Nascar thought our aussie horsepower lovers would like the idea of nascar in the land of kangaroos. Two of his best achievements were competing in the calder park thunderdome hq race holden racing where he was second in the 1992 champs. Prebook guaranteed parking near calder park thunderdome for any match or event. This was a historymaking race with a range of topname american visitors taking on the likes of local stars dick johnson and allan grice as australia was. Nascar in australia project gutenberg selfpublishing. Calder park raceway was founded in the farming community of diggers rest and began as a dirt track carved into a paddock by a. The thunderdome was completed in 1987, but can trace its roots back over twenty years previously when australian motorsport icon bob jane, owner of calder park raceway, travelled to the united states and visited charlotte motor speedway and daytona international speedway numerous times to gauge stock car racing s rise in popularity. Danielsen obituary chico, ca chico enterpriserecord. On 11 october 1987, calder park hosted round 9 of the inaugural world touring car championship on the combined road course and the newly built high banked thunderdome. The first race to use only the thunderdome was on february 28, 1988, it was also the first time a nascar event had been held outside of north america. On this day sunday 29th november 1987 32 years ago. Map and circuit history of calder park raceway, victoria, australia. When launched by the bob jane corporation and calder park raceway, the thunderdome australias only purposebuilt superspeedway and the newly created auscar category attracted huge crowds. Some of those history books have required revision because the text did not match the historical evidence recorded in his photography.
Calder park raceway, calder park, vic 3037, australia ph. Pro stock winner lee bektash reset the ft speed record moving it from the 175 mph minimum to 177. There are some short flat tarmac paths to walk on and you can combine this with walking on the adjacent canal towpath and watch the narrowboats slip by. Home video of nascar at calder park thunderdome 199698. Buy magic moments of motorsport calder classics on dvd on. The first race was held at bob janes calder thunderdome in australia. As well as the streets and stights of west calder, this book includes pictures of the neighbouring communities. Calder holmes park is a green open space, close to hebden bridge town centre. Danielsen passed away on saturday, december 28, 2019 at his home in chico, ca. History of drift in australia world time attack challenge sydney. Calder park began with humble beginnings as a dirt track built by enthusiasts before.
Calder park raceway news newspapers books scholar jstor august 2007. Furthermore, the wasteland workshop dlc allows the player to construct their own thunderdomes and host gladiatorial fights between settlers andor wasteland creatures. They cleared the land with oxen, planted grass and trees and converted a natural spring of water into a lake for boating. Auscar was an auto racing sanctioning body owned by bob jane, which ran americanstyle superspeedway racing in australia. Calderglen country park comprises the old estates of torrance and calderwood castle, and while i love walking through calderglen, its always been a minor annoyance that the history of the park is a minor aside to its natural offerings. Nascar australian style calder park thunderdome youtube. Melbournes home of drag racing, hot laps, track hire and off. Automotive calder park raceway is a motor racing circuit in melbourne, victoria, australia.
If they repaired it and built a vehicle bridge they could use the tunnel. Melbourne calder park thunderdome speedwayandroadracehistory. Jim was born to anna and cluff danielsen in culver city, ca on december. Nascar in australia wikimili, the free encyclopedia. In 1856, this was all agricultural land, bounded by the uf church grounds on the west, and behind the church was the manse. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the dates you selected. The business park is already home to over 70 occupiers including minster law, the highways agency, west yorkshire police, oe. Bob janes calder park raceway in battle between petrol. The circuit is located 26 km north of adelaide in south australia on port wakefield road at virginia, and is adjacent to adelaides premier car. Legends car racing is a style of race car, designed primarily to promote exciting racing and to keep costs down. The majority of the nascar and auscar racing in australia took place at the 1. The historical marker at this location, relates the following concerning calders park. Calder built one of the first amusement parks on this spot. Inspired designs on tshirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more by independent artists and designers from around the world.
Calder, the florida legislature approved a bill allowing for it. Elizabeth blackmar and roy rosenzweig tell the story of central parks people. Drove around the thunderdome a few months ago, so many bumps, so much dirt over the track. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about central park like never before, in no time at all. The race, known as the bob jane tmarts 500, was won by englands steve soper and belgian driverjournalist pierre dieudonne in a reudi eggenberger built ford sierra rs500. In the late 1950s, young auto racer bobby allison left miami, florida, looking for. Ten new records were reset following the 2017 andra australian nationals at calder park on january 2829.
The alabama gang was the nickname for a group of nascar drivers and subsequently their offspring who set up shop and operated out of hueytown, alabama near birmingham, alabama. Dec 06, 2009 this is the now disused calder park thunderdome,outside melbourne,australia. Fallout 4 has the combat zone, a raider fight club set in the former orpheum theatre. Calder park raceway wikimili, the free encyclopedia. Nascar held an exhibition race at the newly it was new in 1988 built calder park thunderdome. The first race to use only the thunderdome was on february 28, 1988, it was. After strong initial interest, particularly in melbourne at australias only purposebuilt nascar style paved oval speedway, the calder park thunderdome, the category collapsed in the early 2000s and. The park has an outdoor gym, a skateboard park childrens playground and is home to park life cafe. This is the now disused calder park thunderdome,outside melbourne,australia.
