A huge lighting project is now underway at Sydney Motorsport Park following a $33 million NSW government investment that will transform the metropolitan motorsport complex into the ‘Silverstone of the southern hemisphere’.
The project includes 132 LED lighting poles as well as $11m in enhancements for Sydney International Dragway and $6.4m to construct a Motor Sports Centre of Excellence.
This will include the new home for Motorcycling NSW a new Sydney-based Supercars team.
The lighting upgrade will make SMP the country’s first permanent racetrack to host night racing – which should ensure the return of Supercars and perhaps Superbikes.
Supercars boss Sean Seamer said seeing the project come to life is fantastic for Supercars and its fans.
“To be able to race at night under permanent lights here at SMP is something we’ve been working towards for a long time. We look forward to getting on track as soon as possible,” he said.
Work has already begun around the track, employing the same world-class LED technology used on tracks like Daytona in the United States and Sepang in Malaysia.
Once complete, Sydney Motorsport Park’s Brabham straight will be lit to the tune of 800LUX and have the ability to change colours, while the rest of the circuit will be lit to a minimum of 400LUX.
“NSW motorsport fans are passionate and deserve the best and we are delivering on our election promise to fund these terrific precinct improvements,” said NSW minister for sport, Geoff Lee.
Minister for Western Sydney, Stuart Ayres, added that the $33m project will enable the site to host some of the biggest motor racing events in Australia, providing a tourism and economic shot in the arm for Western Sydney.
“It will also give NSW motorsport fans what they have been craving with more world-class motor racing events on their doorstep,” said Ayres.
With the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting SMP’s regular operations, it has inadvertently become the perfect time to get the 2020 lighting project underway, in turn creating more than 100 jobs and supporting local manufacturing in the process.