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Local Community

November 17, 2025 ·

The Australian Racing Drivers Club is proud to be able to support and celebrate our local community of Western Sydney.
While we host and help individuals and large groups alike on a daily basis, below are a few of the recent initiatives of which we are particularly proud:

SYDNEY MOTORSPORT PARK

Powering Sydney Motorsport Park since 1996, the ARDC is a for-purpose, not-for-profit club: all profits are put back into the track. In the past decade alone, the ARDC, alongside the NSW Government and key partner organisations has invested over $52.5M in track extensions, major facility upgrades, permanent night track lighting, camera networks, LED digital screens, smart technology and the establishment of the Australian Motorsport Innovation Precinct. Of this investment, the ARDC has contributed over 40% of this significant funding, and continues to invest over $1m per annum back into the venue.

NIGHTDRIVE FOR LEARNERS

Our Learner Driver initiative NIGHTDRIVE, which has run since 2016, has seen over 5000 learner drivers take to the track to experience driving at night in safety, thanks to approximately $500,000 in donated track time. Our partners Driving Solutions has invested thousands of hours to run the event, as has the NSW Highway Command, making this event an ongoing success for the community.

FORMULA SAE UNIVERSITIES CHALLENGE

The ARDC proudly supports and facilitates the testing of vehicles designed by NSW university teams in the Formula SAE: an international student competition centred on the design, construction and racing of an internal combustion or electric race car up to 710cc/80kW. The competition presents students with the opportunity to develop their skills in design, management, manufacturing, communication and business operations.

BRIDGESTONE WORLD SOLAR CHALLENGE

Alongside teams competing in the Formula SAE Challenge, the ARDC is proud to support those stretching new mobility tech to it’s limit in the biennial Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. Efficiency is king for these one of a kind vehicles, and this amazing event sees solar EV’s achieve incredible things on the backs of some of Australia’s brightest young minds.

SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY

SMSP hosts several inter-school cross country carnivals each year to support our local schools with a safe and challenging running course.

SMSP SPRING FAIR

Similar to our previous Free Wheel Festival, the Sydney Motorsport Park Spring Fair is a family focused event held for the first time in 2025. Free to enter, the event provides families the chance to engage with the park and its facilities, as well as our broader SMSP community in a fun and friendly environment, while also supporting true grassroots motorsport.

OTHER CAUSES WE HAVE SUPPORTED

ENDURE FOR A CURE

Endure for a Cure is an annual 12-hour closed-circuit, endurance cycling challenge at SMSP, where individuals and teams register and fundraise through a 12 hour cycling enduro, putting much needed dollars towards research into childhood cancer.
SMSP provides a safe, traffic-free environment to help this worthy cause.

TRISH FOUNDATION SKIDPAN DAYS

The Trish Multiple Sclerosis Research Foundation was inspired by Trish Langsford who, having lost her battle with multiple sclerosis, passed away at the age of 30. The Foundation was established with the specific goal of finding a cure or preventive strategy for multiple sclerosis. Trish’s parents made a promise to her that they would not give up in the pursuit of the Trish Foundation’s goal.

FREE WHEEL FESTIVAL

The ARDC opened up its gates at the start of the new year for the SMSP Free Wheel Festival, a free open day for the local community (and beyond) to discover and enjoy the park’s wonderful facilities and experiences.
The track is open to foot traffic, scooters and cycles, plus demonstrations on the skid circuits and tours of race control encourage people of all ages to get involved. Visits by by local fire, rescue, police and the PolAir helicopter are especially loved by the children, who also get free face painting, jumping castles and clowns, making it a great day for all ages.

COLEMAN GRIEG CHALLENGE

The ARDC is both a Platinum sponsor and a participant in the Coleman Greig Challenge, which raises funds for children with special needs and newborn care in the local area.
In 2017, almost 500 enthusiastic participants including 10 ARDC staff raised $213,000 for the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC), St Gabriel’s School and My Westmead, participating in the 2.5km walk, 5km run and 10km run.
ARDC Staff as a team of 10 have competed in the challenge every year since 2017.

