Talks build to bring Victorian Supercars Sandown race back to SA at The Bend Motorsport Park
With Victoria’s iconic V8 Sandown race weekend in doubt, The Bend Motorsport Park has put its hand up to host the event.
V8
Don't miss out on the headlines from V8. Followed categories will be added to My News.
South Australia has offered to host the iconic Sandown race weekend in September as Victorian authorities battle a second wave of COVID-19 infections.
The Bend owner Dr Sam Shahin is in discussions with Supercars organisers.
Sandown 500, widely considered the second most high-profile race in the history of Australian motorsport behind the Bathurst weekend, is slated to be held on September 19 and 20 at the Sandown International Motor Raceway near Melbourne.
But the latest lockdown of five million Victorians has cast a cloud over the event.
The state’s six-week lockdown is due to end on August 19 but more daily case numbers like Tuesday’s record of 270 may force further restrictions.
Ironically, in a COVID-19-revised schedule, SA’s The Bend Motorsport Park at Tailem Bend lost its race weekend to Sandown, raising the ire of track owner Dr Shahin.
Dr Shahin revealed to The Advertiser that he had been in discussion with Virgin Australia Supercars Championship owners as recently as last week offering to help with an event at The Bend.
“Absolutely yes, we would welcome Supercars back,’’ he said. “We had our differences and that was a bit more public than I would have liked when we were cancelled but we have to move on and if the opportunity is there we will be there with bells on.
“We have had discussions at very senior levels about bringing that event back to The Bend.
“We are here to help and I don’t want to cause trouble so using the name Sandown would entirely be up to the organisers.
“I really feel for our fellow Victorians. Putting aside all the arguments between SA and Victoria, they are our fellow Australians and I am devastated for them and I was very upset when they were locked down again in the same position we were in just a couple of months ago.’’
A Supercars spokesman confirmed it had talked to Dr Shahin about reinstating an event in 2020 but it may not be a direct relocation of Sandown, which was for now still officially on the calendar.
There is speculation that as with the AFL, V8 motorsport will have to avoid Melbourne to continue its season well in to the second half of the year.
An SA Government spokesperson said SA would help where it could with a Sandown switch.
“The State Government is always looking at events that showcase South Australia – and is aiding Victoria during what is a very difficult time,” he said.
Victorian Premier Dan Andrews would not comment. He would also not comment on NSW offers this week to help with hosting other Victorian events such as the Melbourne Cup.
Dr Shahin, a medical doctor, said the chances of a race return to The Bend were growing daily as the “terrible disease” took its toll on Melbourne. “There seems to be no reason at the moment for Victoria to end its lockdown with daily record numbers of infections,’’ he said.
The Sandown track is only 25km southeast of the Melbourne CBD, near the epicentre of Victoria’s crisis.
The Sandown 500km race first ran at the circuit in 1964 and has since been one of the fan favourite weekends because of its endurance distance.
The endurance format also makes the event compatible with The Bend, which can be used as a 7.77km circuit, the second longest to GT standard anywhere in the world. Dr Shahin said The Bend would not have a logistic problem hosting the race because it was supposed to be held on the Sandown weekend this year but Supercars management would require a rapid turnaround to change venues.