Motorcycling SA just spent the weekend of February 24 & 25 in the mid north of the state, running a level 1 Coaching Course at Crystal Brook, but on the Saturday evening, and with the blessing of Neil Burston, MSA took the chance to have a sneaky look at the works being done to an iconic piece of Motorcycling SA history, the Port Pirie Longtrack!
Entering the property (on foot) and walking past the Go-Kart circuit towards the track still circled by light towers long since having shone bright, relics of meetings past appear out of the saltbush, like the old ticket box, now without a roof, open to the elements and with saltbush growing inside and out, the old toilet block in the same state, as well as random machinery, having gone years untouched and now hard to see!
Getting closer, the track can now be seen, almost, now circled by the new rubber fence that has been mounted on the old posts, but before getting to see the track, you are confronted with the old ‘booth’ (bar) and canteen – and like the ticket box, they are both in a state of disrepair.
But – it’s certainly not hard to see the ghosts from the past, leaning on a fence, enjoying a brew while talking racing, during and at the end of the day, or seeing some excited kids race over to grab a pie with sauce or a snag in bread and then race back to the edge of the track to see the next race and not miss a second of the action.
The walk continued, past the original race control tower, already showing signs of re-birth and ready to oversee the action on the track when it returns, to the old pits, with its rusted fences barely keeping out the many rabbits that now call the place home.
Walking through the pits to the track gate, it’s not hard to hear the engines being warmed up and riders donning helmets for their next race around this iconic track, and when you walk through the gate and onto the track proper, you can see the amount of work that has been done and you can only applaud the drive that Neil and his team of volunteers have shown to revive this once great race track.
New surface and new fence, it makes you just feel the speed and the close racing that this track is going to produce once opened – and it’s only then how much you realise that the sport here in SA has, unknowingly, missed this venue, for nearly 30 odd years – and that once it opens, motorcycle racing fans are going the realise the same!
There is still a lot of work to go – but the pivotable part is now done from the walk around – the track and the safety wall – and it’s now just waiting to be raced on – and the signs are there that the back straight will be a place to watch, with dirt being bought in to raise the spectator areas above the new fence, making for prime viewing, plus, a brand new toilet block is now in the pit area.
So, whether its late in 2024, or perhaps early in 2025, when this icon of motorcycle sport in SA does once again ask for entries, and when the locals head deep into their burrows and the ghosts rise up to once again watch the action while sharing a brew, to use an old quote – “get your backside trackside”, rider, passenger or spectator, the trip to Port Pirie will be more than worth it!
For all of the need to know on how the rebirth of the Port Pirie Longtrack is coming along, head to their Facebook page to keep up to date: https://www.facebook.com/groups/248312968887547
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The main gate at Port Pirie (left) and the view after passing to go-kart track (right) with the original ticket box looking forlorn to the left of the pic and the new fence hiding the track to the right.
With the new fence still hiding the track, the light towers stand waiting for the restarting of on track action!
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The Booth (left) and Canteen, also stand waiting to serve patrons and competitors alike once again.
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The original control tower and pit entrance (half rebuilt).
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The pit entry on to the track – and the new surface – just waiting ………
The new surface – turn 3-4 for solos above and across the start/finish and into turn 1 for sidecars below.
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The scrutineering area in the pits on left and looking through the canteen to the control tower on right.