Newcastle Street Circuit

The Newcastle Street Circuit is a temporary street circuit around the east end of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. The circuit hosts the Newcastle 500, the opening round of the Supercars Championship.[1] The 14-turn, 2.641 km (1.641 mi) circuit takes in Newcastle Beach and the foreshore around Nobbys Beach Reserve.[2]

Newcastle Street Circuit
Map as used in the 2019 Supercars race, accurate as of 22 October 2022
LocationNewcastle and Newcastle East, New South Wales
Time zoneGMT+10:00
Coordinates32°55′35.25″S 151°47′16.75″E
FIA Grade3
Opened24 November 2017 (2017-11-24)
Major eventsSupercars Championship
Newcastle 500 (2017–2019, 2023)
Street Circuit (2017–2019, 2023)
Length2.641 km (1.640 miles)
Turns14
Race lap record1:10.6403 (Australia David Reynolds, Holden Commodore (VF), 2017, Supercars)

Circuit

The circuit begins on Wharf Road, heading southwest towards the city. It then turns left at Watt Street, crossing over the Newcastle Light Rail tracks before ascending a 1:22 hill up Watt Street, before again turning left onto Shortland Esplanade 500 m (550 yd) after turn one.[3] Once on Shortland Esplanade, the circuit snakes down the beachside road before reaching a 90° left turn at Zaara Street. This is followed by a 90° right turn onto Scott Street and another 90° left turn onto Parnell Place to the fastest stretch of circuit, Nobbys Road down past Fort Scratchley followed by a left-handed hairpin bend in the Camp Shortland carpark. From there a right-hand turn onto Wharf Road completes the lap.

The originally proposed layout was altered with the omission of the section through Pacific Park and the alteration of the planned Nobbys' Reserve permanent course.[4][5] However, the circuit has attracted criticism from residents within the circuit precinct.[6]

In 2019, the Camp Shortland hairpin bend was altered to improve overtaking. The corner apex moved to where the outside track limit point was initially situated and the corner radius was tightened, giving drivers a longer and deeper braking zone to complete passes.[7]

Lap records

As of March 2023, the fastest official race lap records at Newcastle Street Circuit are listed as:[8]

Class Time Driver Vehicle Event Date
Street Circuit: 2.641 km (2017–2019, 2023)
Supercars – Gen2 1:10.6403 Australia David Reynolds Holden Commodore VF 2017 Newcastle 500 26 November 2017
Supercars – Gen3 1:12.5355 New Zealand Shane van Gisbergen Chevrolet Camaro Mk.6 2023 Newcastle 500 12 March 2023
Super2 Series 1:12.9790 Australia Brodie Kostecki Ford Falcon FG 2017 Newcastle Super2 round 26 November 2017
Touring Car Masters 1:17.9460 Australia Steven Johnson Ford Mustang Mk.1 Fastback 2023 Newcastle Touring Car Masters round 11 March 2023
Aussie Racing Cars 1:20.8036 Australia Kel Treseder Chevrolet Camaro-Yamaha 2019 Newcastle Aussie Racing Cars round 24 November 2019
V8 Utes 1:24.5471 Australia Jeremy Gray Ford Falcon FG Ute 2017 Newcastle V8 Utes round 26 November 2017
Toyota 86 1:26.1035 Australia Declan Fraser Toyota 86 GR Mk.1 2018 Newcastle Toyota 86 round 24 November 2018
SuperUtes 1:29.1969 New Zealand Tom Alexander Isuzu D-Max 2019 Newcastle SuperUtes round 23 November 2019

Notes

    References
    1. "Five-year, $57 million Newcastle Supercars deal confirmed". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
    2. "Date and layout locked in for Newcastle Supercars race". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
    3. Supercars to cross tram tracks in Newcastle Speedcafe 27 April 2018
    4. "Changes to Newcastle street circuit as date set". Speedcafe. 13 December 2016.
    5. "Supercars: Newcastle street circuit revealed with changes to initial layout". Fox Sports Australia. 13 December 2016.
    6. Zhou, Naaman (2 September 2017). "'We essentially live inside a racetrack': Supercars race leaves Newcastle residents fuming". The Guardian Australia. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
    7. "Track tweak to improve overtaking at Newcastle 500". Speedcafe. 15 November 2019.
    8. Natsoft Race Results
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