V8 Supercar
Encyclopedia
V8 Supercars is a touring car racing
category based in Australia and run as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
(FIA) regulations. As well as enjoying popularity in Australia, it has a considerable following in New Zealand
, and is steadily growing in popularity across the world where television coverage allows.
V8 Supercar events take place in all the states of Australia
. Overseas rounds are also held in New Zealand
and Abu Dhabi
and, up until 2010, Bahrain
. V8 Supercars have drawn crowds of over 250,000 spectators. The 2010
season was held over 14 race weekends at purpose-built racetracks and street circuits. Race formats include sprint races, with either a 100 km or 200 km race on Saturday and one 200 km race on Sunday, two 250 km races over the weekend (Adelaide
and Sydney
), two 300 km races over the weekend (Gold Coast
) or endurance races such as Bathurst
, which runs over 1000 km race distance, and Phillip Island
, which runs over 500 km.
The V8 Supercars themselves take as their basis either the Ford Falcon
or Holden Commodore
. Although they bear some resemblance to the production models outwardly, they are built from the ground up to suit the motorsport
application. They are strictly governed in most aspects of performance in an effort to keep all the drivers on an even footing to create closer, more exciting racing. Because of this, entire fields of 28 drivers are at times separated by just one second over qualifying laps at some events.
Historically, the Falcon
and Commodore
are two of the most popular passenger-cars in the Australian car-market.
replaced the existing Group 3A Touring Car category (formerly based on FIA Group A
rules) with a new three-class Group 3A. This encompassed:
Cars from all three classes would contest the Australian Touring Car Championship
as well as non-championship Australian touring car events such as the Bathurst 1000
; but for the purposes of race classification and points allocation, cars competed in two classes:
Existing normally aspirated cars such as the BMW M3 could continue to compete under the Class C clause, unlike the turbocharged Ford Sierra and Nissan Skyline GT-R models which the new rules excluded from the category. However the M3 received few of the liberal concessions given to the new V8s and, with the Class C cars eligible for 1993 only, the German manufacturer’s attention switched to the 2.0 litre class for 1994.
From 1995 the 2.0 litre cars, now contesting their own series as Super Touring Cars
, became ineligible for the Australian Touring Car Championship. They did not contest the endurance races at Sandown and Bathurst, leaving these open solely to the 5.0 litre Ford and Holden models.
The category acquired the moniker 'V8 Supercars' in 1997 after event-management company IMG won the rights to the series in 1997 after a bitter battle against CAMS and the ARDC, and led the championship on a rapid expansion. Network Ten began televising the series in the same year, taking over from Channel Seven. The Australian Vee Eight Supercar Company (AVESCO) was later formed to run the series directly and later became an independent organisation from its IMG origins.
AVESCO introduced carnival street-race V8 Supercar events (such as the Clipsal 500) and strove to turn Australian touring car racing into a world-class product. The name "Shell Australian Touring Car Championship" was replaced by "Shell Championship Series", now called the "V8 Supercar Championship Series". In 2005 AVESCO changed its name to V8 Supercars Australia (VESA).
In the Group 3A / V8 Supercar category, from 1993 to 2008, Holden drivers have won nine Australian Touring Car Championships/Shell Championship Series/V8 Supercar Championship Series titles and Ford drivers have won seven.
The regulations aim to balance the desire for technical competition and fast vehicles with a requirement to keep costs reasonable. Racing is close, and the cars bear some resemblance to production models. The application of "Project Blueprint" - introduced at the beginning of the 2003 season (where both makes of car were examined to ensure parity), has ensured that the racing between Holden and Ford has become closer than ever (reducing the risk of a series dominated by a single make).
. In 2007, new rules stipulated both the Commodore and Falcon adopt composite front mudguards in place of the production steel items, in order to save costs. The composite guards are a homologated (fixed) laminate of fibreglass and aramid (or similar) fibres.
The VE Commodore was initially rejected from taking part in the series due to its wheelbase being longer and wider than the BF Falcon. For the model to be homologated, V8 Supercar granted the Commodore a custom fabricated bodyshell into which a limited number of production bodyshell panels are incorporated. As a result, the roofline is lower than production and the rear door is shorter such that externally the rear doors, roof and rear quarters all consist of specialised custom coachwork panels.
Similarly, the longer wheelbase of the FG Falcon (over the BF) requires a comparable custom-fabricated shorter body, and the FG is also shortened in the rear door and lowered in the roof line compared to the road going model.
s and wings, a front splitter/air dam and side-skirts made in-house by the teams or bought from specialist companies. Testing is conducted so that in principle the two makes have similar aerodynamics. This is tested and measured by running both cars up to a set speed and allowing them to 'coast' to a stop. This allows an accurate measure of aerodynamic drag over a broad range of speeds.
and rear-wheel drive. Every car uses either a 5.0 L Ford "Boss 302
" SVO or a 5.0 L Chevrolet small block
race-engine (depending on the make) - capable of producing between 460 and 485 kW (620 — 650 bhp
) of power, but generally quoted as a little over 450 kW (600 bhp) in race trim. Engines have pushrod actuated valves and electronic fuel injection. Both Ford and Holden engines are based on racing engines from their respective US parent companies. Engines are electronically restricted to 7,500 rpm
.
Broadly speaking, the engines have a capacity of 5 litres, with 2 valves per cylinder. Compression ratio is regulated to 10:1. From the 2009 season
onwards, cars run on E85
fuel consisting of 85% ethanol
, which while reaping the benefits of a fuel largely made from a renewable resource has seen a marked increase in fuel consumption. EFI configuration is that of individual throttle bodies (albeit throttle actuation is linked/synchronised) and one injector per cylinder.
Engines typically produce approximately 50 less bhp when raced at the Bathurst 1000
. This is done both to gain necessary engine longevity on the endurance race as well as to improve fuel efficiency, and moderate the number of potential refuelling stops. The advent of E85 fuel however has reduced the importance of fuel efficiency as a typical Bathurst stint has been reduced from approximately 31-32 laps to 22-23.
- cars with this ratio can now exceed 300 km/h (186 mph) on Conrod Straight (this has yet to be demonstrated, although Perkins Engineering claims to have exceeded this speed multiple times in the 2005 event). The theoretical maximum speed is 306 km/h (190 mph) at 7,500 rpm. All cars have a 75 litre
fuel tank, except for the endurance races at Phillip Island and Bathurst (which still use the 120 litre fuel tank from previous seasons), the previous "Bathurst Tank" had a capacity of 120 litres.
(made compulsory for both makes through Project Blueprint), whilst rear suspension is a "live axle
" design, using 4 longitudinal links and Watt's linkage
for lateral location. Both suspension systems are similar to those fitted to the EL Falcon.
Until the end of the 2006 season, teams could choose the manufacturer of the braking system. In 2007 the UK-based brake-manufacturer Alcon secured a contract to supply the braking system in accordance with specific regulations.
"control tyre" is supplied to all teams. Throughout the year, there are restrictions on the number of testing days (6 per year), along with the number of tyres used during those days. For race meetings, teams are allocated a set number of tyres for the entire weekend, with the number available for each race depending on the type of race (sprint or endurance).
The series adopted a softer, higher performance "sprint tyre" during the 2009 season — although it was not used during every race meeting. The idea is to allow every driver to use one set of those softer tyres, that can be used at the team's own discretion. A source of controversy is that the soft tyre set is allocated per weekend, meaning each driver has to chose which race they wish to maximise their performance, with the other race potentially sacrificed. It has added an element of contrivance to race results with front running competitors languishing downfield through no fault of their own, and allowing midfield drivers to win races.
was organised by V8 Supercars to investigate future directions for the sport. The working group had the primary objective of cutting costs to just A$250,000 per car, with a projected timeline of introducing the new formula for the 2012 season. The plan was unveiled in March 2010 at Crown Casino
and incorporated several key changes to the internal workings of the car, with the differential, brakes, cooling and fuel systems all changed to a control - or identical - component for all cars, as well as changes to the rear suspension and engine. Notably, the Car of the Future plan aims to encourage more manufacturers to enter the sport - provided that they have four-door saloon cars currently in mass production. While the plans were well-received by all of the teams, Holden
chief Simon McNamara warned potential new manufacturers to stay out of the championship just hours after the plans were released, claiming that they would "gain nothing" from entering the series,
(which fields twice as many Holdens as Fords).
