THE BEACH chicane – otherwise known as turns six, seven, eight, nine and ten – remains the unquestionable highlight of the Gold Coast’s street circuit and at the same time is something of a metaphor for the event itself. 

The sequence of chicanes rises in intensity and in severity the further a car progresses through it and is at the same time thrilling, scary and challenging. And if they get it right, drivers say it is also immensely satisfying, too.

Such is the Gold Coast 600 or, as many still whisper in reverential tones, the event named ‘Indy’.

The chaotic years of strife that saw IndyCar depart, A1GP fail to even arrive and the Supercars step in to fill the void were every bit as undulating and unpredictable as that iconic bit of road that runs alongside the Surfers Paradise beach.

• PHOTO GALLERY: Gold Coast 600 day 1

Yet today the reinvigorated event has a rightful place as one of the absolute highlights of the calendar, thanks to featuring a unique format, a dramatically challenging circuit and a location that is unparalleled this side of Monaco.

Some cry out for the return of Indy Cars to these streets and as appealing as that prospect is, the advent of the Gold Coast’s light rail project means the old circuit can no longer be used. All that remains, in fact, is a five or six metre-long strip of kerbing on the inside of the circuit at the left-hander that was once called ANA.

The fading paint and chipped concrete is a reminder of things past and – like the telltale signs around Adelaide of the Grand Prix era – a nice historical touch but a race track it is no longer.

In fact, the Adelaide 500 and Gold Coast 600 share much in their makeup: Both run on shortened versions of circuits made famous by international heroes in open wheel race cars. Both have been through turbulent times and both have had to endure the whimsy of Government spending and political challenges throughout their existence.

And yet both have emerged as strong and vibrant events that successfully touch on their own heritage while at the same time establishing their own identity and sense of purpose.

The ‘modern’ Gold Coast 600 is a terrific event. The shorter circuit makes getting around so much easier and adds to the contained atmosphere in the precinct. And the best thing is it retains the racy nature of the old circuit without needing the extra two-or-so kays to do it.

The event also feels to me that it has found it’s own.. I suppose ‘vibe’ is the best word to define it, if not the most descriptive. More and more often people accept it for what it is rather than what it used to be back in the day. Certainly, the crowds remain strong and engaged and their continues to be a good atmosphere in the immediate surrounds each night.

No, it’s not what it was back in the Indy Days, but it beats most events that don’t have the fortune of being placed slap bang in the middle of the Gold Coast strip.

But perhaps the two key things are this.

One is that it still works as a tourism drawcard: Certainly I wouldn’t visit Surfers if it wasn’t for this race because it’s really just not my style. Yet visiting for this event is absolutely worthwhile and I’m only too happy to shell out the extra bucks for a decent hotel with the sea view and a good feed of an evening.

In addition to that, it seems like a young persons event; which will please the marketers to no end. There remains an element of the ‘Schoolies for Grown Ups’ to the event that ensures a large majority of the crowd are of the younger demo our sport so badly needs to attract and retain in order to grow.

And while the often malleable ways of justifying governmental spend via ‘economic impact’ and other such justifications can often generate a raised eyebrow, the magic shots of the Coast by helicopter still get beamed around the world and have to remain a brilliant promotional tool.

I know of two people in the UK that booked a holiday on the Gold Coast after last year’s 12-hour by virtue of having seen this race on the TV during a typically British (i.e, damp) Autumnal day.

Secondly, is that it remains a brilliant circuit, full of challenges and on-the-limit moments that make it one of the great street tracks around. To extract a maximum-attack lap from a car at Surfers Paradise is a knife’s-edge balancing act of driving the car whilst at the same time having a series of very small and very specific accidents at almost every corner while still emerging out the other side in one piece.

As a race track there is passing, drama, controversy and weather which add up to give it everything that most of the classic circuits have and, like Adelaide, the sense of more than 20 years of history only adds to it.

There’s been a lot said about the Gold Coast event but I, for one, am very pleased it remains an intrinsic part within the broader Supercar calendar.

As an event and a car race it is certainly not what it used to be; but the old ‘Indy’ magic lurks beneath the surface every time the circus rolls into town each October.

And that’s why I’ll keep coming back to this crazy place and this amazing race.

WORDS: Richard Craill
IMAGES: Mark Walker