Phil Harrison died at the circuit on February 5, 2011, during a motorbike race being conducted by the Hartwell Motorcycle Club.

The 49-year-old St Kilda racer had fallen from his Triumph motorbike during his fifth lap of race eight while attempting to overtake another rider on a straight.

Mr Harrison’s motorbike slid into the tyre barrier and he slid into the back of the bike, and was declared dead at the scene a short time later.

In a written report, coroner Rosemary Carlin found that while rider error caused Mr Harrison to fall on a shortened version of the circuit, the death was preventable.

The report questions why no-one identified the tyre barrier as a hazard prior to his death.

“I find that Mr Harrison’s death could have been prevented if a condition had been imposed on Winton’s venue licence requiring the tyre barrier to be placed behind or in front of the concrete wall during short circuit races,” she said.

The report found Mr Harrison would have survived if the tyre barrier hadn’t been there, and would have instead slid across dirt and grass at decreasing speed.

Winton Motor Raceway acting chief executive Wayne Williams said the crash was "one of those freak accidents" and said the barrier had since been changed.

“I feel very sorry about the whole situation but we’ve got to move on,” he said.

An investigation conducted by road safety expert and civil engineer Dr Raphael Grzebieta for Worksafe raised several concerns about the race and track, including weather conditions, barrier placement, track inspections and licensing.

The coroner found the venue standards document, which outlines safety protocols for the site, was “confusing” and recommended the current guidelines be revised.

Worksafe inspector Peter Rennick viewed the track two days after the fatal crash and found the tyre barrier may not have complied with venue standards and could “pose a serious risk to the health and safety of motorcycle riders” using the track.

“All solid objects in the vicinity of the track are potential hazards,” the coroner’s report states.

“It is one thing if they serve a purpose and or are fixed.

“It is another thing entirely if they serve no purpose and are easily moved.

“There is no doubt the tyre barrier performed no function in the short circuit and that it could have easily been stored behind, or in front of, the concrete wall, as later occurred.”

Mark McHenry, who was riding next to Mr Harrison when he slid out, said many riders didn’t like the barrier and said it was “a good idea … to be nowhere near it”.

But the report, handed down on July 21, also notes the sport is inherently dangerous and the circumstances of the fall were unusual and hard to predict.

Mr Williams said the tyres were now placed on an angle so that riders would glance off, rather than hitting them head on.

“I feel very sorry about the whole situation but we’ve got to move on,” he said.

“Motorsport is dangerous and these things will happen from time to time.

“We are doing anything in our powers to make sure things like this don’t happen.”

He said the incident and coroner’s report would not impact the V8 Supercars, which are run on the full track, and said there was no “damning evidence” against Winton.

“It was just one of those freak accidents.”

An inquest into the matter was held on January 28 and 29. 

Mr Harrison had been living with his partner Yuanyuan Chu, also known as Michelle, at the time of his death.