SvG breaks Mustang’s stranglehold

The bumper turnout for the weekend’s supercars cemented it as the state’s most popular sporting event, putting more bums on seats than any AFL game or Big Bash cricket.

THERE’S a sure-fire way to make a motor race more exciting, just add water, and while the wintery conditions created amazing racing at Symmons Plains yesterday it did not stop another bumper crowd turning out to see round three of the Australian supercars championship.

Tasmania’s biggest annual sporting event attracted 16,008 on Friday, 19,034 on Saturday and 19,884 yesterday for a total 54,926 – only 466 fewer than last year.

Given the cool and showery day, Supercars Australia boss Sean Seamer was delighted with a sea of motor fans at the track.

The bumper turnout cemented the supercars as the state’s most popular sporting event, putting more bums on seats than any AFL game or Big Bash cricket, and injects an estimated $12-$15 million a year into the economy.

“It’s great for the championship to come to a nice old-fashion race track after being on street circuits in Adelaide and Melbourne,” Seamer said.

“It’s good to be at a dedicated circuit.

“We’ve had some great racing, good Tasmanian hospitality, some scallop pies – everyone is really happy with how the event has gone

“The TV ratings and the attendance are really good too, so all-round it’s another great round in Tassie.”

For the second day on a row the hill was awash with people perched on foldup camp chairs and showing allegiances with team colours.

Unlike Saturday when jackets were the hot item, yesterday it was umbrellas and beanies.

“It’s great to see the fans enjoying themselves and the fact they’ve come out on a cold windy day shows how much they love their motorsport down here,” Seamer said.

“This is a great, tight circuit and it bunches the cars up, and the racing shows that the product is good and the closeness of the racing puts on a pretty great show.”

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Supercars Australia is about the finalise a deal with the State Government for anther five-year agreement to guarantee the event keeps coming until 2024, well past the existing AFL deal with Hawthorn and North Melbourne, which expire in 2021.

“Tasmania is a really important motorsport stronghold, it’s important to the national positioning of our sport and the fact that we go racing everywhere is a source of pride for us,” Seamer said.

“We look forward to coming here for many years to come.”

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