Along with the release of the Car of the Future plans, V8 Supercars Australia Chairman Tony Cochrane detailed plans dubbed "Phase Two", intended to look at the direction of the sport in the first five years of the Car of the Future's introduction. In addition to more manufacturers, Phase Two plans include adding to the sport's international appeal by including races in India
, Korea
, Hong Kong
, Singapore
and South Africa
, as well as two brand-new domestic races.
In addition to the Phase Two plans, the FIA has announced that V8 Supercars will head to the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas
in 2013.
In August 2011, it was revealed that V8 Supercars Australia was in the process of negotiating to hold a race at Clark International Speedway
in the Philippines
from 2013.
A third series for older V8 Supercars, the V8 Touring Car National Series
, was held for the first time in 2008. Presently known as the Kumho V8 Touring Car Series this series runs on the programme of the Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships
, V8 Supercar Australia have no involvement in the running of this series and race cars have to be de-registerred from involvement in the Fujitsu Series prior to being run in this series.
L&H 500 features two qualifying sessions of 20 minutes for each driver in the entry. After the time trials there go two 14-lap races, each for an entry driver with championship points awarded at conclusion. Sum of the points for the entry determines start position at the main event. This system is a little similar to Daytona 500 qualifying procedure.
V8 Supercar first adopted the leg-based qualifying system in 2001, although have not used it consistently. 2008 saw a return to this method, utilising a system much the same as Formula One. 2009 saw the return of a NASCAR style top ten shootout for the top ten grid positions.
In 2009 a controversial rule change determined the drivers' starting position for the entire race meeting from their qualifying position. This was changed before the Hamilton 400 to a system with separate qualifying sessions for each race. It remains in use currently.
In 2010, they now hold three qualifiers, where in the first 20 minute stint those who fall outside the top 10 start on the grid as they finish. The second qualifier those outside the top 10 start the race as they finished the qualifier and the those in the top 10 battle it out for pole position, However, in the endurances top 10 shootouts are still there.
involves a single race run over a distance of 500 km (310.7 mi). Compulsory pitstops are taken for tyres, driver changes and fuel. It is held at Victoria's Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.
The Bathurst 1000
comprises a single race run over a distance of 1000 km (621.4 mi) (161 laps of the Mount Panorama circuit), with the same rules for pitstops plus brake pad changes also. The teams are given 24 tyres per car for the weekend.
2010 will see the beginning of the Gold Coast 600
which comprises two 300 km races over a weekend. Each car will have two drivers, with up to 17 international drivers in total invited to participate in the event.
consists of two races run over a distance of 250 km (155.3 mi) (78 laps) each with compulsory pitstops for both fuel and tyres. The teams are given 16 tyres for the weekend.
, Clipsal 500, Sydney Telstra 500 and L&H 500
are the marquee events of the V8 Supercar calendar. In 2005 there was also a marquee round in Shanghai, however the promoter discontinued with this race in 2006.
is a traditional 1000 km test of drivers, teams and machines held at the Mount Panorama Circuit
in Bathurst
, New South Wales
. It has been the pre-eminent domestic motor racing event in Australia for decades - well before the development of the V8 Supercar category. It is conducted over 161 laps, on a track that features two long straights, that contrast with a tight section of fast blind corners across the top of the mountain.
In the early years, the race was open to almost anybody with a car that met (considerably more relaxed) regulations and held an Australian motorsport licence. The resulting wide variety of cars, driver talent, and budgets ensured that large margins split the placings. In the modern V8 era, the field has consisted of professional teams only.
The introduction of the safety car
, which brings the field together when an accident makes the track unsafe, has radically changed the nature of the race. But Bathurst has always been an intensely tactical race, hinging on pit stop strategy (fuel economy, tyres, etc.) driver talent and outright overall speed.
The 2006 Bathurst 1000
became a very emotional event to all drivers, teams, friends and fans of one of its greatest drivers in its history, 9 time winner of the "Great Race", Peter Brock
(killed in the Targa West
rally event the month before). The inaugural and perpetual Peter Brock Trophy was handed out to eventual race winner Craig Lowndes
and Jamie Whincup
. An emotional Lowndes, who was a protégé of Peter Brock
, dedicated his win to his mentor.
V8 Supercars Australia has banned fulltime drivers from racing together at the endurance races, including Bathurst, from 2010 onwards.
on a shortened version of the former Grand Prix Circuit
. The event in the heart of the city has a carnival atmosphere, and crowds of over 200,000 racing fans and socialites turn out each year. Two 250 km races are held on each of Saturday and Sunday, and this has proven to be a very successful format. It is the first event to be inducted into the V8 Supercar Hall of Fame
and is a winner of various awards. While the trophy presentation is centred around the results of race two, the round winner is decided by points accrued from both races. In 2009 the two races were formally separated.
in Victoria
. The race is sponsored by Lawrence & Hanson and is known as the L&H 500.
The race takes over from the Sandown 500
after the Sandown round was downgraded to a sprint round in 2008 because of the condition of the facility.
near Sydney. It was sponsored by VIP Petfoods and was branded 'The Main Event'. The round was won by Marcos Ambrose in a fitting conclusion to his 2003 championship win, but made headlines when Ambrose's teammate Russell Ingall and Holden Racing Team rival Mark Skaife spectacularly brought the sport into disrepute with an on-track/off-track stoush. In 2004 the event became known as the 'Bigpond Grand Finale', and was again held at Eastern Creek - won again by Marcos Ambrose. In 2005 the venue moved to the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
as the final round of the championship and the base for Russell Ingall's series win. In 2006, the event was known as the 'Caterpillar Grand Finale'. Todd Kelly won in controversial circumstances, with two race wins (race one and two) and a fifth placing (race three). His brother, Rick Kelly, won the championship after he was given a drive through penalty for a collision with title contender, Craig Lowndes. The collision caused Lowndes major steering damage that required Kelly only to finish the race to win the championship. However the championship was not decided until the day after in a court appeal in Melbourne in which Lowndes' Triple 8 Engineering team lost.
2008 saw the event moved to Oran Park Raceway
as a dual finale for both the 2008 series, as the veteran Sydney circuit's closure was imminent. For 2009 the new Sydney Telstra 500
event held the Grand Finale, with James Courtney
winning the race.
, instituted in 1999, adds new recipients each year at the end-of-year prizegiving ceremony held just after the final round in December. Recipients have mostly not been V8 Supercar drivers but from the Australian Touring Car Championship era and have been multiple winners of the ATCC or the Bathurst 1000. In a controversial exception, in 2005 the Adelaide 500
race was inducted.
It was founded in 1997 under the name the Australian Vee Eight Supercar Company (AVESCO). TEGA was responsible for the rules and technical management of the series and the supply of cars and drivers while SEL was responsible for capturing and maintaining broadcasting rights, sponsorship, licensing and sanction agreements. In 2005 it changed its name to V8 Supercars Australia to make it more identifiable with the sport. In 2008 the separate boards of V8 Supercars Australia and TEGA were combined into a single board that is solely responsible for administering the sport.
has broadcast the V8 Supercars. Channel Seven secured the rights and took over from Network Ten
, which had successfully broadcast the events since taking over from Seven in 1997. The deal is worth roughly A$
120 million. Channel Seven will show increased live coverage, as well as a weekly 25-minute show specific to the series on non-racing weekends. The coverage however is produced by V8 Supercar Television, a specialist production vehicle for V8 Supercars Australia.
Network Ten continues to broadcast V8 Supercar once a year when they appear on the support program for the Australian Grand Prix
, a Network Ten broadcast event. All support category races are tied up with the Grand Prix broadcast rights as a package. The Albert Park Race is a non-championship event.
Television One provided coverage of all rounds in New Zealand
until the end of the 2007 season, at which time coverage transferred to TV3
.
