One of NSW's premier motor racing circuits located near Goulburn, between Sydney and Canberra. Wakefield Park is open every weekend and most weekdays throughout the year. There are race or private track bookings available most weekends.
Aside from private track bookings during the week, the general public are always welcome to drive their own car on our Speed off the Street Days, or to experience the thrill of a V8 Supercar (ride or drive yourself), when booked in advance (check the Events Calendar for scheduled days).
The onsite cafe is open to the public every day, regardless of a private or public track day booking.
For the ultimate adrenalin day, please visit Wakefield Park - whether to watch, participate or drive yourself. Please contact us for more information.
- The Management and Staff, Wakefield Park.
Drift Guide
2009 Dates
Sunday May 10th
Sunday July 19th
December TBA
Call (02) 48222 811 or email
to book or for enquiries.
The guide below is written for anyone thinking about driving at a drift day and wanting to know how to prepare, what to bring and what to expect.
The track
Wakefield Park Raceway
Wakefield Park Raceway is south of Sydney on the Hume Highway approximately 190km from Sydney to Goulburn.Wakefield is located 10km out of Goulburn on the Braidwood Road.
Preparation
To make sure you enjoy the drift day and encounter as little trouble as possible a little preparation is necessary.
Car
You can take any car out drifting. Usually the car should be rear-wheel drive and manual with some form of limited slip or locked differential, but you can try in anything.
If you have a generally reliable car no specific preparation is necessary for a drift day. Just ensure your car is well looked after, it will be working hard all day. It pays to check all fluids, clear any loose junk out of it and make sure there are no major oil or fluid leaks.
If you want to take passengers out on track at Wakefield, you must have a roll cage fitted. A half cage is acceptable and there is no need for it to be CAMS approved.
Tyres
Drift kills rear tyres very quickly. And so it is important to have enough tyres for the event. The number used depends on the car’s power, the condition and type of tyres used and how you treat them. Typical use is from one pair (low powered car with good condition tyres) up to five pairs (very high powered car, worn tyres or constantly producing a smoke show).
There are several things you can do to increase the life of your tyres. Clearly backing off and cruising outside the main drift sections will help. Also heat is an important factor; if you let your tyres cool down between runs then they will last longer. If a tyre seriously overheats it can delaminate, destroying it, even while there is plenty of tread remaining.
Tools
You should bring a full toolkit to the track, drift can be hard on your car and you don’t want to be stuck without the tools you need to keep it running well.
The absolute minimum toolkit to bring would include:
- Jack
- Wheel brace
- Wheel nuts for the wheels you’ll be running
- Extra oil
- Zip ties
- Gaffer tape
However bring whatever you can fit. It is better to have it there and not need it rather than vice versa.
Other preparation
For any drift day you, and any passenger, must wear a helmet, long sleeved top, long pants and closed shoes. No synthetic fabrics are allowed because of their flammability. Also be sure to bring clothes to suit the weather, be that sunscreen or a rain jacket.
Bring something to eat and drink. It’s important to take care of yourself as drifting can be physically draining. There is a cafe on site at Wakefield.
On the day
For events at Wakefield, ensure you get plenty of sleep the night before or consider staying in Goulburn.
When you arrive you and anyone else in your car will have to pay normal entry at the gate (entry fees were reduced to account for this).
Anyone wanting to ride as a passenger must also fill out a form and pay a fee to cover insurance.
When you arrive at the track all drivers are given an information pack. READ IT. It contains information on how the day will run and where you should be at certain times. Plan to get to the track in plenty of time. You’ll need to get there, find a pit spot, unload your car, get it ready for the track and then hopefully make it through scrutineering before drivers briefing.
You need to get your car scrutineered before you are allowed on track. Scrutineering checks that the car is in a safe state and won’t be a danger to you or anyone else on the track. The main points checked are:
- Nothing loose in the car
- Seat belts or harnesses are fitted and secure
- No sharp edges in cabin
- Battery is securely clamped to the body
- No major fluid leaks
- Absorbant “socks” over brake, clutch and power steering reservoirs
- Metal valve caps
In scrutineering you will be given any stickers or windscreen banners required for the day. Your car will also be tagged to show it has passed scrutineering.
The drivers’ briefing is a compulsory meeting for all drivers before they can get out on track. It covers important safety information and outlines how the day will be run. If you miss it there **may** be a second briefing held later. However you will not be allowed on track until you have attended a briefing. Stamps or armbands are handed out at the briefing to show you attended.
Now you are ready to get out on track. Get your helmet on and drive to the dummy grid and wait for a Drift official to signal you out onto the track. If in doubt about anything, you can always ask an official, they are easily found in their fluorescent vests.
On track
Follow the instructions of the official on the start line. They will let you know when you can start your approach to the corners. If you are nervous and want more space between you and the preceding or following car, then let the start line official know.
Some sections of the track are designated as ‘cold’, and drift is not allowed. Drive at a safe pace through these sections. Also there may be slow points on the track marked out with witches hats. These are there to slow you down, do not drive off the track to get around them or knock them over.
At Wakefield you will need to return to the pits after each run and then line up for the next run with the start line official or return to your pit bay for a rest. Do not drift in pit lane. If you need to check your tyres, oil or anything else MINOR you can pull off the track in the pits and get out of your car to check.
If you end up off track, get off the gas and regain control then SLOWLY re-enter the track. Spinning your tyres over the edge of the track causes track damage and may mean drifters are no longer welcome. Do not do it.
Important safety considerations on track
- Unless it is on fire, NEVER get out of your car on track (other than at the start line). If you are bogged or broken down, turn on your hazards and wait for the safety crew to arrive.
- NEVER drive against the flow of traffic on track.
- NEVER drift past a stationary car. If in doubt, play it safe, stop drifting and slow down.
- Follow instructions given by flag marshals. A yellow flag means a danger ahead. Stop drifting and drive safely past. A red flag means a serious danger on track. Stop immediately and sit in your car and wait until signaled to continue driving.
- If you make a mistake and end up off the track, make sure no-one is coming before returning to the track.
- Follow all instructions given by Drift officials and safety marshals. Again if anything is unclear just ask an official.
Wakefield will not tolerate dangerous behaviour on track. If you endanger safety you will be dealt with swiftly. You can be warned, excluded from the finals, sent off the track for a period or sent home. However if you behave sensibly this will not be a problem.
General
Just remember that the whole point of these events is to let people practice drift is a safe environment and have some fun. If you need advice just ask the other drivers or officials. They can usually give some pointers on car setup or driving technique.
During the day make sure you take some breaks, both to give you some time to relax and also so you can watch other drivers. You can learn a lot, plus you’ll feel better once you get back out there.
