Location | Wattle Avenue, Pinjar, Western Australia |
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Time zone | GMT +8 |
Coordinates | 31°39′46″S 115°47′23″E / 31.66278°S 115.78972°ECoordinates: 31°39′46″S 115°47′23″E / 31.66278°S 115.78972°E |
Owner | Western Australia Sporting Car Club |
Opened | 2 March 1969 |
Major events |
Australian Touring Car Championship V8 Supercars Championship Australian Drivers' Championship Australian Grand Prix (1979) Australian Festival of Speed |
Long circuit | |
Length | 2.411 km (1.498 mi) |
Turns | 7 |
Lap record | 0:52.2610 (Gary West, Lola T88/50 Buick, 2005) |
Short circuit | |
Length | 1.760 km (1.094 mi) |
Turns | 8 |
Lap record | 0:45.4365 (Peter Morley, OMS CF10, 2014) |
Barbagallo Raceway is a motorsport circuit located in Pinjar, approximately 50 kilometres (30 mi) north of Perth in Western Australia.
The circuit was originally known as Wanneroo Park and the first race meet took place in March 1969. Initially the major race per year was a 6-hour Le Mans style race for sedans and sports cars known as the Six Hour Le Mans. However, as interest dulled in that event, production car racing took over as the major race type. The circuit was also known as Wanneroo Raceway.
In 1979, the Australian Grand Prix was held for the first and so far only time at Wanneroo Raceway which coincided with the opening of the new pits and paddock area to the west of the circuit. The Grand Prix was won by South Australian Johnnie Walker driving a Lola T332 Formula 5000. Walker was the last driver to win the AGP driving a Formula 5000.
In 1992, it was decided that a short circuit would be constructed by linking Turn 5 on the current circuit to the back straight forming a new 1.7 kilometres (1.1 mi) long circuit. This extension was funded by prominent West Australian motorsport identity Alf Barbagallo and hence the circuit name was changed to Barbagallo Raceway Wanneroo. The short circuit allowed for an increase in the types of racing including the inclusion of truck racing and also allowed events to be run at night.
The circuit was completely resurfaced in 2004 and this saw almost all lap records broken in the first few months of 2004. The surface changed from an abrasive surface which was renowned for being very hard on tyres to a grippy, smooth surface.