Tasmania SuperSprint explained

The Tasmania SuperSprint (formally known as the NED Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint) is an annual motor racing event for Supercars, held at Symmons Plains Raceway in Launceston, Tasmania. The event has been a regular part of the Supercars Championship—and its previous incarnations, the Australian Touring Car Championship, Shell Championship Series and V8 Supercars Championship—since 1969.

Behind Sandown Raceway, which has most commonly hosted the Sandown 500 and Sandown SuperSprint, Symmons Plains has hosted the most events in championship history with 49 as of 2022.[1] Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the only hiatus for the event was between 2000 and 2003 during which the circuit received a A$3 million upgrade.[2] The event is seen as one of Tasmania's largest sporting events, providing a variety of benefits to the local economy.

Format

The event is staged over a two-day weekend, from Saturday to Sunday. Two thirty-minute practice sessions are held on Saturday, then a three-part qualifying session is held which decides the grid positions for the following 100 kilometre race. Two separated fifteen-minute qualifying sessions are held on Sunday, which decide the grid for the following 100 km races.[3]

History

When the Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC) was first held over a series of races in 1969, Symmons Plains was included on the calendar as the final race of the series. The race would decide the championship that year, as Alan Hamilton could take the title from Ian Geoghegan if he won the race and Geoghegan failed to score. Geoghegan's car failed to start at the one-minute signal and his pit crew push started the car. This was not allowed under the regulations of the time and Geoghegan was disqualified. Hamilton ended up finishing the race in second place behind Norm Beechey, losing the title to Geoghegan by a single point.[4] After again hosting the final round in 1970, Symmons Plains became the home of the opening round, hosting the first event of the ATCC every year from 1971 to 1981. Allan Moffat and Peter Brock were the most successful drivers at the event in this period, taking seven of the eleven possible victories between them. John Harvey also scored his only two ATCC victories at the event, winning in 1976 and 1979.[5]

In 1985, Robbie Francevic won his and Volvo's first round victory, winning again in 1986.[6] Between 1988 and 1990, Dick Johnson joined Moffat as the only two drivers to win three consecutive rounds at the circuit. In 1993, 1980 Formula One World Champion Alan Jones won his first ATCC round, despite clashes with Mark Skaife, which led to a confrontation after the race, and Wayne Gardner.[7] In the late 1990s, Holden Racing Team dominated the event with four consecutive round wins from 1996 to 1999. During this period, the Symmons Plains event remained in the early part of the ATCC calendar until 1999, when it was moved to August. The Government of Tasmania didn't renew the event's contract after 1999 and the race dropped off the calendar in 2000.[2]

Following the completion of a circuit upgrade in 2004, which included the construction of permanent pit lane facilities and a resurfacing of the track, a new deal was struck to bring the event back onto the calendar in November of the same year.[8] Tasmanian driver Marcos Ambrose went into the 2004 event attempting to seal a back-to-back championship victory, until an engine failure in the third and final race of the weekend delayed his coronation as champion. David Besnard and three other drivers benefited from a fortuitous late-race safety car to jump to the front of the field, before the four drivers were then demoted to the back of the field at a subsequent safety car due to confusion regarding the standings. Several days later, Besnard was credited with the win, the only win for WPS Racing.[9] Initially on its return, the event was generally held towards the end of the season, often as the penultimate event, until a move to the early stages of the championship calendar in 2012.

