By NOEL MURPHY
GEELONG’S waterfront could host a motor racing circuit if Lamborghini-driving Mayor Darryn Lyons and V8 Supercars win state backing.
Cr Lyons said talks were underway for a blistering round of the V8 series to race along Western Beach, the central waterfront and Eastern Park.
Geelong’s waterfront has been raised repeatedly as a potential motor racing venue since the 1970s but without securing any major events apart from Geelong Speed Trials. The event attracted crowds of 30,000 but closed for a decade in 2003 amid wrangling between organisers and City Hall before resuming in 2012 as Geelong Revival.
“It would be fantastic to have V8 Supercars here. It’s the kind of great major event that’s all about a smart 21st Century city,” Cr Lyons said.
A successful supercars bid would put Geelong in company with cities such as Gold Coast, Townsville, Canberra, Adelaide and New Zealand’s Auckland, each of which earn millions of dollars a year from V8 supercar events.
Townsville reaps around $26 million a year along with broadcasting promotion into 140 countries. Adelaide picks up about $33 million a year with its event, with has injected $300 million plus into the state’s economy over the past decade.
“V8 Supercars should be backed 100 per cent – it’s a magnificent idea,” Cr Lyons said.
“Just think of them going around the waterfront, through Eastern Gardens, Drumcondra, Rippleside – it would be an incredible thing.
V8 Supercars boss James Warburton was reported to have backed a Geelong event but, like Cr Lyons, said talks were still preliminary.
He told one media outlet the V8 Supercars “do remarkably well in big regional cities”.
Cr Lyons said Geelong “desperately” needed to facilitate jobs but would be unable to subsidise the event, so state backing was essential.
“I’ve talked about this in the past and Bernie Ecclestone and I worked hard to bring an F1 to Geelong but it’s all about money and we need State Government help – I wish I had $1.3 billion surplus.”
Cr Lyons owns a Lamborghini and a Ferrani, previously owned by rock star Rod Stewart and F1 legend Michael Schumacher respectively.
“I’m a bit of a hot-rodder although a bit old now.”
