Tracks
in Tasmania
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Here in Tasmania, we have the convenience of two
tracks within a relatively short driving distance of both the north (Launceston) and south (Hobart) of the state.
Symmons Plains Raceway is located near Launceston
in the north of the state.
Baskerville Raceway is
located a short drive from Hobart in the south of the state and recently
celebrated its 40th anniversary.
Both tracks are fairly short compared to other
tracks on the mainland (Australia) but have produced spectacular racing
over the years in most categories of motorsport.
Although similar in length, Symmons and Baskerville are
completely different circuits. Symmons demands good power and brake setup
whereas Baskerville requires careful chassis tuning rather than big horsepower
to go well.
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Baskerville Raceway
Baskerville
raceway in the south of the state is located approximately 18 km to the
north of Hobart. The track is 2.01 km in length and the racing direction
is anti-clockwise. Baskerville celebrated its 40th anniversary in 1999.
The track is
located in undulating terrain making for a relatively tight but interesting
layout. The track is known as a "drivers track" and big horsepower is not necessarily an advantage at Baskerville,
with chassis tuning and driver ability being far more important factors.
 The run up
the hill between turn 4 and turn 5 is deceptively steep and has a blind
crest and turn in to turn 5. This makes for some rather interesting approaches
to this very tricky turn and has brought many a competitor undone! The main straight, although quite short, is mostly downhill
allowing for good speed of nearly 160 KPH to be reached in a Formula Vee! The
main straight has a pronounced "hump" about half
way down and the hump produces long and
spectacular wheelies from the higher powered
motorcycles when they race here! Sadly tho, the
track surface has become fairly bumpy over the
years.
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The official
outright lap record is held by Tasmanian driver John
Bowe, well known Formula Vee, long-time Group A and,
more recently V8 Supercar racer in a time of 50.16 sec. driving
a Ralt RT 4 Formula Pacific open-wheeler in February 1982, however, in qualifying for
Round 1
of the 1997 Australian Superkart Championships, Dave
Baker from New South Wales managed a lap time
of 50.14 sec. in a 250cc Rotax powered International
class superkart and hopes
were high for a repeat performance on race day, which would see the record
officially recognised. Unfortunately, the weather conditions on race day were different to
qualifying and lap times were significantly slower.
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Note: In order for a new
lap record to be recognised it must be set in an actual race and not in
qualifying as was the case here so Bowes'
long standing record still stands.
Current F-Vee
lap record is held by Noel Clarke in an
Elfin NG with a time of
1:01.1800
Baskerville has
been hailed by no less than Aussie ex. Formula
1 world champion Allan Jones, as possibly the
best short course in the world!
Baskerville
is available for private practice most weekdays and on weekends when no
other events have been calendered.
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Symmons
Plains
Symmons Plains Raceway is located
right next to the Midlands Highway about 34 km south of Launceston. The
track is 2.41 km in length, mostly flat and the racing direction is anti-clockwise.
 Symmons is well known for
its high speeds and really tight hairpin corner at the end of a flat out,
vaguely downhill front straight. The inner radius of this turn is only
about 2 meters and the track drops in height by about one meter, which makes for some
really spectacular braking manoeuvres and passing
stunts!
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