37-558: The Gold Coast Indy 300 was an annual open-wheel motor race event that took place at the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit on the Gold Coast , Queensland , Australia from 1991 to 2008. The challenging 4.47-kilometre (2.78 mi) track, alongside a strip of beaches, had several fast sections and four chicanes . The event had various names during its history for sponsorship reasons; in its final year, it
74-480: A brief meeting with State Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen , the event was confirmed for Queensland, and Surfers Paradise was chosen over Brisbane , the state capital. The original circuit layout was designed by Ron Dickson of D3 Motorsport Development, and was the fourth concept put forward for the Surfers Paradise area. Preliminary work was carried out in 1988, and the circuit was opened on 15 March 1991 for
111-456: A car for PKV this weekend, nipped local hero Will Power on Friday, snagging the provisional pole position by .033 seconds and locking in a front row starting spot for Sunday's race. Power got revenge on Saturday when he broke the Surfers Paradise track record in winning his fourth pole position of the season by .372 seconds. Will Power led away from the standing start, continuing to show the unmatched speed he showed in qualifying on Saturday. But
148-483: A large number of travelling British fans and media. It was also the first of a record seven race wins at the event for Newman/Haas Racing . In the 2002 event there was a frightening incident when a nine-car pile-up occurred at the start in very wet conditions, however no significant injuries were sustained. In 2003 a massive thunderstorm struck the area during the race, leading to a red flag and shortened race distance. The event lost some of its lustre from 2004 , as
185-408: A lousy qualifying) stayed out rather than pit. Doornbos led until he pitted on lap 18, with Paul Tracy leading for a lap until he drove for the pits on lap 19. Sébastien Bourdais inherited the lead from Tracy. Bourdais had jumped around Oriol Servià in the first pit stop. Servià took the lead when Bourdais pitted on lap 32, who in turn gave up the lead on lap later to Paul Tracy, who was now leading
222-683: A new five-year deal with A1 Grand Prix to stage a race at Surfers Paradise. The first A1GP race was supposed to take place on 25 October 2009. To accommodate the new link with the A1GP series and subsequent removal of the Indy name (which is a registered trademark of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway), the entire four-day event was called the Nikon SuperGP. However, on 17 October 2009, A1GP Chairman Tony Teixeira announced that
259-577: A notably shorter layout of the circuit. At the Turn 2 chicane, the circuit enters a hairpin to the left and rejoins the original track at the Esses. The then-CEO of V8 Supercars, Tony Cochrane , suggested this layout after the A1 Grand Prix cars dropped out of the 2009 event. This was an effort to reduce the cost of running the event without an international drawcard series. This was achieved by reducing
296-568: A support category since 1994) move from a non-championship to championship event in 2002 and take equal top billing with Champ Car, an unprecedented move across the Champ Car calendar. Traditionally the CART/Champ Car race was the final event of the programme, but in later years the final V8 Supercars race held this place. In the first sixteen years of the event, there were sixteen different winners. In 2007 Sébastien Bourdais became
333-683: Is a temporary street circuit in Surfers Paradise , in Queensland , Australia . The 2.960 km (1.839 mi) beach-side track has several fast sections and two chicanes , having been shortened from an original 4.470 km (2.778 mi) length in 2010. It is the third of three motor racing circuits that have existed in the Gold Coast region, after the Southport Road Circuit (1954–1955) and Surfers Paradise International Raceway (1966–1987). From 1991 to 2008,
370-612: Is also an international leader in motor racing safety standards applauded by the Confederation of Australian Motorsport and the FIA (the international governing body of motorsport). One of the major advancements over the later years of the Champ Car era was the installation of double height debris fencing, including an additional 610 panels in high impact areas in 2005. Since 2010, the Supercars Championship has run
407-608: The 1991 Gold Coast IndyCar Grand Prix . The construction of the circuit has been acclaimed internationally and is used as a benchmark for new temporary street circuits world-wide. Over a full 12-month period plans are laid and then implemented to transform a bustling residential, commercial and holiday destination into a temporary street circuit capable of facilitating high-speed motor races and hundreds of thousands of people. The circuit construction since 2009 has been project managed by local Gold Coast firm iEDM who specialise in motorsport venue engineering and delivery. In constructing
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#1732779544463444-814: The G:link light rail network, which now extends along Surfers Paradise Boulevard beyond the existing second chicane. In June 2016 the Gold Coast Bulletin reported that "secret government talks" were underway to bring back the IndyCar race for 2017 or 2018, and that an area consortium had been given rights to negotiate with IndyCar for an Australian race with a preference for the Gold Coast. IndyCar management would not comment other than to say they were investigating potential overseas venues. With Supercars later signing an extension of their exclusive deal for
