Ultimate guide to Supercars at The Bend Motorsport Park 2018
THE Supercars roadshow has arrived in Tailem Bend for the historic first running of The Bend SuperSprint. Here is all you need to know ahead of the inaugural event including drivers, schedule, map and the trophy they will be racing for.
- The Bend to change motorsport in SA: Percat
- Here we go, Toyota 86 Crows
- Injured Whincup ‘bloody lucky’ after incident
- The Bend offers best chance to win
- Tailem gets ready to put the foot down
- First hot lap of Australia’s newest racetrack
THE circuit at The Bend Motorsport Park already has been hailed by some Supercars drivers as being the best racetrack in Australia, even before their first laps raced in anger were completed.
It is the fourth South Australian venue to host a round of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, formerly the Australian Touring Car Championship, and is set to follow in the footsteps of Mallala, Adelaide International Raceway and the Adelaide parklands street circuit in providing world-class motorsport.
Taking the first win at a historic new track offers bragging rights like no other and every Supercar driver will be out to claim that more so this weekend than at most other race meets.
THE TRACK
Supercars will race on the park’s international circuit, one of several that can be created from the 7.77km long GT Circuit that has been built at the complex located just outside of River Murray town Tailem Bend.
The 4.95km circuit features 18 corners and an aggregate rise and fall of 85 metres, with a forecast average speed for Supercars of 162km/h, topping at 270km/h along the pit straight.
Two races will be held over the weekend – the first being a 24-lap race held late Saturday afternoon, the second a 41-lap race held early on Sunday afternoon, following Supercars’ SuperSprint format. Supercars will race clockwise.
While the fastest lap in a Supercar has yet to be set, Erebus Motorsport’s David Reynolds has the honour of holding the fastest lap time set to date for the international circuit of 1:47:697.
It was completed during the Australian GT Championship during The Nationals event at The Bend in April, 2018.
https://adelaidenownewscorpau.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/otr-supersprint-event-map-final-1.pdf
DRIVERS & CARS
STATS THAT MATTER
The Bend Motorsport Park’s first Virgin Australia Supercars Championship round will be the 536th in championship history. The championship was first held at Gnoo-Blas near Orange in 1960.
So far this season, 13 drivers – half the full-time championship field – have finished on a podium. Scott McLaughlin has scored the most podiums by one driver this year, with 16. However, only 11 drivers have finished all 21 championship races held so far this season.
Five support categories will complement the Supercars racing – Formula Ford, Aussie Racing Cars, V8 Touring Cars, Toyota 86 Racing Series and Porsche Carrera Cup Australia.
ODDS
Ladbroke’s money for the first race win at The Bend SuperSprint is currently going to championship leader Scott McLaughlin:
Scott McLaughlin (Ford) $2.50
Shane Van Gisbergen (Holden) $3.00
Jamie Whincup (Holden) $4.50
Dave Reynolds (Holden) $10.00
Fabian Coulthard (Holden) $11.00
Craig Lowndes (Holden) $13.00
Chaz Mostert (Holden) $21.00
SUPERCARS SCHEDULE
FRIDAY AUGUST 24
8.00-8.20: Formula Ford, 20 minutes, Practice 1
8.30-8.50: Aussie Racing Cars, 20 minutes, Practice 1
9.00-9.20: V8 Touring Cars, 20 minutes, Practice 1
9.30-9.50: Toyota 86, 20 minutes, Practice 1
10.00-10.30: Porsche Carrera Cup, 30 minutes, Practice 1
10.45-11.30: Supercars, 45 minutes, Practice 1
11.45-12.05: Formula Ford, 20 minutes, Practice 2
12.15-12.35: Aussie Racing Cars, 20 minutes, Qualifying
12.45-1.03: V8 Touring Cars, 20 minutes, Practice 2
1.20-1.40: Toyota 86, 20 minutes, Practice 2
1.50-2.10: Formula Ford, 20 minutes, Qualifying
2.20-2.50: Porsche Carrera Cup, 30 minutes, Practice 2
3.05-3.50: Supercars, 45 minutes, Practice 2
4.05-4.25: Aussie Racing Cars, 7 laps, Race 1
4.35-5.10: Super Cars, 35 minutes, TV Track Time/Events Rides
SATURDAY AUGUST 25
8.25-8.45: Supercars, 20 minutes, Safety Car Rides/Pit Lane Walk
