Farewell Chris Piggott – A Tribute from Motorsport Australia

Motorsport Australia stands alongside the broader motorsport community in paying tribute to Chris Piggott, who sadly passed away in late February.

Chris left an unforgettable legacy within the New South Wales motorsport scene as the founder of the Raleigh International Raceway, established in 1988.

In 1980, at the age of 24 and fuelled by his passion for motorsport, Chris envisioned constructing a racetrack on his family’s land.

With the approval of his parents, he sought permission from the local Council to build an autocross circuit.

The green light for construction was granted, and in 1982, Chris designed and built a 1,300-metre dirt track, with the inaugural event taking place in 1983.

By 1985, he had secured approval for a dirt go-kart track of about 500 metres. Two years later, the surface was upgraded to bitumen, and facilities including a canteen and tower were built.

In 1987, the Raleigh Kart Club was founded, and Raleigh Raceway was officially inaugurated on March 13, 1988.

In 1990, Raleigh International Raceway became affiliated with CAMS (now known as Motorsport Australia) for karting.

By 1992, Chris seized the opportunity to host international karting events, prompting him to enhance the circuit, extending it to 1,050 metres.

The first international event took place at Raleigh International Raceway in 1993, drawing competitors from both overseas and Australia and attracting an impressive 5,000 spectators—a significant milestone for Chris and his team.

In 2009, drifting was introduced at Raleigh Raceway, and that same year, Chris decided to construct a Saloon Car, a Falcon AU.

He entered the vehicle in a support category, with his son behind the wheel, at venues such as Bathurst, Phillip Island, Mallala, Sandown, Eastern Creek, and Warwick. The team ultimately secured the 2010 Championship in the NSW Saloon Car Series.

Throughout the years, numerous major events were held at the raceway, including Aussie Legends, Bandag Bullet, VW Spectacular, Hotrods for over 20 years, Ford Kartstars, multiple stages of the World Rally Championship, and Supermotard.

Until his passing, Chris was a staunch supporter of grassroots motorsport at Raleigh International Raceway. His warm spirit, vast knowledge, and infectious smile will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Motorsport Australia extends heartfelt condolences to Chris’s three children, Bradley, Rachel, and Daniel, along with his sister Amanda and brother Brett.

Vale Chris.