One venue, four straight weekends, 11 races. That’s the jam-packed ‘dream come true’ for Supercars teams as the season resumes on Friday at Sydney Motorsport Park, the new home for the competition after a three-month hiatus.
And, as the retiring great Jamie Whincup says, it’s Shane van Gisbergen’s title race to lose.
The 2016 champion Van Gisbergen has been in stunning form this season, winning 11 of 19 races so far to take a dominant 276-point lead over Red Bull Ampol Racing teammate Whincup.
Whincup has stood atop the podium just once this season, leaving him just 136 points clear of
Tickford Racing’s Cameron Waters in the championship battle.
But in his final go-around, Whincup still believes he’s got a chance of chasing down his teammate.
“I’d certainly like to think so, I’ll give it everything I’ve got,” Whincup told Supercars.com. “A full round of racing is 300 points. Shane is a full round ahead, it’s sort of his to lose.
“We’ll try to keep him honest over the next five race weekends.
“Really, for us at Red Bull Ampol Racing, as long as one car finishes on top, that’s the priority.”
The Sydney events will be followed by the season-ending Repco Bathurst 1000, which is now a six-day blockbuster running from November 30 to December 5. But before then, there’ll be a feast of on-track action at the multiple-layout Sydney Motorsport Park, including a number of races under newly-installed lights.
Eight-placed Brad Jones Racing driver Nick Percat says the drivers have precious little idea of what to expect but declared it a ‘dream come true’.
“It will be difficult; Sydney Motorsport Park is extremely temperamental,” Percat told Supercars.com.
“Even last year when we raced there twice, the set-up we used in the first one didn’t work at the second one.
“I’m looking forward to it, you feel like AFL any other sporting code where I get to play every single week. That’s what it’s going to feel like for us.
“It’s super exciting to get to drive one of these cars, every weekend, have a week off, and then go to Bathurst. For us is like a dream come true.”
DRIVER SWAP ADDS DRAMA
Percat is at the heart of added intrigue as the action on track returns, after it was announced this week that he’ll part of a driver swap for 2022.
He’s leaving Brad Jones Racing to return to Walkinshaw Andretti United on a multi-year deal from next season. The 33-year-old will form a stellar driving line-up alongside Chaz Mostert, while Bryce Fullwood is going the other way – joining Brad Jones Racing alongside another recruit in Andre Heimgartner next season.
“I’m still keen, my job is not done at BJR,” said Percat to Supercars.com
“I’m still trying to do everything I can for Brad and the whole team to get the results we can.
“For me, if I can finish in seventh or better, that’s my best championship position, in the time I’ve spent the main series so that is the goal.
“I’m going to Sydney Motorsport Park where I got two wins last year.
“Then obviously for Bathurst, the big one, where for me if we can bring it home inside the top five and have a really, really solid weekend at Bathurst, that would be absolutely the best way to finish off with BJR.”
THE SYDNEY QUADRUPLE
Here are the four race weekends coming up at Sydney Motorsport Park.
Friday 29th – Sunday 31st October
Saturday 6th – Sunday 7th November
Saturday 13th – Sunday 14th November
Friday 19th – Sunday 21st November – SydneySuperNight