Nascar style: Four on floor for busy Supercars
McLaughlin not fazed by perceived heavy workload
Supercars racing is back in action this weekend at Darwin in the first part of four races over four weeks.
In a first for the category, racing kicks off at Hidden Valley and remains at Darwin for the weekend of August 22-23, before zipping over to Townsville for the following fortnight.
It’s a pretty full dance card and a first for the drivers as they prepare to get under way today.
However, series leader New Zealander Scott McLaughlin isn’t too fazed by the perceived heavy workload and is looking forward to seeing how things unfold.
“Obviously this weekend is a very different lead-up for everyone involved,” McLaughlin told the Weekend Herald yesterday.
“Darwin’s not my favourite track but it’s also not my least favourite. The track has always provided good racing and we’ve had really good cars here in the past.
“Every driver wants to be racing every weekend if they can and now we are able to do it.
“I think it’s a smart decision to smash out as many races as we can while we can. We’re all pretty fit as professionals and many of us go karting midweek anyway.”
Covid-19, especially in Australia, has impacted the category hard, with many teams having to relocate from their traditional bases. It’s also got to be hard on the drivers knowing that it’s a weekend-by-weekend movable feast as to what the rest of the racing year will look like.
With McLaughlin leading the championship, it makes him a target for every other team and driver, which is now compounded with having to race four weekends in a row.
“It’s sort of a default once you get into the car. Nothing really matters other than you and the car and going fast. There’s plenty going on and there are a lot of people a lot worse off than we are.
“We are still able to provide business and entertainment for a lot of people, so you get a bit pumped up to do well because you know a lot of eyes are watching. You just get into it [car] and go as fast as you can.”
McLaughlin’s teammate and fellow Kiwi Fabian Coulthard, who sits 11th on the championship table, is looking forward to building on his recent success at Sydney, where he finished on the podium. He likens the next four weeks to Nascar racing.
“It’s going to be short, sharp events from here until the end of the year, so it’s going to make it pretty interesting and give it a bit of a Nascar feel, I think,” said Coulthard.
“We’ve done one week back-toback but I didn’t even do four in a row during my karting days.
“I’m excited. It’s going to be great for the sport and put Supercars on TV and in front of the fans on a weekendby-weekend basis, which I think is important for our category.”
With just four to five days turnaround between events, it may become a headache for team owners, managers and mechanics. Race car drivers aren’t known for holding back in any circumstances, and if someone ends up heavily in the wall, it may prove a problem getting the car ready for the next race.
“As race drivers, you have split seconds to make a decision. You evaluate every passing manoeuvre on its merits and sometimes you make the wrong judgment,” Coulthard said. “You may create a bit of damage but we’re race drivers, and if we didn’t do what we do and make the moves, then we wouldn’t be race drivers.”
Every driver wants to be racing every weekend. I think it’s a smart decision to smash out as many races as we can while we can.
Scott McLaughlin