Newcastle residents, start your engines!
We're just one month out from the Newcastle 500 supercars race and work to get the city 'race ready' is in the final stretch.
Come Monday, around 600 workers will begin work on erecting concrete barriers, grandstands and other temporary structures.
They’ll be working for an estimated 39 days right up until Friday the 24th of November.
Event manager Kurt Sakzewski says residents shouldn’t worry about the construction as it will not hang around for long.
“All this construction is only temporary and will be removed shortly after the race”, he said. “So we’re talking about the barrier blocks around the whole track, as well as the grandstands, bridges and other facilities”.
Next week will also see the re-opening of Watt Street to motorists, with the circuit now almost completely resurfaced. However, there’s no date as to when Shortland Esplanade will re-open to the public.
When the road re-opens, event organisers and police are aware it may attract many motorists who believe they are professional racers and decide to set the fastest lap time.
Kurt Sakzewski says any hoons will be caught.
“There will be a heavy police presence as well as CCTV cameras watching the track”.
“Any amateur racers will find the police are pretty quick themselves”.