V8 Supercars Television records the series in 16:9
(576i
), with many cars carrying 4 or more mini cameras. High-definition
was used to broadcast the 2011 Bathurst 1000
and the Gold Coast 600, it was the first time that V8 Supercars races were available in HD. For North American audiences, the 2011 Bathurst 1000 and Gold Coast 600 races that aired on Speed live with a full Charlotte-based production crew on site were screened in 16:9 720p
high definition coverage, as the network's live motorsport coverage is usually screened in high-definition format. V8: Bathurst 1000 and Gold Coast 600 live on Speed
Teams
Touring car racing
Touring car racing is a general term for a number of distinct auto racing competitions in heavily-modified street cars. It is notably popular in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Scandinavia and Britain.-Characteristics of a touring car:...
category based in Australia and run as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...
(FIA) regulations. As well as enjoying popularity in Australia, it has a considerable following in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and is steadily growing in popularity across the world where television coverage allows.
V8 Supercar events take place in all the states of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Overseas rounds are also held in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
and, up until 2010, Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
. V8 Supercars have drawn crowds of over 250,000 spectators. The 2010
2010 V8 Supercar season
The 2010 V8 Supercar season was the fourteenth series in which V8Supercars have contested the senior Australian touring car series. It was the 51st year of touring car racing in Australia since the first runnings of the Australian Touring Car Championship, known today as the V8 Supercar...
season was held over 14 race weekends at purpose-built racetracks and street circuits. Race formats include sprint races, with either a 100 km or 200 km race on Saturday and one 200 km race on Sunday, two 250 km races over the weekend (Adelaide
Adelaide 500
The Adelaide 500 is an annual motor racing event for V8 Supercars, held on the streets of the east end of Adelaide, South Australia on a shortened form of the Adelaide Street Circuit, the former Australian Grand Prix track...
and Sydney
Sydney 500
The Sydney Telstra 500 is a V8 Supercar motor racing event held annually at Homebush Street Circuit. The event is the last on the V8 Supercar calendar. The event is sponsored by Telstra and is officially known as the Sydney Telstra 500....
), two 300 km races over the weekend (Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
) or endurance races such as Bathurst
Bathurst 1000
The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia...
, which runs over 1000 km race distance, and Phillip Island
Phillip Island 500K
The Phillip Island 500K is an endurance motor race held at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Victoria, Australia. It has been contested each year from 1971 to 1977 and from 2008 to date....
, which runs over 500 km.
The V8 Supercars themselves take as their basis either the Ford Falcon
Ford Falcon (Australia)
The Ford Falcon is a full-size car which has been manufactured by Ford Australia since 1960. Each model from the XA series of 1972 onward has been designed, developed and built in Australia and/or New Zealand, following the phasing out of the American Falcon of 1960–71 which had been re-engineered...
or Holden Commodore
Holden Commodore
The Holden Commodore is an automobile manufactured since 1978 by the Holden subsidiary of General Motors in Australia, and, formerly, in New Zealand. In the mid-1970s, Holden established proposals to replace the long-serving Kingswood nameplate with a smaller, Opel-based model...
. Although they bear some resemblance to the production models outwardly, they are built from the ground up to suit the motorsport
Motorsport
Motorsport or motorsports is the group of sports which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles, whether for racing or non-racing competition...
application. They are strictly governed in most aspects of performance in an effort to keep all the drivers on an even footing to create closer, more exciting racing. Because of this, entire fields of 28 drivers are at times separated by just one second over qualifying laps at some events.
Historically, the Falcon
Ford Falcon (Australia)
The Ford Falcon is a full-size car which has been manufactured by Ford Australia since 1960. Each model from the XA series of 1972 onward has been designed, developed and built in Australia and/or New Zealand, following the phasing out of the American Falcon of 1960–71 which had been re-engineered...
and Commodore
Holden Commodore
The Holden Commodore is an automobile manufactured since 1978 by the Holden subsidiary of General Motors in Australia, and, formerly, in New Zealand. In the mid-1970s, Holden established proposals to replace the long-serving Kingswood nameplate with a smaller, Opel-based model...
are two of the most popular passenger-cars in the Australian car-market.
History
In January 1993 the Confederation of Australian Motor SportConfederation of Australian Motor Sport
The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport , has been the governing body of Australian motorsport since 1953. It is affiliated with the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile ....
replaced the existing Group 3A Touring Car category (formerly based on FIA Group A
Group A
In relation to motorsport governed by the FIA, Group A referred to a set of regulations providing production-derived vehicles for outright competition. In contrast to the short-lived Group B and Group C, the Group A referred to production-derived vehicles limited in terms of power, weight, allowed...
rules) with a new three-class Group 3A. This encompassed:
- Class A for Australian-produced 5.0 litre V8 engined Fords and Holdens
- Class B for 2.0 litre cars complying with FIA Class II Touring CarSupertouringSuper Touring, Class 2 or Class II was a motor racing Touring Cars category defined by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile for national touring car racing in 1993. It was based on the "2 litre Touring Car Formula" created for the British Touring Car Championship in 1990...
regulations - Class C, valid for 1993 only, for normally aspirated two-wheel drive cars complying with 1992 CAMS Group 3A Touring Car regulations.
Cars from all three classes would contest the Australian Touring Car Championship
Australian Touring Car Championship
The Australian Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing award held in Australia since 1960. The series itself is no longer contested, but the title lives on, with the winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series awarded the trophy and title of Australian Touring Car Champion.-History:The...
as well as non-championship Australian touring car events such as the Bathurst 1000
Bathurst 1000
The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia...
; but for the purposes of race classification and points allocation, cars competed in two classes:
- over 2000cc
- up to 2000cc
Existing normally aspirated cars such as the BMW M3 could continue to compete under the Class C clause, unlike the turbocharged Ford Sierra and Nissan Skyline GT-R models which the new rules excluded from the category. However the M3 received few of the liberal concessions given to the new V8s and, with the Class C cars eligible for 1993 only, the German manufacturer’s attention switched to the 2.0 litre class for 1994.
From 1995 the 2.0 litre cars, now contesting their own series as Super Touring Cars
Australian Super Touring Championship
The Australian Super Touring Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for Super Touring Cars.-History:Super Touring was introduced into Australia in 1993 when CAMS replaced the existing Group 3A Touring Car category with a new two class Group 3A...
, became ineligible for the Australian Touring Car Championship. They did not contest the endurance races at Sandown and Bathurst, leaving these open solely to the 5.0 litre Ford and Holden models.
The category acquired the moniker 'V8 Supercars' in 1997 after event-management company IMG won the rights to the series in 1997 after a bitter battle against CAMS and the ARDC, and led the championship on a rapid expansion. Network Ten began televising the series in the same year, taking over from Channel Seven. The Australian Vee Eight Supercar Company (AVESCO) was later formed to run the series directly and later became an independent organisation from its IMG origins.
AVESCO introduced carnival street-race V8 Supercar events (such as the Clipsal 500) and strove to turn Australian touring car racing into a world-class product. The name "Shell Australian Touring Car Championship" was replaced by "Shell Championship Series", now called the "V8 Supercar Championship Series". In 2005 AVESCO changed its name to V8 Supercars Australia (VESA).
In the Group 3A / V8 Supercar category, from 1993 to 2008, Holden drivers have won nine Australian Touring Car Championships/Shell Championship Series/V8 Supercar Championship Series titles and Ford drivers have won seven.
The V8 Supercar
Bodyshell
Each V8 Supercar is based on a current-specification VE Commodore or FG Falcon production bodyshell, with an elaborate roll cageRoll cage
A roll cage is a specially constructed frame built in the cab of a vehicle to protect its occupants from being injured in an accident, particularly in the event of a roll-over. Roll cages are used in nearly all purpose-built racecars, and in most cars modified for racing...
. In 2007, new rules stipulated both the Commodore and Falcon adopt composite front mudguards in place of the production steel items, in order to save costs. The composite guards are a homologated (fixed) laminate of fibreglass and aramid (or similar) fibres.
