20-609: Queensland Raceway nicknamed "the paperclip" is a motor racing circuit located at Willowbank in Ipswich , Queensland , Australia. The circuit hosted Supercars Championship until 2019, drifting as well as club level racing and ride days. Queensland Raceway is 3.126 km (1.942 mi) long and 12 m (13 yd) wide, running clockwise . There are six corners. The circuit was designed by Tony Slattery with input from car and motorcycle racing authorities including CAMS circuit expert Professor Rod Troutbeck. Queensland Raceway
40-494: A Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 alongside Bernd Schneider , Jeroen Bleekemolen and Nicki Thiim . One of the first professional racing drivers to embrace Sim racing as a means of development and training, in 2012 he assisted with the racing scenes in Ron Howard 's film Rush , about the battle between James Hunt and Niki Lauda in the 1976 Formula One season . The younger Edwards also portrayed his father in several scenes of
60-428: A Mini Challenge support race to the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series sparked discussion about the safety of the circuit. However, circuit owner at the time, John Tetley insisted that the track was still safe. TeamVodafone driver Craig Lowndes suggested that Queensland Raceway was long overdue for upgrades including a resurfacing. Tetley stated that resurfacing would be done in late 2010, although major flooding in
80-509: A landmark event on the Queensland Raceway calendar since 2014. There have been five fatalities at the venue since it opened in 1999. Porsche Supercup driver Sean Edwards in 2013 during testing, as well as club-racer Dennis Smith at a sprint event in 2016. Two further deaths occurred when a 32-year-old driver and 41-year-old passenger were killed in August 2017. In 2023, Shane Savage died at
100-511: Is a FIA Grade 3 circuit. However, the track uses a mixture of sanctioning bodies including Motorsport Australia, AASA and Motorcycling Australia for its events including race meetings, drifting, motorbike ride days and roll racing. Spectator viewing at the facility is excellent with the flat layout of the circuit and spectator mounds. However the flat layout makes racing less exciting for the competitors than undulating circuits like Phillip Island . The track became infamous for its bumps, although it
120-463: Is at 12 Anderson Day Drive ( 27°40′50″S 152°41′21″E / 27.6805°S 152.6891°E / -27.6805; 152.6891 ( Warrill Park Lawn Cemetery ) ). It is the main cemetery of the City of Ipswich providing lawn burials, columbarium walls and scattering gardens for cremated remains. The Ipswich Motorsport Precinct at 102 Champions Way. It consists of: In June each year,
140-633: The Ipswich Motorsport Precinct at Willowbank. The name was introduced when "Willowbank Estate" was advertised for sale in February 1887. In the 2016 census , Willowbank had a population of 1,315 people. In the 2021 census , Willowbank had a population of 1,351 people. There are no schools in Willowbank. The nearest government primary schools are Amberley District State School in Yamanto to
160-761: The 2005 British GT Championship . Moving to Monaco, he then undertook drives in various years of the FIA GT3 European Championship , the Porsche Supercup (latterly with Team Allyouneed) and the American Le Mans Series (with MOMO NGT Motorsport). In 2006 he won the FIA European GT3 championship driving a Tech9 Motorsports Porsche GT3 Cup Car. In May 2013 he won the Nurburgring 24 Hours , his first major victory in endurance racing, driving
180-515: The Queensland Raceway after his car rolled. Willowbank, Queensland Download coordinates as: Willowbank is a rural locality in the City of Ipswich , Queensland , Australia. In the 2021 census , Willowbank had a population of 1,351 people. The Cunningham Highway passes through the suburb from north to south. Both the Willowbank Raceway and Queensland Raceway are located in
200-424: The Queensland Raceway was officially named "Dick Johnson Straight". Johnson, a five-time national champion and three-time Bathurst winner, proudly unveiled a piece of pit-lane wall, which now bears his name and a plaque commemorating the ceremony and Johnson's motor racing achievements. The unveiling was part of the pre-race build-up to the 2001 VIP Petfoods Queensland 500 . Johnson was joined by his son Steve during
