Winton Motor Raceway’s 2016 major events calendar has today been confirmed, following Friday’s announcement of major government funding for the resurfacing of the circuit.
The track will be closed during January, and will reopen with the Benalla Auto Club Members’ Day on 7 February. The rest of the year will be filled with a smorgasbord of competition events, including national and state-level meetings.
The V8 Supercars will return to Winton in May, while other major national race meetings include the Shannons Nationals in June and Winton 300 in November.
In exciting news for two-wheel racing fans, the Australian Superbike Championship will host a round at Winton, on 29 April-1 May, while the Australasian FX Superbikes will attend the venue in September.
The Austin 7 Club Historic Winton event, which runs on the short Club Circuit and celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2016, will be held on its traditional end of May date, while the Festival of Speed, which uses the full National Circuit, will be held in August.
For those who enjoy Winton’s modified car festivals, there will be two in 2016; the Easter Car Mania has been renamed “Winton Car Mania” and will be held the weekend before Easter, while the ever-popular Performance Car Mania event returns in September.
Club-level motorsport enthusiasts will be catered for by the AASA-sanctioned VMRC (two day) and Champion of Winton (one day) race meetings, while CAMS state-level motorsport returns to Winton with the Victorian State Circuit Racing Championships in September.
Two new major events join the Winton calendar for 2016; the 24 Hours of Lemons, an endurance event for cars costing no more than $1000, will be held in March, while the new Sports Car Masters event will take place in October.
A number of other club-level events will take place throughout the year, including the long-standing Winton Sprint Series.
Please see the full major events calendar below:
February
7. BAC Member’s Day
20. Winton Motor Raceway Sprints Training/ Officials Training Day
21. Winton Motor Raceway Sprints – Round 1
27. FUN DAY
28. Champion of Winton – Race Meeting – Round 1
March
5-6. Victorian Motor Racing Championship – Round 1
11-13. 24 Hours of Lemons
19-20. Winton Car Mania
April
10. Winton Motor Raceway Sprints – Round 2
29 April-1 May. Australian Superbike Championship
May
20-22. V8 Supercars Championship Series
28-29. Austin 7 Historic Winton
June
4. Winton Motor Raceway Sprints – Round 3
11-12. Shannons Nationals
July
2-3. Victorian Motor Racing Championship – Round 2
30. FUN DAY
August
6-7. Winton Festival of Speed
20. Cruise & Shine
27. Winton Motor Raceway Sprints – Round 4
28. Champion of Winton – Race Meeting – Round 2
September
3-4. Victorian State Racing Championships
10-11. AFX Superbikes
16-18. Performance Car Mania
24-25. Victorian Motor Racing Championship – Round 3
October
22-23. Sports Car Masters
November
12-13. Winton 300 (including Champion of Winton – Round 3)
December
3-4. HQ Four Hour
10. Winton Motor Raceway Sprints – Round 5 – Twilight meeting
11. FUN DAY
18. BAC Members’ Day