The VE Commodore was initially rejected from taking part in the series due to its wheelbase being longer and wider than the BF Falcon. For the model to be homologated, V8 Supercar granted the Commodore a custom fabricated bodyshell into which a limited number of production bodyshell panels are incorporated. As a result, the roofline is lower than production and the rear door is shorter such that externally the rear doors, roof and rear quarters all consist of specialised custom coachwork panels.
Similarly, the longer wheelbase of the FG Falcon (over the BF) requires a comparable custom-fabricated shorter body, and the FG is also shortened in the rear door and lowered in the roof line compared to the road going model.
Aerodynamics
Cars have a standard "aerodynamic package" of spoilerSpoiler (automotive)
A spoiler is an automotive aerodynamic device whose intended design function is to 'spoil' unfavorable air movement across a body of a vehicle in motion. Spoilers on the front of a vehicle are often called air dams, because in addition to directing air flow they also reduce the amount of air...
s and wings, a front splitter/air dam and side-skirts made in-house by the teams or bought from specialist companies. Testing is conducted so that in principle the two makes have similar aerodynamics. This is tested and measured by running both cars up to a set speed and allowing them to 'coast' to a stop. This allows an accurate measure of aerodynamic drag over a broad range of speeds.
Weight
The minimum category weight is 1355 kg (2987 lbs.) (without the driver)Power
A V8 Supercar must have a front-engine designFront-engine design
A front-mounted engine describes the placement of an automobile engine in front of the vehicle passenger compartment.Historically, this designation was used regardless of whether or not the entire engine was behind the front axle line...
and rear-wheel drive. Every car uses either a 5.0 L Ford "Boss 302
Ford Boss 302 engine
The Boss 302 engine is a high-performance small-block V8 from Ford Motor Company. It was a hybrid of small-block Ford V8s - It used the block of the small Ford Windsor engine and the heads of the larger Ford Cleveland engine...
" SVO or a 5.0 L Chevrolet small block
Chevrolet Small-Block engine
The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block...
race-engine (depending on the make) - capable of producing between 460 and 485 kW (620 — 650 bhp
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
) of power, but generally quoted as a little over 450 kW (600 bhp) in race trim. Engines have pushrod actuated valves and electronic fuel injection. Both Ford and Holden engines are based on racing engines from their respective US parent companies. Engines are electronically restricted to 7,500 rpm
Revolutions per minute
Revolutions per minute is a measure of the frequency of a rotation. It annotates the number of full rotations completed in one minute around a fixed axis...
.
Broadly speaking, the engines have a capacity of 5 litres, with 2 valves per cylinder. Compression ratio is regulated to 10:1. From the 2009 season
2009 V8 Supercar season
The 2009 V8 Supercar season is the thirteenth series in which V8Supercars contested the senior Australian touring car series. It is the 50th year of touring car racing in Australia since the first runnings of the Australian Touring Car Championship, known today as the V8 Supercar Championship...
onwards, cars run on E85
E85
E85 is an abbreviation for an ethanol fuel blend of up to 85% denatured ethanol fuel and gasoline or other hydrocarbon by volume. E85 is commonly used by flex-fuel vehicles in the US, Canada, and Europe. Some of the benefits of E85 over conventional gasoline powered vehicles include the potential...
fuel consisting of 85% ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
, which while reaping the benefits of a fuel largely made from a renewable resource has seen a marked increase in fuel consumption. EFI configuration is that of individual throttle bodies (albeit throttle actuation is linked/synchronised) and one injector per cylinder.
Engines typically produce approximately 50 less bhp when raced at the Bathurst 1000
Bathurst 1000
The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia...
. This is done both to gain necessary engine longevity on the endurance race as well as to improve fuel efficiency, and moderate the number of potential refuelling stops. The advent of E85 fuel however has reduced the importance of fuel efficiency as a typical Bathurst stint has been reduced from approximately 31-32 laps to 22-23.
Some common components
All cars in the category use identical spool differentials, brake packages and gearboxes. The category uses a 6-speed Hollinger gearbox (Australian made), in either the 'H' pattern or as of 2008, a sequential pattern. Differential ratios used throughout the season are 3.75:1, 3.5:1, 3.25:1 and 3.15:1. The 3.15:1 ratio differential was introduced in 2005 to be used at BathurstMount Panorama Circuit
Mount Panorama Circuit is a motor racing track located in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. It is the home of the Bathurst 12 Hour motor race, held each February, and the Bathurst 1000 motor race, held each October...
- cars with this ratio can now exceed 300 km/h (186 mph) on Conrod Straight (this has yet to be demonstrated, although Perkins Engineering claims to have exceeded this speed multiple times in the 2005 event). The theoretical maximum speed is 306 km/h (190 mph) at 7,500 rpm. All cars have a 75 litre
Litre
pic|200px|right|thumb|One litre is equivalent to this cubeEach side is 10 cm1 litre water = 1 kilogram water The litre is a metric system unit of volume equal to 1 cubic decimetre , to 1,000 cubic centimetres , and to 1/1,000 cubic metre...
fuel tank, except for the endurance races at Phillip Island and Bathurst (which still use the 120 litre fuel tank from previous seasons), the previous "Bathurst Tank" had a capacity of 120 litres.
Suspension
Basic front-suspension configuration is double wishboneDouble wishbone suspension
In automobiles, a double wishbone suspension is an independent suspension design using two wishbone-shaped arms to locate the wheel. Each wishbone or arm has two mounting points to the chassis and one joint at the knuckle. The shock absorber and coil spring mount to the wishbones to control...
(made compulsory for both makes through Project Blueprint), whilst rear suspension is a "live axle
Live axle
A live axle, sometimes called a solid axle, is a type of beam axle suspension system that uses the driveshafts that transmit power to the wheels to connect the wheels laterally so that they move together as a unit....
" design, using 4 longitudinal links and Watt's linkage
Watt's linkage
Watt's linkage is a type of mechanical linkage invented by James Watt in which the central moving point of the linkage is constrained to travel on an approximation to a straight line...
for lateral location. Both suspension systems are similar to those fitted to the EL Falcon.
Brakes
Front- and rear-brake discs have to be made out of ferrous material (steel brakes as opposed to carbon brakes). Maximal dimensions for each disk are 376x35.56 mm (diameter x thickness).Until the end of the 2006 season, teams could choose the manufacturer of the braking system. In 2007 the UK-based brake-manufacturer Alcon secured a contract to supply the braking system in accordance with specific regulations.
Tyres
A DunlopDunlop Tyres
Dunlop Tyres is a British company owned 75% by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and 25% by Sumitomo Rubber Industries, which bought the right to sell Dunlop-branded road tyres....
"control tyre" is supplied to all teams. Throughout the year, there are restrictions on the number of testing days (6 per year), along with the number of tyres used during those days. For race meetings, teams are allocated a set number of tyres for the entire weekend, with the number available for each race depending on the type of race (sprint or endurance).
The series adopted a softer, higher performance "sprint tyre" during the 2009 season — although it was not used during every race meeting. The idea is to allow every driver to use one set of those softer tyres, that can be used at the team's own discretion. A source of controversy is that the soft tyre set is allocated per weekend, meaning each driver has to chose which race they wish to maximise their performance, with the other race potentially sacrificed. It has added an element of contrivance to race results with front running competitors languishing downfield through no fault of their own, and allowing midfield drivers to win races.
