Introduction to Steve Shelley and One Raceway
When it was announced that Steve Shelley had purchased the Wakefield Park circuit and was re-branding it as One Raceway, many people were wondering ‘who is Steve Shelley?’ But those with a keen interest in motorsport recognised Steve as an astute entrepreneur with a keen sense of opportunities worth pursuing, and above all, a raw passion for motorsport.
Steve Shelley's Early Connection to the Circuit
While Steve’s discussions to purchase One Raceway started in late 2022 (with the deal completed in 2023), his connection to the circuit stretched back more than a decade prior.
Family Motorsport Beginnings
“I started my motorsport career back in 2011, originally racing a Radical,” Steve recalled. “My son Jake would always come to the track to support me, and it became a favourite activity for us to spend time together as father and son. Jake showed an interest in racing as well, so we purchased a couple of Mazda MX5s, which we raced in events like Super TT and the Wakefield 300. During that time, we became very familiar and comfortable with the environment at Wakefield Park – it was just such a friendly and accommodating place to go racing. I remember one time, leaning against a garage and fantasizing about how amazing it would be to own this sort of venue.”
Uncertain Future of Wakefield Park
Fast forward to 2022, and the future of Wakefield Park was highly uncertain. Under the ownership of the Benalla Auto Club, all activity at the track had ceased after a well-publicised Land and Environment Court ruling. The lack of track activity had severely impacted businesses in Goulburn that had relied on visitation to the area generated by Wakefield Park’s customers, and Steve (having bought the Pheasant Wood circuit several years prior) was approached by the local State MP, Wendy Tuckerman along with Darryl Weekes from the Chamber of Commerce to discuss possibilities for the venue’s future.
Discussions and Community Involvement
Further discussions ensued, involving residents who had been impacted by noise from the facility along with representatives from the Benalla Auto Club, and a deal was done for Steve to purchase the circuit. “One of the most striking things to come out of those discussions was that every neighbour recognised that the circuit had its part to play in the community,” he said. “We took on board their feedback and committed to some extensive capital works to minimise noise impacts from the venue while enhancing the experience for competitors and spectators. We enlisted the expertise of engineers and noise consultants to assess speed diagrams and understand vehicle noise emission profiles, and came up with some capital works plans to fulfil our objectives.”
Redevelopment and Circuit Modifications
What has followed in the months since has been an extensive roster of projects, centred around making the circuit – now branded as One Raceway – operational in both directions. “Wakefield Park was always a clockwise circuit, but when I raced on it, I noticed there were some sections where cars were required to decelerate before returning to full throttle, in areas where the noise of hard acceleration was aimed directly at neighbours,” Steve said. “Our redesign of the circuit will allow vehicles to remain at higher speeds for longer; overall, it will be a faster, more flowing circuit. For example, the corner previously known as Turn 2 has been flattened and is now a much shallower angle, allowing vehicles to carry more speed through the corner. Also, based on wind direction, we can choose the direction of circuit operation to minimise noise impacts on the neighbours. Overtaking will potentially be more challenging but lighter cars will be able to brake later, so in events like our endurance races (teaser – the Wakefield 300 is an event that’s expected to return to the annual calendar), different types of cars’ strengths and weaknesses will be demonstrated.”
New Circuit Configurations and Naming
While the venue is now known as One Raceway, the clockwise configuration will be called the Wakefield circuit – paying homage to the Wakefield Park heritage – while the anti-clockwise layout will be called the Shelley circuit.
Infrastructure Upgrades
A number of modifications have been made to enable the circuit to run in both directions, including the addition of new run-off areas and an extension of pit lane, which is now 400m long. The old pit exit point (which will also function as pit entry on the Shelley circuit) has been relocated towards the old Turn 2, which will make entering and exiting the track safer, while there is also a gate in pit wall that can be opened to allow easy entry and exit to the main straight for pit crew and officials just prior to race starts, along with the efficient removal of stranded vehicles.
Noise Mitigation and Spectator Enhancements
One of the major noise mitigation measures has been the construction of 10-metre-tall earth mounds that will also serve as spectator banks. “Wakefield Park used to be known as the nation’s spectator track because the whole track was visible from all the spectator points, but these earth banks will provide truly spectacular vantage points to watch the racing,” Steve said.
Building Renovations and Changes
Most of the existing buildings have been retained, but have undergone renovations; for example, new doors have been installed on the pit garages to improve manoeuvrability of race cars, while the toilet blocks have also been revamped. One building that has unfortunately not survived is the old control tower. “The position of the control tower didn’t work with our new circuit and pit lane layout; because it was so synonymous with the venue, we looked at relocating it, but unfortunately there were just too many structural and safety issues to make that a viable proposition,” Steve said.
Ongoing Improvements and Future Plans
Other works have included sealing the area behind pit lane to improve safety and practicality – the gravel and rocks are now gone – and Steve is pleased with the overall progress. “We had a few delays with weather, which meant we had to push back our reopening schedule, but it’s all going to look magnificent once it’s completed,” he said.
Vision for the Future and Family Involvement
“Our longer-term view is to recognise the possibility of becoming an FIA Grade 2 circuit that could attract some higher-profile categories, and when people see the work we’ve put in, I’m confident we’ll impress various category managers. As a family, my brothers Greg and Cameron, my son Jake and myself all have specific areas of expertise, so we’re all working together as a team and supporting one another to realise our vision for this incredible motorsport facility.”
