WHAT a great day. 

From the ‘Field of Dreams’ (If you build it, they will come) moment when TV cameras captured a seemingly never-ending stream of traffic rolling into the car park at 8:30am this morning, to the compelling racing, the filled grandstands and the perfect weather, today was one of the more sport-affirming days I’ve experienced at a race track in ages.

It was ‘sport affirming’ in that it leaves a warm feeling in your chest that despite the negativity and the pessimism, things in this sport are actually O.K.

Today ticked boxes in the Personal, Professional and Parochial columns.

Parochial because what has happened here is superb for the state of South Australia, of which I am very proud – yet always battles with a ‘small fish in a big national pond’ syndrome.

Between the Adelaide Oval and The Bend we’ve now got the two benchmark locations in sport, right here within an hour of Adelaide.

Professional because the success of this circuit means my business, based in this state, can continue to grow and because the people I’m here working with put on a great show that they can be proud of.

And Personal because of the relationships I’ve formed with both the people that made the track and those who now operate it. I’m genuinely proud of what they have achieved to this point.

There’s an element of Payback, too, because even though the Shannons Nationals round here in April was unquestionably a success, many left the circuit questioning the viability of the circuit to draw a crowd thanks to the dust on Saturday and the wind all weekend.

Beyond that plenty also said it wouldn’t draw because it was too far from the city and in a location that people just wouldn’t go.

But the 16,000-odd souls who filled the grandstands, sold out the camping and filled the car parking today proved them wrong, and that’s very satisfying.

With more great weather forecast tomorrow it’s hard to imagine the Sunday crowd won’t be even more substantial.

Finally, there’s no argument to be made that this isn’t also a really good race track.

I love Carrera Cup, but it’s generally a rather cerebral formula where the interest lies in the mirco-sectors rather than the door-bashing racing.

Yet today’s 20-lap mini-enduro had four genuine passes for the lead of the race and countless others through the field.

The Supercars race was no more or less compelling than everything else we’ve seen this year and with two Nissans on the podium threw up more varied results.

From the wide approach to turn one to the turn five-six, hold-yer-breath sequence, there’s plenty going on and as Porsche pilots Nick McBride and Adrian Flack can attest, there’s consequence too.

This is a fast circuit with great challenge and key moments that make it unique anomgst others.

There’s still a day to go and undoubtedly kinks in the system that will need to be worked on.

Reports of three-kilometers of traffic trying to get into the circuit earlier in the day mean improving access and vehicle flow into the car parks will be a point of discussion afterwards, though I’ll add that the report was it was always moving and never seemed uncontrolled.

And as I type this there’s gridlock on the access roads among the traffic jam trying to getting out.

I assure people that more than anyone else, the circuit wants to know about ‘kinks’ in the system and will work to rectify them with the same pace that they grew grass on an infield that was barren three months ago.

But the fact there’s even a traffic problem to be fixed is a nod to the fact that people actually want to experience this place.

Issues can be found, related and rectified once the weekend is finished. Right now it’s just nice to be able to enjoy it for what it is.

We depart the circuit embracing a day that will ultimately be very good for the sport – both in this state and beyond. It seems almost impossible to argue otherwise.

The Sun shone. The Racing was good. The crowds came.

What a great day.

WORDS: Richard Craill
IMAGE: Dirk Klynsmith / V8 Touring Cars