Victorian Enduro champion Jehi Willis, brother Coby Willis, CAMS chief executive officer Dr Rob Nethercote, CAMS councillor Peter Bready, Toyota Team Australia navigator Sue Evans, Australian Supercross champion Cameron Taylor, V8 Supercar driver Jason Bargwanna, Toyota Team Australia driver Simon Evans, and motoring legend Peter Brock at the Cardinia Cultural Centre last week.By Shaun Inguanzo
PRESSURE on the Cardinia Shire and Casey councils to establish a motorsports facility increased when racing legends and local enthusiasts united last week.
More than 350 motorsports fans from both municipalities flocked to the Cardinia Cultural Centre in Pakenham to advocate for a facility to help strengthen the future of motorsports in the municipalities.
Among the crowd were members of the Kooweerup Motorcycle Club, Pakenham Auto Club and Berwick Kart Club.
Throwing their support behind the movement were motor racing legend Peter Brock, V8 Supercar driver Jason Bargwanna, and Kooweerup resident and Victorian Enduro number one plateholder Jehi Willis.
Confederation of Australian Motorsport chief executive officer Dr Rob Nethercote, Australian Supercross champion and Berwick resident Cameron Taylor, Australian Rally Championship Toyota team drivers and Nar Nar Goon residents Sue and Simon Evans, Cardinia Shire mayor Garry Runge, and councillor Bill Ronald, a selfconfessed motorbike enthusiast, also attended to support the cause.
Dr Nethercote said motorsports was just as important to Australians as any other sport.
“One thousand and eight hundred events are run under the CAMS umbrella, and 50 per cent of those are done in the family car,” he said.
Mr Bargwanna said it “defies logic” that councils had not fully supported a motorsports facility for the region.
“To me it defies logic that the local government can not see it is a necessity for this area.”
Mr Brock said urban growth over time had restricted space for young people to learn to drive.
“We find the world telling us what not to do rather than what we can do,” Mr Brock said.
He said young people were taking to the streets to practise motorsports, rather than in a controlled facility.
Councillor Bill Ronald said he supported a motorsports facility for the region.
“Safety on the road is paramount,” Cr Ronald said.
“This is not about the older blokes, it is about training our kids.
“Anything the community can do to support their skills training has got my support.”
Gembrook MP Tammy Lobato said an opportunity earlier in the year to form a committee and find a site for a facility “fell through”.
“Basically, (Cardinia Shire) deliberately frustrated the whole process,” she said.
“They said the municipality was a green wedge zone, so it was prohibited to build a motorsports facility.”
But Ms Lobato said areas such as industrial zones and public use zones could accommodate a facility.
The gathering’s organiser, John Carney, said a local motorsports facility meant less travel time, particularly for parents who could not afford to drive several hours each weekend.
Mr Carney said local motorsports clubs were now “at the mercy of local and state governments”.
He said local State Government MPs seemed supportive, but needed the support of local governments to proceed.
“It is an ongoing saga,” Mr Carney said.
“There is too much talk and not enough action.”
