Singapore racing track being built.

[Raptor]

 

ReD^R1 - Sweet outbraking move you did at Kallang. Congrats!!

[Axxis]

Originally posted by GrimReaper@Mar 28 2006, 12:24 AM

but of cos is it is gonna cost $100 / h then maybe support like once a year.hahahah

If the track surface and conditions are better than PG and don't wear out the tyres I'll happily pay $100 SGD for a few hours session rather than the $80RM for the 3 hour special at PG.

 

Why? because if anything goes wrong you will be safe and sound in Singapore and not too far from expert medical care. I'm also sure that if they do build a track here the facilities that go along with the track will be top notch. Access to food, cool aircon areas to wait and watch while not riding. And if something goes wrong with your bike there is no fear of leaving it behind. Infact there are so many advantages to it.

[stroker]

Originally posted by Axxis@Mar 30 2006, 01:49 PM

If the track surface and conditions are better than PG and don't wear out the tyres I'll happily pay $100 SGD for a few hours session rather than the $80RM for the 3 hour special at PG.

 

Why? because if anything goes wrong you will be safe and sound in Singapore and not too far from expert medical care. I'm also sure that if they do build a track here the facilities that go along with the track will be top notch. Access to food, cool aircon areas to wait and watch while not riding. And if something goes wrong with your bike there is no fear of leaving it behind. Infact there are so many advantages to it.

Well said dude

[DeusExMachina]

Originally posted by Axxis@Mar 30 2006, 01:49 PM

If the track surface and conditions are better than PG and don't wear out the tyres I'll happily pay $100 SGD for a few hours session rather than the $80RM for the 3 hour special at PG.

 

Why? because if anything goes wrong you will be safe and sound in Singapore and not too far from expert medical care. I'm also sure that if they do build a track here the facilities that go along with the track will be top notch. Access to food, cool aircon areas to wait and watch while not riding. And if something goes wrong with your bike there is no fear of leaving it behind. Infact there are so many advantages to it.

 

You've got a good point there....

[Guest ReD^R1]

Originally posted by Raptor@Mar 28 2006, 06:49 AM

 

ReD^R1 - Sweet outbraking move you did at Kallang. Congrats!!

Thanks raptor. Thanks for the support! Enjoy your new toy too, anywhere which i can help feel free to ask too!

[GrimReaper]

Track coming track coming....read it in a old TODAY papers.

 

Its just a matter of when...its gonna be better then sepang....thats what the paper said.

[sid009]

they said that a track will come for sooooo many years, i think its another hoax.... but if its true, then it'll be great for all motorsports enthusiast... hopefully bikes will be allowed and modification will be allowed to.. maybe must pay for licence to mod bikes...

 

cheers

[Guest enHANZed]

anyone know if they will be needing a track side medic ?

[Sankar73]

i think some of us are going over-board here.... even if TP is going to be hawking around Tuas to give us summons, we can always play by the book... don't ride your bike to the track... get a towing service to do it for you... it will be cheaper than a summon... or book a locker at the track and store your equipments there (if you're a frequent track user)...

 

if you crush(i hope nobody does) then its still cheaper to tow your bike to the workshop and faster too.... our medical facilities is much better than those around PG and you still get to the hosopital faster and safer....

 

for petrol you can always to Malaysia via the 2nd link to top up 1st then come back to the track for your dose of fun....

 

so lets just wait for the track to be completed and see how things go before we complain.... its always better to have something then not to have anything at all ...

[ArroW]

Originally posted by GrimReaper@Apr 1 2006, 12:50 PM

Track coming track coming....read it in a old TODAY papers.

 

Its just a matter of when...its gonna be better then sepang....thats what the paper said.

Hopefully the Traffic Rules will change too :

 

U can modified ur bike BUT NO SPEEDING on the road.. :cheeky:

[DeusExMachina]

Originally posted by GrimReaper@Apr 1 2006, 12:50 PM

Track coming track coming....read it in a old TODAY papers.

 

Its just a matter of when...its gonna be better then sepang....thats what the paper said.

 

 

It's much smaller than Sepang, with less varying corners and straights. Sepang is already much much better than PG, IMHO.

 

So I don't think this new track of ours can actually better Sepang.

