Several loose ends, including the possible introduction of twinning an international race with Austin, Texas, has forced V8 Supercars to delay finalising the calendar for its 2013 season.
While each year’s calendar is traditionally launched over the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 weekend, Speedcafe.com understands that next year’s calendar may not be made public until as late as the Armor All Gold Coast 600 race in late October.
Details of the new media rights deal and the expected introduction of another new international race are two of the snags holding back a public announcement of the V8 schedule for next season.
The Circuit Of The Americas V8 Supercar races in Austin, Texas, is almost certainly locked in for the second last weekend in May next year. The slated weekend is the traditional home of NASCAR’s All-Star race at Charlotte, and a week prior to the NASCAR Coca Cola 600 and IndyCar Indianapolis 500 blockbusters.
V8 Supercars chairman Tony Cochrane refuses to be drawn into specifics over the calendar composition, only to say that it will not be made public any earlier than late October.
“Because of the new media rights deal and various other negotiations we are involved with between CAMS and the FIA we are not releasing it until probably somewhere between Bathurst and the Gold Coast,” Cochrane told Speedcafe.com.
“It may even be not until the Gold Coast event.”
Cochrane refused to confirm that Texas race promoters reportedly hold the right to announce when the V8 Supercar date will be.
In any case, the release of the calendar is not expected to be made on Bathurst weekend, which will be absorbed in various celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the long distance race at Mount Panorama.
V8 Supercars have spent more than 12 months planning the celebrations with Cochrane confident the event can crack the elusive aggregate crowd total of 200,000 for the first time.
“If we get great weather we could go through the 200,000 barrier,” he said.
“We have found a further 200 extra camping spots and there is absolutely nowhere left to go.
“From a motor racing guru point of view it will be the place in Australia to be that weekend.
“There is lots of small stuff planned for the celebrations. We have had plenty of planning meetings and there was the option of going to one big knockout punch or just doing lots of really good little bits and that’s what we’ve gone for.”
“It’s all about celebrating the history of touring car racing at Bathurst.”
The next event of the V8 Supercars Championship will be held at Sydney Motorsport Park on August 25-26.
