Bathurst Regional Council’s expression of interest (EOI), announced on April 1, called for submissions from “suitably qualified and experienced companies for the design of a motor racing circuit located at Mount Panorama”.

Cr Hanger said the EOI called for interested companies, not actual designs.

“What council’s asked for is people who’ve the capacity and the capability of designing the second track,” he said.

“There has been interest from overseas and from Australian people who are interested in downloading a package and having a look at what has to be done.

“Whether these people will put in a tender, we don’t know.

“The tender box must be kept shut, and that’s how it should be, it’s a very transparent exercise.”

Cr Hanger said news of a second track has attracted a lot of excitement, especially with Porsche club members who were at Mount Panorama for the Hi Tech Oils Bathurst 6 Hour earlier this month.

“They were just in awe of the fact that there could be a second track and they could come up here not just once a year, but three or four or five times,” he said.

“They could have days where it’s just all Porshces and they can just practice. That’s the sort of thing that can happen with this track.”

The EOI document, obtained by the Western Advocate, shows the new circuit will be located to the western side of McPhillamy and Reid parks, and below the ridge where the existing clay target club is located.

The design of the second circuit must be based on the EOI’s preliminary track layout which has a maximum length of 4.58 kilometres.

The preliminary layout shows there are three links within the circuit that allow for nine separate, smaller track options.

“The design, where appropriate, will be able to be modified to suit site requirements, cost consideration, spectator access and required approvals,” the EOI said.

Cr Hanger said the second track will bring a huge boost to the Bathurst community.

“There are still some people out there who say ‘do we really need it’. Yes we do,” he said.

“If this comes to town the economy of Bathurst will just go through the roof, and it’ll bring motorsport businesses, and tyre people and brake people and even car manufacturers here to town to use it as a testing track.

“If it’s built properly with a greenfields site, and designed to take the top class motorbikes and the top class cars, it’s just open slather – we just don’t know how good it will be.

The EOI closes at 4pm on Tuesday, May 2.​