Less than one week remains until the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship begins for 2019 with the Superloop Adelaide 500 the first event of a highly anticipated season.

It’s been a busy off-season for the category with driver changes, team variations and the launch of an iconic vehicle’s grand return all making the headlines during the season’s ‘quiet period’.

At the forefront of all the news is 2018 champion Scott McLaughlin, the defence of his maiden title and the iconic Ford Mustang he plans to do it in.

He won’t be the only one behind the wheel of the new-look Mustang, with five other drivers competing in the Ford.

With teams, drivers, sponsors and fans eager to get the season underway, cams.com.au has a look at some of the key information ahead of the season opener.

The Support Categories

The first round of the season will feature six support categories allowing fans of all ages to get a taste of a variety of both disciplines.

Leading the list on the streets of Adelaide will be the second tier of Supercars racing with the Dunlop Super2 Series, while the support staple in Porsche Carrera Cup will also be on the bill. 

Aussie Racing Cars will get the weekend underway ahead of the ECB Superutes and fans will get also get a taste of both new and old cars all weekend, with Audi Sport R8 LMS Cup’s roar power to join the classic beauty of the Touring Cup Masters.  

Dunlop Super2 Series – Three Races

Aussie Racing Cars – Four Races

Audi Sport R8 LMS Cup – Three Races

Porsche Carrera Cup – Three Races

ECB Superutes – Two Races

Touring Cup Masters – Three Races

The Schedule 

Beginning on Thursday 28 February, fans will get their first taste of Supercars action at the first practice late on Thursday afternoon, before more practice on Friday morning and afternoon lead into Friday evening’s qualifying. 

Saturday morning will see the final practice session as the top ten shootout sets up the season’s first race later in the day, while the second qualifying will take place on Sunday morning.

The second top-ten shootout occurs early on Sunday afternoon, before Supercars’ second race in Adelaide at 3:20pm wraps up the on-track action and the Superloop Adelaide 500. 

Click here for a full schedule.

The Entertainment

While there will be heaps of action on track, the entertainment off track will offer plenty of excitement too. Some of the world’s biggest bands will perform live fans lucky enough to get a ticket. 

Vance Joy, Jet, The Living End and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers will take centre stage on different days following the races making it an event not to be missed.

Those unable to attend the concerts, drag start ups, driver signing sessions, car demonstrations, family zones and aviation displays all make up the busy program that will be part of this weekend’s event. 

Click here for more information on the event’s attractions.

The Drivers

There will be some fresh faces will join the already familiar names on the grid, although the more notable changes will be the drivers in different colours to previous seasons, including Mark Winterbottom’s who will be now racing with Irwin Racing.

Rookies Macauley Jones and Garry Jacobson will get their chance to prove themselves as they embark on their first full-time Supercars seasons, while Todd Hazelwood will attack his second season with Jamie Whincup’s old Championship winning Holden ZB. 

This will be the first time in a long time that Craig Lowndes won’t line up on the Supercars grid as Triple Eight shifts its focus to just two cars with Whincup and Shane van Gisbergen to lead the charge.  

 

The Grid

Number/Team/Driver/Car 

2 – Mobil 1™ MEGA Racing – Scott Pye –Holden ZB

3 – Kelly Racing – Garry Jacobson – Nissan Altima

5 – The Bottle-O Racing Team – Lee Holdsworth – Ford GT

6 – Monster Energy Racing Team – Cameron Waters – Ford GT

7 – Kelly Racing – Andre Heimgartner – Nissan Altima

8 – Team National Pharmacies – Nick Percat – Holden ZB

9 – Penrite Racing – David Reynolds – Holden ZB

12- Shell V-Power Racing Team – Fabian Coulthard – Ford GT

14 – Freightliner Racing – Tim Slade – Holden ZB

15 – Castrol Racing – Rick Kelly – Nissan Altima

17 – Shell V-Power Racing Team – Scott McLaughlin – Ford GT

18 – Irwin Racing – Mark Winterbottom – Holden ZB

19 – Team TEKNO – Jack Le Brocq  – Holden ZB

21 – Team CoolDrive – Macauley Jones – Holden ZB

22 – Mobil 1™ MEGA Racing – James Courtney – Holden ZB

23 – Milwaukee Racing – Will Davison – Ford GT

33 – Boost Mobile Racing – Richie Stanaway – Holden ZB

34 – Boost Mobile Racing – James Golding – Holden ZB

35 – Bigmate Racing – Todd Hazelwood – Holden ZB

55 – Supercheap Auto Racing – Chaz Mostert – Ford GT

78 – Team Harvey Norman – Simona De Silvestro – Nissan Altima

88 – Red Bull Holden Racing Team – Jamie Whincup -Holden ZB

97 – Red Bull Holden Racing Team – Shane van Gisbergen – Holden ZB

99 – Penrite Racing – Anton De Pasquale – Holden ZB