8.55-9.15: Toyota 86, 20 minutes, Qualifying
9.25-9.45: V8 Touring Cars, 20 minutes, Qualifying
10.00-10.20: Formula Ford, 7 laps, Race 1
10.35-11.20: Supercars, 45 minutes, Practice 3
11.35-11.55: Toyota 86, 7 laps, Race 1
12.05-12.25: Porsche Carrera Cup, 20 minutes, Qualifying
12.40-1.00: V8 Touring, 7 laps, Race 1
1.15-1.30: Supercars, 15 minutes, Qualifying
1.50-2.10: Aussie racing Cars, 7 laps, Race 2
2.20-2.40: Toyota 86, 7 laps, Race 2
2.50-3.35: Porsche Carrera Cup, 20 laps, Race 1
4.20: Supercars, 24 laps, Race 22 – 120km
SUNDAY AUGUST 26
8.40-9.05: Supercars, 25 minutes, Safety Car Rides/Pit Lane Walk
9.15-9.35: Aussie Racing Cars, 7 laps, Race 3
9.45-10.05: Porsche Carrera Cup, 8 laps, Race 2
10.15-10.35: V8 Touring Cars, 7 laps, Race 2
10.50-11.10: Supercars, 20 minutes, Qualifying
11.30-11.50: Formula Ford, 7 laps, Race 2
12.00-12.20: Toyota 86, 7 laps, Race 3
12.35-12.55: Porsche Carrera Cup, 8 laps, Race 3
1.40-3.10: Supercars, 41 laps, Race 23 – 200km
3.25-3.45: Aussie Racing Cars, 7 laps, Race 4
3.55-4.20: V8 Touring Cars, 9 laps, Race 3
4.30-4.50: Formula Ford, 7 laps, Race 3
TV GUIDE
Watch practice, qualifying and racing live on Fox Sports channel 506, beginning on Friday at 10.30am, Saturday at 9am and Sunday at 9.15am (SA time).
Highlights will be shown on free-to-air TV on channel One between 8pm and 9pm on Saturday and 8.30pm to 9.30pm on Sunday; as well as channel 10 between 11pm and 12am on Saturday and 4pm and 5pm on Sunday.
EVENT ENTERTAINMENT AND OTHER ATTRACTIONS
— Hire go karts
— 4WD Adventure Park
— Open Supercars Paddock
— Outdoor cinema (Friday and Saturday nights)
— Aerobatic displays
— Jet Car demonstration
— Drift demonstrations
— Team Army
— F1 demonstrations
TICKETS
General admission, grandstand seating and Red Bull Rooftop tickets are available through Outix. Prices start at $29 for adults and $24 concession, while a three-day general admission ticket costs $129 for adults and $109 for concession.
WEATHER
(Murray Bridge)
Friday: Partly cloudy 21C
Saturday: Cloud clearing 20C
Sunday: Partly cloudy 20C
HOW TO GET THERE
Car
Head on the South East Freeway and the Princes Hwy (M1) towards Mt Barker, but stay on the highway (A1) through Tailem Bend. The A1 turns into the Dukes Highway (A8). Do not turn onto the Mallee Highway even though you will see OTR and The Bend signs on the left. Keep going until you can see the long concrete coloured building on the left and the OTR station itself. Some free public carparking is available onsite.
Bus
SeaLink buses will be available from 24 — 26 August at 7.30am and 8.30am each day departing Franklin St bus station. Bookings are essential ($49 from Adelaide there and back) departing from; Adelaide, Fullarton, Glen Osmond, Crafers, Hahndorf, Mount Barker and Murray Bridge. Book at https://otr-supersprint.sealink.com.au/
ACCOMMODATION
All 600 camp sites and the pit straight hotel rooms at the track are already sold out, as is much of the accommodation in the town. Those still looking for accommodation closer than Adelaide may find options at Murray Bridge or Meningie.
WHAT CAN’T YOU BRING
Patrons may not, without prior written consent, bring the following to the event.
— Alcoholic beverages
— Glass bottles or containers (excluding medical requirements)
— Glass objects (excluding sunglasses, binoculars and prescription glasses)
— Any beverage container with the manufacturer’s seal broken
— Any hard drink coolers or ice boxes
— Any structure or item that may be used to erect a structure or which is capable of supporting the weight of a person
— Any chairs, lounges, benches or stools (other than folding chairs or stools)
— Animals (other than assistance dogs)
— Weapons of any kind
— Laser pointers
— Fireworks, flares or explosives
— Commercial, political, religious or offensive signs, banners, clothing or any other items displaying such messages
— Any other items which could reasonably be deemed to cause public nuisance or offence to any other patron or could be used to disrupt or interrupt the event, hinder, obstruct or interfere with any driver taking part in the event, adversely affect public safety.
