Winton Motor Raceway

History

The Benalla Auto Club began planning for a permanent racing track around 1958, as a replacement for their existing track at Barjarg. In 1960 it was decided to build the track at Winton Recreation Reserve and the track was completed in twelve months. The circuit hosted its first race meeting on 26 November 1961. The circuit was immediately popular - a March 1965 meeting featuring the Neptune touring car and the Victorian Formula Two championship drew a crowd of approximately 10,000 spectators. The circuit length was extended prior to the 1997 round of the V8 Supercar championship and the upgrade included a new pit complex.

The circuit

Winton Motor Raceway has a combination of long fast straights and twisty and tight bends. It is also known as "Australia's Action Track". Dick Johnson once described the circuit being "like running a marathon around your clothes-line".

The original circuit (now called the Winton Club Circuit) is 2.028 km in length and comprises 10 turns. The circuit was lengthened to 3.000 km with the cars turning left prior to the esses and a series of right hand turns added before the extension rejoins the original track at the esses. The long circuit is called the Winton National Circuit.

V8 Supercars

Main article: Winton SuperSprint

The track was used as a round in the V8 Supercar series, hosting the Winton SuperSprint. The track was one of the more popular tracks in the series with spectators, especially those who live in the area. Easy access to the track and viewing areas made it very popular. It attracts some of the biggest crowds of any of the permanent race tracks in the series.

Although the circuit held various rounds of national championships such as the Australian Drivers' Championship and the Australian Sports Car Championship, Winton was not awarded a round of the Australian Touring Car Championship until the start of the Group A era in Australia in 1985. The first ATCC race was won by then triple-Bathurst 1000 winner Jim Richards in his JPS Team BMW 635 CSi. That race holds its place in ATCC/V8 Supercar history as not only the first all-Group A race in Australia, but the first ATCC win by BMW and the only race in history in which there were no Holdens on the grid.

Richards holds the record for most ATCC round wins at Winton with four, having won in 1985 and 1986 for BMW, while winning in 1990 and 1991 for Nissan.

Australian Drivers' Championship

Winton has played host to 19 rounds of the Australian Drivers' Championship since 1980.

** The 1989 Australian Drivers' Championship was contested over ten rounds at five race meetings at five different tracks. Although the races were held on the same day both Rohan Onslow and John Briggs are credited with separate round wins. *The 2009 round saw two heats. Tim Macrow and Joey Foster each won a heat while also finished second on the other heat giving the pair equal points (35) on the day.

Australian Sports Car Championship

Winton played host to a round of the Australian Sports Car Championship on 7 occasions between 1978 and 1985.

Australian Sports Sedan / GT Championship

1980, 1981, 1997, 1998 and 2003 were run for Sports Sedans. 1982–1985 were run for GT style cars.

Australian Nations Cup Championship

Australian Superbike Championship

Winton Raceway is one of the most prominent Superbike races on the Australian Superbike Championship racing calendar. Winton Raceway has seen riders such as Mick Doohan, Kevin Magee and Mat Mladin ride regularly at the venue.

Formula X-treme Motorcycle Championship

Drift Attack

Winton Raceway is one of Australia's most popular Drift circuits. It hosts Australia largest drift event Drift Attack. Drift Attack is promoted by the Victorian Drift Club and offers the largest Prize Pool in Australian Drifting and is contested by Australia's 32 best Drifters in the Pro class and 32 Drivers in the street class.

Events

; Current

• May: AU4 Australian Championship, Historic Winton
• July: Winton Festival of Speed
• August: Winton 300
• September: Hi-Tec Oils Super Series, TA2 Racing Muscle Car Series, Australian Formula Ford Championship, Australian Production Car Series
• November: David Lowe Memorial

; Former

• Aussie Racing Cars (2002–2004, 2008–2009, 2011, 2013, 2018, 2022)
• Australian Drivers' Championship (1980, 1982–1984, 1986, 1989–1990, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999–2004, 2009, 2011, 2024–2025)
• Australian GT Championship (1982–1985, 2011–2012, 2016–2017)
• Australian GT Production Car Championship (1994, 1996–1999, 2001–2002)
• Australian Improved Production Nationals (1991–1992)
• Australian National Trans-Am Series (2023)
• Australian Nations Cup Championship (2002–2004)
• Australian Sports Car Championship (1978–1985)
• Australian Super Touring Championship (1993–1999, 2001)
• Australian Superbike Championship (1992, 1998–2008, 2017–2019, 2021)
• Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship (2003–2004, 2007, 2013, 2022)
• S5000 Australian Drivers' Championship (2023)
• Supercars Championship
  • Winton SuperSprint (1985–1986, 1988–1995, 1997–2004, 2006–2019, 2022)
• SuperUtes Series (2018–2019, 2022)
• TCR Australia Touring Car Series (2019, 2023)
• V8 Ute Racing Series (2002–2004, 2008–2010, 2012, 2016–2017)

Lap records

As of August 2024, the official race lap records at Winton Motor Raceway are listed as:

Notes

References

References

1. "Fast Tracks - Australia's Motor Racing Circuits: 1904–1995". Turton & Armstrong.
2. [http://www.speedcafe.com/2011/11/26/winton-celebrates-50th-birthday-today/ Winton celebrates 50th birthday today] Retrieved from www.speedcafe.com on 27 November 2011
3. (n.d.). "Winton Motor Raceway, Victoria". v8supercars.com.au.
4. "Winton Motor Raceway - Lap Records".
5. "Natsoft Race Results - Winton".
6. (10 March 2019). "AMRS WRAP: Magro breaks lap record in F3 round win".
7. (11 June 2023). "2023 SpeedSeries - Winton Race 3 Statistics".
8. "Winton Motor Raceway Motorcycle Lap Records".
9. (10 June 2017). "Australian Trophy Winton 2017".
10. (2 September 2018). "Suhle the consistent in six race Australian F4 round at Winton".
11. (21 May 2022). "Round 2, 2022: Winton".
12. (1 September 2019). "TCR AU 2019 » Winton Motor Raceway Round 15 Results".
13. (10 June 2023). "2023 Trans-Am Australia Winton Race 1 Results".
14. (9 August 1998). "ASTC 1998 » Winton Motor Raceway Round 14 Results".
15. "Australian Formula Ford Lap Records".
16. (25 August 1996). "WASTC 1996 » Winton Motor Raceway Round 9 Results".