Between 2007 and 2015, Jamie Whincup and Triple Eight Race Engineering dominated the event with six wins. This has seen Whincup surpass Brock as the most successful driver in the event's history. In 2013, Fabian Coulthard won Brad Jones Racing their first championship round, winning two races with team-mate Jason Bright winning the other. In 2017, the Saturday race was suspended after two laps due to a twelve car pile-up in wet conditions. While the race later briefly restarted under safety car, no championship points were awarded due to the short distance completed, however Shane van Gisbergen was still credited with a race victory.[10] In 2018, a three-stage knockout qualifying system was introduced to the championship at Symmons Plains to reduce the risks of traffic.[11] Craig Lowndes won the round, his last round win as a solo driver, and his first at the circuit since 1998.[12]

The 2020 event was postponed until November to the COVID-19 pandemic, before later being cancelled altogether.[13] [14] [15] [16]

Winners

YearDriverTeam/EntrantCarReport
1969 Norm BeecheyNorm BeecheyHolden HK Monaro GTS327
1970 Jim McKeownShell Racing TeamPorsche 911
1971 Allan MoffatAllan Moffat RacingFord Boss 302 Mustang
1972 Allan MoffatAllan Moffat RacingFord Boss 302 Mustang
1973 Allan MoffatFord Works TeamFord XY Falcon GTHO Phase III
1974 Peter BrockHolden Dealer TeamHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-1
1975 Colin BondHolden Dealer TeamHolden Torana L34
1976 John HarveyB&D AutosHolden Torana L34
1977 Allan MoffatAllan Moffat RacingFord XB Falcon GT
1978 Peter BrockHolden Dealer TeamHolden LX Torana SLR A9X
1979 John HarveyHolden Dealer TeamHolden LX Torana SS A9X
1980 Peter BrockHolden Dealer TeamHolden VB Commodore
1981 Dick JohnsonDick Johnson RacingFord XD Falcon
1982 Peter BrockHolden Dealer TeamHolden VC Commodore
1983 Allan GriceRoadways RacingHolden VH Commodore
1984 Peter BrockHolden Dealer TeamHolden VH Commodore
1985 Robbie FrancevicMark Petch MotorsportVolvo 240T
1986 Robbie FrancevicVolvo Dealer TeamVolvo 240T
1987 George FuryGibson MotorsportNissan Skyline DR30
1988 Dick JohnsonDick Johnson RacingFord Sierra RS500
1989 Dick JohnsonDick Johnson RacingFord Sierra RS500
1990 Dick JohnsonDick Johnson RacingFord Sierra RS500
1991 Jim RichardsGibson MotorsportNissan Skyline R32 GT-R
1992 Glenn SetonGlenn Seton RacingFord Sierra RS500
1993 Alan JonesGlenn Seton RacingFord EB Falcon
1994 Mark SkaifeGibson MotorsportHolden VP CommodoreReport
1995 John BoweDick Johnson RacingFord EF FalconReport
1996 Craig LowndesHolden Racing TeamHolden VR Commodore
1997 Greg MurphyHolden Racing TeamHolden VS Commodore
1998 Craig LowndesHolden Racing TeamHolden VT Commodore
1999 Mark SkaifeHolden Racing TeamHolden VT CommodoreReport
2000

2003
not held
2004 Russell IngallStone Brothers RacingFord BA Falcon
2005 Garth TanderHSV Dealer TeamHolden VZ Commodore
2006 Garth TanderHSV Dealer TeamHolden VZ Commodore
2007 Jamie WhincupTriple Eight Race EngineeringFord BF FalconReport
2008 Jamie WhincupTriple Eight Race EngineeringFord BF FalconReport
2009 Will DavisonHolden Racing TeamHolden VE CommodoreReport
2010 Mark WinterbottomFord Performance RacingFord FG Falcon
2011 Jamie WhincupTriple Eight Race EngineeringHolden VE Commodore
2012 Jamie WhincupTriple Eight Race EngineeringHolden VE CommodoreReport
2013 Fabian CoulthardBrad Jones RacingHolden VF CommodoreReport
2014 Jamie WhincupTriple Eight Race EngineeringHolden VF CommodoreReport
2015 Jamie WhincupTriple Eight Race EngineeringHolden VF CommodoreReport
2016 Will DavisonTekno AutosportsHolden VF CommodoreReport
2017 Fabian CoulthardDJR Team PenskeFord FG X FalconReport
2018 Craig LowndesTriple Eight Race EngineeringHolden ZB CommodoreReport
2019 Shane van GisbergenTriple Eight Race EngineeringHolden ZB CommodoreReport
2020not held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Jamie WhincupTriple Eight Race EngineeringHolden ZB Commodore
2022 Shane van GisbergenTriple Eight Race EngineeringHolden ZB CommodoreReport
2023 Will BrownErebus MotorsportChevrolet Camaro ZL1-1LE
2024 Cameron WatersTickford RacingFord Mustang GT

