Just as the rebirth of Calder Park Raceway is underway, another Bob Jane Corporation-owned facility in South Australia holding a lot of history is Adelaide International Raceway.
Hosting Australian Touring Car Championship rounds from 1972 until 1988, NASCAR and AUSCAR action was held during its zenith in the 1990s, while Formula 5000s roared around two decades earlier.
Built by the owner of Mallala and Surfers Paradise Raceway, Gold Coast businessman Keith Williams in 1972 making AIR more than 50 years old as it is predominately used now for drag racing in addition to drifting.
Bob Jane purchased the circuit in 1979 and a dispute he had with CAMS in 1991 ensured it as well as Calder Park didn’t feature on any national calendar until the mid-1990s.
Planned upgrades didn’t come to fruition and only one national circuit racing category, the original iteration of the Australian Motor Racing Series held an event in 2006. Resurfaced in 2008, no circuit racing activities have occurred since.
Some memorable moments along the way include Dick Johnson taking the first Australian win for the Ford Sierra Cosworth at the venue in 1987 after a difficult season up to that point due to eligibility and reliable problems.
Not so much occurring at the circuit, but ahead of the second round to be held there in 1973, Allan Moffat’s works Ford XY Falcon GT-HO was stolen forcing the championship contender to race a borrowed example from privateer Murray Carter, who graciously stepped aside.
In Sports Sedans, a broken axle for Peter Brock in 1983 led to one of the biggest pile ups in Australian motor racing history as Tony Hubbard, Jim Richards, Alan Browne and Mark Trenoweth among other to be involved in a spectacular collision off the start.
There were also some willing battles in AUSCAR and NASCAR competition there using the circuit’s 805m bowl.
What is your favourite memory of AIR?