The Marulan Driver Training Centre is located in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, approximately 9km south-west of Marulan. The circuit was officially opened in 2009 and was designed and built by Garry Willmington, who has over 40 years of motor sport experience as a driver and promoter.
The original circuit is approximately 900m in length and includes 7 turns with a further extension increasing track length to about 1000m. Enclosed within the track is a dirt speedway oval and a rallycross course is formed by combining sections of tar and dirt. A number of activities are held here including driver training, motor cycle rider training, race driver training, track days, time trials, hill climbs and V8 drives and rides. The circuit is ideal for beginners due to lower speeds although the tight corners are still challenging.
My first visit to this circuit was to compete in the Aussie Driver Search in June 2016. After arriving at the circuit early in the morning, I noted that overnight rain had resulted in a very wet and slippery track. In the late morning, I was due to drive a Ford Falcon V8 Ute that used to compete in the V8 Ute Racing Series and was hoping for a drier track. Fortunately, the weather cleared by the time I hit the track.
After being strapped into the car, I only had 3 laps of the extended circuit to get used to the track and car. The track was dry in sections but was wet in a couple of breaking zones so caution was required. Unfortunately I didn’t get enough laps to really learn the circuit but comments from my instructor on my driving were very encouraging. The only point made was to use more of the track, particularly when exiting the last corner. After the drive, I headed back to the office where my lap times were displayed on television screens. Overall, I got the 5th fastest time in the rookie competition which I was very happy with. Unfortunately, I didn’t win the competition but I’ll be back for the 2017 Aussie Driver Search to be held at Sandown on the 8th September 2017.
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