RACING: Big motor events on the way for Tasmania next year with supercars round confirmed

Tasmania’s round of the supercars was cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the state is set to see plenty of action in 2021 when the V8s return. KICK OFF DATE >>

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TASMANIA has two blockbuster motorsport events on the way next year with the state’s round of the supercars championship confirmed for Symmons Plains Raceway on April 10-11 on top of the new Festival of Motorsport event at Symmons and Baskerville in January.

Organisers say the two events will inject millions of dollars into the Tasmanian economy at both ends of the state.

Tasmania’s biggest sporting event, attracting more than 50,000 people to the three-day high-octane motorsport meeting, the supercars were cancelled due to the intensifying COVID-19 pandemic two weeks before this year’s event was to take place.

An outbreak in Melbourne and three Formula One team members testing positive at the Australian Grand Prix, where the supercar field had gathered to contest round two of its championship, made Symmons Plains one of the first major events to be cancelled.

Shane van Gisbergen wins the Tyrepower Tasmania SuperSprint Event 3 of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, Symmons Plains Raceway, Tasmania. Australia. 7th April 2019. Picture: MARK HORSBURGH

Next year’s round will be the first time in two years the supercars have raced in the state, meaning Tassie fans missed the chance to farewell Holden in its final year in the sport.

The demise of the Adelaide round means the supercars championship will now start at Mount Panorama with the Bathurst 500, then head to Melbourne as a support round at the F1s, and then to Tasmania for the first of six Super Sprint rounds.

Supercars CEO Sean Seamer said next year’s calendar was a win for fans following the challenges of COVID-19.

“It is important to us to ensure the 2021 calendar features as much certainty for fans as we can provide given the current COVID-19 restrictions in each state and territory,” Seamer said.

“We’re thrilled that next year we can deliver two events at Mount Panorama, including the season opener in February.

“We are still working with all government partners on fan limits for each event, but we are confident of strong crowd numbers across Australia and New Zealand, in line with the current loosening of restrictions.”

Confirmation of the supercars comes as organisers of the Festival of Motorsport prepare to make more announcements on their event – the TRC Series for two-litre touring cars, the S5000 open-wheelers, roaring Trans Am championship and Touring Car Masters.

All four categories will open their 2021 seasons at Symmons Plains from January 24-26, with on-track action on both the Monday and Tuesday televised live on the Seven Network.

Four days later (January 30-31), Hobart’s Baskerville Raceway will witness the return of the Tasmanian Ten Thousand - a historic Baskerville race previously contested by Sports Sedans, and restored in 2021 as a marquee event for national Trans Am competitors with $30,000 prizemoney on the line.

The Baskerville event will also feature non-championship racing for TCR Australia - a hark back to the touring car invitational races last seen at Baskerville in 1984 - and demonstration laps for the thundering S5000 open wheelers.

State categories – Improved Production, HQ Holdens and Excels – will add local flavour to both events as support categories.

Originally published as RACING: Big motor events on the way for Tasmania next year with supercars round confirmed