DriveIt NQ

{{Motorsport venue

| Name = DriveIt NQ

| Nicknames =

| Location = Quarry Road, Calcium, Queensland

| Coordinates = {{Coord|19|37|26.15|S|146|49|11.88|E|display=it}}

| image = File:DriveIt NQ 2023.png

| image_caption = Original Circuit (2023–present)

| Time = GMT+10:00

| FIA_grade =

| Events = Motor Events Racing

| Broke_ground = 2021

| Opened = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2023|05}}

| Layout1 = Original Circuit (2023–present)

| Length_km = 2.750

| Length_mi = 1.710

| Turns = 12

| Record_time = 1.27.363

| Record_driver = Detuned Motorsport

| Record_car = Nissan

| Record_year = 2023

| Record_class = Motor Events Racing

}}

DriveIt NQ is a {{cvt|2.750|km|mi|abbr=on}} permanent race track and driver training facility in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The circuit is opened in May 2023.

History

Plans for a dedicated motoring and motorsport facility in North Queensland emerged in February 2016, partially driven by the success of the Townsville 500, when driver training operator Pat Driscoll signed a long-term lease with Townsville City Council over a plot of land in Calcium to the city's west.{{cite news|url=https://nickdametto.com/dametto-revs-up-for-planned-motorsport-precinct|title=Dametto revs up for planned motorsport precinct|publisher=Nick Dametto MP|accessdate=18 February 2023}} Plans for the facility publicly emerged in September 2018 before construction on the facility began in August 2020 following input from Jack Miller, Paul Morris and Molly Taylor.{{cite news|url=https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TBWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.townsvillebulletin.com.au%2Fnews%2Ftownsville%2Fimages-and-plans-emerge-of-huge-townsville-motorsport-facility%2Fnews-story%2F08fcd908c791be9348a73f33981ab6a9&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium|title=First images of huge motorsport facility|publisher=Townsville Bulletin|date=20 September 2018}}{{cite news|url=https://www.speedcafe.com/2020/08/08/townsville-track-driveit-nq-breaks-ground/|title=Townsville track DriveIt NQ breaks ground|publisher=Speedcafe|date=8 August 2020}} Having secured AU$22 million in State and Federal funding, asphalt laying on the base circuit concluded in February 2023.{{cite news|url=https://www.speedcafe.com/2020/09/23/driveit-nq-receives-10-million-from-qld-government/|title=DriveIt NQ receives $10 million from QLD Government|publisher=Speedcafe|date=23 September 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/02/10/major-milestone-achieved-for-driveit-nq/|title=Major milestone achieved for DriveIt NQ|publisher=Speedcafe|date=10 February 2023}}

References

External links

[https://driveitnq.com.au/ Circuit website]
[https://www.racingcircuits.info/australasia/australia/driveit-nq.html Information about the DriveIt NQ track] - www.racingcircuits.info

Category:Motorsport venues in Queensland

Category:2023 establishments in Australia