Racing: Oran Park at the end of the line
Final motorcycle race meeting this weekendForty-seven years of motorcycle racing heritage at Oran Park Raceway will come to an end this weekend when the final event is held at the popular circuit south of Sydney.
The farewell for the motorcycle racing set will be the Bel-Ray 6-Hour, similar to the famed Castrol 6-Hour which was one of the premier events on the local scene from 1970-1987. Fittingly, Oran Park hosted the final Castrol 6-Hour in 1987, won by Yamaha duo Kevin Magee and Michael Dowson.
Oran Park is to be closed and turned into housing.
A total of 30 teams and 92 riders will compete this weekend, with a couple of standout entries: the Honda CBR1000RR to be piloted by Russell Holland, Gareth Jones and Craig Coxhell; and the Yamaha YZF-R1 of siblings Damian and Alex Cudlin. Two-time world endurance champion Warwick Nowland will also compete on a YZF-R1 in a three-rider team.
"I'm really pumped to be racing in Australia again. I had my first ever senior road race at Oran Park when I was 16, so it's only fitting that I compete at the last ever race being held there," Alex said. "I can't wait to get out on track, race the Aussie talent once more, and see what sort of result we can get."
There will be a past riders parade before the start of the big race, with the likes of Jack Ahearn, Neil Chivas and Magee among the stars. There will also be a number of exhibition stands including previous Castrol 6-Hour winning bikes and displays of restored historic.
The Bel-Ray 6-Hour will commence with a Le Mans style start at 10.30am, with riders being given their starting orders by Magee. Gates open at 8.00am.
Oran Park Raceway, near Narellan, was opened in 1962, and the first motorcycle race meeting was held on February 17, with Jim Redman - who would go onto win the 250 and 350 GP world titles that same year -- the star attraction. Redman won nearly every class and set the founding lap record of 50.4, only 0.8secs slower than Frank Matich's outright time set in a 2.6lt Lotus sportscar.
The Australian Grand Prix was held at Oran Park in 1974 and 1977, and in 1988--1989 the circuit played host to the Superbike World Championship.
Click the following link for more information on the Bel-Ray 6-Hour.
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