ONE MEAL – IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE

The not-for-profit community aid organisation One Meal – It Makes A Difference is driving change in Western Sydney for the homeless and people in need with the help of the Australian Racing Drivers’ Club (ARDC).
One Meal – It Makes A Difference is a 100% volunteer based community organisation that helps to feed, clothe and support the homeless and underprivileged across Sydney.
SMSP’s on-site fuel bowsers allowed us to provide the fuel for the One Meal van as a means of supporting this great initiative.

Humanitix Partnership: A Milestone for Good

August 14, 2025 ·

Since 2022, the partnership between Humanitix and the Australian Racing Drivers’ Club (ARDC) has ensured every ticket purchased contributes twice, providing access to Sydney Motorsport Park events while generating over $43,000 in donations to impactful global projects.

Humanitix, an Australian not-for-profit ticketing organisation which sees booking fees turned into funds and aid for charity, donated more than $10 million in 2024 alone, and more than $16.5 million since they started in 2016.

As a not-for-profit, the ARDC understands the power of reinvesting back into the community. Like us, Humanitix is driven by purpose over profit, turning everyday transactions into meaningful change.

Their commitment to empowering staff to direct significant donations mirrors our belief that people are at the heart of lasting impact. Humanitix empowers their staff by including them in the process of how they can change the world. They give each employee funds to donate to the charity of their choice, and in 2024 they raised the bar by allowing some of their longest-serving team members to donate $100,000 to causes meaningful to them.

The $16.5 million donations have changed lives across the world. Charity partners such as Room to Read, Partners for Equity and Code.org, have been able to tackle some of the most important challenges for humanity through the partnership.

Humanitix Partner highlights:

Supported 43,836 girls through an entire year of schooling
Provided 213,333 cataract surgeries to help preventable blindness and vision impairment
Supplied 7,111,111 people with safe drinking water, sanitation, and hand hygiene for a year in Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, and India
Enabled 17,837 life-changing fistula repair surgeries and rehabilitation services for women in Africa and Asia
Protected 1,777,778 children from malaria, deadly disease in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world

The ARDC are proud to partner with Humanitix as they continue to grow and change the world one donation at a time.

– Madeline Naylor

https://humanitix.com/au/impact

SYDNEY MOTORSPORT PARK NAMED AUSTRALIA’S MOST SUSTAINABLE CIRCUIT FOR FIFTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

July 2, 2025 ·

July 2, 2025: Sydney Motorsport Park (SMSP) has once again been recognised as Australia’s most sustainable permanent motorsport circuit, achieving a top national ranking for the fifth year running in the Sustainable Circuits Index (SCI) 2025.

Released in June, this year’s global report assessed 117 motorsport venues from around the world, measuring their environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and the global ESG framework. SMSP not only retained its position as the top-ranked Australian circuit but also continued its status as a top performer among global permanent circuits; an international standing it has held since the SCI’s inception in 2021.

Sydney Motorsport Park remains the only permanent racetrack in Australia to hold a ‘trophy’ rank in the internationally recognised Sustainable Circuits Index. It is also the only Australian circuit to hold an official sustainability accreditation from the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).

The Australian Racing Drivers’ Club (ARDC), operators of Sydney Motorsport Park, see this achievement as a reflection of their ongoing commitment to sustainability, innovation, and leadership in motorsport.

“Being recognised five years in a row speaks to the sustained efforts of our team,” said ARDC CEO Glenn Matthews.

“Our ranking reflects the real and ongoing work we’ve done – and continue to do – to minimise our environmental impact and maximise our positive contribution to our community and the sport.”

The Eastern Creek Circuit’s consistently high SCI ranking reflects the ARDC’s implementation of measurable initiatives across waste reduction, energy efficiency, and stakeholder engagement. The circuit has adopted a range of sustainability programs including onsite waste management and circular economy initiatives, community education and engagement programs, energy efficiency improvements across its operations, and support for local economic development and environmental initiatives through events and partnerships.

