Leading Supercars drivers have led the call for the return of an endurance race at Sandown International Motor Raceway.
The Repco Supercars Championship has just wrapped up the Penrite Oil Sandown SuperSprint, Round 9 of the 2022 season.
It was a weekend comprised of three 110km races, a far cry from the traditional enduro which became engrained in the circuit’s history after being first held in 1964 (then as a six-hour race).
The Sandown 500 was last run in 2019 before the 500km enduro was to have switched to The Bend, only to be dropped altogether when the Supercars calendar was cut back during the COVID years.
Since then, there has been no Pirtek Enduro Cup, with the Repco Bathurst 1000 becoming the sole long-distance Supercars race.
A co-driver practice session was slotted into the Friday of this year’s Sandown SuperSprint schedule to provide seat time in the build-up to October’s Great Race.
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Add into the mix the looming closure of the suburban Melbourne circuit due to redevelopment plans, and talk in the paddock during the weekend’s event centred around a potential last hurrah for the Sandown 500.
Shell V-Power Racing Team’s Will Davison, who dominated Saturday’s Race 24 and is a nephew of former Sandown promoter Jon Davison, says the enduro brings back lots of fond memories.
“Just standing here now, I can still see myself here in 1997 seeing Mark Skaife in the HRT car walk in with Brocky,” recalled Davison.
“I can still picture it, nothing’s changed; there’s a lot of history here – seeing the grandstand and sitting there as a kid watching all day, watching all those laps.
“I think we need a second enduro, that’s just absolute tradition.
“I understand through COVID and all the times what we did to get through, but I think the time is now to get that 500 back.
“And if there is uncertainty over the future of the circuit, we should send Sandown out with a big bang if that’s the way it’s going.”
Grove Racing’s David Reynolds is another who supports the idea.
“Yes, of course we should bring back the 500,” said Reynolds when asked for his thoughts.
“I don’t really understand why they are doing a co-driver session — it’s cool, but it’s added cost for no reason.
“The 500 would make more sense; everyone loved it, it was one of our favourite events – the more enduro-style racing we do, the better.
“I would definitely love to see the 500 back before the circuit closes.
“That’s a sad feeling, knowing this won’t be here in the future. Bringing the 500 back would be a nice send-off.”
Triple Eight Race Engineering team boss Jamie Whincup believes the time is right to revive the enduro season.
“From a team owners’ perspective I’m certainly all for it,” enthused Whincup, who won the Sandown 500 as a driver on five occasions.
“No doubt we had to wind back the category, we cut out a lot of street tracks, and also the three enduros back to one for the COVID period.
“We’re certainly coming out of that period very strong.
“Adelaide on the calendar, Gold Coast back, Newcastle next year; it’s exciting stuff.
“If somebody asked me the question, should we do the 500 again? I’d say absolutely.”
Championship leader, Shane van Gisbergen, is also onboard with the conversation, having won Race 25 and Race 26 at Sandown.
The Red Bull Ampol Racing pilot believes the circuit is showcased best through an enduro format.
“This track suits a 500km race; you see the variable strategies with tyre life, you see a lot more passing,” added van Gisbergen.
“Once the race is sort of stale, he [Davison] was still the fastest car, he should have been able to pass me easily and yesterday Anton [De Pasquale], the same.
“I would rather a longer race and better racing.”
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