Jack Daniel's Racing Nissan Altima V8 Supercar on the Calder Park Thunderdome

Rick Kelly gets behind the wheel of the Jack Daniel's Racing Nissan Altima for some hot laps of Australia's only NASCAR track, the Calder Park Thunderdome.
Nissan Motorsport had permission from V8 Supercars officials for this demonstration to take place.
Music credit: Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

[@carvideosaus7641]

There are so many passionate Motorsport fans in Melbourne i still find it hard to believe with a purpose built racetrack here with so much potential it gets to a condition like this, Imagine a V8 Supercar round with the complete circuit including the thunderdome it would be something incredibly unique!!

[@BT1SLC]

bring back the Calder Park Thunderdome

[@mattdreid]

Jesus! Clean that place up and race there

[@TheDrKyuss]

Everytime I see how Calder Park looks these days it makes me sad as hell. How'd the front splitter look after the run ?

[@randal4609]

+Dan Hammond Yeah, I went there with my dad for a driving experience thing their, made me sad

[@MAKA427]

Would be cool to see a round in the V8's with the combinedcalder circuit and the thunderdome. I think they tried it in the ATCC in the late 80's I think.

[@isaacandhismusic1153]

I seriously think the Supercars series needs one oval track in the calender. It's getting very boring seeing the grid finish how it started and the only passing being in the pits. More exciting racing in the support categories than the main game.

[@gtrmagic]

Isnt the RHD car going the wrong way round? The RHD AUSCARs used to run clockwise so that the driver was on the inside of the circuit...

[@wombatdj]

I only saw this video in August - but I was about to say the same thing.

[@cosmicr1]

Was the ride height a bit low or was the downforce too much for the banking? A lot of scrubbing going on there!

[@pigboy05]

i lived 5 k's up the road,went to most meetings from 85-96-7..1998 v8's,when race 3 was cancelled(murph was in the only VT commie)and he did a sighter to determine if it was safe.some people parked on the back straight hill couldn't stop down the bottom,where cars were.I remember a jet truck spinning,crompton saying he shat himself in brockys VL on a damp thunerdome 1987 WTCC on the satday,saw brockys XF 351 falcon spin,drove me XA round the thunderdome like the knightrider in mad max,kidding,worked there selling popcorn,snow cones and later detailing fastrack racings ride day cars(me auntie couldnt fit in the oval cars windows anymore),those nascars were/are special,i even got handed down a ford taurus,nascar approved model,pic is on my YT/facebook jason paul

[@stuartiles5498]

would be interesting to have at least one round there a year. the track probably needs too much work to get it back to usable conditions.

[@darrylkelly7958]

I wouldnt say too much work, if they slap up street circuits 6 times or so a year across the country then putting up some crash fencing, 2 ks of resurfacing, replace some old seats, clear the weeds out and give her a lick of paint... compare that to putting up stands, 10 K's of crash barriers and ALL of the amenities including pit and corporate structures I'd say getting the Dome upto snuff would be a breeze. Doing the deal to race there with Bob Jane (assuming he still owns it) would be the tricky bit.

[@brenthalliwell1702]

bring back calder park track combined with oval for supercars. Unfortanetly supercars aren't made for ovals by the look of this video. Would rather see calder park track combined with the oval over sandown for the 500 in my opinion.

[@ADX77]

Right hand drive should be going clockwise. If they hit the wall, I imagine its much safer.

[@Dogman36]

they should run the oval!

[@acecombat2shill]

that's bottoming out so much dear god

[@Thediamondduck11]

Would love to see it fixed, problem is is it worth the $$$ to make it usable again

[@MaximilianSterlingTv]

Glad to see finally theres a video of someone going Left around the Thunderdome instead of right.

[@FtsUnknown]

So you think with the right setup it could be a match for NASCAR?

[@darrylkelly7958]

That would be interesting considering the Nascars have 300 extra ponies...

[@KellyGroveRacing]

Lots of factors come into play... NASCARs are purpose built for the task, and they are constructed especially for NASCAR sized crashes!

[@loopykoopy]

No, Nascars are built for each race track, most teams run 30+ cars a season

[@wholemullet]

That's pretty cool, what were the speeds like compared to the last race there?

[@KellyGroveRacing]

It was about 4sec off NASCAR pace, which wasn't too bad considering the car wasn't setup for the Thunderdome, and the condition of the circuit these days. Average speed was still approaching 200km/h.

[@darrylkelly7958]

NissanMotorsportTV What kind of top speeds were you guys getting? Estimate is ok, I realise you might want to keep it on the quiet.

[@KellyGroveRacing]

Darryl Kelly Not sure because you don't run data on media shoots... but it hit sixth gear, which means it's quicker than Winton!

[@darrylkelly7958]

Looks like a good venue for a race I reckon. Something different from the once a year street circuits.

[@JarrodOsborn]

Does Bob Jane still own it?

[@XRunNGun]

I think Rodney Jane now owns it

[@BoatRampBallsUps]

Why isn't Calder used anymore?

[@Rex_Stuph]

There was some kind of compliance issue with the road course (last race I saw there was 15 years ago, Peter Brock Classic under lights... and V8 Supercars had to have lights that did something) and the funding /interest bottom fell out of AUSCAR and there were some internal politics too...So the tri-oval hasn't been used for about 20 years. I can't remember the details now.

[@MaximilianSterlingTv]

Badmuthatrucker666 It was used the other year though for the ARC round they held there. As well as the Australia Drift series. But they only used part of the oval.

[@Rex_Stuph]

Yeah, I assumed that club level and other stuff was still going on on the road course, but the V8SC's out grew it. Shame really, all these old tracks that are languishing or gone.

[@jarrodanstee8239]

The track has seen better days

[@sugarbombs6884]

For sure, they have no real reason to fix it all because it's only for private hire now I believe and really only drifters use it now.

[@jarrodanstee8239]

Sugar Bombs BRO show some respect

[@NotanaForyouey]

we don't need american racing in Australia, same as we don't need baseball or netball........... I haven't seen a roadway in Australia with a 24 deg camber yet.......Isn't racing theoretically a race on existing roadways, you know, from A to B as fast as you can.......

[@NovoGold]

Calder Park another waste of money, and a failed motor sport venue..!