tyres and restarted after a couple of safety car laps (boring😀), with no more incidents.
Overall, the most surprising thing was the locals outpacing most of the World Tour guys in qualifying. Because I couldn't really hear what was going on, I couldn't understand why the second qualy session (top 10) was mainly Aussie cars, while most of the internationals were still in the pits, until someone told me they were indeed the faster 10 cars. Young Ben Bargwanna topped qualy after changing to slicks at the right time.
In the race, however, after the red flag, the internationals moved up the field in the wet conditions and finished in something like 2nd to 8th. Will Brown drove a great race, extending his lead to about 10 seconds over 2nd place. A good race
Tried the grandstand, but it was cold and noisy. Only a handful of people in the stand. Not a big crowd, hopefully more today. Probably about 150 people on top of pits, but more came up during the main race. I noted there were more people in the corporate suites than up top. But the car park was pretty full, so where everyone was I don't know.
By the way, you didn't tell me they don't open the gates behind the grandstand, so our plan to walk from our hotel across the road was foiled - we had to walk back to the hotel and drive around to the main entrance 😂😂.
Video above is just the TCRs exiting pits in practice.
Enjoying the meeting.
 
And this is about as close as you can get - my video walking up the grid of TCR Race 1 on Friday night.

photos.app.goo.gl

New video by Chris Munday

photos.app.goo.gl photos.app.goo.gl

It was a pretty short grid walk, I didn't muck about and didn't make it to the back of the grid.
At the same time, the meeting ran very close to schedule all the way through.
 
  • Like
Reactions: COL
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top