News

23 January 2023 |

STATEMENT FROM ARG REGARDING LONGFORD GRAND PRIX EXPO

Australian Racing Group (ARG), promoter of AWC Race Tasmania, has been made aware of the cancellation of the Longford Grand Prix Expo motorsport event.

The Longford Grand Prix Expo was to have been a motorsport festival held in the northern midlands of Tasmania on March 11-12, celebrating the legendary history of racing on the Longford circuit in the 1950s and 1960s. The event was the beneficiary of support from the Tasmanian Government.

As a proud promoter of various motorsport events in Tasmania, ARG recognises that the cancellation of this event is disappointing for the state’s passionate motorsport fans and participants.

Resultantly, ARG is offering free entry to the AWC Race Tasmania event at Symmons Plains Raceway from February 24-26 to any ticketholders or entered participants adversely affected by the cancellation of the Longford Grand Prix Expo.

This offer can be redeemed upon proof of ticket purchase or competitor entry to the Longford Grand Prix Expo, which must be e-mailed to tickets@racetasmania.com.au.

ARG launched the Race Tasmania event featuring multiple national motorsport categories in 2021, and recently announced an extended partnership with the Tasmanian Government to run Race Tasmania through to 2025.

The extension of Race Tasmania will also include the addition of an event at Hobart’s Baskerville Raceway from 2024 and Drive Tasmania – a motorsport-themed driving experience which will include a tour of roads which formed the Longford circuit.

Cars from the TCR Australia, S5000 and Trans Am categories last week conducted testing laps at Symmons Plains and Baskerville as part of the GRM Combine driven by Marcos Ambrose, a young driver training initiative run by Garry Rogers Motorsport and Tasmanian racing legend, Ambrose.

AWC Race Tasmania will feature the opening rounds of the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series, S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship, Trans Am Series and Gulf Western Oil Touring Car Masters.

QUOTES

John McMellan

Executive Chairman, Australian Racing Group

“ARG has been made aware of the cancellation of what was promised to be a significant and exciting motorsport event for Tasmania, and recognises this is an unfortunate situation for motorsport in the state,” said McMellan.

“Anyone who made a financial commitment to attending or participating in this event can get a free fix of motorsport a fortnight earlier and just 15 minutes south of Longford at Symmons Plains Raceway, where they will see four excellent national racing categories at AWC Race Tasmania.”

Garry Rogers

ARG shareholder and GRM team owner

“Between ARG and our event partner Motorsports Tasmania, we want to see all forms of motorsport in the state prosper,” said Rogers.

“I have a personal interest in seeing this happen given a long family history in Tasmania and the fact I have been going motor racing in the state since I raced at Symmons Plains and Baskerville in the 1970s.

“Tasmanian motorsport fans are among the most passionate anywhere in Australia and when we learnt of the demise of this event – one which was generously supported by the Tasmanian Government – I felt that we needed to look after the many motorsport enthusiasts who would have been impacted by this event being cancelled.”