IT was a common sight at the start of the Bathurst 1000 – the launch of hot air balloons over a race track, and at the upcoming Winton Festival of Speed, it’s set to make a comeback.
The collaboration with Goldrush Ballooning will enable paying attendees to take part in hot air balloon rides departing from the Winton Motor Raceway skidpan.
The flights will kick off at 6:30am on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the event, which is scheduled for July 24-26.
Balloons departing from Winton will accompany a group of balloons taking off from nearby Benalla, touring a region renowned for its vibrant ballooning culture.
Bringing balloons back to motorsport is the latest in an array of off-track attractions that are setting the Festival apart, including the support of local institution Brown Brothers Wines.
Tickets are available now via the Goldrush Ballooning booking page on the website.
On track, categories will include Heritage Touring Cars (Groups C & A), Group N Historic Touring Cars (Under and Over 2 Litre), Group S Sports Cars, Formula Ford, MGs and Invited British, Alfa Romeo Racing, Porsche 944 Challenge, and BMW E30 Racing.
Additionally, Super Sprint classes have been expanded to include 5 Litre Touring Cars, V8Brutes, AUSCARS, GT Cars up to 2010, Touring Car Tributes, and Touring Car Legends, plus the inaugural running of The Fitzy Cup, a Porsche-focussed category celebrating the legacy of Peter Fitzgerald.
Entries for vehicles can now be submitted via the Motorsport Australia Entry Portal, and spectator tickets are available for online purchase.
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