[spiderman]

well i think each track have their own fun part... the more u try the more u know how to tackle the corners.. i believe singapore wun lose out with the facilities in time to come..

[ambasnakeman]

yeah man, i concluded that sepang was a horrible circuit at my first few laps. when u confidence kick in, then the fun starts

[SMWILL]

Hi to all my frens, I am usually a reader but I can't stand it if ppl r passing unfair or childish comment.

 

I have to agree with ERC and AKG. If you can't afford, don't play, stay home or take bus there and watch in regards to ERC reply. There's always alternative, join force with some frens and tow your bloody bikes there to save cost.

 

As for AKG comment, I think everyone should take him seriously. I waited almost all my life for this moment, that's having local track. Since young, I always tell my parents and frens perhaps i'm born in a wrong country. I love to ride and drive and I dreamt to become a racer. Guess what, no opportunity to start with. And now, too late, so old already. So perhaps ppl, look at it at the brighter side, at least there's one now. We are lucky that its during our time SGP build it and for younger generation to benefit from it.

 

If u r truely an enthusias, stop bitching because they are reading what you are writing before planning how to run this gem of ours. believe me, they are reading! So what if its small, kallang also can, and this one is definitely better, i'm sure. U know the saying"have better than don't have"

 

BTW, nothing is for free, if you are old enough to think you should know by now. If they have to collect money in any way to sustain the facility, let's be it. Look at PG, so old like grandma's 20yrs old panty. You all know why...

 

SO ppl, pls be cooperative and let's have some integerity among us. When the day come, we may have to support SMSA to push it through.

 

Perhaps, ppl should comment more constructively

 

[Flik_07]

I was just curious bout the fact why did they organize a race in kallang?

There must be a better location in organizing it..

Maybe marina south?where they can plot out their very own route..

Maybe i'm a little inexperience for this kinda tot but what i can see is tat

it will be more happening if they can improve the circuit..

Sorry if this point had been raised b4 or i'm off topic..

[VTR1000SP]

NSman riding CBR killed by car at 0205hrs off Buona Vista exit along AYE. Appealing for witness.

 

Chew ZiQin, Sunny, 22yrs old was hit by a car along AYE and was flund 10 metres. Died of multiple injuries.

 

Would there kind witness kindly PM me, Mark One

 

Thanks!

 

or this link http://www.singaporebikes.com/forum/index....0&?do=findComment&comment=2933419

[fruitcakepablohoney]

There you sit, bleary eyed, hung over and tired as hell from having only had only 3 hours of sleep.  Enveloped by 300+ HP of (nearly) legal car, it's 05:30 in the morning and as usual it's jammed at the 2nd Link.  Amazed that you can curse and rub your eyes simultaneously you begin to wonder why there's 60 cars lined up and only 2 immigration booths open.  So much for efficiency.

 

After 40 minutes of left leg athletics you are finally through... yeah, just a few more speed bumps and there you go, one month of speed frustration is suddenly over in the flick of the wrist, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th.... 6th, wind up to 7,000 RPM and hear that race exhaust howl baby! Now you're awake.  Life seems good for a brief few minutes and then you realise ...oh damn, Malaysian customs. 

 

After God knows how long you crawl out of customs, now you only have 300 KM or so to drive and you need to be at Sepang in just over 2 hours.  Doing the maths you start to prepare your 50 Ringgit notes and then you realise you may actually need some of them for toll as well.

 

Now it's a mad dash up the North - South Highway, your bengs are in tote, all seems to be going well... this ain't bad you think to yourself... looking down at the speedo...hmmm I am sure that 2 in the front is erroneous.  Happy that you are burning up the K's you think you will be at the circuit on time, but then it begins to happen... Roadblock!...After depositing RM50 to your freindly roadside teller, "it was a pleasure doing business with you sir", you are back on the road again.  Then the sky opens up and you begin to dance the dance that only somebody on semi-slicks cares to dance... crawling at 80 you look for 'the glass is half full' moment.  You struggle with that for a while as well as with your car as it slides from left to right.  Then you get that radio call that you have been dreading, "Hey guys, you are not going to believe this, but my car has broken down... again!"  Eurotrash you scold back down the line, get a real car!  Now since you are a good guy you wait with your mate until the tow truck arrives... 2 hours later.

