- Australian Racing Drivers' Club (ARDC) implements multimillion-dollar technology upgrades site-wide
- Cutting-edge LED signage and AI-enabled software provides commercial partners data and insights not typically offered by billboard advertising
- Australia's leading track safety and marshalling system, MyLaps X2 Race Control in use at SMSP
- Broadcast partners can 'plug and play' at major events, with track monitoring and real-time race data reporting
Sydney 19th December, 2023: As one of Australia's leading sport and entertainment facilities, Sydney Motorsport Park (SMSP) has proved once again it is so much more than 'just a racetrack' – even if it is already one of just two FIA-certified circuits in the country, and the highest ranked Australian track in the global Sustainable Circuits Index (SCI).
Having recently upgraded the site with a host of cutting-edge technology, including circuit-wide track lighting, LED signage, a fully integrated track safety and marshalling system, digital crowd management systems as well as enhanced broadcast capability, the precinct at Sydney's Eastern Creek has further cemented itself as a true 'smart venue'. What's more, the site now operates as an 'always on' venue, with out-of-home advertising and sponsored content running across SMSP's LED screens from 6am to 11pm, 365 days a year.
As a New South Wales Government-owned facility, SMSP is powered by the Australian Racing Drivers' Club (ARDC), Australia's largest motorsport club. The ARDC has partnered with global technology provider, PMY Group, on a $4 million project to offer SMSP guests, exhibitors, advertisers and broadcasters unprecedented access and flexibility at events, part of wider site upgrade investments worth over $20 million.
The signage upgrades present greatly expanded levels of customisation, interactivity and consumer data for advertisers and commercial partners, not usually offered with standard out-of-home placements such as roadside billboards. The SMSP site even provides the opportunity to brand event 'moments' as they happen, such as fastest lap times, pitlane celebrations, various flags during a race, or even when the track temperature gets above a designated temperature (cold drink, anyone?) with dedicated content. Live event moments such as these are already in use at V8 Supercars Championship and World Time Attack events, with more to follow.
ARDC CEO, Glenn Matthews, said the rollout of this significant commercial tech forms a major part of the club's blueprint for future growth, modelling itself on the UK's legendary Silverstone Circuit, Innovation Precinct and University Technical College.
"As one of Australia's major event destinations, Sydney Motorsport Park is home to some of Australia's biggest events and community activations – each offering enormous opportunities for consumer engagement," Mr. Matthews said.
"The site upgrades we have completed are part of the ARDC's commitment to ensure Sydney Motorsport Park provides a second-to-none experience to guests and event partners alike, with some of the world's leading OOH tech to connect brands with consumers directly and provide invaluable tracking and insights in realtime" he continued.
PMY Group Executive General Manager APAC, Emily McGrath, echoed the ARDC's mission statement.
"Ultimately, the goal of the technology partnership between ARDC and PMY is to ensure SMSP is at the forefront of technical innovation in world motorsport venues," McGrath commented.
The ARDC has also recently opened the first facility in its Australian Motorsport Innovation Precinct (AMIP): a tech-hub on the circuit's main straight playing host to a range of motorsport technology companies, race teams, thought leaders and universities.
The facility, a co-funded project between the ARDC and the NSW Government, launched with the promise of providing a 'trackside laboratory' to support research and development in the motorsport sphere; with a view of benefiting the wider community with some of the tech developed at AMIP eventually finding its way into passenger cars, bikes and safety gear.
This approach to in-the-field R&D is already proving fruitful, with Sydney Motorsport Park being one of only a handful of global circuits selected to take part in a data and analytics study with leading track management software provider, MyLaps, with the system already in use at SMSP.
In focus: the key tech upgrades at Sydney Motorsport Park
The ARDC has implemented an armada of industry-leading tech upgrades at the SMSP facility, including:
Lap timing, race logistics and track safety
The integrated solution used by the venue, NATSOFT (timing) and MyLaps X2, allow SMSP race control to monitor lap and sector times, flags and warnings, as well as rapidly identifying accidents and track hazards – with the system alerting race control to an incident and immediately showing affected vehicles/track areas via the track's extensive camera system, live sensors, and GPS transponders.
The benefits of this high-tech system are many: it means that SMSP remains a toptier racing circuit with second-to-none safety and logistics support, but when overlayed with the site's broadcast capabilities, it means that television partners can provide coverage and commentary on the racing action when it happens, in realtime.
LED transformation and digital signage
The FIA Grade 2 Circuit, one of only two in the country, is lit night and day by state-of the-art LED displays and integrated television and lighting systems: supporting a true night-time economy for retail and hospitality partners. Features such as a giant 45sqm welcome screen, four 12sqm double sided elevated cantilever LED boards, and 144m of pit straight LED screens facing Brabham Straight are a game changer in the motorsport sphere, enhancing the on-track atmosphere for visitors and driving powerful exposure and engagement for brands direct to live in-venue and broadcast audiences. These state-of-the-art LED assets display show stopping content via BRISC, a proprietary platform developed by TechMedia, a PMY Company.
OPTIC: next-generation venue intelligence
In addition to show-stopping LED, PMY Group's Smart Operating Platform, OPTIC,has been deployed at SMSP to provide an operational and crowd intelligence solution. Powered by Intel back-end technologies, PMY's Platform converges technologies, enabling venue management to monitor technology, analyse data, automate communications and operations, and predict future crowd behaviours. OPTIC uses AI and ML to provide real-time and historical insights on the venue, event and customer to empower clients to make data driven decisions.
'Plug and play' broadcast capability
As the home of several major motorsport events every year, the SMSP facility has also upgraded its broadcast compatibility systems, with the laying of around 10 kilometres of fibre optic cable throughout the facility to support an entire data-led ecosystem, allowing broadcasters to plug into the site at around 30 points throughout the site, reducing set-up and bump-out times, as well as minimising the use of external cables and plugs for various cameras and AV equipment.
The Sydney Motorsport Park smart venue is located in Eastern Creek in Western Sydney, less than 40 minutes from the CBD, and is one of the country's only racing facilities within a metro area.
-ENDS-
For press enquiries or further information, please contact:
Kurt McGuiness - PRIMAL Storytelling
E: kurt@weareprimal.com.au
M: +61 413 135 334
Peter Larum – ARDC and Sydney Motorsport Park
E: peter@ardc.com.au
M: +61 419 732 029
Catherine Wilcox - PMY Group
E: catherine.wilcox@pmygroup.com
M: +61 434 219 041
About the ARDC
Since 1952 the ARDC has been the premiere automotive racing body hosting high profile motorsport events across NSW (most notably Mount Panorama Bathurst from'63–'98) as well as managing many of NSW's leading motorsport circuits including Amaroo, and since 1996 Australia's Home of Motorsport, Sydney Motorsport Park (SMSP) at Eastern Creek, Sydney.
The ARDC vision is to create a global leading venue for motorsport competitors and enthusiasts and to become the central home for motorsport in Australia. SMSP is a multipurpose venue that hosts more than 350,000 visitors per annum via 600+ events including the SUPERCARS Championships, World Time Attack, Shannons Nationals, NSW Motor Race Championships and multiple grassroots