Following Supercars’ much anticipated reveal of a 14-round 2020 calendar, Speedcafe.com wants to know your thoughts on the championship’s plans for next year in this week’s Pirtek Poll.
Next season will see the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship embrace fewer events, more racing miles, a new 2x200km SuperSprint format, a revised Pirtek Enduro Cup, and three night races, in what is seen as a significant shake-up.
The series has been looking to condense its schedule for 2020 as part of its bid to cut costs and improve sustainability for teams.
Supercars had already stated that Sydney Motorsport Park would return in 2020 after the night event was dropped from the 2019 schedule, meaning two meetings faced the chop to ensure a 14-round series.
As a result, Queensland Raceway and Phillip Island have been dropped from the schedule having both been Supercars mainstays.
Ipswich is a heartland for Supercars fans with the six-turn circuit holding a place on the calendar since its inception in 1999, even hosting the 500km enduro from 1999 to 2002.
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While acknowledged as one of the best permanent circuits in the country by Supercars, Phillip Island is the other casualty.
The Victorian circuit has had an unbroken run on the calendar since 2005 and has also hosted a 500km enduro.
Although conducive to good racing, the venue has struggled to attract strong crowds largely due to its distance from Melbourne.
Supercars CEO Sean Seamer confirmed in the reveal of the calendar that the door is open for both tracks to return in the future.
While the loss of two Supercars venues is a dampener, it is understood hosting one less round compared to last year could save around $170,000 across a two-car team.
That aside, there is plenty to excite fans next season with the prospect of three night races as the Pirtek Perth SuperNight is retained at Barbagallo Wanneroo Raceway and the Sydney SuperNight returns at Sydney Motorsport Park.
In addition to those, the Vodafone Gold Coast 600 is set to be transformed into night race which will see Supercars race under lights on a street circuit for the first time.
The new look Gold Coast event is part of a new five-year deal between Supercars and Queensland Government to secure the future of that event alongside the Townsville 400, which was also under threat until the new deal was struck.
It will see almost 500 light towers installed to enable night racing to take place, providing an impressive spectacle and a much-needed shot in the arm for the prestigious event.
The other major change to the schedule sees the Pirtek Enduro Cup undergo a revised look with the 500km two-driver enduro moving from Sandown to The Bend Motorsport Park, a topic discussed in last week’s Pirtek Poll.
Sandown will now instead revert to a SuperSprint round utilising Supercars’ new 2x200km format which replaces the 120km Saturday, 200km Sunday platform.
Now that the dust has settled following the 2020 calendar release, we want to know your thoughts.
Are you a fan of the Supercars calendar changes? Cast your vote in this week’s Pirtek Poll.
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