The Shannons Nationals will once again hold a six hour endurance race at Sydney Motorsport Park next year, reviving the Australian 6 Hour nameplate it debuted in 2010.
While the inaugural race was run as a round of the Australian Manufacturers’ Championship, the eligibility criteria for next year’s event is yet to be decided.
Opening the field up to include cars complying to production sports car regulations is one option being floated in a bid to ensure strong grid numbers, while discussions with the well supported NSW Production Touring Car Championship class are also understood to be underway.
According to Shannons Nationals series director Rob Curkpatrick, the event is in the very early stages of planning.
“We’re just sort of assessing at the moment who is interested and how it’ll fit into their calendars,” Curkpatrick told Speedcafe.com.
“The race will certainly go ahead, it’s just a matter of determining which categories are interested in participating in it.
“It can either be a production sports car race with some of the faster 3E cars, that’s one option. It may be a production sports race or a production touring race, it will just depend on what the level of interest is.
“We’re looking at all options at the moment, but at the end of the day grid numbers will be the key. Realistically we need 30 or 40 cars to make it work.”
Having promoted its own AMC endurance race at the circuit in 2010 and 2011, the Australian Racing Drivers’ Club is expected to be closely involved with the returning Australian 6 Hour.
Sydney Motorsport Park is set to once again hold two rounds of the Shannons Nationals next year. The first event is likely to open the season, with the 6 Hour to take place in July.
Meanwhile, the 2012 Shannons Nationals will continue on August 10-12 at Queensland Raceway. Headlining the event are a pair of 200km AMC races, the first of which will be held under lights on the Saturday night.
The meeting has been dubbed the ‘Hydraulink 400 Fight in the Night’ following confirmation of the hose and fittings company as the major sponsor, with a field of up to 20 cars expected to take part.
The Kumho V8 Touring Cars, Australian Saloon Car Series, Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge, Radical Australia Cup, Kerrick Sports Sedans Series, Australian Superkart Championships Australian Swift Racing Series will complete the packed racing program.
