Goulburn’s One Raceway has long proved itself as a venue pivotal to the wider motorsport ecosystem in New South Wales, particularly when it comes to what it offers to the grassroots landscape.

The One Raceway circuit, located 10km outside the Southern Highlands country town, started life as Wakefield Park when it was constructed by Paul Samuels and John Carter, opening in 1994.

The circuit passed through the hands of multiple owners, including the Benalla Auto Club which took possession of the facility in 2007 before selling it to Steve Shelley in 2023.

Shelley and his team embarked on a multi-million dollar renovation project that lasted over 12 months, re-branding the track as One Raceway and re-opening it in October 2024.

The Raceway’s Layout today

The One Raceway circuit remains faithful to the old Wakefield Park layout but has undergone several significant modifications.

The old Turn 1 and 2 complex has been re-profiled and widened, now consisting of three separate corners that are affectionately known as “Pacemaker.”

The old gravel trap has been replaced with an extensive tarmac runoff area, improving safety and minimising the risk of vehicle damage for competitors exceeding their limits.

The top of the hill – Turns 4, 5 and 6 – remain very similar to Wakefield Park but the corners have been slightly widened and are now known as “The Verandah.”

Turn 9 – “The Fish-Hook”- continues to present one of the main overtaking opportunities on the track, while the old Turn 10 – previously a sharp right-hander – has been replaced with two kinks and a heavily-banked corner known as “Slingshot”.

This sequence of corners has multiple lines, each with advantages and disadvantages.

These modifications to the circuit enable One Raceway to run in both clockwise (Wakefield Circuit) and anti-clockwise (Shelley Circuit) configurations.

The pit lane has also been modified from the Wakefield Park days – it has been significantly extended and the entry and exit points have been configured so they can function in both directions.

Part of Shelley’s renovation project also included significant upgrades to the facilities; the existing pit lane garages were re-skinned, pit and paddock areas resurfaced and a new race control building erected.

Behind the pit garages is a 9,000 square metre concrete skid-pan, which can operate in wet and dry configurations.

Accommodation is available on site at One Raceway, with the six cabins overlooking the back straight having recently undergone refurbishment. The cabins can sleep between 10 and 18 people depending upon their configuration, with two of the cabins specifically set up for volunteer officials at race meetings.

A Grassroots Motorsport Hub

Just like Wakefield Park, One Raceway is a facility that prides itself upon being a hub for grassroots motorsport.

One Raceway hosts three to four public track days a month, where owners of road cars can explore their limits in controlled conditions, and race drivers and teams can test their machinery.

The technical nature of the track and generous runoff areas make it a safe facility for motorsport newcomers to learn driving techniques in a low-risk setting.

In terms of competitive activities, One Raceway hosts everything from club-level supersprints up to race meetings, including rounds of the NSW Motor Race Championship and the popular Wakefield and Shelley 300 endurance races.

The People

One Raceway thrives because of the passion and dedication of motorsport enthusiasts.

The owner, Steve Shelley, is a passionate competitor who now directs his passion into improving the motorsport experience for all enthusiasts, whether that be through continually upgrading and improving the facility, or developing systems and processes to enhance the customer experience for participants.

Steve is supported by a dedicated team of staff who all bring different skill-sets to their respective roles, but are bound by a shared passion for the sport and for seeing the track succeed.

Also integral to One Raceway’s success are the volunteer officials who devote their weekends to the circuit, ensuring race meetings run smoothly, efficiently and safely.

The team of officials includes event command officials in race control, flag, grid and pit lane marshals and scrutineers.

What is next for One Raceway?

Since it reopened in late 2024, One Raceway’s operations have expanded with an increased number of motorsport events, and the introduction of other products such as skid pan days and race meetings promoted fully in-house.

In the short term, One Raceway is planning to introduce more products aimed at streamlining and simplifying the pathway for newcomers to get involved in motorsport, along with some programs that enhance road safety (such as learner driver training).

In the longer term, further upgrades to the facility are planned to increase and enhance offerings to not just competitors, but to the wider automotive community.