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OFFICIAL RELEASE: 2014 V8 Supercars Calendar and race formats

OFFICIAL RELEASE: Innovation follows Consolidation for V8 Supercars in 2014

V8 Supercars has announced ground-breaking changes for 2014, building on a year which has featured multiple race and rookie winners, captivating racing and new generation V8 Supercars.

Innovation is the key to further broadening the appeal of V8 Supercars and making it accessible to more people than ever.

Key initiatives for 2014 include a shift towards prime time twilight racing and new standardised race formats; and an exciting new ANZAC Day weekend in New Zealand. Sydney will host three events in 2015.

“We have the opportunity to continue with an entrepreneurial approach, with high levels of innovation and commitment to our fans,” V8 Supercars CEO James Warburton said.

“There is a chance to build on the energy and passion of the business created through the course of this year; taking it to the next level in 2014 and even further in 2015.

“We have had the period of consolidation, now is the time for innovation, growth and building for the next five to ten years.”

A minimum of five Saturday twilight races are possible in 2014. V8 Supercars will announce timings of all races early in the New Year in consultation with host broadcaster Seven.

As a precursor the first 250km race at the Sydney 500 this December will run from 5.10pm to 7.30pm. The ARMOR ALL Top Ten Shootout at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 next month will also be staged later on Saturday afternoon.

The prospect of racing at twilight has received unanimous support from fans with 85 per cent supporting a Saturday evening race and almost 50 per cent more people would attend or watch a twilight race.

V8 Supercars also announced a move to three categories of events – SuperSprint, SuperStreet and the PIRTEK Enduro Cup – to standardise and simplify race formats into a consistent package. The 60/60 format of this year has been scrapped.

Accordingly the Townsville 500 and ITM 500 Auckland become 500km events in line with the SuperStreet formats, while all SuperSprint events are two 100km races on Saturdays with a single 200km feature race on the Sunday.

All SuperSprint races will count towards the Championship.

The 2014 V8 Supercar calendar consists of 16 events including the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne and the hugely popular sydney.com V8 Supercars Test Day at Sydney Motorsport Park.

The Sydney 500 was locked in for a further three years earlier this month by the New South Wales Government, with an option for a further two years. This followed the recent the extension of the three Queensland events, also for a further three years.

Additionally, V8 Supercars will return to Sydney Motorsport Park for a Championship event in 2014 in August, meaning Sydney will host three events in 2014.

In New Zealand the ITM500 Auckland will be held on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the ANZAC weekend.V8 Supercars believes racing on ANZAC weekend in New Zealand is a huge drawcard for the event that will encourage fans to travel to Auckland on the long weekend.

The blockbuster Clipsal 500 in Adelaide kicks off the Championship year once again.

V8 Supercars will delay a return to Texas until 2015 because of a clash of dates with the recently signed X Games and the composition of the V8 Supercar and COTA calendars.

“The timing of COTA securing the X Games next year led to the mutual agreement of a gap-year before consolidating, planning and returning to Texas in 2015,” Warburton said.

“The first Texas 400 was an enormous success at all levels and a tremendous platform to build into the future; in conjunction with developing an extensive international strategy for 2015 and beyond.

“The prospects are virtually limitless; there is that much potential in the sport.”

COTA President Steve Sexton said he was looking forward to V8 Supercars return in 2015 after a highly successful North American debut in May.

“Circuit of The Americas is quickly becoming a year-round destination for a variety of large-scale sports and entertainment properties, and with our packed schedule, we were not able to find mutually workable dates to facilitate a return of V8 Supercars to Austin in 2014,” Circuit Chief Executive Officer Steve Sexton said.

“V8 Supercars continues to be one of the most exciting shows in world motorsports. We know our US and international fans really enjoyed the Austin 400 event this year, and we are very excited to have V8 Supercars return to the United States in 2015.”

V8 Supercars has had preliminary discussions with several venues in the US with a view to „twinning%u201F the Texas 400 in the future.