481-466: The Australian's race would quickly end in tears. After debris brought out a caution flag on lap 9, Power led the front-runners into the pits for the first stop of the day. The lollipop man released Power back into the pit lane just as David Martínez was entering the pit stall in front of him. Power ran into the back of Martínez's car, damaging his right front suspension. Power was forced to return to
518-565: The Gold Coast Indy move permanently to October, starting in 1998. By the late 1990s, as political tensions subsided, the race become a well-attended and popular event on the Gold Coast calendar with tens of thousands of spectators attending each of the four days of the event. The 1993 race was particularly notable as 1992 Formula One champion Nigel Mansell 's first race in American championship car racing, which he won in front of
555-616: The UK operating arm of the series went into liquidation in June. Access to the A1GP cars and the ability to pay its suppliers had been impeded. That caused the cars to be impounded the UK. A1 Grand Prix subsequently failed to arrive and were removed from the program, replaced with additional V8 Supercar races. Since 2002 , the Surfers Paradise race has counted for points in the V8 Supercars championship, now known as Supercars. V8 Supercars and
592-501: The United Kingdom operating arm of the series went into liquidation in June, with access to the A1GP cars and their ability to pay its suppliers having been impeded. That prevented the cars from leaving Europe in time to be on track in Surfers Paradise on 22 October. Therefore, A1GP withdrew from participation in the 2009 Nikon SuperGP , with V8 Supercars instead running additional races. A1GP refunded Gold Coast Motor Events Co.
629-454: The alternate strategy cars. Bourdais was running in second behind Tracy until a rare event happened on lap 39, he was passed on the track by Justin Wilson. So when Tracy pitted on lap 40 Wilson took over the lead. Both Wilson and Bourdais had one more pit stop to make. Wilson stopped first on lap 44, but Bourdais extended his stop until lap 48, setting down some scorching laps on low tanks in
666-489: The circuit hosted an American Championship car racing event, the Gold Coast Indy 300 . The circuit has also hosted touring car races since 1994, with the Supercars Championship currently contesting the annual Gold Coast 500 at the circuit. Ron Dickson, the president of D3 Motorsport Development held the rights for CART internationally in the 1980s. Following lobbying from prominent Queensland businessmen, and
703-542: The construction time, amount of materials needed and also limits the impact on local residents and tourists. It is no longer possible to use the full circuit with the G:link light rail line having been built over it. An annual event had been held here beginning with the opening round of the 1991 IndyCar season . Following the merger of the Indy Racing League and Champ Car World Series in February 2008 ,
740-549: The event , which would combine one of the first few rounds of the 2009–10 A1 Grand Prix season and the 11th round of the 2009 V8 Supercar Championship Series , would be produced through a partnership between IMG and the Queensland Government. The event was also renamed as the SuperGP for 2009, with the iconic Indy name becoming obsolete. However, on 17 October 2009, A1GP Chairman Tony Teixeira announced that
777-547: The event from 2017 to 2019, combined with the prohibitive shorter track layout, and costs of bringing the series to Australia, there are several barriers preventing the revival of the event. Events which were not championship rounds are indicated by a pink background. Notes: ^1 – 1994: Race shortened due to darkness. ^2 – 1997, 1998 and 2000: Race shortened due to time limit. ^3 – 2002: Race shortened due to rain. ^4 – 2003: Race shortened from 65 laps. The Nikon Indy 300 F3 Challenge
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#1732779544463814-738: The event, whereas support at local level from the Gold Coast City Council varied, and was occasionally openly hostile to the event. From 1991 to 1997, the Gold Coast Grand Prix was typically held in March, and several times served as the CART season opener. In 1996, the Australian Grand Prix ( Melbourne ) moved from the fall to the spring. It created an undesirable scheduling conflict which eventually saw
851-536: The first driver to win the race twice, adding to his 2005 victory . On 5 March 2008, it was announced that the IndyCar Series would travel to Australia for the first time, but due to contractual issues the race would not count towards the 2008 championship and would be a stand-alone demonstration event, in light of the recent merger between Champ Car and the IRL. Australian driver Ryan Briscoe nonetheless became
888-403: The first local winner of the event, in what remains the final running of the event to date. On 11 November 2008, after extensive negotiations with the IndyCar Series broke down, the Queensland Government reached a new five-year deal with A1 Grand Prix to stage a race at Surfers Paradise, severing its eighteen-year history with American open wheel racing. On 25 February 2009 it was announced that
925-483: The future of race had originally been secured until 2013 as an IRL IndyCar Series event, however the race was dropped from the calendar after the first demonstration race, and the A1 Grand Prix was signed up as a replacement, severing its eighteen-year history with American open wheel racing. On 11 November 2008 after extensive negotiations with the IRL broke down, the Queensland Government reached
