Twilight TCR demo teases potential for a Mallala racing future
SUPERCHEAP AUTO TCR Australia privateer Michael Clemente believes racing under lights at Mallala could offer a spectacular addition to the championship’s calendar – and based on a demonstration run last Saturday night it’s hard not to agree.
The young Victorian driver, who made his debut in the championship last year, completed a three-lap demonstration of his Honda Civic TCR entry at the South Australian circuit, during a pause in racing in the opening round of the SA State Motor Racing Championships last Saturday.
Originally planned to be held in the late afternoon, delays in the program ultimately saw the demonstration run held under lights – offering a tantalising prospect of seeing a full field of the turbo tourers at the venue with lights ablaze in the future.
Clemente will make his return to the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series this week at Phillip Island, however with his car in Adelaide to be sign written (at TRT partners Check it out Graphics) prior to the Victorian event, an offer was extended to participate in the demonstration.
“It was just brilliant. I haven’t been here in a while and to get back out there was epic,” Clemente said.
The young Victorian knows Mallala well – he was a regular in South Australia’s hugely competitive Hyundai Excel State Championship Series prior to climbing the ranks into TCR Australia.
The demo run saw him launch the Honda from a standing start in front of spectators before completing two flying laps and an ‘in’ lap – enough to get a feel for the car at the circuit.
“It was little sketchy because I didn’t get any chance to get the tyres up so it was like, yeah, real slippery. But it was great fun and it looked spectacular from the inside of the car and hopefully it was for everyone watching on the outside.”
There’s little doubt that Mallala’s 2.6km layout, which features a series of three technical hairpins linked by longer straights, would lend itself to competitive racing in the TCR Australia field.
Its unique selling point, however, is the permanent lighting that while not to the standard of Sydney Motorsport Park’s stunning new $20m installation, is perfectly adequate for promoting twilight events and used regularly.
“It would be awesome to get the proper class here and have a real race. I think you’d get a good crowd and it would be a really good spectacle – I feel a lot of people would enjoy it,” Clemente agreed.
“The track suits these cars for sure – the fast, flowing part of is awesome and in the hard braking in tight corners is what you need as well to get the passing done.
“So I think all the perfect mixture of good entertaining racing and could definitely be a great round for TCR, for sure.”
TCR will be absent from South Australia this year, electing to skip The Bend Motorsport Park in their 2022 calendar, while other core Australian Racing Group categories including S5000, Trans Am and Touring Car Masters will also be missed by Adelaide fans this year.
Mallala has not hosted a national-level racing event since early 2014, when the Shannons Nationals (now Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships’) last visited the circuit.
It has not, however, sat idle and remains busy with regular track days, burnout and drifting competitions and private hire events.
Recent capital works include repaving of approximately 300m of surface at the Northern Hairpin, the installation of a karting circuit on the infield – utilising some of the actual race circuit – and the dismantling of several of the circuit’s old grandstands, which were beyond recovery and safe regular use.
TRT understands several of the stands will likely be replaced with replenished or newer infrastructure in the future.
The circuit continues to host major events including their annual ANZAC long weekend historic festival and also last year celebrated its 60th anniversary.
TRT has published several features on the Adelaide circuit, including a piece earlier this year investigating ‘Mallala’s missing metres’ from when the track was shortened.
We also charted the circuit’s history through photos and detailed the 60 year history of the venue here.
Richard Craill (administrator)
Working full time in the motorsport industry since 2004, Richard has established himself within the group of Australia’s core motorsport broadcasters, covering the support card at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix for Channel 10, the Bathurst 12 Hour for Channel 7 and Porsche Carrera Cup & Touring Car Masters for FOX Sports’ Supercars coverage. Pretends to be a PR guy / Journalist and sometimes photographer to make ends meet when not yelling at a television in a padded room.