220-736: The Willowbank Raceway holds the Winternationals , the largest drag racing event outside the United States. Sean Edwards (racing driver) Sean Lawrence Guy Edwards (6 December 1986 − 15 October 2013) was an English professional racing driver , whose career highlight was winning as co-driver the 2013 Nurburgring 24 Hours . He died as a passenger in a private testing incident in October 2013, at Queensland Raceway in Australia. Edwards
SECTION 10
#1732863162430240-436: The ceremony as well as a host of V8 Supercar drivers and teams during what was a serious day of testing at the circuit. Johnson was one of the driving forces behind the development of the Queensland Raceway and made his last competitive drive in a V8 Supercar in 2000's Queensland 500 with son Steve. As of August 2024, the fastest official race lap records at Queensland Raceway are listed as: A huge accident on 1 May 2010 in
260-613: The circuit has seen a big investment to lift its standards and facilities to where they should have been. The Willowbank 300 is held annually at Queensland Raceway as part of the Queensland Endurance Championship. The Endurance Championship consists of the Ipswich event and the Lakeside Park 300 which is traditionally held in the latter part of the year at the historic circuit north of Brisbane. The Willowbank 300 has been
280-461: The film, the latter being among the drivers who pulled Lauda from the burning wreckage of his formula one racing car during the 1976 German Grand Prix . On 15 October 2013, Edwards was killed in a crash during a private session at Queensland Raceway in Willowbank, Queensland , Australia as a passenger whilst instructing Will Holzheimer of Dellow Racing in a Porsche 996 Supercup car. Holzheimer
300-765: The north-east and Mutdapilly State School in Mutdapilly to the south. The nearest government secondary schools are Bremer State High School in Ipswich CBD to the north-east and Rosewood State High School in Rosewood to the north-west. The Ipswich City Council operates a fortnightly mobile library service which visits Heit Park in Heit Street ( 27°39′28″S 152°41′35″E / 27.65768°S 152.69306°E / -27.65768; 152.69306 ( Heit Park mobile library stop ) ). Warrill Park Lawn Cemetery
320-506: The project is to extend the length of current circuit. The proposed plans by the council were never followed through with after massive upheaval and controversy. The company responsible (Ipswich Motorsport Park PTY LTD) for the redevelopment was wound up in 2017 and de-registered. In October 2021 former owner John Tetley and Tony Quinn signed a pact under which the Quinn took the lease, management and operations of Queensland Raceway. Since this time
340-402: The south-east Queensland region early in 2011, and the subsequent lack of availability of necessary equipment as devastated roads are repaired has seen that resurfacing delayed for twelve months. In October 2011 the resurfacing was commenced and completed before Christmas. During July 2016, the Ipswich council announced plans to invest $ 220 million upgrading Queensland Raceway. The first phase of
360-417: The track in addition to the full circuit: The National circuit gets the most use for testing purposes and for major motorsport events. The Clubman circuit is also utilised regularly at state and club level racing. The Sprint circuit also in semi-regular use. The Sportsman circuit, originally optimised for truck racing, is now rarely used. Dick Johnson was honoured on 16 August 2001, when the front straight of
380-560: Was born in London on 6 December 1986, the son of racing driver Guy Edwards . He was educated at Wellington College and Cherwell College in Oxford. He lived and was based in Monaco . Edwards started racing at the age of eleven taking part in karting competitions. After gaining fourth place in the 2003 British Formula Ford Championship , he gained 5th in the 2004 Formula Renault UK , and fifth in
400-424: Was resurfaced in late 2011. Queensland Raceway is located with the bounds of the Ipswich Motorsport Precinct , which is also home to the Willowbank Raceway dragstrip , a kart track, a short dirt circuit and a junior (under-16) motorcycle speedway . The track is also located near RAAF Base Amberley and shares the base's 6 km (3.7 mi) noise exclusion zone. There are three Short Circuit variations of
#429570