962-511: The major category at the event. For 2010 the format was changed to consist of a single 300-kilometre (190 mi) race on each day, with two drivers per car. In 2011 Sébastien Bourdais became the first and only driver to win at Surfers Paradise in both a Champ Car (in 2005 and 2007) and a V8 Supercar (in 2011, and then again in 2012). As of October 2024, the official race lap records at Surfers Paradise Street Circuit are listed as: 2007 Lexmark Indy 300 The 2007 Lexmark Indy 300
999-468: The meantime. Bourdais easily came out in front of Wilson after completing his final pit stop. With first and second places pretty much decided, an interesting battle was shaping up between alternate strategy runners Tracy and Junqueira for the final podium spot. Tracy was looking to redeem a rough patch of races while Junqueira was looking for his third consecutive podium finish. Unfortunately for Tracy, he used too much fuel to stay ahead and had to dive to
1036-413: The original circuit, over a two-month construction period, seven bridges were erected, along with 2,515 concrete barriers, 11,500 grandstand seats, more than 140 corporate suites, 10 km (6.2 mi) of debris fencing and 16 km (9.9 mi) of security fencing, as well as many more temporary structures being fitted, and large-scale power and telecommunications systems being activated. The circuit
1073-436: The pits for repairs, leaving him at the back of the field. Power's day ended for good on lap 19 when he clouted Katherine Legge while trying to pass her, leaving him with a broken car and a very sore wrist. As is often the case in Champ Car races, the early debris caution led to three drivers rolling the dice on strategy. Paul Tracy (who spun on lap 1), Bruno Junqueira (who had stalled on the grid), and Robert Doornbos (who had
1110-619: The preceding Group 3A touring car category had previously appeared as a support category in 1994 and from 1996 onwards. From 2003 to 2007, the touring cars officially shared top billing with the Champcar World Series, and then with the Indy Racing League in 2008. The 2009 race was amended after the demise of A1GP, moving to a 600-kilometre (370 mi) format of four 150-kilometre (93 mi) races, two on Saturday and two on Sunday. From that year on, Supercars are
1147-431: The sanction fee paid, and donated A$ 50,000 to a charity designated by the board. Following A1GP's withdrawal, V8 Supercars became the permanent and sole lead category of the event, which became known as the Gold Coast 600 as of 2010. This event continues to the current day, albeit on a shorter 2.96 km version of the original Surfers Paradise circuit. The original longer circuit has also now been rendered unusable by
Gold Coast Indy 300 - Misplaced Pages Continue
1184-780: The split between American open wheel racing series started to draw teams from the Champ Car World Series across to the IRL IndyCar Series, whose calendar was considerably more domestic than the well-travelled Champ Car World Series. The falling popularity of open wheel racing in America further devalued the event, with NASCAR dominating the U.S. racing scene. The waning interest led to the V8 Supercars (the leading touring cars category in Australia and
1221-463: The successor to CART. Following the merger of the Indy Racing League and Champ Car World Series in February 2008 it was announced that the race would continue as a non-championship IndyCar Series event; however the race was omitted from the 2009 IndyCar Series season calendar, and subsequently dropped by the IndyCar Series completely. In 2009 as part of the Q150 celebrations, the Gold Coast Indy 300
1258-426: Was a Formula Three race held in 2008 on the streets of Surfers Paradise, Queensland as a non-championship support race of the 2008 IndyCar Series Gold Coast Indy 300 event. Drivers competed in three classes: 27°59′17.9″S 153°25′42.1″E / 27.988306°S 153.428361°E / -27.988306; 153.428361 Surfers Paradise Street Circuit The Surfers Paradise Street Circuit
1295-529: Was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for its role as an "event and festival". The event arrived in Australia on the back of lobbying from a consortium of businessmen from the state of Queensland . The event's early years were dogged by controversy as Australia's motor sport governing body, the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS), initially refused to sanction the event. The Queensland State Government had been largely supportive of
1332-621: Was known as the Nikon Indy 300 . The race debuted in 1991 on the CART Indy Car World Series calendar, the first race in series history held outside North America. Following the split between CART and the newly formed Indy Racing League (IRL) in 1996 , CART continued to sanction the event until it folded after the 2003 season . From 2004 to 2007, the race was part of the Champ Car World Series ,
1369-489: Was the thirteenth and penultimate round of the 2007 Champ Car World Series Season . It was held on 21 October 2007 on the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit in Queensland , Australia . The race was won by Sébastien Bourdais , who also claimed his fourth consecutive Champ Car title, becoming the first man to achieve that distinction. 27°59′17.9″S 153°25′42.1″E / 27.988306°S 153.428361°E / -27.988306; 153.428361 Oriol Servià, driving
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