Eastern Creek goes north

NSW’s Eastern Creek raceway has been bisected to form a separate circuit in the northern segment of the existing track.

Known as Eastern Creek North, the layout was built following a $7m investment from the NSW state government. It was created by the construction of a 'link' track cutting across the infield between the main track's Turns Four and Nine. The result is a 2.8km circuit. The full Eastern Creek lap is 3.9km.

Eastern Creek North is described as a “fast-flowing race circuit, with a couple of tight, technical sections... including hairpin bends and blind crests.”

According to Australian Racing Driver’s Club CEO Glenn Matthews, the new circuit will help ease the pressure on race venues in the state.

“Since Oran Park closed in early 2010, Sydney has had an acute shortage of racetrack availability, with Eastern Creek at full capacity. The changes we are making to the circuit will meet the demand from the motor racing public and give more track time to the masses

“We’re moving forward with the biggest redevelopment the racetrack has ever seen,” he said.

The new circuit was baptised on the weekend of October 22 and 23 with a round of the NSW Motor Race Championships. Spectator entry for the weekend was free of charge.

“Holding the first race meeting on the new north circuit [was] an exciting moment for all of us here, and for the meeting to be a NSW State Championship event [was] even better” said Mr Matthews.

Matthews said the creation of Eastern Creek North is the first stage in a complete redevelopment of the circuit that will see it having the potential to operate in any of four separate layouts.

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