 

Don't get me wrong, the drive up to Sepang can be really thrilling and one does have the tendency to throw caution to the wind, it's only natural since you have been cooped up in tiny Singapore for a month.  Now the little story above also neglects one very serious point, and that point is safety.  Anybody who has driven in Malaysia can attest to the validity of the road death statistics that Malaysians seem so eager to better each year.  When people ask me "Isn't racing dangerous?" I have to laugh and say that the most dangerous part of any track day at Sepang is the drive there and the drive back. 

 

On the track I am to a much larger extent in control of the variables.  The track surface is excellent, there's no airborne moments at Sepang unlike the highway when they are re-surfacing.  If it rains I get off the track.  If there is an idiot on the track he is removed. If I lose control of my car then there's lots of gravel spill off areas.  Not to mention there's a lot less traffic and most of the people on the track are of like mindedness and skill.  Now tell that to the 18 year old superman on his motorbike or the 58 year old durian truck driver who has driven the last 12 hours straight.  Safety is most certainly low on their lists of priorities.

 

Now, this brings me to the whole point of this rant.  Why, if Singapore is such a world class city, is there no racing circuit?  The government has been lobbied by various driving associations for years to build a circuit but has always come back with excuses as to why they won't build a circuit.  Some of the arguments against a circuit in Singapore are:

 

Lack of space

It will encourage people to race

It will cost too much

It's too noisy

It's too dangerous

Now let's look at these in turn:

 

1. Lack of Space:

Granted, Singapore is most certainly short on space, but tell me then why do we have enough space for a horse track and, as a casual search on the internet shows me, at least 14 golf courses country wide?  I would hazard a guess that the space required for a golf course would be more than adequate for an FIA approved track, grandstands and parking.  Could it be that we simply need to encourage more members of parliament to take up track racing as opposed to golf, perhaps that may help the issue ;-)?

 

2. It Will Encourage People to Race:

Hmm, yes, I thought that was the idea.  But seriously, having a race track may encourage more people to race, but at least they will be taking it off the street and onto the track.  Let me take a moment here to applaud the government to their policy on prostitution.  Statistics have shown that in countries where prostitution is illegal the instances of sexually motivated crimes are higher than in countries where prostitution is legal or is tolerated.  The advantages are many and hats off to the boys in white for seeing sense here.  The sex trade in Singapore is regulated which means easy access for those who need it, the practitioners are screened regularly on health matters and the graft and violence around pimping is largely reduced.  Now you may be asking yourself what the hell has this got to do with racing?  Well, just because prostitution is allowed doesn't mean that you will go out and try it on a whim.  What it means is that the guy who has a real need and may not be able to get it naturally has an outlet other than the illegal alternative via a violent act.  The same can be said of the large number of youngsters in Singapore who can readily buy cars and tune them in excess of 600+ HP.  Without a track, where can they use this power?  Without a track, as with the sexual prowler, the young man with a big engine will of course wait until the wee hours of the morning and exercise his pent up desires on the streets.

 

3. It Will Cost Too Much:

There's no doubting the initial investment in building an FIA approved circuit in Singapore would cost plenty. That said however, the benefits that may befit Singapore in the ensuing years should more than outweigh the costs.  Both our nearest neighbours, who as you may notice are not as well off financially as we are in Singapore, have numerous world class tracks which all run viably.  Malaysia has the excellent FIA approved F1 circuit at Sepang and Indonesia has Sentul where the Asian F3 and A1 GP races are held.  What are the benefits you ask?  I would argue that the benefits can be divided into the following areas:

 

Financial: Imagine if we staged the F1 GP in Singapore?  The financial inflow would be substantial.  Singapore rates tourism as one of it's key industries and staging the F1 in Singapore would raise our profile on the international stage.  Imagine nearly a billion potential viewers watching a race in Singapore.  Then there is the financial gain from all those people who come to Singapore to watch the race, people that perhaps would not normally come to Singapore.  Furthermore, if Singaporeans and close neighbours had an option to race in Singapore then the money that is currently spent in Malaysia on petrol, track fees, meals, hotels etc could be spent here in Singapore.

 

Social: The provision of an international circuit in Singapore would also provide safer alternatives to illegal street racing, car park rallies as well as an alternative to the long and sometimes dangerous drive to Sepang.  Furthermore, a circuit would provide an additional avenue for social activities not currently available in Singapore thereby further enriching the depth of Singapore's rapidly improving social and entertainment scene.

