General

Competitors at Oran Park will be required to do different things at different times, depending on the type of event. Generally speaking, competitors will be required to attend a driver’s briefing, have their car scrutineered and follow the direction of any officials in control of the event. Competitors are reminded to familiarise themselves with any rules and regulations for the event, and in the event of any uncertainty, check with the Event Secretary or other official to ensure you are doing the right things at the right time.

For competitors in Off Street Drifting, go to www.driftland.com.au for all the competitor information.

Fuel

Oran Park Raceway stocks a variety of fuel. We have premium unleaded and 100 Octane Leaded aviation fuel or “Avgas” available for sale. Note that under Federal Legislation, RF 100 will only be sold to customers who produce a valid logbook and comply with the conditions set down.

Oran Park also offers Fuel 2 Race 100 Octane Unleaded racing fuel. F2R fuel is designed specifically for motorsport and is street legal.

Garages and carports

Oran Park has various carports and garages available for hire at all events. Contact Oran Park on (02) 4646 1004 for the prices, which vary depending upon the event and the length of time the event runs for.

Pit lane Garages and carports offer direct access to the pit lane, and flat parking for transporters up to B Double size to back up directly behind your garage. The garages are of generous size and will fit two race cars nose to tail. Garages are lockable but competitors are reminded to maintain vigilance at all times, particularly whilst out on the track. Each pit lane garage has individual fluorescent lighting and power points.

Paddock Garages are stand-alone garages which can accommodate one car each with lighting and limited power.

Paddock carports are available on a stand alone basis or as part of a larger complex in the paddock area. The carport complex has 26 bays on each side and would suit a category who would like to remain together in the paddock. The carports have no power and only limited lighting. Oran Park staff will be happy to discuss your requirements with you and put in touch with generator and lighting hire suppliers.

Competitor parking

Competitors will generally have the required passes left for them at the Coates Accreditation Box at the paddock gate. Competitors generally are allowed to park in the paddock area, provided their vehicles do not obstruct traffic.

At V8 Supercars events, both
Cobbitty Road
and
Northern Road
gates will be open, and spectators will be assisted by parking attendants.

Sale of Merchandise

Merchandise is generally available for sale in the area behind the grandstands. Competitors are reminded that they must not sell merchandise without gaining prior permission from Oran Park Raceway and showing the necessary proof of insurance.

Catering for race teams

Competitors are reminded that no catering is allowed in the paddock area without prior permission. This is particularly important for the use of barbecues and the serving of team guests. Catering without prior approval may be illegal under NSW Occupational Health and Safety and Food Safety legislation. Oran Park staff are happy to put competitors in touch with our approved caterers who can provide something to suits all tastes and budgets, from a seafood buffet to a sausage sizzle.

Do a lap with Marcos Ambrose

Marcos Ambrose needs no introduction to motorsport fans. To the rest of the world, he is the current V8 Supercars Championship winner, and the front running Ford V8 Supercars driver in recent years. His Pirtek Falcon has become the symbol of Ford’s V8 Supercars resurgence, and his Stone Brothers Racing Team, led by the legendary Ross and Jimmy Stone has set new standards in professionalism and technology.

Marcos Ambrose has raced open wheelers in Australia and overseas and has had his fair share of success at Oran Park Raceway. As the pole sitter in 2003 and 2004 who better to take us for a lap of the Grand Prix Circuit? Non V8 Supercars drivers take note, the lines and tactics when driving a 600+ horsepower V8 Supercars are quite different to those employed by drivers of other race cars.

Here’s what the Champ thinks:

This is a great venue with a challenging track. With so many directional changes and the hills it is a pretty exciting place. It is also terrific for the fans because of the seating and the mounds around the track. Oran Park is a pretty fast and aggressive race track in areas and certainly one of the most unique in the country.

You cross the start-finish and hit top gear into the fast left-hand kink at the end of the straight. You are flat out through here on new tyres, but it is a pretty scary braking area at the end of it and it is quite easy to lock a wheel if the car is not loaded correctly.

You then roll into turn two which really is a bit of a nothing corner, but does provide some opportunity to pass as you drop to second gear – as a rule you usually lose more than you gain if you have a go at this point.

You then fire under the bridge and grab a couple of gears before heading into the next right hander. This section of the circuit is flat, but is quite technical. You jump out of the right hander up a short straight and then into another sweeping right hander which takes you up to the bridge. You try and get the wheels into the curbs here to give yourself a bit of extra grip. This is one of the most unique things for the Australian V8 Supercars Championship, because it is the only section of circuit which loops over another.

You go into another right-hand sweeper off the bridge and the car goes very light and there is plenty of opposite lock. The car then drops into a fast right-left combination and it is very unbalanced and always sliding around.

It is then into a sweeping left hander where you use all the track and then some – up to three quarters of the car is out on the grass, but it doesn’t matter too much because you are usually on two wheels anyway.

You need to carry your momentum to up the blind “flip-flop” – through here you basically pick a line and just hang on! You drop down the other side into a big hole which leads you up to the final left hander on to the main straight.

You brake late because you are heading up hill and try and get the car as close to the concrete wall as possible on the outside – sometimes you nick it. The wall has been hit so many times over the years that the bottom of it is actually further away from the car than the top. You can lose your side mirror here without any other section of the car being touched.

You then need to get a smooth run on to the straight and keep an eye out for anyone exiting into pit lane on the right-hand side. My pole time here in 2004 was one minute and 8.0291 seconds for the 2.7km lap and it was great to go on and win the race at a track which had traditionally been a bit of a haven for Holden.

The V8 Supercars are the premier touring car series in Australia, if not the world. The series in 2007 is turning into series to remember. WIth 2006 champion, Rick Kelly, on the charge again this year, it is turing out to be one not to miss.

The series will return to Oran Park on the 17th - 19th August 2007. This event generally brings over 60,000 people to Oran Park over the three day event. The format will be a three races over Saturday and Sunday.