Cost
Reported to be approximately A$600,000 per car and A$130,000 per engine. Teams spend up to A$10 million per year running their two-car teams. TEGA introduced a salary cap of A$6.75 million in order to keep costs down in 2007, called the Total Racing Expenditure Cap (TREC). It was scrapped after only one season.Future
In the middle of 2008, a working group known as the "Car of the Future" project and led by former driver Mark SkaifeMark Skaife
Mark Stephen Skaife OAM is an Australian motor racing driver. Skaife is a five time winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series, including its predecessor the Australian Touring Car Championship. He is also a six-time winner of Australia's most prestigious domestic motor race, the Bathurst 1000...
was organised by V8 Supercars to investigate future directions for the sport. The working group had the primary objective of cutting costs to just A$250,000 per car, with a projected timeline of introducing the new formula for the 2012 season. The plan was unveiled in March 2010 at Crown Casino
Crown Casino
Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex is a large casino and entertainment precinct located on the south bank of the Yarra River, in Melbourne, Australia. Crown Casino is a unit of Crown Limited....
and incorporated several key changes to the internal workings of the car, with the differential, brakes, cooling and fuel systems all changed to a control - or identical - component for all cars, as well as changes to the rear suspension and engine. Notably, the Car of the Future plan aims to encourage more manufacturers to enter the sport - provided that they have four-door saloon cars currently in mass production. While the plans were well-received by all of the teams, Holden
Holden
GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
chief Simon McNamara warned potential new manufacturers to stay out of the championship just hours after the plans were released, claiming that they would "gain nothing" from entering the series,
(which fields twice as many Holdens as Fords).
Along with the release of the Car of the Future plans, V8 Supercars Australia Chairman Tony Cochrane detailed plans dubbed "Phase Two", intended to look at the direction of the sport in the first five years of the Car of the Future's introduction. In addition to more manufacturers, Phase Two plans include adding to the sport's international appeal by including races in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, as well as two brand-new domestic races.
In addition to the Phase Two plans, the FIA has announced that V8 Supercars will head to the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
in 2013.
In August 2011, it was revealed that V8 Supercars Australia was in the process of negotiating to hold a race at Clark International Speedway
Clark Freeport Zone
Clark Freeport Zone is a redevelopment of the former Clark Air Base, a former United States Air Force base in the Philippines. It is located on the northwest side of Angeles City and borders the municipality of Mabalacat in the province of Pampanga. It is located about 40 miles northwest of...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
from 2013.
Championships
Three separate V8 Supercar series exist. The primary series is the "Level One" championship called the 'International V8 Supercars Championship'. A "Level Two" championship, referred generically as the V8 Supercar Development Series, and presently know by the commercial identity as the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series, was originally intended for privateers who formerly raced in the Level One series but have been left behind by increasing pace of the professional teams, however, some "Level One" teams run secondary teams in the Fujitsu series to "blood" new drivers or as a secondary income stream for drivers without a team of their own. The only way to compete in the "main game" is to purchase a licence from an existing team (TEGA are no longer involved in creating new licences for V8 teams).A third series for older V8 Supercars, the V8 Touring Car National Series
V8 Touring Car National Series
The V8 Touring Car National Series is an Australian motor racing competition for touring cars. It is effectively a third tier series for V8 Supercar competitors. While the vehicles and the series itself is not officially associated with V8 Supercars and its teams and series, the cars must be...
, was held for the first time in 2008. Presently known as the Kumho V8 Touring Car Series this series runs on the programme of the Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships
Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships
The Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships is a series of motor racing events held across five states of Australia. It was first held as the CAMS National Racing Championships in 2006 and adopted its present name the following year when it gained Shannons Insurance as a new partner.The...
, V8 Supercar Australia have no involvement in the running of this series and race cars have to be de-registerred from involvement in the Fujitsu Series prior to being run in this series.
Race formats
Each round in the series follows either a sprint- or endurance-race format. All rounds include practice, qualifying, and racing in some form.Practice
Practice sessions normally happen over a single two-hour session for sprint races; over two half-hour sessions - or four sessions of varying lengths - for enduros.Qualifying
Qualifying includes two legs. Leg 1 takes 20 minutes, with all drivers competing (30). Leg 2 is 15 minutes long and includes 20 of the drivers from the previous session. The top 10 drivers then compete in a "Top Ten Shootout", where each driver gets one lap to set the fastest possible time.L&H 500 features two qualifying sessions of 20 minutes for each driver in the entry. After the time trials there go two 14-lap races, each for an entry driver with championship points awarded at conclusion. Sum of the points for the entry determines start position at the main event. This system is a little similar to Daytona 500 qualifying procedure.
V8 Supercar first adopted the leg-based qualifying system in 2001, although have not used it consistently. 2008 saw a return to this method, utilising a system much the same as Formula One. 2009 saw the return of a NASCAR style top ten shootout for the top ten grid positions.
In 2009 a controversial rule change determined the drivers' starting position for the entire race meeting from their qualifying position. This was changed before the Hamilton 400 to a system with separate qualifying sessions for each race. It remains in use currently.
In 2010, they now hold three qualifiers, where in the first 20 minute stint those who fall outside the top 10 start on the grid as they finish. The second qualifier those outside the top 10 start the race as they finished the qualifier and the those in the top 10 battle it out for pole position, However, in the endurances top 10 shootouts are still there.
Endurance races
The L&H 500Phillip Island 500K
The Phillip Island 500K is an endurance motor race held at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Victoria, Australia. It has been contested each year from 1971 to 1977 and from 2008 to date....
involves a single race run over a distance of 500 km (310.7 mi). Compulsory pitstops are taken for tyres, driver changes and fuel. It is held at Victoria's Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.
The Bathurst 1000
Bathurst 1000
The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia...
comprises a single race run over a distance of 1000 km (621.4 mi) (161 laps of the Mount Panorama circuit), with the same rules for pitstops plus brake pad changes also. The teams are given 24 tyres per car for the weekend.
2010 will see the beginning of the Gold Coast 600
V8 Supercar Challenge
The Gold Coast 600 is the current name for the annual V8 Supercar street circuit carnival held each October at the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit in Surfers Paradise in Queensland, Australia....
which comprises two 300 km races over a weekend. Each car will have two drivers, with up to 17 international drivers in total invited to participate in the event.
Clipsal 500
The Clipsal 500Adelaide 500
The Adelaide 500 is an annual motor racing event for V8 Supercars, held on the streets of the east end of Adelaide, South Australia on a shortened form of the Adelaide Street Circuit, the former Australian Grand Prix track...
consists of two races run over a distance of 250 km (155.3 mi) (78 laps) each with compulsory pitstops for both fuel and tyres. The teams are given 16 tyres for the weekend.
Sprint races
From 2009, for all other rounds, two races over 200 km (124.3 mi) each take place across the weekend. Pit-stops are not compulsory, as they have been in the past, however every team must put in a minimum of 50 litres per race. The longer race format and E-85 fuel blend compared to previous years mean the cars must refuel to be able to complete race distance. From rounds 2-7 of 2006, the second race of the sprint round was made a reverse grid race, in an effort to spice up the action. Unfortunately, this initiative was unpopular with fans, drivers, and team owners, because it was expensive (repairing cars that otherwise wouldn't have been damaged), and didn't really make the racing any better. Teams are given 12 tyres per car for the weekend.Marquee events
The Bathurst 1000Bathurst 1000
The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia...
, Clipsal 500, Sydney Telstra 500 and L&H 500
Phillip Island 500K
The Phillip Island 500K is an endurance motor race held at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Victoria, Australia. It has been contested each year from 1971 to 1977 and from 2008 to date....
are the marquee events of the V8 Supercar calendar. In 2005 there was also a marquee round in Shanghai, however the promoter discontinued with this race in 2006.
Bathurst 1000
Known as the "Great Race", the Bathurst 1000Bathurst 1000
The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia...
is a traditional 1000 km test of drivers, teams and machines held at the Mount Panorama Circuit
Mount Panorama Circuit
Mount Panorama Circuit is a motor racing track located in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. It is the home of the Bathurst 12 Hour motor race, held each February, and the Bathurst 1000 motor race, held each October...
in Bathurst
Bathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. It has been the pre-eminent domestic motor racing event in Australia for decades - well before the development of the V8 Supercar category. It is conducted over 161 laps, on a track that features two long straights, that contrast with a tight section of fast blind corners across the top of the mountain.
In the early years, the race was open to almost anybody with a car that met (considerably more relaxed) regulations and held an Australian motorsport licence. The resulting wide variety of cars, driver talent, and budgets ensured that large margins split the placings. In the modern V8 era, the field has consisted of professional teams only.
