V8’s grand plan for its own ‘Grand Slam’

Vodafone Triple 8 V8 Supercar - Photo by Scott Gick

V8 Supercar drivers have an extra reason to be motivated for four of the biggest races this season – 2.5 million reasons, to be exact. Should a driver win the Clipsal 500, Bathurst 1000, Gold Coast SuperCarnivale and the Sydney 500, they’ll win the ‘V8 Grand Slam’ and one of the biggest paydays in Australian sport – a cheque for $2.5 million.

It’s an intriguing concept, adding an extra dimension to the V8 Supercar season.

Can it be won?

It’s certainly difficult, combining three of the most challenging street circuits on the calendar and two events that will involve a co-driver.

Two-time V8 champ Jamie Whincup has already said it can’t be done, while Garth Tander claims the prospect of a driver being in the running for the prize will at least boost the categories profile at home and abroad.

It will certainly be an additional focal point for the series, elevating the four races’ stature even more from the rest in the championship, with the sheer size of the prize impressive amongst the relatively modest financial rewards typically offered in Australian sports (in that sense, V8 Supercars is further modelling itself on its American counterpart, NASCAR, rather than its fellow Australian sporting codes).

Will the ‘Grand Slam’ help the V8s in its attempts to breakthrough the Australian mainstream?

It’ll at least help in terms of recognition. But other calendar concerns continue to trouble the series.

The concept was announced on the day when the category confirmed it will take the promotional reins of the Surfers Paradise street race, now called the Gold Coast SuperCarnivale (I know, who comes up with these names?), saving the event that made its name with IndyCars and was last year a V8 Supercar-only weekend when the A1 GP series, plagued by debt, failed to show.

The Surfers V8 weekend will become the third endurance race on the V8 calendar, following on from the Phillip Island 500 and Bathurst 1000, with two drivers – internationals set to be recruited for the event – in each car in two 300km races.

Drivers already confirmed include former F1 drivers such as David Brabham, Mark Blundell and Christian Fittipaldi, with the rest to be announced along with the definitive race format at the event’s launch in April.

The concept is a noble effort by V8 Supercars to fill the international void left by the absence of IndyCars (and A1 GP, although their presence was never felt!), appeasing the State Government. But V8 Supercar risks confusing the casual sporting punter with another unique race format added to a series resorting to more gimmicks, be they different race formats, soft-tyre options and pitstops, to try and spice up the product.

The continuation of a round at Surfers Paradise for the next two years at least secures one of the series’ marquee events; one that it could not afford to lose.

With a deal also reached with Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale and the Queensland State Government to save the race at the Queensland Raceway this season, the series can finally head into its season with a definitive 15-round championship calendar.

But for a season that begins in February and ends in December – to maximise the exposure of races from Bathurst on, which occur after the AFL season – the 15-round calendar is stretched to the max.

The series will take a two-month mid-season break this season – introduced not only as a chance to force the industry (particularly team personnel) into a much-deserved break considering an off-season is practically non-existent, but also to condense the rest of the championship so rounds are fortnightly at best.

But how will the series, struggling to force itself into the media spotlight, overcome that concern when there are such gaps in the calendar?

The ‘Grand Slam’ at least ties together four of the biggest events on the calendar, and is another story ark that will carry throughout the season.

And should Whincup or another driver go into the final round on the streets of Homebush with a chance to win the ‘Grand Slam’ and take home $2.5 million, you feel more people will be watching V8 Supercars than ever before.