Since 1952.
Established in 1952, ARDC Membership has evolved over 70+ years on the Australian racing scene, from humble beginnings at our home track in Mt Druitt, NSW, to installing Mt Panorama on the motorsport calendar, through to our current standing as Australia’s only on-track Racing Club, operating Sydney Motorsport Park.
Since 1952.
Our Mission
The ARDC’s goal is to be Australia’s preferred club for competitors and enthusiasts from all sectors of Australian Motorsport – Cars to Bikes, Beginners to Legends; Historics, Retros and Muscle Cars through to the V8 worshippers, Super-bikers & Super-lappers, Drift Merchants to those competing, or fans desperate to see, feel, hear and experience the latest machinery the world’s best manufacturers can put on the bitumen! We share with our Members a mutual respect for motorsport and it is this passion that drives us to deliver a fantastic array of highly valuable Member benefits, together with better facilities, more exciting events and onsite experiences year-round at Sydney Motorsport Park.
CLICK HERE to download our full Membership T&C document
SEVENTY YEARS OF THE AUSTRALIAN RACING DRIVERS CLUB
1952 – THE ARDC IS BORN
THE ARDC’S HOME TRACK IS AT MT DRUITT. MEMBERS HELP PROMOTER BELF JONES RUN RACES EVERY SIX WEEKS
1954 – MT PANORAMA
THE ARDC FORMS AN ALLIANCE WITH THE BATHURST LIGHT CAR CLUB (BLCC). IT BUYS LAND BETWEEN MURRAY’S AND HELL CORNERS FROM LOCAL ORCHADIST HILTON RAYNOR TO BUILD THE PITS ON THE MT PANORAMA CIRCUIT.
1960 – SIR JACK BRABHAM
SIR JACK WINS HIS SECOND F1 CHAMPIONSHIP AND BECOMES AN ARDC LIFE MEMBER.
1962 – 6-HOUR
THE ARDC RUNS A SIX HOUR RACE AT BATHURST TO PROVE MT PANORAMA CAN HANDLE A 500 MILE EVENT.
1963 – BATHURST 500
THE ARMSTRONG 500, WHICH STARTED IN 1960 AT PHILLIP ISLAND, IS MOVED TO BATHURST BY THE ARDC. THE BATHURST 500 IS BORN.
1970 – AMAROO
THE 1.9KM AMAROO PARK IS BOUGHT BY THE ARDC ON A HANDSHAKE FROM DEVELOPER OSCAR GLASSER. AMAROO IS A MOTOR SPORT PRECINCT WITH ENGINEERING FACILITIES, A HILL CLIMB, SHORT CIRCUIT AND MOTOCROSS TRACK.
FROM 1970 TO 1983 THE ARDC HOLDS THE CASTROL SIX HOUR, ARGUABLY THE WORLD’S MOST IMPORTANT PRODUCTION MOTORCYCLE RACE AT THE TIME.
1973 – UPSIZING
THE ARDC CLUBHOUSE MOVES FROM 360 NORTON STREET LEICHHARDT TO ITS NEW LOCATION AT AMAROO PARK.
1980 – THE CASTROL SIX HOUR
AUSTRALIA’S FIRST EVER WORLD 500 MOTORCYCLE CHAMPION WAYNE GARDNER WINS THE CASTROL SIX HOUR RACE AT AMAROO PARK. HE WINS AGAIN IN 1982.
1994 – SKAIFE MEETS AMAROO
FIVE-TIME V8 SUPERCAR CHAMP AND ARDC MEMBER MARK SKAIFE HAS HIS FIRST EVER RACE AT AMAROO PARK IN HIS FATHER’S HOLDEN XU-1.
1996 – THE CREEK
ARDC MOVES INTO ITS CURRENT HOME AT EASTERN CREEK.
2005 – MUSCLE
AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST RETRO TOURING CAR FESTIVAL, THE MUSCLE CAR MASTERS, IS BORN.
2011 – THE FUTURE
WITH THE HELP OF OVER $7M IN GOVERNMENT SUPPORT AND OVER $2M FROM THE NOT-FOR-PROFIT ARDC ITSEL,F PLANS FOR EXPANSION BEGIN, WITH A TRACK EXTENSION AND NEW FACILITIES BUILT IN 2012.
2012 – 60 YEARS YOUNG!
EASTERN CREEK INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY IS REBRANDED AS SYDNEY MOTORSPORT PARK. THE GP TRACK CAN NOW BE SPLIT IN TWO TO ACCOMMODATE MORE EVENTS, ALLOWING THE NORTH AND SOUTH CIRCUITS TO OPERATE CONCURRENTLY AND INDEPENDENTLY.
2015 – QUARTER OF A CENTURY ALREADY…
THE ARDC CELEBRATES 25 YEARS AT SMSP.
2019
FURTHER EXPANSION FOR THE FUTURE
WITH ANOTHER HELPING HAND FROM THE GOVERNMENT, THE ARDC SECURES A MULTI-MILLION-DOLLAR INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY IN LED LIGHTING FOR THE PARK, AND THE CREATION OF A CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE AND BUSINESS HUB BASED AT SMSP
2020
UP IN LIGHTS!
$16 MILLION IS INVESTED IN 127 LIGHT TOWERS, WHICH ARE INSTALLED ACROSS THE FACILITY TO TURN NIGHT INTO DAY.
THE LIGHTS ARE SWITCHED ON FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR THE SUPERCARS IN JULY 2020.
2022
SUPER 70!
THE ARDC CELEBRATES 70 YEARS WITH A TEMPORARY REBAND OF OUR ICONIC FATHERS DAY WEEKEND EVENT.
The ARDC Turns 70
Australian Muscle Car magazine sits down with The Guru Brian Goulding and traces the Club’s long and prestigious history.