HISTORY will return to McNamara Park on the June long weekend when the 55th Australian Superkart Grand Prix comes to town.
The grand prix returns after a 30-year absence, but dates back even further, with the inaugural running of the event held at the Limestone Coast venue back in 1964.
The grand prix then ran through to the early 1970s, before moving to Adelaide International Raceway and later Mallala.
It returned to McNamara Park for a few years in the late 1980s.
Superkarts are a bigger version of go karts and generally race on longer circuits such as Philip Island, Winton Motor Raceway and Sydney Motorsport Park.
A recent test day at McNamara Park showed impressive lap times on the smooth tarmac surface, which should match or better outright lap times for motorcycles.
That pace is generated from the 125cc and 250cc capacity engines in the “Gearbox” class, combined with a full aerodynamic package.
In race trim the karts can reach speeds of 190kph for the 125cc versions and up to 250kph for the 250s.
Add to the extra grip of four wheels on the tarmac, plus the aerodynamic bodywork and the lap records are certainly in trouble.
The event will be run by the Adelaide Superkart Club, with secretary Ian Williams excited about returning to one of his favourite circuits in the country.
Williams said he was excited to return to McNamara Park after such a long time away.
He said he has an emotional connection to the track, with his father having won trophies at the venue and the original perpetual trophy still in the hands of the club.
“Mac Park is my favourite race track,” Williams said.
“I have been pushing for the last 30 years to go back there.
“I build engines for race for bikes and go karts and a lot of my customers have raced bikes down there.
“We have held a lot of lap records down there.”
The club attended the track last year to test its suitability since improvements have been made and gave it a big tick of approval.
“It is exactly the same layout it was all those years ago,” Williams said.
“On a little go kart track you can attack it – the whole race lasts just four minutes.
“I went to Mac Park last year and took that attitude onto a big track.
“I do not ever remember driving that track quite as hard.
“It is hugely challenging and is a beautiful circuit now.”
That driveability was reflected in the lap times on the day.
With just a handful of 125cc karts in attendance, none in full race mode and without new tyres, times were down to around one-minute, 15-seconds.
Williams said the big 250cc karts would be around seven seconds-a-lap faster, which would push the limits of the track record.
That pace comes from the ability to hold the karts flat and push deeper into corners than motorcycles are capable of.
“Our club president Brandon Stillwell crested the hill near what I call the water tower full drift,” Williams said.
“He drove it down the hill, flicked it the other way then drove it full drift out of the next corner.
“No one had ever seen anyone do that before.
“We hit the turn at the end of the back straight flat – you cannot do that on a motorcycle.”
The return to the track is fast gathering momentum among the superkart fraternity, with many people keen to come down and see this track Williams has been raving about for so long.
“I know of 10 other people coming down to watch who used to race,” he said.
“Their sons race now.
“People have heard about this track for 30 years and we have had people from all over the country interested.
“It is possible we may have some entries from New South Wales.
“We are past 55 entries already and for a superkart meeting, that is the biggest we have had for 18 months.”
If Williams has anything to say about it, the meeting will certainly not be a one-off.
He said he hopes to hold the grand prix at McNamara Park every year on the June long weekend, with Victorian clubs also interested in holding a meeting there as well.
Apart from the Gearbox class, the 125cc Rotax ‘Max’ powered non-gearbox class is a restricted to allow every competitor an equal chance.
The 125cc Rotax engine does not have a gearbox, but utilises a centrifugal clutch, is water cooled and has a starter motor.
The top speed is still a fast 145kph, but the rules restrict engine modifications and components.
