Muscle Sport

Australia’s oldest racetrack celebrates, while Australia’s newest racetrack opens.

Celebrations have begun to mark the 60th anniversary of Baskerville Raceway – Australia’s oldest continuously operating licensed circuit.

Commemorations started at Government House in Hobart ahead of the 60th anniversary race meeting in February, with a reception hosted by Tasmanian Governor Kate Warner, who, along with her husband Richard, attended events at Baskerville during the 1960s.

Among the attendees at the function was one of Baskerville’s original founders, Don Elliot, accompanied by two of his former drivers, Sports Sedan star Tony Edmondson and openwheel ace Mark McLaughlin.

Elliot was instrumental in building the circuit, which opened in 1958. He also used his company’s resources to transport the former Longford Bridge to Baskerville and helped saved the track from developers by jointly purchasing it, along with local identity Ralph Bottomley and the late Ian Harrington. Two of Don’s original team cars were present (Mustang and Lotus Cortina with orange stripe) along with two accurate replicas of cars raced by Robin Pare and Tony Edmondson respectively (Cortina and Anglia). The green and red Elliott team colours were famous in Tasmania for many years.

The Tickford/Tilford Auto Group-sponsored anniversary race meeting was run as a 2+4 event, recognising the contribution motorcycle racing has made to Baskerville’s history. Among the 176 entries was a big eld of Aussie Racing Cars contesting the category’s national series opener.

The 60th anniversary celebrations will climax with the ever-growing Baskerville Historics meeting over September 21-23. The headline act for the Hobart circuit’s biggest annual meeting is the Heritage Touring Car category, comprising Historic Group C/A machines. End of season Group C events were a feature of track’s annual calendar until 1984.