Stroke of luck gets Adelaide 500 back on track – and on time

A stroke of luck from a business deal that fell through will get one of the Adelaide 500’s most important demountable buildings back in time for the revived race.

Authorities have saved the big-ticket item in the $3 million revival of the Adelaide 500, the world’s longest demountable pit building.

The 500 boss, Mark Warren, has dismissed doubts the event can be organised before the December deadline.

He has outlined progress already made since the Labor government revived the race on winning government in March.

“The pit building was sold but the sale fell through so we were able to retain that,’’ he said.

“It needs refurbishments because parts of it were taken off but we have the main structure.

Adelaide 500 boss Mark Warren.

“There are other options used by other street races but there would have been big costs to bring it down here.

“They would not have the same premium feel and it is the largest in the world and there is nothing like it. It is one off and unique ”

Mr Warren said the event would happen but has outlined the mountain his team will have to climb before it does.

He briefed Adelaide City Council on Tuesday night about two additional days’ road closures surrounding the event.

Big-ticket items sold and needing urgent replacement included:

PURPOSE built concrete barriers and wire debris barriers above each one.

TWO of three overhead walkways the government had redirected to The Bend Motorsport Park when axing the Adelaide 500.

GRANDSTANDS and shading.

RESURFACING of land around the pit building.

RESURFACING bitumen for around half of the circuit.

CORPORATE facilities.

GIANT TV screens.

Mr Warren said work had also progressed on securing a major concert for the weekend and hiring caterers and other staff.

He would not say if the event would mark the return of grid girls and grid boys, controversially banned some years ago.

The cost to bring the dilapidated Adelaide street circuit back to life will be around $3 million.

Bragg candidates butt heads over race

By Kathryn Bermingham

Bragg Liberal candidate Jack Batty has revealed he holds concerns about the impact of the Adelaide 500 supercars race on residents of the electorate, despite his party reversing its opposition to the event.

Mr Batty said he had experienced first-hand the road-closures and traffic restrictions associated with the race and, if elected, would ensure they are “not in place a second longer than needed”.

The SA Motorsport Board this week told the Adelaide City Council sections of the track circuit in Victoria Park — including Pit Paddock — must be repaired before the event can be licensed, and longer construction and road closure periods will be required in the lead-up to the December 1-4 event.

Mr Batty said the extension of road closures, which affect a key route from the eastern suburbs into the CBD, was disappointing and highlighted that the revival of the race had been rushed.

Liberal candidate Jack Batty says the Bragg community shouldn’t be burdened with traffic restrictions. Picture: Tom Huntley

“The Bragg community shouldn’t be unfairly burdened with more traffic restrictions just so Labor can tick off an election commitment,” he said.

But Labor candidate Alice Rolls said the return of the race was “strongly supported by the people of South Australia at the last state election” and brief road closures were a reality of holding events in the city.

“I know the government is aiming to keep road closures to an absolute minimum and, if successful on July 2, I will fight to continue that from within government,” she said.

“As we emerge from the pandemic, it is important to remember the value of these events for our economic recovery and the vibrancy they add to Adelaide.”

Alice Rolls said she expected the race would receive support from across the political divide. Picture: Supplied

Ms Rolls said she expected the race would receive support from across the political divide after Opposition Leader David Speirs said shortly after the state election that the Liberals’ 2020 decision to scrap the race had hurt the party.

“Given the Leader of the Opposition attributed part of the Liberals’ recent election loss to the axing of the Adelaide 500, I look forward to the race receiving ongoing bipartisan support,” she said.

Greens candidate Jim Bastiras said the race should be run without shutting down the parklands and CBD.

“It’s the wrong race in the wrong place,’ he said.

The Bragg by-election, triggered by the resignation of former deputy premier Vickie Chapman, is on July 2.

Originally published as Stroke of luck gets Adelaide 500 back on track – and on time