The 2025 SCI shows a growing commitment to sustainability in motorsport from circuits worldwide, with a marked increase in certifications and FIA Environmental Accreditations. Mugello Circuit (Italy) topped the rankings, with Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (Spain) second and equal third to Silverstone (UK) and Circuit de la Sarthe (France), and SMSP’s consistent performance places it in respected international company.

“We are proud to represent and lead Australia on the world stage,” said Matthews.

“But this isn’t a sprint to the finish: sustainability is an endurance race. We have more to accomplish, and we’re committed to continually raising the bar at our Club and at the circuit we proudly operate.”

To view the full 2025 SCI report and learn more about the assessment methodology and rankings, visit sustainability.smsp.com.au or contact [email protected].

SMSP Circuit achieves Australia’s first FIA sustainability accreditation

October 21, 2024 ·

The Australian Racing Drivers’ Club (ARDC is pleased to announce that Sydney Motorsport Park (SMSP), which it manages in partnership with the NSW Government, has received Australia’s first and only sustainability accreditation [TN1] from motorsport’s governing body, the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), as part of its Environmental Accreditation Programme.

This remarkable achievement places Sydney Motorsport Park among an elite group of just 19 world-class venues, including Silverstone, Monza, Imola, and Mugello, to have earned this prestigious industry accreditation. Additionally, SMSP has advanced directly to a two-star rating out of a possible three stars, thanks to its impressive progress in the field of sustainability.

In July of this year, SMSP again retained its status of Australia’s #1 most sustainable circuit in the global Sustainable Circuits Index, which it has held since 2021. SMSP remains the only permanent racetrack in Australia to receive a ranking in the internationally recognised index. [TN2]

ARDC Sustainability Manager, Tan Nguyen, was pleased for SMSP to continue to lead the way in Australian Motorsport.

“Sustainability in motorsport is so much more than repurposing consumables like tyres, it’s about adapting a mindset towards more environmentally friendly methods and processes,” said Tan.

“Most importantly, however, it’s about instilling a culture of constant improvement.”

ARDC CEO, Glenn Matthews, echoed Tan’s sentiments, and acknowledged that tackling sustainability is a shared responsibility.

“The ARDC partners with a range of leading organisations that share our vision, including Closed Loop and global beverage group, Asahi,” Glenn said.

“SMSP’s international recognition for sustainability is testament to the relentless dedication and hard work of our partners.”

As a major drawcard in the Supercars season race calendar, the night round held at SMSP in July once again saw the multi-faceted entertainment precinct beat its own sustainability performance, diverting 76% of waste generated from landfill – a 10% improvement over the 2023 event.

Supercars COO, Tim Watsford, commended the ARDC for its fierce support of the premiere motorsport category’s own drive for more environmentally friendly practises.

“Like every facet of our sport, sustainability is a team effort and something we aspire to do together,” said Tim.

“The ARDC and its running of Sydney Motorsport Park is the gold standard for sustainable best practise in Australia, and we relish the opportunity to continue to push each other to improve and reach for even better outcomes in the future.”

By the Numbers: Sustainability at SMSP

With several months still to go, 2024 is continuing to shape up as another strong year of sustainable performance for the ARDC and SMSP, with the circuit already achieving the following in the first nine months of the year:

Processed 894.7m³ of waste, with 650.5 m³ saved from landfill through recycling, repurposing, and composting.
6700 litres of cooking and motor oil recycled and used for other purposed, such as biodiesel.
Over 60,000 coffee cups recycled and sent for upcycling projects, including building and construction materials.
All waste was hand sorted on-site into 9 distinct waste streams: General Waste, Comingled Recycling, Paper & Cardboard, Simply Cups, Container Deposit Scheme, Organics, EPS (Polystyrene Foam), Scrap Metal, and Oil.

Sustainability.SMSP.com.au

[TN1]Sydney Motorsport Park is the FIRST and ONLY circuit in Australia to receive FIA’s Environmental Accreditation

[TN2]Many other Australian circuits are included in the index but none of them received a ranking (e.g., Phillip Island, QR, The Bend)