Back into July 2003 I went to the great Goldenport circuit in northeast Beijing to see some speedy racing. In those days, the track wasn’t in a very good shape but the atmosphere was fantastic. Lots of on and off track action below, with fast cars, cool cars, and some babes.
The main event of the day was the Formula BMW Asia Series. I worked for the Dutch embassy and I was invited to see Dutch-Chinese racing driver Ho-Pin Tung perform his racy magic for the Malaysian Team Meritus team. Tung drove the number 58 car. His teammate Marchy Lee drove the 38 car.
The Goldenport Race Track, later known as the Goldenport International Circuit, was founded in 2001. The short track has a length of 2.39 kilometers.
Over the years the track has seen lots of different owners, different business plans, and a general lack on interest and maintenance. In 2003 the track was in a poor state with barely any facilities.
However, about five years ago things started to change, when Audi took an interest and helped out with managing the track. Lots of brand new high-end car shops opened their doors and many new events took place.
Sadly, today the track is under serious threat. Audi is out and the Beijing government wants to close Goldenport, saying they need the land for real-estate development. They are planning a new ‘mega’ race track in the far southeast, between Beijing and Tianjin. If, and when, all this is going to happen is yet unsure. So for now, Goldenport still lives.
As I was a real VIP I had access to the grid and to the pit boxes, so I could have a good look at Tung’s steering wheel. The Formula BMW Asia Series cars had a Mygale F3 chassis and powered by a 1.2 liter BMW K1200RS motorcycle engine, good for a rather unimpressive 140 hp. But the car weighed in only 465 so it was still pretty fast. Gearbox was a 6-speed sequential.
Then it was time for the babes to leave and the race to start. I went for beer and a bit later on I ended up in the pit lane, just in time to see…
… the 58 car retire after a nasty visit to the gravel trap. That was the end of the race for my Dutch-Chinese compatriot. But no matter, he went on to win the 2003 championship in quite an impressive way; claiming twelve pole positions and ten wins in 14 races. Williams F1, then with BMW engines, rewarded him with a test drive for the effort.
Later on, I met Ho-Pin Tung in good spirits in the motor home area, posing with two young fans.
There was also a race of the inaugural Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, and seemingly every car had these ultra cool liveries. I have always liked the looks of the 996 Porsche 911, and in cup racing trim it looks brilliant.
Red Bull wasn’t very well known in China back then, and most street-side shops didn’t sell it. This car tried to change that a little bit! These days the stuff is all over the place, with big factories in China churning out billions of cans each week. For a while in 2009-13 I drunk like four cans a day, wiping out even the worst hangovers.
The 2003 Porsche Carrera Asia Cup raced in several Asian countries, including China, Malaysia, and Singapore. That year’s championship second place was won by Nigel Albon, father of a certain Alex Albon.
The Don’t Loose Your Umbrella-babes.
Then there was a race of the Asian Touring Car Series (ATCS), racing mostly LHD Honda Integra Type R race cars, and a lost Lexus IS200. These were great looking machines, ultra low with slicks and a large wing on the back.
Just before the race I could freely walk around in the paddock, where the cars were unceremoniously parked in a rather messy way.
They all had their hoods open for inspection, revealing the typical Japanese engine bays.
The Integra R had front-wheel drive. In race trim, the engine had about 240 hp.
Found it!
I didn’t see the race because there were many more interesting cars in the paddock and on the parking lots. Besides, watching a race is rather boring, even with a big bottle of Chinese beer on hand.
A two-seat Changan-Suzuki Alto with a roll cage, racy wheels, and a large roof spoiler.
Another speedy Alto, this is the Happy Prince model with some modifications. The 京F 0 license plate is rather special.
A modified Beijing-Jeep Cherokee with a very old blue 京A plate.
A two-door Beijing BJ212 with detachable roof.
A very neat Cherokee. Mostly stock except for the tires, suspension, and pipe.
A Renault Clio V6 cup car! It was a demonstrator for BF Goodrich tires. Beautiful machine.
The supercool Chevrolet C-20 Custom rescue car. It served for many years but it is sadly gone and likely dead today.
The Hongqi CA72 in Nascar livery stood for a long time on a hill near the track’s entrance. In 2003 nobody cared about old Hongqi’s. That is different now and a few years ago the car was bought by a collector and is currently undergoing a full restoration. More photos of the CA72 in a later post!
Then, almost dark, it was time to go home.
This is a great update report on the old Goldenport. But this tune is an old one. Urban and suburban sprawl always seems to get in the way of continued operation. It’s usually an issue of real estate moguls, or complaints of noise and traffic.
And in China, culturally there seems to be an absence of the competitive spirit needed to make auto racing succeed in becoming popular as it is in the West.
That said, I hope the proposed new location will have some success, in what is becoming another country of car lovers.