The introduction of the safety car
Safety car
In motorsport, a safety car or pace car is a car which limits the speed of competing cars on a racetrack in the case of a caution period such as an obstruction on the track. During a caution period the safety car enters the track ahead of the leader...
, which brings the field together when an accident makes the track unsafe, has radically changed the nature of the race. But Bathurst has always been an intensely tactical race, hinging on pit stop strategy (fuel economy, tyres, etc.) driver talent and outright overall speed.
The 2006 Bathurst 1000
Bathurst 1000
The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia...
became a very emotional event to all drivers, teams, friends and fans of one of its greatest drivers in its history, 9 time winner of the "Great Race", Peter Brock
Peter Brock
Peter Geoffrey Brock, AM otherwise known as "Peter Perfect", "The King of the Mountain" or simply as "Brocky" was one of Australia's best-known and most successful motor racing drivers. Brock was most often associated with Holden for almost 40 years, although he raced vehicles of other...
(killed in the Targa West
Targa West
Targa West is a rally event held in and around Perth, Western Australia. The event takes its name from the Targa Florio, a former motoring event held on the island of Sicily, as well as more recent Australian events including Targa Tasmania, now defunct East Coast Targa, Targa New Zealand and...
rally event the month before). The inaugural and perpetual Peter Brock Trophy was handed out to eventual race winner Craig Lowndes
Craig Lowndes
Craig Lowndes is a multi-championship winning Australian racing driver. He is a three-time V8 Supercar champion and five-time winner of Australia's most famous motor race, the Bathurst 1000...
and Jamie Whincup
Jamie Whincup
Jamie Whincup is Australian auto racing driver who competes in the V8 Supercar, driving for TeamVodafone. He is a two-time V8 Supercars champion and three-time Bathurst 1000 winner.-Early career:...
. An emotional Lowndes, who was a protégé of Peter Brock
Peter Brock
Peter Geoffrey Brock, AM otherwise known as "Peter Perfect", "The King of the Mountain" or simply as "Brocky" was one of Australia's best-known and most successful motor racing drivers. Brock was most often associated with Holden for almost 40 years, although he raced vehicles of other...
, dedicated his win to his mentor.
V8 Supercars Australia has banned fulltime drivers from racing together at the endurance races, including Bathurst, from 2010 onwards.
Clipsal 500
The Clipsal 500 is held in AdelaideAdelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
on a shortened version of the former Grand Prix Circuit
Adelaide Street Circuit
The Adelaide Street Circuit is a temporary street circuit in the East Parklands adjacent to the central business district of the city of Adelaide in South Australia....
. The event in the heart of the city has a carnival atmosphere, and crowds of over 200,000 racing fans and socialites turn out each year. Two 250 km races are held on each of Saturday and Sunday, and this has proven to be a very successful format. It is the first event to be inducted into the V8 Supercar Hall of Fame
V8 Supercar Hall of Fame
The V8 Supercar Hall of Fame was instituted in 1999 with the first running of the V8 Supercars Championship Series, initially known as the Shell Championship Series. It was established to recognise the efforts of past champions and prominent figures within the sport. The initial inductees were...
and is a winner of various awards. While the trophy presentation is centred around the results of race two, the round winner is decided by points accrued from both races. In 2009 the two races were formally separated.
Phillip Island 500
The 500 kilometres (310.7 mi) Phillip Island 500 endurance race is held at the Phillip Island Grand Prix CircuitPhillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
The Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit is a motor racing racing circuit on Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia. The circuit was opened in 1956.-Road circuit:...
in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. The race is sponsored by Lawrence & Hanson and is known as the L&H 500.
The race takes over from the Sandown 500
Sandown 500
The Sandown 500 is an endurance motor race staged at the Sandown Raceway, near Melbourne in Victoria, Australia between 1964 and 2011. It was typically held in September, the month before Australia’s premier endurance race, the Bathurst 1000. The “500” was not run in 1966, 1967, 1999, 2000, 2008,...
after the Sandown round was downgraded to a sprint round in 2008 because of the condition of the facility.
Grand Finale
AVESCO created a special season ending round. Initially this round was held as the thirteenth championship event in late November at Eastern Creek RacewayEastern Creek Raceway
Eastern Creek International Raceway is a motorsports circuit located on Brabham Drive, Eastern Creek , New South Wales, Australia, adjacent to the Western Sydney International Dragway. It was built and is owned by the New South Wales Government and is operated by the...
near Sydney. It was sponsored by VIP Petfoods and was branded 'The Main Event'. The round was won by Marcos Ambrose in a fitting conclusion to his 2003 championship win, but made headlines when Ambrose's teammate Russell Ingall and Holden Racing Team rival Mark Skaife spectacularly brought the sport into disrepute with an on-track/off-track stoush. In 2004 the event became known as the 'Bigpond Grand Finale', and was again held at Eastern Creek - won again by Marcos Ambrose. In 2005 the venue moved to the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
The Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit is a motor racing racing circuit on Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia. The circuit was opened in 1956.-Road circuit:...
as the final round of the championship and the base for Russell Ingall's series win. In 2006, the event was known as the 'Caterpillar Grand Finale'. Todd Kelly won in controversial circumstances, with two race wins (race one and two) and a fifth placing (race three). His brother, Rick Kelly, won the championship after he was given a drive through penalty for a collision with title contender, Craig Lowndes. The collision caused Lowndes major steering damage that required Kelly only to finish the race to win the championship. However the championship was not decided until the day after in a court appeal in Melbourne in which Lowndes' Triple 8 Engineering team lost.
2008 saw the event moved to Oran Park Raceway
Oran Park Raceway
Oran Park Raceway was a motor racing circuit at Narellan in southwestern Sydney, New South Wales, Australia which was operational from 1962 to 2010....
as a dual finale for both the 2008 series, as the veteran Sydney circuit's closure was imminent. For 2009 the new Sydney Telstra 500
Sydney 500
The Sydney Telstra 500 is a V8 Supercar motor racing event held annually at Homebush Street Circuit. The event is the last on the V8 Supercar calendar. The event is sponsored by Telstra and is officially known as the Sydney Telstra 500....
event held the Grand Finale, with James Courtney
James Courtney
James Courtney is an Australian racing driver who competes in the V8 Supercar Championship. He is the current Australian Touring Car Champion after winning the 2010 title for Dick Johnson Racing....
winning the race.
Hall of Fame
The V8 Supercar Hall of FameV8 Supercar Hall of Fame
The V8 Supercar Hall of Fame was instituted in 1999 with the first running of the V8 Supercars Championship Series, initially known as the Shell Championship Series. It was established to recognise the efforts of past champions and prominent figures within the sport. The initial inductees were...
, instituted in 1999, adds new recipients each year at the end-of-year prizegiving ceremony held just after the final round in December. Recipients have mostly not been V8 Supercar drivers but from the Australian Touring Car Championship era and have been multiple winners of the ATCC or the Bathurst 1000. In a controversial exception, in 2005 the Adelaide 500
Adelaide 500
The Adelaide 500 is an annual motor racing event for V8 Supercars, held on the streets of the east end of Adelaide, South Australia on a shortened form of the Adelaide Street Circuit, the former Australian Grand Prix track...
race was inducted.
Organisation
V8 Supercars Australia manages, markets, and promotes the V8 Supercars sport. It is a joint venture between Touring Car Entrants Group of Australia (TEGA - 75%) and Sports & Entertainment Limited (SEL - 25%). It is run by an eight-member board. Four representing TEGA, two representing SEL, and two independent directors.It was founded in 1997 under the name the Australian Vee Eight Supercar Company (AVESCO). TEGA was responsible for the rules and technical management of the series and the supply of cars and drivers while SEL was responsible for capturing and maintaining broadcasting rights, sponsorship, licensing and sanction agreements. In 2005 it changed its name to V8 Supercars Australia to make it more identifiable with the sport. In 2008 the separate boards of V8 Supercars Australia and TEGA were combined into a single board that is solely responsible for administering the sport.
