The Sydney Motorsport Park, previously known as Eastern Creek International Raceway, is a 3.9 km circuit located approximately 30 km to the west of downtown Sydney in the suburbs of the largest Australian city.

Owned by the New South Wales Government and operated by the Australian Racing Drivers’ Club, the circuit was built in 1989, opening on 10 November 1990 following some poor weather-related construction delays.

After a decade and a half of operation, talk turned to upgrading the FIA Grade 2 circuit, but the initial proposals eventually came to nothing.

Following a 2008 assessment by Apex Circuit Design, in 2011, funding was secured for some improvements, including the construction of a new 830 metre extension to the south-east.

This included construction of a second pit and paddock complex, enabling the circuit to be used in two configurations simultaneously – the Gardner Circuit is the name used for the original layout, whilst the longest loop is called the Brabham Circuit.

Australia’s top touring car championship first visited in 1992, and Supercars has been a semi-regular on the calendar (known as the ‘Sydney SuperNight’).

In 1996, it was held under floodlights at night on the now-named Gardner Circuit for the first time, with that year’s race also being the only one staged on the short northern circuit, now known as the Druitt Circuit.