Bright lights of the night on the cards for track future
SUPERCARS will hold a night test at Eastern Creek tomorrow as part of plans to light up the track next year in a midweek evening race.
Chief executive James Warburton confirmed Supercars was looking to follow the worldwide trend of creating a short-format version of its sport that could be staged midweek and under lights.
Temporary floodlights will be set up around sections of the western Sydney track tomorrow night when Ford driver Fabian Coulthard and Nissan’s Simona De Silvestro take part in a three-hour trial.
Warburton, speaking before this weekend’s round at Eastern Creek, said he was intent on night racing in Sydney.
“We want to create something unique and we are always looking to innovate and grow the sport,” he said.
“The runaway success of the Big Bash has shown people are looking for new, short forms of sporting entertainment, without necessarily taking away the traditions of the sport.
“Cricket has suddenly found a whole new audience and, importantly, encouraged kids to grab a bat and a ball.
“And the Big Bash lives comfortably within the traditional fabric of the game.
“This is the first step in testing a series of different light sources with real race cars at real race speed.’’
Supercars has not raced under lights in Australia since 1996, when the championship went to Calder Raceway.
The most recent night race was held in Abu Dhabi at Formula One’s purpose-built Yas Marina course.
“If you recall when we raced under lights in Abu Dhabi (in 2010-12), the cars were absolutely amazing,’’ Warburton said.
“That’s clearly on of the best facilities in the world.
“Our lighting will certainly not be that good, but we hope good enough to tick the right boxes.’’
Warburton confirmed a championship night race could be held in Sydney as soon as next year.
“It will be a maximum of a three-hour event in 2018,’’ he said. “It will count for championship points and most likely we will be looking to run the event on a Thursday night.
“At this stage it’s all conceptual, but if the test is successful we want it in the schedule for 2018 and beyond.”