 

4. It's Too Noisy:

I am not going to try and deny that racing is noisy, that's really half of the attraction.  But that said, if the course was located outside the largely industrial areas around Tuas and the north west of the island where there is little residential zoning the inconvenience to the general public can be reduced.  In any case, Singapore is a noisy place, I have F16's flying overhead daily, they're noisy.  I work in Shenton Way, it's noisy. I like to club, that's noisy.

 

5. It's Too Dangerous:

As alluded to in the introduction, the most dangerous part of racing at Sepang is the drive there and back.  Racing on a properly designed and managed FIA sanctioned circuit should be by definition safer than any public road system in the world.  Firstly, all cars and drivers must adhere to strict safety codes both in terms of conduct and equipment.  Secondly, those who make the effort to race by nature become better drivers, they simply have to improve to be competitive.  Since I have been tracking my driving skills have improved, my understanding of the way my car performs has been greatly increased, all of which make me a safer and better driver.  Thirdly, by offering an alternative to street racing we can take a large number of street racers off the street and onto the track, thereby further improving road safety.  Now only if we could enforce every Singapore taxi driver to go to the track...!

 

Benefits in Summary:

I hope in this rather lengthy blog (by the way, thanks for reading this far), I have shown that there is a case for the construction of an FIA sanctioned race circuit in Singapore.  The benefits at a glance:

 

Taking illegal racing from the streets to the track where it belongs reducing accidents associated to street racing.

Provides Singapore additional international profile thereby improving the tourism sector.

Provides an additional recreational avenue further enriching the social fabric.

Provides an alternative to Sepang allowing the money otherwise spent to remain in Singapore.

Would allow Singapore and Singaporeans more avenue to race and to provide in country avenues to build up our best racing talent to take on the best in the world.

By providing a world class circuit, Singapore could stake a claim in the international racing scene.  We all know that when Singapore puts its' mind and effort to something it really becomes world class.  I am confident that if Singapore were to build a circuit and staged international race events they would indeed become world class events.

[stroker]

Sweet. Brilliant stuff. Cheers.

[VTR1000SP]

Totally agree ! did u notice the new paper started to report golf for many is a boring sport & how many r ther into in ??? why dun they report MotoGP instead ? In a recent survey ther's 2.4 million more Italian viewer chose MotoGP over Football serie A.

it was Quote by Official MotoGP.com

[Tortise]

Not forgetting it creates some jobs as well. Restaurants, cafes, pubs, motorshops as well perhaps?

 

Cheers.

 

Happy Holidays!

[Tortise]

And a golf course beside the track as well? For you know whos...

[servoprax]

Some reports written earlier.

 

Racetrack for Singapore

 

By Ernest Luis - 31 March 2006

The Straits Times

 

SINGAPOREANS, start your engines.

 

Get ready for screeching tyres, ear-piercing sounds and the smell of burning rubber.

 

Come next March, Singapore should have its first proper motor-racing track in Tuas.

 

The western region may seem a bit ulu (remote), a faraway area where Singaporeans don't head to for leisure.

 

But Singaporeans, especially motor sports fans, will start to see Tuas in a different light.

 

Work on the track, named Tuas International Speedway, is expected to start in May.

 

Privately owned, it will cost an estimated $80 million.

 

But the racetrack will not be able to host Formula One races to rival that of Malaysia's 5.54km-long Sepang circuit.

 

The New Paper has learnt that the 3.37km circuit can only match FIA International Class 2 specifications.

 

Formula One tracks need Class 1 classification as extra land area is needed for safety purposes such as wide run-offs.

 

For now, Tuas International Speedway will be able to stage Formula 3 races, such as the popular events held in Macau, GT (Grand Touring) races and lower categories.

 

It's situated on a plot of land measuring about 600sqm - between Asia-Pacific Breweries and Raffles Marina along Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim, just before the Tuas checkpoint.

 

It is understood that the lease for the Jurong Town Corporation (JTC) land is for 20 years, and a deal will be sealed soon.

 

An initial launch is expected next month.

 

Said a corporation spokesman: 'JTC Corporation is in the final stages of negotiations to award to a private-sector consortium a site in Tuas, to develop a motor racetrack capable of holding races of international standards.

