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On track action on the streets of Adelaide will extend into the twilight hours at next year’s Superloop 500 following an announcement that will see the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship on track across all four days.
Typically in Adelaide the main game has only featured from Friday, with Thursday devoted to support categories.
However, from next year, that is set to change with opening practice scheduled for late Thursday afternoon, while Saturday’s opening race will also run later in the day.
Support categories will also be on track as the sun sets, with Aussie Racing Cars, Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia, Touring Car Masters, and the Dunlop Super2 Series scheduled to be on track during the ‘twilight’ sessions.
This year Albert Park hosted twilight racing as Supercars ran in dwindling light as part of the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix.
Supercars ran as the shadows lengthened on Friday at the grand prix, while rain on Saturday meant conditions were considerably darker
While it looked spectacular on television, not all drivers were in favour of the concept with Scott Pye winning his maiden Supercars race in a rain affected encounter almost as darkness fell.
Later in the year Sydney Motorsport Park hosted the first night race for the top tier of Australian motorsport this century with the hugely successful SuperNight concept that included American-style driver introductions and pre-race.
It introduced a new, condensed, two-day weekend format that culminated with a single race that began at 1900 on Saturday evening in August.
A host of temporary floodlights were trucked in for the event which was run entirely in darkness, an event set to be replicated at Barbagallo next year.
A two hour time difference from the western states to the eastern seaboard will mean the race will start at prime time in Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland.
Though hugely spectacular, twilight racing is not without its risks, with the fading light posing a problem in instances of inclement weather or delays to the schedule.
That could see officials forced to show the chequered flag early as reduced light offers up a safety hazard with Supercars headlights not designed to run into the night.
Supercars clearly believes its a risk worth taking, but Speedcafe.com wants to know what you think.
Should there be more twilight sessions, and racing, in the Supercars calendar, or should it be limited to a select handful of events throughout the year?
Have your say below in this week’s Pirtek Poll.
