Supercars has released the track schedule for opening round of the 2023 Repco Supercars Championship, which will be the Thrifty Newcastle 500 on March 10-12.
Returning to the city for the first time since 2019, Newcastle will be the first race event for the new era of the championship, with the Gen3 Ford Mustang and Gen3 Chevrolet Camaro bringing an entirely new grid of Supercars since Car of The Future in 2013.
Supercars announced its 2023 race formats yesterday, Newcastle’s being three 45-minute practice sessions, a pair of 250km races as well as a Top 10 Shootouts for both races.
Now confirmed is that the first Supercars Championship session at the event commences at 11:15 local time/AEDT on Friday March 10, with all three practice sessions to take place that day.
Saturday qualifying sees an all-in 20-minute session at 11:15 and a shootout at 12:35, before Race 1 of the 2023 season starts at 15:20. To reach the 250km mark, the race will be 95 laps of the 2.461km layout, or will be time certain one lap after 17:18.
Sunday’s activity includes a drivers parade at 09:50, before Race 2 – another 250km, 95-lap race – at 15:20.
Support categories include the Touring Car Masters, Aussie Racing Cars and the Dunlop Super2 Series.
Construction of the Newcastle street circuit started earlier this month, with the last event held there in 2019.
The Newcastle 500 takes place on March 10-12, with entertainment in the Foreshore Park featuring Icehouse, Jon Stevens, and The Screaming Jets on the Friday night, while Saturday night’s concert will be headlined by the Hilltop Hoods, supported by Thelma Plum, San Cisco, Newcastle’s Trophy Eyes, and Trials.
A Community Fun Day at Civic Park on February 18 will feature several Supercars Championship drivers.
Schedule: Newcastle 500, Newcastle East Street Circuit
| Local time/AEDT | Competition/Category | Session | ||
| Start | End | |||
| Friday, March 10 | ||||
| 09:05 | 09:25 | Touring Car Masters | Practice | |
| 09:35 | 09:55 | Aussie Racing Cars | Practice 1 | |
| 10:10 | 11:00 | Super2 Series | Practice 1 | |
| 11:15 | 12:00 | Supercars Championship | Practice 1 | |
| 12:20 | 12:40 | Touring Car Masters | Qualifying | |
| 12:50 | 13:30 | Super2 Series | Practice 2 | |
| 13:45 | 14:30 | Supercars Championship | Practice 2 | |
| 14:45 | 15:05 | Aussie Racing Cars | Practice 2 | |
| 15:15 | 15:35 | Touring Car Masters | Trophy Race | 12 laps or 1 lap after 15:33 |
| 15:50 | 16:35 | Supercars Championship | Practice 3 | |
| Saturday, March 11 | ||||
| 09:15 | 09:35 | Touring Car Masters | Race 1 | 12 laps or 1 lap after 9:38 |
| 09:55 | 10:10 | Aussie Racing Cars | Qualifying | |
| 10:25 | 10:35 | Super2 Series | Qualifying Race 1 – Dunlop Super3 | |
| 10:45 | 10:55 | Super2 Series | Qualifying Race 1 – Dunlop Super2 | |
| 11:15 | 11:35 | Supercars Championship | Qualifying | |
| 12:00 | 12:20 | Touring Car Masters | Race 2 | 12 laps or 1 lap after 12:18 |
| 12:35 | 13:00 | Supercars Championship | Top 10 Shootout | |
| 13:15 | 13:35 | Aussie Racing Cars | Race 1 | 12 laps or 1 lap after 13:33 |
| 13:50 | 14:20 | Super2 Series | Race 1 | 21 laps or 1 lap after 14:18 |
| 15:20 | Supercars Championship | Race 1 – 250kms | 95 laps or 1 lap after 17:18 | |
| Supercars Championship | Podium | |||
| Sunday, March 12 | ||||
| 09:15 | 09:35 | Aussie Racing Cars | Race 2 | 12 laps or 1 lap after 9:33 |
| 10:25 | 10:35 | Super2 Series | Qualifying Race 2 – Dunlop Super3 | |
| 10:45 | 10:55 | Super2 Series | Qualifying Race 2 – Dunlop Super2 | |
| 11:15 | 11:35 | Supercars Championship | Qualifying | |
| 12:00 | 12:20 | Aussie Racing Cars | Race 3 | 12 laps or 1 lap after 12:18 |
| 12:35 | 13:00 | Supercars Championship | Top 10 Shootout | |
| 13:15 | 13:35 | Touring Car Masters | Race 3 | 12 laps or 1 lap after 13:33 |
| 13:50 | 14:20 | Super2 Series | Race 2 | 21 laps or 1 lap after 14:18 |
| Super2 Series | Podium | |||
| 15:20 | Supercars Championship | Race 2 – 250kms | 95 laps or 1 lap after 17:18 | |
| Supercars Championship | Podium | |||
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