Surfers Paradise Raceway

Circuit entrepreneur Keith Williams opened Surfers Paradise Raceway in 1966 with permanent road course (that was known for its abrasive coral-based track surface), runway, 0.25-mile oval and dragstrip. Medium and fast bends proliferated on the road course except for the tight final turn. Turn 1 under the Dunlop Bridge was especially challenging. The first round of the 1968 Tasman Cup went ahead despite licence and sponsorship decal disputes. Finally allowed to race with modified livery, Jim Clark led Graham Hill in a 1-2 for Gold Leaf Team Lotus. The track was susceptible to flooding and it rained heavily on the only occasion that Surfers Paradise Raceway held the Australian Grand Prix – Max Stewart winning that Formula 5000 race in 1975 in monsoon conditions. Williams sold the circuit in 1984 which closed three years later.