Drag strip ready to roar
Starter to get spectators’ adrenalin pumping at grand opening in March
THE Far North’s long awaited drag strip is to open in March next year.
Work is almost complete on the $5 million project but the operators have decided to delay the opening until the New Year after the summer holidays.
Springmount Raceway managing director Evan Yelavich said it could have opened before Christmas but “everyone is too busy” so it had been delayed until next year to ensure everything was done properly.
“We have all the systems up and running,” he said. “The timing systems work well. Basically everything has been done.
“We have decided to put shade sails over the spectator areas before it opens.”
Mr Yelavich said the online ticketing and race nomination systems were being finalised and would be ready to go in February. He said ticket prices had yet to be confirmed. The 2016 calendar of events had been announced.
“The first meeting will be the members and sponsors day
MEAN MACHINES: A WB Holden drag racing ute lines up on the concrete starting line at Springmount Raceway near Mareeba. on February 27 which will include both racing and burnouts, with racing to run during the day and burnouts to follow at night,” he said.
“Entrant nominations will open and ticket pricing and other details will be confirmed in early February.”
He said the next meeting would be open to the public – the “grand opening” on March 19.
Mr Yelavich said it would be a full race meeting.
“Other big events throughout the year include the Northern Nats Car Show on May 13, 14 and 15 and the Nitro Outlaws on August 6.”
Mr Yelavich said the racing for the year would generally be run in a test and tune format, with 2017 to be more structured with a championship series and, hopefully, a national round.
He said $100 memberships stood at 500. “We are happy with the number of sponsors but are always looking for more,” Mr Yelavich said.
The drag strip is 800m long with grassed viewing mounds as well as a burnout pad.
It has taken 30 years to build the region’s first drag strip on land leased from FGF No. 1 Pty Ltd (Cairns businessmen Murray Moule and Bruce “Blue” Williams) to Springmount Raceway.
More than $5 million has been spent on the track and other facilities, which include a children’s playground and a pool, as well as the former Lotus Glen prison redevelopment work camp.