Television coverage
From the 2007 season onwards Seven NetworkSeven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
has broadcast the V8 Supercars. Channel Seven secured the rights and took over from Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
, which had successfully broadcast the events since taking over from Seven in 1997. The deal is worth roughly A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
120 million. Channel Seven will show increased live coverage, as well as a weekly 25-minute show specific to the series on non-racing weekends. The coverage however is produced by V8 Supercar Television, a specialist production vehicle for V8 Supercars Australia.
Network Ten continues to broadcast V8 Supercar once a year when they appear on the support program for the Australian Grand Prix
Australian Grand Prix
The Australian Grand Prix is a motor race held annually and is held to be the pinnacle of motor racing in Australia. The Grand Prix is the oldest surviving motor racing competition held in Australia having been held 76 times since it was first run at Phillip Island in 1928. Since 1985 the race has...
, a Network Ten broadcast event. All support category races are tied up with the Grand Prix broadcast rights as a package. The Albert Park Race is a non-championship event.
Television One provided coverage of all rounds in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
until the end of the 2007 season, at which time coverage transferred to TV3
TV3 (New Zealand)
TV3 is a New Zealand commercial television network, owned by MediaWorks New Zealand. Launched on 26 November 1989, the first private television network in New Zealand...
.
- Australia
- Seven NetworkSeven NetworkThe Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
- Speed Channel (subscription television)
- Telstra Bigpond Broadband (Live Internet Coverage)
- Seven Network
- International
- TV3TV3 (New Zealand)TV3 is a New Zealand commercial television network, owned by MediaWorks New Zealand. Launched on 26 November 1989, the first private television network in New Zealand...
(New Zealand) - Motors TVMotors TVMotors TV is a television channel dedicated to news, documentaries and coverage of motorsport and automobiles, and to a lesser extent motorbikes, boats, aircraft and models. It is available in many countries via satellite and cable, with audio in English, French, German and Serbian...
(United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, France, Germany, the Netherlands and most other parts of Europe) - Neo Sports + IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
- Speed Channel (USA, Canada, Caribbean and Latin America): coverage is hosted by current NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver and former V8 Supercar champion Marcos AmbroseMarcos AmbroseMarcos Ambrose is a championship winning Australian racing car driver. He currently drives the #9 Stanley Black & Decker Ford Fusion for Richard Petty Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series...
on a week delay except Surfers Paradise and Bathurst starting in 2011. Beginning in 2011, Bathurst and Surfers Paradise are broadcast live as Saturday evening US Eastern Time broadcasts in 720p (HDTV). 2011 Bathurst and Gold Coast rounds had a commentary team of Leigh DiffeyLeigh DiffeyLeigh Diffey is an Australian auto racing commentator with the Speed Channel in the United States. He has also worked in Britain and in his homeland of Australia, where he commentated on Champ Car and V8 Supercars for Network Ten in Australia...
, Mike JoyMike JoyMike Joy is an American TV sports announcer, who currently serves as the lap-by-lap voice of FOX Sports' NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage. His color analysts are Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds. Joy has broadcast more than 30 Daytona 500s, NASCAR's biggest event...
, Darrell WaltripDarrell WaltripDarrell Lee Waltrip is a 3-time NASCAR Cup Series champion , 3-time runner-up , winner of the 1989 Daytona 500 and 5-time winner of the prestigeous Coca-Cola 600 ,...
, and Calvin FishCalvin FishCalvin Fish is an English television announcer for the Speed Channel and a former race car driver.Fish began his career in karts at 13. He then moved to Formula Ford in 1979 at age 18 and then British Formula Three. He then came to the United States and competed in various classes of SCCA...
on site. - Australia NetworkAustralia NetworkAustralia Network, originally Australia Television International and later ABC Asia Pacific, is a free-to-air international satellite television service operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation since 2006. The television and online service broadcasts 24 hours a day on 7 days a week, to...
- Asia-Pacific region (except New Zealand) and parts of the Middle East. (NB: Except for the Bathurst 1000, All Races will be screened on delay on the Australia Network.)
- TV3
V8 Supercars Television records the series in 16:9
16:9
16:9 is an aspect ratio with a width of 16 units and height of 9. Since 2009, it has become the most common aspect ratio for sold televisions and computer monitors and is also the international standard format of HDTV, Full HD, non-HD digital television and analog widescreen television ...
(576i
576i
576i is a standard-definition video mode used in PAL and SECAM countries. In digital applications it is usually referred to as "576i", in analogue contexts it is often quoted as "625 lines"...
), with many cars carrying 4 or more mini cameras. High-definition
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
was used to broadcast the 2011 Bathurst 1000
Bathurst 1000
The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia...
and the Gold Coast 600, it was the first time that V8 Supercars races were available in HD. For North American audiences, the 2011 Bathurst 1000 and Gold Coast 600 races that aired on Speed live with a full Charlotte-based production crew on site were screened in 16:9 720p
720p
720p is the shorthand name for 1280x720, a category of High-definition television video modes having a resolution of 1080 or 720p and a progressive scan...
high definition coverage, as the network's live motorsport coverage is usually screened in high-definition format. V8: Bathurst 1000 and Gold Coast 600 live on Speed
Records
| Driver championships | Driver round wins | Driver starts | Team round wins | Manufacturer round wins | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Driver | Titles | Pos. | Driver | Wins | Pos. | Driver | Starts | Pos. | Team | Wins | Pos. | Manufacturer | Wins |
| 1 |  Ian GeogheganIan Geoghegan Ian "Pete" Geoghegan, was an Australian race car driver, known for a quick wit and natural driving skills. Geoghegan was one of the iconic characters of the 1960s and 1970s Australian motor racing scene... |
5 | 1 | Mark Skaife Mark Skaife Mark Stephen Skaife OAM is an Australian motor racing driver. Skaife is a five time winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series, including its predecessor the Australian Touring Car Championship. He is also a six-time winner of Australia's most prestigious domestic motor race, the Bathurst 1000... |
42 | 1 |  John BoweJohn Bowe (racing driver) John Bowe is an Australian racing driver, presently racing a 1969 Ford Mustang in the historic series, Touring Car Masters.... |
225 | 1 | Holden Racing Team Holden Racing Team The Holden Racing Team is a Melbourne based motor racing team. HRT is the most successful V8 Supercar racing team in the history of the category, having won the drivers championship six times, and the series signature race the Bathurst 1000 seven times... |
66 | 1 | Holden Holden GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931... |
201 |
 Dick Johnson |
5 | 2 |  Peter BrockPeter Brock Peter Geoffrey Brock, AM otherwise known as "Peter Perfect", "The King of the Mountain" or simply as "Brocky" was one of Australia's best-known and most successful motor racing drivers. Brock was most often associated with Holden for almost 40 years, although he raced vehicles of other... |
37 | 2 | Mark Skaife Mark Skaife Mark Stephen Skaife OAM is an Australian motor racing driver. Skaife is a five time winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series, including its predecessor the Australian Touring Car Championship. He is also a six-time winner of Australia's most prestigious domestic motor race, the Bathurst 1000... |
219 | 2 | Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing is Australia's oldest operating motor racing team. Founded by Dick Johnson, the team has won seven Australian Touring Car Championship titles and has taken three victories in Australia's hallmark race, the Bathurst 1000... |
45 | 2 | Ford | 165 | |
| Mark Skaife Mark Skaife Mark Stephen Skaife OAM is an Australian motor racing driver. Skaife is a five time winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series, including its predecessor the Australian Touring Car Championship. He is also a six-time winner of Australia's most prestigious domestic motor race, the Bathurst 1000... |
