Driveit revs up track
THE first race cars are expected to scream down the main straight at more than 250km/h by the end of February 2022 at the new Driveit racetrack.
Earthworks have just started on the new track at Calcium thanks to federal government funding totalling $7m. Driveit CEO Pat Driscoll said the start of construction of the track was a watershed moment for the facility. “We already have a large facility built for driver education,” Mr Driscoll said.
“But a motorsport precinct is not a motorsport precinct unless it has got a track.
“As we move forward with construction of the racetrack and then the drag strip we will be a nationally recognised precinct and we are already taking bookings for the track from right around Australia.
“Work has started on the main straight and when it is finished, cars will be able to go down it at ballistic speeds.
“The track is being built to a standard, with some extra safety features, that could take a level one race meeting so we could host something like Supercars.
“But that is not where our bread and butter is and that is the local community. These are club events, speed events, drive days, business launches, all that sort of thing brings people to Townsville, puts people in hotel rooms puts people in restaurants and keeps those cash registers ringing. Our plan is to have it finished, weather permitting by 2022.”
The federal government committed $7m for this next stage of the project which will go towards the 2.75km race circuit. Member for Herbert Phillip Thompson said: “This is an amazing milestone for our community, and I know a lot of motorsport enthusiasts have been itching to get out here and try out the new track.
“Driveit is already proving to be invaluable for our region, with the Townsvillebased Police Academy using it a number of times.”