QLD Raceway: Give us another chance!
18/5/2001 16:21 (V8 Wire - Jason Whittaker) -
Queensland Raceway has made a public plea to V8 Supercar fans to forgive and forget past indiscretions and return to the circuit for this year’s Queensland 500.
As the outer-Ipswich complex begins the 100-day countdown to the 500km endurance event, the message from QR boss Rob Colgan yesterday was simple – “we no longer have a traffic problem.”
"Millions of dollars have been pumped into the area's roads and the venue to alleviate the traffic congestion and we want the fans to know,” Colgan said.
"The Shell Championship Series is possibly the strongest Touring Car series in the world and we want fans from across Queensland and the rest of Australia to come to our circuit and enjoy what is one of the world’s toughest races.”
An unexpectedly large crowd caught the motorsport complex off-guard when it made its debut on the Shell Series calendar in 1999. Traffic chaos ensured, leaving fans disillusioned by the circuit’s ability to handle the V8 Supercars’ pulling-power.
But Colgan said the millions of dollars spent on improving transportation to and from the circuit would entice crowds back through the gates for Queensland’s only Shell Series event of 2001. He said a record three-day crowd would not be out of question.
Mark Larkham, on-hand at yesterday’s 100-day countdown launch, echoed Colgan’s sentiments.
"I urge anyone who may have turned around at that first event a couple of years ago to give the place another chance and come and see what Queensland Raceway has to offer,” he said.
"A bigger attendance at the Queensland 500 means a bigger investment in motorsport’s future in this state."
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