MORE track issues has led to the cancellation of a major drag racing event in Swan Hill next month, just over a month after council committed $170,000 for repairs to the strip.
Between 250 and 300 cars had been expected to enter into the 2019 Garrett Melbourne Jamboree racing event in November, which had been spruiked as a major boost to the local economy.
But on Friday, it was announced Jamboree Australia Pty Ltd and the Swan Hill Drag Racing Club had agreed the event would not go ahead.
In a joint statement, the cancellation was blamed on issues with the track, despite the ratepayer-funded maintenance recently undertaken.
“This (the cancellation) is due to the racing surface of the track continuing to show movement and this is due to expansion and contraction of the asphalt at the high speed end of the 401m racing distance,” the statement said.
“This expansion and contraction of the surface can lead to variations in the track levels that are not conducive to high speed race cars at the fastest part of the race track.”
It was an issue the $170,000 upgrade had aimed to address.
Swan Hill Rural City Council held a meeting with drag club president Gary Rovere on Friday to discuss the current state of the drag strip and jamboree cancellation.
“We are disappointed that the jamboree event will not be going ahead,” council chief executive officer John McLinden said following the meeting.
“Diamond grinding works were undertaken in September, however since that time there has been further movement in the asphalt and concrete.
“At this point, the safety of participants is paramount and must be addressed prior to future events being held at the Swan Hill drag strip.”
Mr McLinden said council would need time to consider the next steps going forward.
“We will be considering the long-term maintenance and works required at the drag strip and will be discussing an ongoing maintenance program for the track in partnership with the club,” he said.
“We are committed to working alongside the club as we move through this process, and will keep them and the wider community informed.”
Jamboree Australia Pty Ltd and Swan Hill Drag Racing Club also acknowledged council’s ongoing commitment to the community facility.
“The Swan Hill Rural City Council must be commended for their dedication and commitment to rectify this issue,” the clubs said.
“Jamboree Australia and Swan Hill Dragway both support their efforts and know that they will get this situation corrected in the short to medium term.”
Refunds will be provided to ticket holders and entrants who had already committed to attend or race at the event.
The latest repair attempts come more than two years after council spent an unbudgeted $500,000 on track repairs.
The money was required to grind the concrete racing surface, lay new sections of asphalt and improve track drainage.
The drag strip was built in 2015 as a partnership between state government, the Swan Hill Drag Racing Club and council.
At the track’s November 2016 opening, drag racers voiced concerns about concrete joints on the racing surface being raised.
This was confirmed the following month when council engaged expert geo-spatial engineers Lester Franks to complete a laser survey.
Council also engaged independent engineers from Head to Head International to provide advice regarding the joint movement and preventing it from re-occurring.
BREAK OUT:
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Locals shared their reaction to the event’s cancellation on Facebook.
Darren Jenkins: The money should of went into fixing our roads, more important!
Kendall Jennings: Shame, the area could have used the cash injection. If only it was done properly when constructed.
Carol Fellows: Surprise Surprise. Watch out for a rate hike to pay for the bottomless money pit that this white elephant is. It’s a shame this track could have been so good for Swan Hill.
