Race 3 (27/09/2011) - Eastern Creek

SITE OFICIAL DA PISTA:
http://www.eastern-creek-raceway.com/
DESCRIÇÃO:
Built and owned by the New South Wales Government, Eastern Creek International Raceway is a motorsports circuit located on Brabham Drive, Eastern Creek (40 km west of Sydney CBD or 20 km west of Parramatta),New South Wales, Australia and is operated by the Australian Racing Drivers Club. Eastern Creek International Raceway is one of two international race circuits in Sydney.

The raceway has recently been used for the A1 Grand Prix championship. The circuit has hosted rounds in 2005-06 A1 Grand Prix season, 2006-07 A1 Grand Prix season and the 2007-08 A1 Grand Prix season, but was dropped for 2008-09 A1 Grand Prix season.

The track is fast and flowing and used for national Australian races for cars, bikes and superkarts. Eastern Creek formerly hosted the final round of the annual V8 Supercar championship. It was removed from the series calendar in 2006 but was recently reinstated to host a round of the 2007 series.But has since been removed from the calendar again.

From 1991 to 1996, Eastern Creek held the Australian round of the 500cc GP series (now Moto GP), losing it back to Phillip Island, the place it took it from. Eastern Creek is the hub of motorsport in New South Wales, also combining the world's largest karting facility and Australia's leading drag racing complex.

In the 1990s, Eastern Creek was the venue for a number of rock concerts and festivals including Guns N' Roses, Bon Jovi, Pearl Jam, the Alternative Nation Festival in 1995 which featured Nine Inch Nails, Faith No More and Lou Reed as well as the Colossus 2 dance festival in 1997 which featured Italian group Cappella. 2009 saw the return of music festivals with Soundwave Festival in 2009 and 2010.

The facility offers motorsport fans and competitors a year-round motor racing facility includes a 4,000 seat covered grandstand overlooking the start/finish line providing a view of 80 per cent of the circuit. The pit facilities provide 50 roll-in/roll-out garages, all with power and immediate access to the support paddock area.

However, on 11 August 2006, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that Ron Dickson, the A1GP circuit designer who also designed the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit, suggested that Eastern Creek is not up to today's standard and need to spend money to upgrade.On 28 April 2008, it was announced that Apex Circuit Design Ltd had been commissioned to perform a $350,000 feasibility study on upgrading the track to suit more purposes and hold larger events such as the Australian F1 Grand Prix. On 11 July 2008, wheelsmag.com.au reported that V8 Supercar boss Tony Cochrane ditched Eastern Creek and believes the new Homebush Street Circuit around the Sydney Olympic precinct is more suitable.