5 | Craig Lowndes Craig Lowndes Craig Lowndes is a multi-championship winning Australian racing driver. He is a three-time V8 Supercar champion and five-time winner of Australia's most famous motor race, the Bathurst 1000... |
37 | 3 | Peter Brock Peter Brock Peter Geoffrey Brock, AM otherwise known as "Peter Perfect", "The King of the Mountain" or simply as "Brocky" was one of Australia's best-known and most successful motor racing drivers. Brock was most often associated with Holden for almost 40 years, although he raced vehicles of other... |
212 | 3 | Triple Eight Race Engineering | 41 | 3 | Nissan Nissan Motors , usually shortened to Nissan , is a multinational automaker headquartered in Japan. It was a core member of the Nissan Group, but has become more independent after its restructuring under Carlos Ghosn .... |
25 | ||
| 4 | Bob Jane Bob Jane Robert "Bob" Jane is an Australian former race car driver and prominent businessman. A four-time winner of the Armstrong 500, the race that became the prestigious Bathurst 1000 and a four-time Australian Touring Car Champion, Jane is perhaps known best nowadays for his chain of tyre retailers,... |
4 | 4 |  Allan MoffatAllan Moffat Allan George Moffat, OBE is an Australian racing driver known for his four wins in the Australian Touring Car Championship, six wins in the Sandown 500 and his four wins in the Bathurst 1000... |
32 | 4 | Glenn Seton Glenn Seton Glenn Seton is an Australian racing driver.Seton, father of Courtney and Aaron Seton and husband to Jayne Seton, retired from full time racing after the 2005 V8 Supercar season, and is only one of five drivers to have competed in over 200 rounds in the series. The other drivers are Dick Johnson ,... |
208 | 4 | Holden Dealer/Advantage Racing Holden Dealer Team The Holden Dealer Team was Holden’s semi-official racing team from 1969 until 1987, primarily contesting Australian Touring Car events but also rallying, rallycross and sports sedans during the 1970s... |
34 | 4 | BMW BMW Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands... |
15 |
| Allan Moffat Allan Moffat Allan George Moffat, OBE is an Australian racing driver known for his four wins in the Australian Touring Car Championship, six wins in the Sandown 500 and his four wins in the Bathurst 1000... |
4 | 5 | Jamie Whincup Jamie Whincup Jamie Whincup is Australian auto racing driver who competes in the V8 Supercar, driving for TeamVodafone. He is a two-time V8 Supercars champion and three-time Bathurst 1000 winner.-Early career:... |
26 | 5 | Dick Johnson |
202 | Allan Moffat Racing Allan Moffat Racing Allan Moffat Racing was one of a number of names used for the Australian-based motor racing team fronted by multiple-championship winning Canadian-Australian racing driver Allan Moffat... |
34 | 5 | Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918... |
10 | ||
 Jim Richards |
4 | 6 | Dick Johnson |
22 | 6 |  Russell IngallRussell Ingall Russell Ingall is an Australian V8 Supercar driver. Ingall won the V8 Supercar Championship for the first time in 2005, he was also the Championship runner up in 1998, 1999 and 2001. Ingall has also won the Bathurst 1000 motor race twice, in 1995 and 1997... |
199 | 6 | Gibson Motor Sport Gibson Motor Sport Gibson Motor Sport was an Australian motor racing team. Originally established by Howard Marsden as the in-house factory Nissan motorsport operation, the team later passed into the ownership of Fred Gibson., who had won the 1967 Bathurst 500 as a driver, sharing with Harry Firth. In 1993 the team... |
32 | 6 | Mazda Mazda is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales... |
8 | |
| 7 | Peter Brock Peter Brock Peter Geoffrey Brock, AM otherwise known as "Peter Perfect", "The King of the Mountain" or simply as "Brocky" was one of Australia's best-known and most successful motor racing drivers. Brock was most often associated with Holden for almost 40 years, although he raced vehicles of other... |
3 | Jim Richards |
22 | 7 | Tony Longhurst Tony Longhurst Tony Longhurst is an Australian former racing driver and Australian Champion water skier. He is most noted for his career in the Australian Touring Car Championship and V8 Supercar series.... |
191 | 7 | Stone Brothers Racing Stone Brothers Racing Stone Brothers Racing is an Australian motor racing team competing in the International V8 Supercars Championship, formed in 1998 by experienced New Zealand-born motorsport veterans, Ross Stone and Jim Stone after buying out their partner in their previous racing team... |
22 | 7 | Volvo Volvo Cars Volvo Car Corporation, or Volvo Personvagnar AB, is a Swedish automobile manufacturer founded in 1927, in Gothenburg, Sweden. It is owned by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Volvo was originally formed as a subsidiary company to the ball bearing maker SKF. When Volvo AB was introduced on the Swedish... |
5 | |
| Craig Lowndes Craig Lowndes Craig Lowndes is a multi-championship winning Australian racing driver. He is a three-time V8 Supercar champion and five-time winner of Australia's most famous motor race, the Bathurst 1000... |
3 | 8 |  Garth TanderGarth Tander Garth Tander is a multiple-championship winning Australian motor racing driver. Since 1998 Tander has been a competitor in touring car racing series V8 Supercar Championship Series. Tander was the 2007 series champion for the HSV Dealer Team and is a three-time winner in Australia's most... |
18 | 8 | Craig Lowndes Craig Lowndes Craig Lowndes is a multi-championship winning Australian racing driver. He is a three-time V8 Supercar champion and five-time winner of Australia's most famous motor race, the Bathurst 1000... |
188 | 8 | HSV Dealer Team | 19 | 8 | Jaguar | 4 | |
| 9 | 4 drivers tied with two championships each | 9 | Glenn Seton Glenn Seton Glenn Seton is an Australian racing driver.Seton, father of Courtney and Aaron Seton and husband to Jayne Seton, retired from full time racing after the 2005 V8 Supercar season, and is only one of five drivers to have competed in over 200 rounds in the series. The other drivers are Dick Johnson ,... |
17 | 9 | Steven Richards Steven Richards Steven Richards is a New Zealand racing driver, currently competing in the with the team. He previously raced in the V8 Supercar series for Ford Performance Racing.... |
187 | 9 | Glenn Seton Racing Glenn Seton Racing Glenn Seton Racing was a V8 Supercar racing team that competed in the V8 Supercar series in Australia.Glenn Seton formed his own team in 1989, using Ford Sierras. Seton had been a protege of the works Nissan team, and took the Peter Jackson cigarette sponsorship of that team with him. Former F1... |
17 | 9 | Porsche Porsche Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry.... |
2 | |
| 10 | 2 drivers tied with 15 races each | 10 | Greg Murphy Greg Murphy Greg Murphy is a racing driver, best known as a four-time winner of the Bathurst 1000. Greg Murphy joined Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond presenting Top Gear, when it had its first international Live show at ASB Showgrounds in Auckland from February 12 - 15th 2009, and again when the show... |
179 | 10 | Perkins Motorsport | 13 | |||||||
- Note: bold text indicates active drivers, teams and manufacturers.
- Note: The above records relate to the Australian Touring Car Championship (1960-1998), the Shell Championship Series (1999-2001), the V8 Supercar Championship Series (2002-2010) and the International V8 Supercar Championship Series (2011)
- * While 2009-2011 regulations do not recognise event winners, V8 Supercar does officially track event winners for statistics purposes.
- * Figures accurate to 2011 L&H 5002011 L&H 500The 2011 L&H 500 was the ninth event of the 2011 International V8 Supercars Championship. It was held on the weekend of 16 to 18 September at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Victoria, Australia. This was the eleventh running of the Phillip Island 500 and the fourth occasion in which it...
.
See also
- Australian Touring Car ChampionshipAustralian Touring Car ChampionshipThe Australian Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing award held in Australia since 1960. The series itself is no longer contested, but the title lives on, with the winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series awarded the trophy and title of Australian Touring Car Champion.-History:The...
- List of Australian Touring Car and V8 Supercar champions
- List of Australian Touring Car Championship races
- Australian Production Car ChampionshipAustralian Production Car ChampionshipThe Australian Production Car Championship is a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of production cars, which must compete in close to standard specification...
External links
SeriesTeams
- Holden Racing Team
- Stone Brothers Racing
- Tony D'Alberto Racing
- Ford Performance Racing
- Rod Nash Racing
- Kelly Racing
- Brad Jones Racing
- Britek Motorsport
- Triple F Racing
- Dick Johnson Racing
- Tekno Autosports
- Walkinshaw Racing
- Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport
- Garry Rogers Motorsport
- Paul Morris Motorsport
- Team Vodafone (Triple Eight Race Engineering)