 

CLEARANCES

'The consortium is expecting to receive clearances from various regulatory agencies within a short time. More details will be made known probably in a month's time.'

 

The plot of land was targeted last year, in a bid spearheaded by Singapore Agro Agriculture, which is behind food-and-retail hub Turf City and kampung-style farm produce centre Farmart in Tengah.

 

Its four main business partners have formed a new company to run the racetrack.

 

They have been tight-lipped on the project since early last year.

 

But The New Paper has been tracking these developments since last April, when we published possible plans being studied for a Formula One street circuit in the Shenton Way/Marina Bay area.

 

A check with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority showed that Tuas International Speedway Pte. Ltd. was was registered on 26 Nov. The company was described as 'Car Racing Track Operators'.

 

But, what good is a racetrack without a major event?

 

Well, yesterday, the Japan GT Association (JGTA) confirmed there were negotiations to bring its popular series to Tuas International Speedway in June next year.

 

The Japan GT Championship stars former Formula One drivers such Ralph Firman (ex-Jordan in 2003) and Erik Comas (ex-Ligier and Larousse in the early 1990s).

 

In a phone interview from Japan, Satoru Tsuyama, 52, Pacific-Rim manager for JGTA, said: 'We are interested in bringing our championship to Singapore next year, once the operator has the track ready.

 

'Right now, Malaysia's Sepang circuit is the only international race we have on our calendar.

 

'The Japan GT Championship has always been looking to go more international and is the first Japanese series to do so.

 

'The Sepang race has points counted towards the overall championship, so drivers take it seriously.

 

'But if Japan GT comes to Singapore next year, the race will probably be an exhibition race at first.

 

'We need to see and assess how Singaporeans respond, and if sponsors in Singapore are willing to back the event, before we make it a permanent race with points counting towards the championship.'

 

The Sepang leg of the Japan GT Championship started in 2000, but was an exhibition race until 2002, when it became a permanent points-scoring fixture in the nine-round annual championship. It is held every June.

 

Tsuyama added: 'The crowd figures have been rising for Sepang. In 2004, there were about 25,000 fans. Last year, there were 38,000 fans, our highest so far in Sepang.'

 

20,000 SPECTATORS

Tuas International Speedway is expected to accommodate up to 20,000 spectators.

 

If the Japan GT race does come to Singapore, it would probably be held a week after the Sepang race, to cut down on travel and logistics.

 

The small Singaporean motor sports community is already abuzz with anticipation.

 

And fingers are crossed as fans wait for Tuas International Speedway to rev up to top speed in the next year.

 

Motorsports park theme for Tuas circuit

 

A MOTORSPORTS park seems to be the main focus of Tuas International Speedway, along with major races being held throughout the year.

 

Apart from plans to bring in the Japan GT Championship race next June, Singapore motorsports fans can enjoy a few other forms of racing.

 

The race circuit in Tuas will also feature a 1.1km-long go-kart track, built alongside the main track.

 

For years the Singapore motor sports community has been looking forward to a permanent racetrack.

 

Go-karting is widely seen as the 'primary school of motor racing' if Singapore is to develop a generation of racecar drivers.

 

And the business potential has already been acknowledged in previous reports.

 

Defensive driving courses could also be on offer at the track.

 

Motor enthusiasts will be able to tune up their cars at a variety of specialist shops at the circuit.

 

And car companies can do tyre-testing and product-testing there.

 

Even hiring the track for leisure racing will be possible.

 

This will mean Singapore car clubs and companies won't necessarily travel to Malaysia's Sepang and Pasir Gudang circuits to satisfy their thirst for speed.

 

Restaurants are expected to be built as part of the grandstand in a clubhouse about four storeys high.

 

It will feature a lounge area, spa and a play area for children.

 

This article first appeared in ST on March 24, 2006

[ambasnakeman]

hahahaha, so, when the tarmac machines going down....or i guess havent indent yet

[fruitcakepablohoney]

In case you guys didn't know,the tuas track is cancell!

[jeffchua]

After waiting for so long, rumours, newspaper articles, thinking that there might be chances of having a track in SGP, in the end there seems no job done at Tuas! And now finally get to know that the track has been cancel.....