A new chapter has begun for Victorian drag racing with Heathcote Park Raceway officially acquired by new ownership and management, who have unveiled the venue’s new identity as Victorian Motorsports Park.
Previously, Lance Warren purchased the venue off long time owner Russell Clarke in 2020 and promised grand plans to return the venue to its former glory as a premier drag strip for Victorians. The future looked promising on the back of some initial track works and the very successful return of professional racing to the venue when the Australian Top Fuel Championship rocked the venue in 2022. But since then there has been a steady decline in venue operations due to a number of factors leading to the shut down.
While the closure came as a gut punch to the Victorian drag racing community, the outlook has now shifted dramatically. With committed new owners at the helm, a critical missing piece of the national drag racing puzzle is back in place — and the future of the venue looks brighter than it has in years.
Work is already well underway to restore and upgrade the facility, with the team pushing hard to bring the venue back to life ahead of a planned reopening in the second half of the year.
Crews have been working around the clock to bring the track and surrounding infrastructure back up to standard. The project includes improvements to parking and spectator areas, a cleaner and more functional site layout, and a range of venue upgrades aimed at modernising the historic drag strip.
Alongside essential works, fans can expect a number of visual and operational improvements across the venue as part of a broader makeover designed to position Victorian Motorsports Park as a major destination for motorsport in the state.
The relaunch is already gaining momentum, with organisers confirming that several major drag racing events are locked in for the 2026/2027 season. Beyond traditional drag racing, the venue also plans to host roll racing, burnouts and large-scale horsepower festivals, including both day and night events aimed at bringing a wide range of motorsport enthusiasts through the gates.
Behind the ambitious redevelopment is a team with deep ties to Australian drag racing.
Leading the project is Wally Szabolics, a Wodonga-based racer, car builder and civil construction professional whose background in large-scale projects helped turn the vision for the facility into reality. Szabolics is well known for building and racing his own machines and campaigns the brutal 3800-plus horsepower HQ coupe “BOLICS” as part of Szabolics-Marchese Racing alongside Frank Marchese.
Also part of the ownership group is Daniel Szabolics, widely recognised as one of the quickest racers in the country. Szabolics competes in a ProCharged Camaro Pro Mod alongside Marchese, with cars based in both Australia and the United States. Producing more than 4000 horsepower, the Australian-based machine currently holds the title as the quickest radial quarter-mile car in Australia with five-second performances, while the U.S. car has recently recorded a 3.57-second eighth-mile pass.
Completing the leadership team is John Ricca, who has set the drag racing alight with recent accomplishments. Ricca holds the world record for the quickest and fastest blown Pro Mod and Australia’s quickest Pro Mod and is also the owner of Race Parts Melbourne and a partner in Tuff Streeters. His decades of experience in drag racing bring valuable insight to the project.
Behind the scenes, the team also acknowledged the vital support of Lyn, Sandy and Lauren, whose work off the track plays an important role in keeping both the racing programs and the Victorian Motorsports Park project moving forward.
With extensive upgrades underway and a packed calendar already forming, the team behind Victorian Motorsports Park says the goal is clear — to create a revitalised motorsport venue that will help drive the future of drag racing in Victoria.
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