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LE MANS WINNER DAVID BRABHAM JOINS PLACE TO RACE

Reigning Le Mans 24-hour winner David Brabham is the latest Australian motorsport star to join a list of high-profile supporters of the Gold Coast’s Place To Race community campaign.

Brabham is one of Australia’s greatest motorsport exports and followed in the footsteps of his older brother Geoff when he won this year’s most famous endurance race for Peugeot.

He continued on his winning way with a victory in the American Le Man Series (ALMS) round at Road America yesterday and took time out from his busy weekend to provide his stamp of approval for the Place To Race campaign, which has been established to kick the Gold Coast City Council into action over the decimation of motorsport facilities in the city.

Ironically, it was at the Surfers Paradise Raceway, one of several Gold Coast motorsport venues to be closed in recent years, where Brabham won his first ever Formula Ford race as a teenager.

Gold Coast businessmen and motorsport identities Terry Morris and Brett “Crusher” Murray have set-up a campaign after years of neglect towards Gold Coast venues where motorsport competitors of all ages, shapes and sizes can enjoy their sport.

Brabham joins his three-time world F1 champion father, Sir Jack Brabham, and a host of other high-profile world champions including Mick Doohan, Alan Jones, Ivan Mauger, Wayne Gardner and James Courtney as part of the fight.

Brabham’s father, brother Geoff and nephew Matthew have been honored as the number 1-2-3 ticket holders of this year’s Nitro SuperGP on the streets of Surfers Paradise.

Brabham is also one of the leading trainers of young drivers in Britain as head of the Motor Sports Association’s (MSA) Race Elite program.

“I would never have gotten my break in motorsport if there was not a local go-kart track in Wagga and seven years later I was driving in Formula One,” said Brabham, who drives for the Patron Highcroft Acura team in the ALMS Series.

“I have been to the Gold Coast and have seen my nephew Matthew racing. He has now progressed to Formula Ford, but without the Gold Coast track he would not have had a chance to go racing. I still remember my first Formula Ford win at the old Surfers Paradise Raceway.

“It is sad to think of how many potential young drivers are being lost to this sport because there is no kart track on the Gold Coast. Not to mention the amount of fun the youngsters and their families are missing out on.

“Through my driver training activities in England I see the skills that are developed at karting tracks and community facilities on a daily basis and it is hard to place a value on that – for the track or regular road use.

“Crusher and Terry Morris have put a lot of energy and their own money into this program and anyone in South East Queensland who has half an interest in the sport or the future road skills of our youth should get behind it.”

Murray was a guest of Brabham at Road America at the weekend and was met with an offer of support.

“David had heard about the Place to Race program and offered up his own support straight away,” said Murray.

“The amount of support from high-profile motorsport personalities as well as all areas of the general public has been overwhelming.

“We are really starting to get some solid foundations in place for us to take this to the next phase over the next couple of months.”

A new website has been launched www.placetorace.com.au where all Gold Coast motorsport clubs, stakeholders and fans can register to receive regular information.

It also lists the contact details of all Gold Coast councillors and encourages stakeholders to contact them on a regular basis.

There will also be regular twitter updates and a facebook page – both can be found by searching for “placetorace”.