Photos: Edge Photographics In what has proven to be one of the Repco Supercars Championship’s most competitive seasons in recent times, the battle continues this weekend at Sydney Motorsport Park.
As it stands, there are four drivers in direct contention for the title following an epic weekend in Townsville earlier this month, and for the third time this year, there is a new championship leader.
Will Brown moved to the top of the standings at the expense of Brodie Kostecki in Townsville after winning his third race of the year, while a pair of top five finishes to both Broc Feeney and Shane van Gisbergen kept them within 100 points of the leader.
However, while the title fight between the four will undoubtedly continue at this week’s Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight, there are plenty of other exciting stories unfolding.
Firstly, the seventh event of Australia’s premier motorsport category for 2023 will boast an exciting roster of six categories, along with a good cause for the round’s official charity, Black Dog Institute.
Unlike the Townsville 500, there will be no Top 10 Shootouts, however there will be two races across the weekend, with one under lights on Saturday and a second race on Sunday afternoon.
Two drivers who have already notched up wins this year are van Gisbergen and Anton De Pasquale – the duo likely to be in contention for more victories.
Coming off his first win of the season from Townsville, De Pasquale’s Race 17 win gave him some hope of salvaging a difficult season this far, and what better way to continue the resurgence than to head to a circuit where he has won five times and gained a further three podiums over the last two seasons.
van Gisbergen is the other driver who has enjoyed a stellar run in Eastern Creek in recent times, having picked up four wins and six podiums.
Add the fact that the reigning champion has won the most night races of any other driver in Supercars/Australian Touring Cars Championship history, including at last year’s Sydney SuperNight, then it is likely he will be eager to add to his three 2023 victories.
Finally, one of the most intriguing elements for this weekend will be the variety of strategies teams will look to implement with two different race formats.
Saturday’s night spectacle will see drivers tackle a 51-lap race under lights before a 36-lap race on Sunday rounds out the weekend. Drivers will be required to make at least one compulsory pit stop in each race, with Saturday night’s outing to include refuelling.
Aside from the weekend on track action, the event will also feature Merchandise Alley, complimentary paddock access for all ticket holders, Family Zone, glow in the dark face painting, the Matt Hall Aerial Show, and on-track signing sessions for 30 minutes on Saturday and Sunday.
Tickets for the event are still available for purchase, and more information, including a track map and detailed schedule can be found on the Supercars website.
The Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight takes place at Sydney Motorsport Park on 28-30 July.
Schedule
Saturday 29 July
12:15pm-12:45pm Practice 1
2:10pm-2:40pm Practice 2
4:45pm-5:35pm ARMOR ALL Qualifying – Race 18
7:05pm-9:30pm Race 18
Sunday 30 July
12:35pm-12:50pm ARMOR ALL Qualifying – Race 19
3:30pm-4:45pm Race 19
The Top 10 After Townsville
Will Brown – 1357 points
Brodie Kostecki – 1350 points
Broc Feeney – 1331 points
Shane van Gisbergen – 1285 points
Chaz Mostert – 1114 points
Andre Heimgartner – 1107 points
Cam Waters – 1048 points
Jack Le Brocq – 961 points
Will Davison – 922 points
Mark Winterbottom – 888 points
Support Categories
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge
TGRA 86 Series
SuperUte Series
S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship.
Fanetec GT World Challenge Australia – powered by AWS
Entry List
Walkinshaw Andretti United
#2 Ford Mustang GT – Nick Percat
#25 Ford Mustang GT – Chaz Mostert
Tim Blanchard Racing
#3 Ford Mustang GT – Todd Hazelwood
Brad Jones Racing
#4 Chevrolet Camaro – Jack Smith
#8 Chevrolet Camaro – Andre Heimgartner
#14 Chevrolet Camaro – Bryce Fullwood
#96 Chevrolet Camaro – Macauley Jones
Tickford Racing
#5 Ford Mustang GT – James Courtney
#50 Ford Mustang GT – Cameron Waters
#55 Ford Mustang GT – Thomas Randle
#56 Ford Mustang GT – Declan Fraser
Grove Racing
#19 Ford Mustang GT – Matthew Payne
#26 Ford Mustang GT – David Reynolds
Erebus Motorsport
#9 Chevrolet Camaro – Will Brown
#99 Chevrolet Camaro – Brodie Kostecki
Dick Johnson Racing
#11 Ford Mustang GT – Anton De Pasquale
#17 Ford Mustang GT – Will Davison
Team 18
#18 Chevrolet Camaro – Mark Winterbottom
#20 Chevrolet Camaro – Scott Pye
PremiAir Racing
#23 Chevrolet Camaro – Tim Slade
#31 Chevrolet Camaro – James Golding
Matt Stone Racing
#34 Chevrolet Camaro – Jack Le Brocq
#35 Chevrolet Camaro – Cameron Hill
Triple Eight Race Engineering
#88 Chevrolet Camaro – Broc Feeney
#97 Chevrolet Camaro – Shane van Gisbergen
Keyword: Supercars gearing up for exciting SuperNight under lights