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Race 15 is the sole night race in the Supercars season. Although Race 16 will be held late in the day with a 4pm start, it will not be held in complete darkness.
Saturday at this year’s Sydney SuperNight featured pre-race driver introductions, pyrotechnics, and a light show. Post-race fireworks were dispersed as Mostert took the chequered flag and victory.
It’s those pre-race festivities that the Mobil1 Optus Racing driver said have him more keen than ever to race under lights again.
“For us as a driver, we wish we were probably racing at night again [on Sunday],” said Mostert.
“It’s pretty cool driving these cars under lights. That entrance and coming out, it feels like we’re honestly – I don’t know how the other guys feel – but you feel so special coming out.
“You’ve got lights and flares and flames going everywhere. I feel like we’re part of State Origin at the NRL.
“We really feel like an amazing spectacle. Tonight’s really good, tomorrow we miss that. We come out like, ‘Oh, it’s just Sunday’.”
Mostert admits there are obvious challenges going up against other ball sports, particularly the NRL and AFL.
Supercars got a free kick on Saturday with no NRL matches in the greater Sydney area and attendance at Sydney Motorsport Park looks good on face value.
The grandstand at Sydney Motorsport Park was only partially full althoug there was a healthy crowd on the inside of the circuit and along the front straight.
The only other major sporting event in the greater Sydney was an AFL match between the GWS Giants and Gold Coast Suns at the nearby Sydney Showgrounds at Olympic Park.
The Wallabies also played Georgia in a mid-afternoon match at the Sydney Football Stadium near the CBD.
Asked during Saturday’s post-race press conference whether the Sydney SuperNight should be held on Friday and Saturday, the two-time Bathurst 1000 winner said maximising the facilities capabilities should be worth considering.
“We’ve got this great facility with night racing,” said Mostert.
“It’s kind of a tricky one. Obviously Sunday, we don’t push on too late because we’re either competing with other sports or people just want to get home on a Sunday because they’ve got to work Monday.
“So Friday night and Saturday night would be really cool [but] you’re obviously competing against different codes and all that kind of stuff. Obviously the time slot for Sunday is probably the best representation that we can [get].”