This massive event was televised nationally and featured a great list of drivers from the winston cup, including bobby allison, neil bonnett, michael waltrip, harry gant, morgan shepherd, dave marcis, rick wilson and some of australias top touring car drivers. History the site of the park is close to the main street but still borders what is effectively open countryside. Jan 25, 20 the historical marker at this location, relates the following concerning calder s park. It is beleived that this track was built over when the thunderdome was built. Mar 24, 2011 calderglen country park comprises the old estates of torrance and calderwood castle, and while i love walking through calderglen, its always been a minor annoyance that the history of the park is a minor aside to its natural offerings.
Wedged between the calder freeway, and the bendigo railway line, calder park has no residential dwellings within its bounds, with the only structure being a chapel. Calder park thunderdome australias home of nascar racing. The bodyshells are 58scale replicas of american automobiles from the 1930s and 1940s, powered by a yamaha motorcycle engine. The adelaide international raceway also known as adelaide international or air is a permanent circuit owned by australian motorsport club limited under the auspices of the bob jane corporation. Ive seen some pics of what the calder park thunderdome looks like now, the only proper speedway ever built in australia. Brad jones auscar career started in 1988 in the third annual goodyear auscar 200 at the calder park thunderdome, a track he would come to dominate, in a holden vl commodore dubbed the green meanie due to its colour. In 1987 with the completion of the calder park thunderdome extensions the much delayed first nascar race late in the 1987 racing season with the first major event, the 1988 goodyear nascar 500 following early in 1988. The quiet rural parish of west calder underwent dramatic change from the midnineteenth century onwards as the scottish shale oil industry developed in the area. Nascar australia style calder park thunderdome, melbourne australia. The stands had more weeds than seats, and there was no power to the pit lane. Calder race course is a horse racetrack in miami gardens, florida in the united states history.
It still gets used for some stuff like drift events but there is no racing there anymore. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and the most definitive collection ever assembled. Calder park keilor 2020 all you need to know before you go. You may need to apply to multiple location authorities. Richard lee petty born july 2, 1937, nicknamed the king, is an american former nascar driver who raced from 1958 to 1992 in the former nascar grand national and winston cup series now called the nascar cup series. Calder park is a suburb of melbourne, victoria, australia, 23 km northwest of melbournes central business district, located within the city of brimbank local government area. Calder park raceway was founded in the farming community of diggers rest and began as a dirt track carved into a paddock by a group of motoring enthusiasts who wanted somewhere to race their fj holdens. It can accommodate office buildings from 10,000 sq. This open, rural aspect accords well with the parks history.
One of those men was patrick hawthorn, who at the time owned a petrol station in clayton, when one of his clients suggested a place to race. Calder park began with humble beginnings as a dirt track built by enthusiasts before growing into a behemoth paved road and oval complex, which consumed money at a faster rate than the cars going round it. The outcome was the first round of the national drifting series called the drift nationals held at calder park on 20 march 2004. Initially some american drivers, mostly second tier drivers, visited the thunderdome but this waned over time and big name guest drivers were lured from circuit racing to bolster.
The calder park thunderdome started started life as a dirt speedway track carved into a paddock on a local farmers property, clayton petrol station owner patrick hawthorn was one of the locals that built and raced at the track. Clader classics dvd, produced by chevron marketing services 2016, bhe6993, code. In the late 1950s, young auto racer bobby allison left miami, florida, looking for an area that had more opportunities to race. Since 1978, this recognized media member of both nikon and canon professional services has also conducted workshops and provided tutorials on motor sport photography and car photography methodology.
Books car parts car care gifts electronics model cars motorbikes. Calder park raceway is a motor racing circuit in melbourne, victoria, australia. View prices, availability, restrictions and reserve your space in seconds. I love those creepy photos of run down old tracks, like the one of the banking a few posts up. Legends car project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. About fastrack v8 race what drives us our track record. The land located between the raceway and taylors lakes is zoned for future industrial use and is shown in some maps as a future industrial estate.
The history of new york citys most unique landmark chronicles the construction and history of the big apples most famous park. The american stock car racing category nascar raced in australia from the late 1980s to the early 2000s. Feb 03, 2017 ten new records were reset following the 2017 andra australian nationals at calder park on january 2829. Jul 12, 2014 i love those creepy photos of run down old tracks, like the one of the banking a few posts up.
The complex includes a dragstrip, a road circuit with several possible configurations, and the thunderdome, a highspeed banked oval equipped to race either clockwise for righthanddrive cars or counterclockwise for lefthanddrive cars such as nascar. In 1856, this was all agricultural land, bounded by the uf church grounds on the west, and. The first race was held at bob janes calder thunderdome in australia 29 november 1987. The pitt, a probable reference to mad maxs thunderdome. And as a special bonus, weve dug deep into the archives to find the very first nascar race held outside the united states on the high banks of the calder park thunderdome in early 1988. Its owner,bob jane,constructed the venue,with the vision of regularly holding nascar events there. Here, well explore the history of this short lived nascar series from down under. Calders park salt lake city, ut, usa defunct amusement. Bob janes calder park raceway in battle between petrol heads and pointy heads by simon johanson updated april 26, 2016 10.
1502 862 73 560 1381 1138 526 73 1536 1193 140 881 136 1041 966 1477 89 331 654 1297 70 873 1340 949 401 536 624 986 406 769 339 453