Mallala to remain alive

South Australia’s Mallala road racing circuit will continue to operate following the death early this year of long-time owner-operator Clem Smith, with the Shahin family’s Peregrine Corporation having bought it this week – for an undisclosed amount.

Peregrine is the company developing The Bend Motorsport Park at the site of the former Mitsubishi proving ground at Tailem Bend, about 100km east of Adelaide.

It is hoping to have its development, said to be costing $100 million, ready to host a round of the 2018 Supercars Championship.

Peregrine’s Sam Shahin says that, after a review, Mallala will be improved with the aim of regaining national championship meetings such as the Australian Superbike Championship.

Shahin said Peregrine wants SA become the prime destination for motorsport in Australia and Mallala “is a terrific fit for our motorsport plans for the state”.

“We want Mallala to be part of the renaissance of motorsport in SA,” Shahin told Adelaide newspaper The Advertiser, calling on enthusiasts to “clean their sheds out, dust their helmets off and get ready”.

“This gives us another venue to really turbo charge [sic] motorsport here [in SA]; we can run major events, state series, state championships, and the circuit [Mallala] has landed in the hands of an organisation that is progressive and will continue to develop it and improve it.

“The plan is to continue to operate the Mallala circuit and improve it where needed, and we have some good ideas about how we can develop it into something great.

“Mallala does need some work, some ongoing investment to keep it up to modern standards, but that is the case with all infrastructure, and is no different to any other motor racing circuit in Australia."