Plans to host a Supercars night race at Sydney Motorsport Park next year will step up a notch with a two car lighting test due to take place at the venue on Thursday night.
This is the latest stage of the championship’s bid to revamp the Sydney Super Sprint event which has struggled to attract crowds in recent years.
Supercars has long been pushing to bring back night racing after an attempt to introduce the element at Darwin’s Hidden Valley fell through following a change of government in the region.
The concept has now reached a point where a test will be held to ensure the lighting required to put on a night race will produce pictures of a sufficient standard for television.
Supercars drivers Simona de Silvestro (Nissan Motorsport) and Fabian Coulthard (DJR Team Penske) have been enlisted to take part in a test and provide feedback on visibility.
Sections of the track will be floodlight with the pair due to conduct runs through Turns 1-2 in front of television cameras, which have been set up to cover this weekend’s Red Rooster Sydney Super Sprint.
Floodlights will be moved around the circuit during a three hour test to ensure a thorough set of data is gathered corner by corner, with the Safety Car, driven by a Supercar driver, expected to complete the runs on the rest of the circuit.
The feedback from the test will be crucial in determining the possibility of a night race at the venue next year, according to Warburton.
Sydney Motorsport Park has previously hosted a night race for the opening round of the Australian Touring Car Championship in 1996.
“It is now really proving the concept in terms of the format,” Warburton told Speedcafe.com.
“The excitement between the broadcast partners is done. The logistics and costings are done as well.
“It is actually a television test to ensure that the quality is there and that is what we are going to conduct on Thursday night.
“If the lighting and the visuals are to standard then there should be no reason why that isn’t the format we follow into 2018 for our Sydney Motorsport Park race.
“Essentially what it means is we will be lighting components of the track and testing the lighting for broadcast. If that is successful then it should get the green light.”
Warburton has indicated that the format for a proposed night race would see the event completed inside three hours with Supercars due to conduct a qualifying session followed by a pit stop race.
After suggestions the event could be a non-championship round, the Supercars Commission has voted for championship points to be awarded.
However, the time slot for the event is up for discussion with a midweek race a possibility.
“We need to look at all other sporting calendars and school holidays etcetera,” he added.
“There are still a lot of moving parts in place. It could be a Thursday night or a Friday night or Saturday night. It is matter of working out what night everyone feels is the best shot.
“There will be qualifying and a long race which counts for championship points, which is the direction the commission has voted. Everyone feels comfortable with that.
“That is obviously akin to the longer (200km) race on Sunday (at Super Sprint rounds).”
This year’s Red Rooster Sydney Super Sprint is set to begin on Friday.
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