Multiple winners

By driver

WinsDriverYears
7 Jamie Whincup2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2021
5 Peter Brock1974, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984
4 Allan Moffat1971, 1972, 1973, 1977
Dick Johnson1981, 1988, 1989, 1990
3 Craig Lowndes1996, 1998, 2018
2 John Harvey1976, 1979
Robbie Francevic1985, 1986
Mark Skaife1994, 1999
Garth Tander2005, 2006
Will Davison2009, 2016
Fabian Coulthard2013, 2017
Shane van Gisbergen2019, 2022

By team

WinsTeam
10Triple Eight Race Engineering
7Holden Dealer Team
6DJR Team Penske
5Holden Racing Team
3Allan Moffat Racing
Gibson Motorsport
2Glenn Seton Racing
HSV Dealer Team
Tickford Racing

By manufacturer

WinsManufacturer
28Holden
17Ford
2Volvo
Nissan
Notes

Event names and sponsors

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Fast Facts: Tyrepower Tasmania SuperSprint . V8 Supercars . 28 March 2016 . 28 March 2016.
  2. News: Supercars boss gives rev-up on new deal with Tasmanian Government . . Bresnehan . James . 28 March 2014 . 5 April 2017.
  3. https://www.supercars.com/news/championship/2023-tasmania-supersprint-track-schedule-locked-in/ Tasmania SuperSprint track schedule locked in
  4. Book: The official history: Australian Touring Car Championship - 50 Years . Greenhalgh . David . Howard . Graham . Wilson . Stewart . Chevron Publishing Group . 2011 . 978-0-9805912-2-4 . St Leonards, New South Wales.
  5. News: Adam . Mitchell . Symmons Plains through 50 years . 3 April 2019 . Supercars . 3 April 2019 . en.
  6. News: Saturday Sleuthing: Francevic's Volvo Title-Winner! . 23 March 2019 . Supercars.com . 9 August 2014 . en.
  7. News: Phelps . James . Dale . William . The 25 biggest V8 blues . 23 March 2019 . The Advertiser (Adelaide) . 9 August 2013 . en.
  8. Web site: Symmons Plains . RacingCircuits.info . 8 July 2015.
  9. News: Bartholomaeus . Stefan . Flashback: Symmons Plains' unlikeliest winner . 18 August 2019 . Supercars . 4 April 2018 . en.
  10. Web site: Massive shunt halts Supercars race in Tasmania. van Leeuwen. Andrew. 8 April 2017. Motorsport.com. 9 April 2017.
  11. Web site: Supercars Revise Qualifying Format for Short Tracks. 20 December 2017. Auto Action. 4 April 2018.
  12. News: Geale . Hamish . Lowndes breaks drought with Symmons Plains domination . 23 March 2019 . The Examiner (Tasmania) . 8 April 2018 . en.
  13. News: Supercars postpones three events, launches Eseries . 23 March 2020 . Supercars . 17 March 2020 . en.
  14. News: Chapman . Simon . Supercars releases revised 13-round 2020/21 calendar . 17 May 2020 . Speedcafe . 17 May 2020.
  15. News: Chapman . Simon . Supercars confirms double-header at The Bend . 30 August 2020 . Speedcafe . 30 August 2020.
  16. News: Chapman . Simon . Supercars reveals long awaited 2021 calendar . 3 December 2020 . . 2 December 2020.