- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
The V8 Supercars are back on free to air television this weekend as the show heads to Townsville for two 200km races.
Here’s the detail on the start time, the TV and online broadcast and live streaming.
All teams will be chasing down Mark Winterbottom after the Prodrive racer took the championship lead at the last event in Darwin.
Jamie Whincup, who is eighth in the championship, has been the dominant driver around the Reid Park circuit.
He has won seven out of the 13 races at the venue with a 54per cent strike rate. His aim will be to reduce the championship margin with a similar performance this weekend.
Here is what you need to know about the weekend, including a TV guide for the event.
KEY INFORMATION:
Races – 2 x 200km – They are races 16 and 17 of season 2015.
Track Length – 2.85km –70 laps for 200km
Most wins – Jamie Whincup 7
Most poles – Mark Winterbottom 3
Last year’s winners – Race 1 – Jamie Whincup, Race 2 – Garth Tander, Race 3 – Jamie Whincup
TV SCHEDULE:
FOXTEL – Friday 7:00am – 4:00pm, Saturday 7:30am – 5:50pm, Sunday 7:55am – 6:00pm
CHANNEL TEN – Saturday – 12pm – 6pm, Sunday 12pm – 6pm
Support categories – Australian GT Championship, Formula 4, V8 Utes, Porsche Carrera Cup, Dunlop V8 Supercar Series
(All times are in AEST)
THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR:
Can the Holden Racing Team continue their good form in Townsville? This weekend is a big one for the leading factory team of Holden.
To celebrate their 25th anniversary as a team they have gone retro with their livery this weekend.
They have replicated the 1997 paint scheme that was on the Holden Racing Team’s car when Peter Brock raced in his last full season in the Australian Touring Car Championship.
This weekend we're honouring PETER BROCK with this 1997 HRT VS Commodore TRIBUTE LIVERY! #HRT25Years #ibleedred pic.twitter.com/DPYaEcYGvP
— Holden Racing Team (@holden_racing) July 5, 2015
I personally think it is a fantastic livery and a great way to pay tribute to the King of the Mountain. With the special livery this weekend the team will want to do well.
They have certainly arrived at a place that has been good to them recently. In the last five races, they have won two of them, with Garth Tander winning last year and in 2013.
In those two wins Courtney has finished second as the team recorded a one two finish. They have also had seven top five finishes as a team in those five races.
After two horrible events, which saw theteammates collide with each other, they will be looking to replicate the result from the last two years at Townsville again.
With both drivers in contention for the championship, results are vital this weekend.
Can Winterbottom avoid a repeat of 2014?
Heading into Townsville this year, Winterbottom leads the championship by 95 points over Craig Lowndes. This time last year he led by 161 points over the same driver.
By the end of the three races in North Queensland, in 2014, the championship lead was reduced to 96 points over Jamie Whincup.
He struggled for results at Townsville and would lose momentum in the championship. This event moved the pendulum towards the Red Bull Racing team and Prodrive never recovered. As we head into the Townsville event this year he will look to avoid that happening again.
His form in Townsville overall is not that bad with one race win – 2010 race 2 – and three pole positions. With Ford not winning a street race in 58 races – last win was David Reynolds and Dean Canto at Gold Coast in 2013 – Winterbottom needs to deliver a win this weekend.
The key for him is qualifying.
In the second half of the season he struggled and couldn’t recover those positions in the race. This year, as we head into the same stretch, he needs to qualify and race well to maintain his lead. Keeping the momentum at the top is vital for car number five if they want to win their first drivers title.
Welcome to the support category, Formula 4
Australia’s newest category of racing, Formula 4, begins this weekend as the dawn of a new era of open wheel racing begins in Townsville.
13 entries will take to the street circuit as the series heads to seven events during the rest of the V8 Supercar season.
Each circuit, including Townsville, will host three races. The cars, which are built by Mygale, have a 1.6 litre Ford EcoBoost engine. Big things are expected of the series by CAMS, who are funding and running the championship.
It will take time for the series to grow and it will be fascinating to see how they run in race setup this weekend.
Others things to look out for:
Garry Rogers – Saturday’s race will be the 600th for the team in V8 Supercars. The team has won 21 races so far and won the Bathurst 1000 in 2000 with Garth Tander and Jason Bargwanna.
Jason Bright – The Saturday race will also be the 500th for Bright in the V8 Supercars. The 20 time race winner, who won the Bathurst 1000 in 1998, made his debut in 1997.
@teamboc also running a flashback livery for @iJasonBright's 500th race. #V8SC #LetsGoThere pic.twitter.com/tlUX0RXo0E
— Holden Motorsport (@HoldenMsport) July 9, 2015
Stat of the weekend – Just one driver has won a Townsville race from pole position in the 13 races so far. Jamie Whincup – race 1 on Saturday – in 2010 achieved the feat.
Prediction – I predict the Holden Racing Team and Red Bull Racing to come to the front this weekend. They will find form and win one of the two races this weekend. I also see a first time winner winning in Townsville for the first time. Shane Van Gisbergen is due for a win and he does well on street circuits. Look out for him.
Looking for great odds on racing and sport? Get into the action with PlayUp today. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.