Australian HPV Super Series - History

History

In 1985, what would become the inaugural Pedal Prix race was held in the car park of the Underdale Campus of The University of South Australia on Holbrooks Road. There were less than a dozen participating teams. This event marks the start of the Australian HPV Super Series and at the time it generated tremendous interest. Vehicles varied considerably in sophistication and quality but the potential to get students involved in designing, making and testing the vehicles was readily apparent.

In 1986 the event was moved to the Road Safety Centre on Oaklands Road, Marion to cater for the increased number of teams. Rules were developed to guide teams in building vehicles so that they were safer. This site was considerably more complex with many corners and a hill to test riders and their vehicles.

The popularity of the event continued to grow and it soon became apparent that the number of entries was growing beyond the capacity of the Road Safety Centre. As a result, in 1992 the event was moved to the Adelaide International Raceway at Virginia, SA. This site easily catered for the increased number of entries. The wider, flatter track saw records for the distance travelled in the 24 hour endurance race increase. A major disadvantage of this site has been its openness and exposure to weather. Wind, dust and an uninteresting track layout had the committee looking for alternatives. 1996 marked the last time that petrol driven hybryids were allowed to participate. At various stages throughout the history of the 24 hour race there have been categories for petrol and solar hybrids as well as a commuter category where more than one rider was in the vehicle.

1997 saw the event moved to Sturt Reserve, Murray Bridge, where for the first time public roads werel sealed off specially for the event. It was felt that the new venue would comfortably accommodate the number of entries anticipated, provide a greater challenge for teams and provide a better atmosphere for all competitors, spectators and visitors

In 2003, The HPV Super Series began, with a championship season that spanned 4 races. They included two 3 hour sprints and a 6 hour race at Victoria Park and concluded with the 24 hour Murray Bridge event. The two 3 hour sprints were later replaced with a single 6 hour race and a 9 hour race was trialled in 2009 in race 2 again at Victoria Park. The Current Series format is two 6 hour races and a 24 hour race.