The 2014 V8 Supercars calendar:

Feb 15
sydney.com V8 Supercars Test Day
Sydney MSP

Feb 27-Mar 2
Clipsal 500 Adelaide
Adelaide Street Circuit
SuperStreet DS

Mar 13-16
2014 Formula 1 Aust Grand Prix
Albert Park
TBC

Mar 28-30
Tasmania 400
Symmons Plains Raceway
SuperSprint

Apr 4-6
Winton 400
Winton Motor Raceway
SuperSprint DS

April 24-27
ITM 500 Auckland
Pukekohe Park Raceway
SuperSprint

May 16-18 TBC
Perth 400
Barbagallo Raceway
SuperSprint DS

June 20-22
SKYCITY Triple Crown Darwin 400
Hidden Valley Raceway
SuperSprint

July 4-6
Townsville 500
Reid Park
SuperStreet DS

Aug 1-3 TBC
Coates Hire Ipswich 400
Queensland Raceway
SuperSprint DS

Aug 22-24
Sydney Motorsport Park 400
Sydney Motorsport Park
SuperSprint

Sept 12-14
Wilson Security Sandown 500
Sandown Raceway
PIRTEK Enduro Cup

Oct 9-12
Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000
Mount Panorama
PIRTEK Enduro Cup DS

Oct 24-26
ARMOR ALL Gold Coast 600
Surfers Paradise
PIRTEK Enduro Cup

Nov 14-16
Phillip Island 400
Phillip Island Circuit
SuperSprint

Dec 5-7
Sydney 500
Sydney Olympic Park
SuperStreet DS

 

Seven News- V8 Supercars return to Sydney Motorsport Park

We are excited and delighted to announce that Sydney Motorsport Park will host a round of the V8 Supercars series next August, in addition to the pre-season test and fan day in February. We would like to thank Minister Souris and Destination NSW for their support in helping to bring a Championship round to Sydney Motorsport Park.

All about the 2013 WORLD TIME ATTACK CHALLENGE

THE WORLD’S BEST HYPERCARS AGAINST THE CLOCK

WHEN: Friday October 17 – Saturday October 18, 2013.

WHERE: Sydney Motorsport Park, Brabham Drive, Eastern Creek.

WHAT: WTAC is two days of motorsport nirvana, with non-stop Time Attack and Drift action plus Turbo Legends, Flying 500 top speed challenge, Show’n’Shine and a massive trade display.
Time Attack, also known as Superlap originated in Japan in the 1980s as a proving ground for street-tuned cars built by highly respected tuning companies. The Superlap format is not unlike a qualifying lap in traditional motorsport, with competitors racing against the clock with the fastest single lap collecting the prize.
The rules are limited almost purely to the safety aspects meaning the vehicles can have almost unlimited modifications making for some seriously spectacular on track action. It is not uncommon to see 1000kg cars with 800 hp on tap battling it out for brand supremacy. The allegiance of fans to a particular brand is no different to the traditional Holden vs Ford rivalry that we have become accustomed to in Australia.
As the sun goes down, all eyes move to the South Circuit for the Tectaloy International Drift Challenge, where the cream of Aussie drifters take on the best of international drift stars. The current D1GP Champion Daigo Saito is the hot favourite but a strong Aussie and Kiwi contingent will do their best to dethrone him.
Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge is a family-friendly event. Kids under 12 get in for free.

ADMISSION: Adults Fri $40/Sat $50/ Two-day pass $69
Student / Concessions Sat $30/Sun $35/ Two-day pass $50
Children 12 and under FOC
Free grandstand access, free competitors paddock entry, free parking.

