Hill runs first laps of revamped NSW circuit

Cameron Hill has given his tick of approval to the revamped One Raceway in Goulburn, NSW after being invited to run test laps of the soon-to-be reopened circuit.

The Matt Stone Racing driver was the first circuit racer to run test laps of the circuit before its scheduled reopening in October, as the final configuration of the circuit is locked in.

The Canberran was invited to test a current-spec Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 992, and was in attendance alongside two-time World Superbike champion Troy Corser, who was testing suitability for motorcycles.

Hill was highly complimentary of the work done on the 2.2km circuit formerly known as Wakefield Park, which has been heavily overhauled under the ownership of Steve Shelley.

“It's just incredible the work that has been done by Steve and his team here at One Raceway,” Hill said.

“It was such a shame when we lost this track, but it’s back and it's really unreal. I can't wait to sort of see the full finished product.”

The Goulburn venue was a mainstay on the Super2 Series calendar from 2001 to 2008, running as a standalone round from the Supercars Championship.

Whilst a lot of work has gone into upgrading track facilities such as the pit complex, the track itself has undergone major reprofiling at the western and eastern ends of the circuit, with the final corner in particular featuring noticeable banking.

“The track surface is all brand-new, and it's that nice, grippy tarmac that we all love," Hill added.

“The last corner, I think it would get a lot of people's attention as well. There's some serious banking on it.”

The reprofiling of the final corner in particular has been to ensure the track’s suitability as a multi-directional circuit, the first of its kind in Australia.

The Canberran firmly believes that One Raceway being a multi-directional complex has benefits for all involved both on and off track.

“It’s a great initiative that the track actually runs the opposite direction also. This will really give drivers, teams and spectators a totally different experience each time they come here," Hill said.

“For a professional driver, One Raceway is at a high standard, and great that it’s pretty close to my home town, but I'm just as interested in our amateur drivers, or drive days, or ride day type people too. 

“It's really going to suit the way they go about their motorsport. I think this track is definitely going to cater to everyone from high-level and state and national level events, all the way down to your track day enthusiast – both cars and bikes.”

The former Wakefield Park circuit is a happy hunting ground for Hill, who wrapped up his 2015 Australian Formula Ford title at the regional venue.

Getting back behind the wheel of a Porsche also brought back memories of his 2021 Carrera Cup title, albeit won in the previous generation Type 991.2.

“It was very nice of Andrew to loan me the keys to his GT3 Cup car. Obviously, it reminds me of when I raced in Carrera Cup, and around here, it certainly grabbed my attention," he said.

“The corners are coming up really quick. You know, you really have to sort of hustle the car, and, yeah, it was quite enjoyable.”

One Raceway is set to host its first race meeting from October 4-6, as the Australian Superbike Championship visits for their penultimate round of 2024.

Meanwhile, Hill rejoins Matt Stone Racing for the next round of the Supercars Championship at the NED Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint from August 16-18. Tickets for the event are on sale now.

Live coverage can be found on Foxtel, with live streaming available on Kayo. Highlights will be shown on the Seven Network and 7plus. International viewers can follow all the action on Superview.