EASTERN CREEK SYDNEY SPEEDWAY TRACK OPERATOR NAMED

EASTERN CREEK SYDNEY SPEEDWAY TRACK OPERATOR NAMED

BY DENNIS NEWLYN

SPEEDWAY Promotions, headed by Brisbane’s John Kelly, have been named lease holder of the new Western Sydney International Speedway at Eastern Creek.

The track operator eight year lease appointment was made by Western Sydney Parklands Trust.

The Speedway Promotions organisation brings together the speedway operational experience of current race track operators John and Kathy Kelly and the motor sport promotional background knowledge of Scott and Leonie Anderson.

The Kellys have successfully operated Brisbane’s Archerfield Speedway for the past 21 years and provide a wealth of speedway promotional experience to the new Eastern Creek venue. Both are also former speedway competitors.

“Speedway Promotions is committed to our vision of making Sydney Motor Sports Park at Eastern Creek the home to world-class motor sport in NSW,” Suellen Fitzgerald, Chief Executive of Greater Sydney Parklands, said.

“This is the first Five Star speedway built anywhere in the country in over 20 years and is a major investment in one of the country’s premiere sports and tourism facilities.”

Ms Fitzgerald said the lease follows not only the NSW Government’s investment in the speedway but also a further $33 million upgrade of Sydney Motor Sports Precinct for night lighting, improvements to the dragway and a centre of excellence for motor sports which will enable the site to host some of the biggest motor racing events in Australia.

“Motorsports fans can look forward to an action-packed calendar of international, national and interstate events and competitions this season, delivering a major boost to tourism and Western Sydney’s economy.”

John and Kathy Kelly will get down to work immediately planning a season calender for the new venue which is expected to be completed by late September.

“We’re honoured to have the opportunity to operate the new speedway, “Kathy Kelly said.

“We can’t wait to start working with the Australian Racing Drivers’ Club and Sydney International Dragway to make the Sydney Motorsport Precinct one of the best motor sport facilities in the world. We also look forward to working with Sydney speedway racing clubs and associations.”

The construction, lease and operation of the new speedway follows the decommissioning of the previous Valvoline Raceway speedway venue at Clyde, which was on land required to stable new metro trains for the mega Sydney Metro West project.