MORE INFO: www.worldtimeattack.com

Event wrap- 2013 Round 7 CAMS Supersprint Championships

On Sunday Sept 8, Sydney Motorsport Park hosted Round 7 of the CAMS Supersprint Championships using the North Circuit track layout. A solid field of 97 competitors in eight different classes had a fabulous day racing the clock.
Andre Tan ( Radical) bettered his previous outings result on this circuit by nearly two seconds recording a 0:58.77 fastest lap of the day. Alexander Kenny (Juno LMP3) and Marek Tomaszewski (Stohr WF1) battled for second place honours, with Kenny just pipping Tomaszewski by the narrowest of margins: 0.005 seconds. Tomaszewski lowered his April meetings quickest time by 2.5 seconds, but had to settle with third-fastest for the day.
Ben Porter was the fastest of the tin tops, with a 1:03.79. This was 4.22 seconds faster than the previous best time this year on the SMSP circuit , recorded in June by Alan Bugh in his Clubman. Bugh also lowered his Round 3 time by 1.5 seconds.
Supersprint always features its fair share of exotic street and custom vehicles, and today’s event was no different. Andrew McLaughlin brought his magnificent little flyer, the 5.7L ELFIN MS8 Clubman and Rudy Franz’s 1973 VW L-Bug boasting 330kW “at the wheels” flew down pit straight at 240kph. “Not enough horses”, said Rudy, who after today’s event has plans to replace the current engine with a WRX unit, with 450kW the anticipated result.
Mike Pritchett (Clubman) retired early with an electrical gremlin, Mike Hicks (MX5) was having fun with his new 6-speed gearbox, and unlike fine wine, Mike Loomes (Clubman) complained he wasn’t getting any better with age.
Evan Jones, Supersprint event controller, commented: “Supersprint timed racing is the best value for laps racing available. It is the most economical way to get time on a race track if you want to gain experience, or if you are seeking to upgrade your racing licence in order to compete in other styles of competitive racing.”
– Rob Annesley

 

The ARDC pays homage to Bathurst history at SMSP

The Australian Racing Drivers’ Club (ARDC), which kicked off the now annual and iconic Australian motorsport event, the Bathurst 1000, has paid tribute to the race, the place and the club’s racing heritage with the announcement of its newly named Turn 9, dubbed ‘Panorama’. The ARDC, which celebrated its 60th anniversary last year, formed an alliance in 1954 with the Bathurst Light Car Club to purchase land between Murray’s Corner and Hell Corner in order to build the Mt Panorama pit lane and establish the Bathurst circuit. In 1962, the ARDC ran the first six-hour race at Bathurst to prove that Mt Panorama could handle a then-500 mile event. One year later, the Armstrong 500 race meeting moved from Phillip Island to Mt Panorama, and the Bathurst 500 was born. “Given the ARDC’s place in Australian motorsport history in presenting and developing this country’s most iconic race, the Bathurst 1000, it is only appropriate that we recognise this part of our history in naming Turn 9 of the circuit ‘Panorama’”, said ARDC CEO, Glenn Matthews. Panorama sits atop the new Brabham Circuit, and appropriately its position is the highest point of elevation at the Sydney Motorsport Park track, with an amazing vista to the equally iconic control tower. The 4.5 kilometre Brabham extended circuit was created by combining the original Eastern Creek International Raceway layout with an exciting and undulating extension designed by Apex Circuit Design from the UK, and launched with the re-branded Sydney Motorsport Park in May, 2012. Racing this still-new circuit on August 31 and September 1 in the Touring Car Masters as part of the annual Australian Muscle Car Masters, Bathurst masters John Bowe and Jim Richards were on hand to launch ‘Panorama’ to the motorsport world. “It’s fantastic that we have two Bathurst legends here at the 2013 Muscle Car Masters to help us celebrate its naming this weekend, at an event that celebrates the Bathurst cars of the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s,” added Matthews. Now in its ninth year, the Muscle Car Masters is a weekend-long celebration of Australia’s muscle car heritage, and a tribute to the drivers who raced them. On-track action includes races for historic touring cars, Bathurst beasts, Formula 5000 V8 open wheelers and production sports cars, with the Touring Car Masters one of the major drawcards of the Fathers’ Day weekend festivities, and most categories will use the Brabham circuit and fly past ‘Panorama’ over many a lap.

MORE INFO:

www.sydneymotorsportpark.com.au

www.2025.ardc.com.au

www.musclecarmasters.com.au

The Shannons Sydney Classic

A classic car festival like no other, the Shannons Sydney Classic sees nearly 2000 Veteran and Classic vehicles from 150 clubs converge on Sydney Motorsport Park for parades, rides, cruises and displays. Vehicles include cars, bikes, scooters and military vehicles, even double-decker buses, which cruise around the racetrack! The Concours Display will keep your jaw dropping, while trade displays in Pit Garages all day with books, models and all sorts of memorabilia will keep the enthusiast thoroughly entertained. Live music, food and beverage, and clowns and face painting make this event a true family outing, and kids under 12 years, Grandstand access, and parking are all free. It’s one of the biggest car shows on the calendar!

DATE: Sunday 18th August

ADMISSION: Adults $15, ARDC Members and children 12 and under free.