Shop
Scott McLaughlin says he’s concerned the Truck Assist Winton SuperSprint may not happen amid newly announced coronavirus restrictions.
A surge in COVID-19 cases in Victoria comes in the wake of in increased testing blitz on the region, which has seen the state record double-digit figures for the past two weeks.
As a result, the Victorian Government has announced stay-at-home lockdowns for hot spots throughout Melbourne.
The Queensland Government has simultaneously announced stricter border measures, casting doubt over the event at Winton Motor Raceway.
Anyone travelling from Victoria will not be allowed to enter Queensland without a mandatory 14-day quarantine at the expense of the individual.
In his latest Scott’s Corner blog for Grove Racing, the current Virgin Australia Supercars Championship leader said he’s worried about the status of the Winton round.
“We leave Sydney with a 49 point series lead, and now there’s a question mark on what comes next,” McLaughlin wrote.
“Like you all, I watch the COVID-19 positive tests spiking in Victoria, so there’s obviously concern with whether Winton can take place later in the month.
“It’s a crazy time – I’m a huge footy fan and watch with interest the changes they’re having to make on the run with their rolling fixture as states shut borders.
“The key now for all of us in our sport is to stay nimble and agile – and hopefully we can see you back at the track soon.”
McLaughlin bookended a third place finish with two wins for the Shell V-Power Racing Team at the Sydney SuperSprint, edging out his points lead over Red Bull Holden Racing Team driver Jamie Whincup.
The 27-year-old said he was pleasantly surprised by the condensed three-race format.
“I think the entire sport was thrilled Sunday night with the success of the return of Supercars,” said McLaughlin.
“The racing was insane, the format worked a treat, and thankfully – and most importantly, everything went off without a hitch safety wise.
“I hope you all enjoyed what you saw across the three races. For me, the two-day format was a winner.
“I loved the short practice sessions, and then little debrief and data before getting straight into qualifying and racing.
“The tyres delivered more than anyone could have imagined.
“The racing was intense and unpredictable and gave us a BJR winner on Sunday which was great for the sport.
“And while I was on the record as being not a huge fan of sprint races – the three 32-lappers worked better than we could ever have imagined.”
Supercars is currently slated for a return at Winton Motor Raceway on July 18-19, however, those recently announced restrictions have cast a cloud over the event.
Following the announcement, Supercars said it is evaluating all its options.
