IHRA Australia today announced the latest member track to join Australia’s largest Drag Racing Sanctioning Body, Heathcote Park Raceway in Victoria, as part of a multi-year sanctioning agreement between the two parties.

Located around 130km North-West of Melbourne and only 32km from the Regional City of Bendigo, the historic venue that has been a part of the Victorian Drag Racing landscape for over 40 years.

With the recent announcement of the purchase of Heathcote Raceway Park by Melbourne based Drag Racer and businessman Lance Warren, it marks an exciting time for the Drag Racing Community in Victoria.

A review of the plans for the track quickly reveal that no effort will be spared to bring the venue back up to a top-quality racetrack that will be capable of holding every type of Drag Racing event.

The upgrades include completely resurfacing the racing surface, extending the braking area by 400 meters (taking it to over 1.6 km in total),  installing new concrete barriers to the end of the track and widening and resurfacing of the return road. There will also be a new gravel trap at the end of the track and a dual catch net system.

IHRA Australia Managing Director Maurice Allen welcomed the new ownership for one of the most important venues in Victoria “Drag Racing in Victoria has been crying out for somebody to step up and commit to a world class venue. I commend Lance and his team for seeing the potential that Heathcote holds, and for helping secure the future of the sport in the state”.

 “We look forward to working closely with Lance to ensure that the upgrades to the venue match the safety requirements, but also to introduce Lance and his team to the IHRA Member Track network which now stands at nine tracks across the country.

Lance Warren was blunt when talking about the decision to sign with IHRA Australia. “It was a no-brainer. We want to bring the biggest events to the region, and we felt that IHRA was best positioned to help us do that.”

“When you look events like the 400 Thunder Drag Racing Series, Jamboree, Grudge Kings and The Kenda Radial Series across the country, and most of the Major venues that we are aspiring to be mentioned alongside, they all have one thing in common – IHRA Australia. And when you add the support network from Maurice and his team, we are certainly going to be able to accommodate and support the progression of racers of all levels from the off street guys all the way up to wherever they might end up in the sport”, Warren continued.  “IHRA Australia is the best choice for us to help our track get to where we need to go.”

For more information on IHRA Australia, visit the website at www.IHRA.com.au .