After the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship made its successful return to racing, the championship will again return to Sydney Motorsport Park for the next round of the 2020 season.
Ahead of the Truck Assist Sydney SuperSprint, motorsport.org.au previews all the key details for the event.
Moving up north
When Victoria’s border was slammed shut, it forced a number of the championship’s teams to relocate immediately.
Given just hours to make it into New South Wales, Victorian outfits Kelly Racing, Walkinshaw Andretti United, Erebus Motorsport, Tickford Racing and Team 18 all successfully made the last minute dash out of their home towns – as well as a number of Motorsport Australia officials.
The quick move was lauded by the greater Supercars community as it gave the championship the chance to continue the season.
With Sydney Motorsport Park opening up its doors for teams to use the circuit as a temporary base ahead of this weekend, the evolving situation has seen every outfit come together, with teams and the category supporting the five relocated teams.
Tim Schenken misses just his third Supercars race meeting
The paddock will be missing a very familiar face this weekend, with long time Motorsport Australia Race Director Tim Schenken sitting out the event thanks to the border restrictions.
Welcome back Super2/3
It was a long wait between rounds for Supercars, but it’s been even longer for the category’s development tiers, with the Dunlop Super2 Series not having raced since February’s Superloop Adelaide 500.
Meanwhile, Super3, formally known as the Kumho Tyre V8 Touring Car Series, is yet to have raced in 2020.
The 25-car grid will have two practice sessions, two qualifying sessions and two 18-lap races over the course of the weekend.
Will Brown and Thomas Randle headline the 14-car Super2 field, while Australian sports sedan veteran Jim Pollicina leads the 11 entries from Super3.
Fans get the green light
Throughout this whole lockdown period, one major component has been missing from many sporting events – fans in the stands.
Thankfully, that will change for Supercars this weekend, with a select number of motorsport fans allowed to attend the Truck Assist Sydney SuperSprint, with a limited amount of tickets having been made available in the lead up to the event. Unsurprisingly, they were quickly snapped up by eager fans.
For the safety of all those attending, strict measures have also been put in place to separate fans and competitors, which will mean paddock access will be restricted to the racing teams and officials, while corporate facilities will be closed.
Last Round –BPUltimate Sydney Supersprint
Race 7
Pole: Scott McLaughlin
Winner: Scott McLaughlin
Runner-Up: Shane van Gisbergen
Third: Jamie Whincup
Race 8
Pole: Jamie Whincup
Winner: Nick Percat
Runner-Up: Jamie Whincup
Third: Scott McLaughlin
Race 9
Pole: Scott McLaughlin
Winner: Scott McLaughlin
Runner-Up: Lee Holdsworth
Third: Jamie Whincup
Championship Top 10
Scott McLaughlin – 574 points
Jamie Whincup - 525
Chaz Mostert - 432
Cameron Waters - 411
David Reynolds - 392
Lee Holdsworth - 371
Nick Percat - 365
Shane van Gisbergen - 353Mark Winterbottom - 352Andre Heimgartner – 282
The Grid
#2 Holden Commodore ZB - Bryce Fullwood
#3 Holden Commodore ZB - Macauley Jones
#4 Holden Commodore ZB - Jack Smith
#5 Ford Mustang - Lee Holdsworth
#6 Ford Mustang - Cameron Waters
#7 Ford Mustang - Andre Heimgartner
#8 Holden Commodore ZB - Nick Percat
#9 Holden Commodore ZB - David Reynolds
#12 Ford Mustang - Fabian Coulthard
#14 Holden Commodore ZB - Todd Hazelwood
#15 Ford Mustang - Rick Kelly
#17 Ford Mustang - Scott McLaughlin
#18 Holden Commodore ZB - Mark Winterbottom
#19 Holden Commodore ZB – Alex Davison
#20 Holden Commodore ZB - Scott Pye
#22 Holden Commodore ZB - Chris Pither
#25 Holden Commodore ZB - Chaz Mostert
#34 Holden Commodore ZB – Zane Goddard
#35 Holden Commodore ZB - Garry Jacobson
#44 Ford Mustang – James Courtney
#55 Ford Mustang - Jack Le Brocq
#88 Holden Commodore ZB - Jamie Whincup
#97 Holden Commodore ZB - Shane van Gisbergen
#99 Holden Commodore ZB - Anton De Pasquale
The Schedule
Saturday 18 July
11:10-11:30am: Supercars Practice 1
11:45am-12:15pm: Supercars Practice 2
1:30-2:00pm: Supercars ARMOR ALL Qualifying (Race 10)
3:10-4.25pm: Supercars ARMOR ALL Top 10 Shootout
6:25-7:23pm: Supercars Race 10
Sunday 19 July
10:45-10:55am: Supercars ARMOR ALL Qualifying (Race 11)
11:05-11.15am: Supercars ARMOR ALL Qualifying (Race 12)
12:25pm-1:23pm: Supercars Race 11
2:50-3:48pm: Supercars Race 12