The Five Pillars

[GTRMagic]

Across the Eastern Creek round weekend, Mr Warburton apparently outlined his vision for the Supercar business for the future.

The story goes that there is a 5 different series as pillars moving forward:
- Supercar (Virgin Australia SuperCar series)
- Super2 (Dunlop Super2 SuperCar series)
- AusGT (Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour, AusGT Sprint series, AusGT Endurance series, AusGT Trophy series)
- Superutes (East Coast Bullbars series)
- Super 5000 (TBA series)

If the rose coloured glasses go away, if disbelief is suspended for a moment, you can see the almost limitless possibilities here.

There is currently in place for 2017:
- 15 rounds of the VASC series (with 16 planned for next year)
- 7 rounds of the Super2 series (with 8 planned for next year)
- The Bathurst 12 hour
- 5 rounds of the AusGT sprint series
- 4 rounds of the AusGT endurance series
- 5 rounds of the AusGT trophy series
- 8 rounds of the SuperUte series
- Super 5000 to be advised

Along with Carrera Cup with their new 2018 911 model, Aussie Racing Cars, Kumho series touring cars, F4, Sports Sedans, Formula Ford and others… there is a LOT to see here.

The potential is definitely there to run as many as 25 weekends a year of motorsport across the country, across the world… and not all Supercar led…

We might even get back to having Super2 in its own standalone events again, perhaps as part of the GT programs.

Imagine 25 solid weekends of motorsport in a year with a decent roster of categories, created to enhance all the categories, run to the same professional standard...

It is more than possible...

[mceci1]

It has a lot of potential, I assume some people though wont like it and bash out on V8s on social media. As long as there are sponsors keeping it viable of course its a good idea

[mtpanorama]

Super 2 back to Wakefield Park. That used to be a great weekend.

[Average Punter]

Agreed. Had a great day there years ago when Paul Dumbrell and Leanne Ferrier (now Tander) were duking it out. Konica series I think..

[Umai Naa]

I went to one there back in '01/'02.

Perhaps with the smaller grids and consolidated teams, they might just be able to fit in the paddock neatly?

[Trev Campbell]

Agree, The Konica stand alone round at Mallala used to draw a fair crowd and was always a good day. Plus it was great fun to drive the car right up to the circuit and sit on your esky and not be reamed by the price of food and drink.

[peckstar]

Think I am a fan of this idea, Gives the GT3 guys some more events where they can have more track time, combined with some Dunlop races has the potential to create some more crowd attending events (even if they are not massive crowds

As long as they can keep prices in check

[Compromised]

Will it be possible for the Super5000 to headline an event? Hard to gauge interest other than social media ATM, but maybe that's a possibility also

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by mtpanorama

Super 2 back to Wakefield Park. That used to be a great weekend.

except it continually ran at a loss for WP, if I remember correctly BAC gave it (the Knoica's) the arse when they took over the track

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by Compromised

Will it be possible for the Super5000 to headline an event? Hard to gauge interest other than social media ATM, but maybe that's a possibility also

I would think so on the assumption the can get enough following and enough cars on the track.

time will tell on that

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by Trevor

except it continually ran at a loss for WP, if I remember correctly BAC gave it (the Knoica's) the arse when they took over the track

Fujitsu series still ran at Wakefield in 2008 (Winton took over in 2007) but the whole series was moved over to run as a support for the 2009 Main Game, at the request of the Fujitsu series teams, who wanted to be part of the larger events.

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by Tourer

Fujitsu series still ran at Wakefield in 2008 (Winton took over in 2007) but the whole series was moved over to run as a support for the 2009 Main Game, at the request of the Fujitsu series teams, who wanted to be part of the larger events.

You have your version, I have mine

[Umai Naa]

It was probably a combination of both.

However, there were many reasons as to why S2 now runs entirely on the maingame schedule. Mostly around exposure to crowds and media, and the logistics of it.

[Trevor]

Back in the day even running the main game was marginal for tracks, the 2nd tier on their own was a financial disaster for the tracks, they just couldn't sustain the loss, I know for a fact that the tracks pushed hard for the 2nd tier to be included with the main game.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by Trevor

Back in the day even running the main game was marginal for tracks, the 2nd tier on their own was a financial disaster for the tracks, they just couldn't sustain the loss, I know for a fact that the tracks pushed hard for the 2nd tier to be included with the main game.

If Supercar rents the track, and takes in all of the financial burden & risk, the circuit should be fine with that.

Supercar has shown its interest & intention to do that.

The past is now gone....

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

If Supercar rents the track, and takes in all of the financial burden & risk, the circuit should be fine with that.

Supercar has shown its interest & intention to do that.

The past is now gone....

in my last stint on BAC that option was offered to V8SC and they (V8SC) refused. To my knowledge Winton is still the only circuit to 'promote' their own event, all the rest are done by either SCA themselves or a Government of some description, I will stand corrected though, it has been a while

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by Trevor

in my last stint on BAC that option was offered to V8SC and they V8SC refused. To my knowledge Winton is still the only circuit to 'promote' their own event, all the rest are done by either SCA themselves or a Government of some description, I will stand corrected though, it has been a while

clipsal still promote their own event, But nearly all are done now in house at Supercars

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by peckstar

clipsal still promote their own event, But nearly all are done now in house at Supercars

no doubting your words, but isn't the S.A. Government the promoter?

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by Trevor

no doubting your words, but isn't the S.A. Government the promoter?

correct, the South Australian Tourism Commission to be exact. so not Supercars

Darwin is the Northern Territory Major Events Company Pty Ltd

Wasnt disagreeing with you, just adding more info

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by Umai Naa

It was probably a combination of both.

However, there were many reasons as to why S2 now runs entirely on the maingame schedule. Mostly around exposure to crowds and media, and the logistics of it.

Yep, the teams wanted to run with the main game (they'd already had experience of that at Clipsal for a few years plus QR), the extra weekends were increasing staff workloads and costs for V8s and as Trevor has said, some or all circuits previously hosting standalone Fujitsu series events preferred to roll them into the main game events or in the case of such as Wakefield with no main game event, cease to run the Fujitsu event.

Moving the 2nd series to a main game support suited everyone.

[one five five]

Where is CAMS in all this? Shouldn't "five pillars" of motor sport be a CAMS responsibility?

I find it hard to believe they will bother with any non-VASC weekends outside the B12hr,
Not enough people attend anything else to make promoting it worthwhile.

[bludvl_x19]

Originally Posted by one five five

Where is CAMS in all this? Shouldn't "five pillars" of motor sport be a CAMS responsibility?

That's the best question without an answer yet. If Supercars becomes this behemoth it poses two scenarios. The first is that it becomes too big to fail, and does anyway, irreparably destroying circuit racing in this country. The second (and possibly more worrying to those in Malvern East) is that if Supercars becomes motorsport in Australia, do they need CAMS anymore?

Originally Posted by one five five

I find it hard to believe they will bother with any non-VASC weekends outside the B12hr,
Not enough people attend anything else to make promoting it worthwhile.

It's a chicken and egg thing. Promote it, and people will come. Don't promote it, and noone knows about it and they don't come.

[Umai Naa]

I've always thought CAMS should be only a governing body and event underwriter (insurance).

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by one five five

Where is CAMS in all this? Shouldn't "five pillars" of motor sport be a CAMS responsibility?

Totally get your point if Mr Warburton had allegedly been referring to motorsport generally but he wasn't. He was referring to the five pillars of the Supercars events business.

At some point Supercars will need to deal with CAMS on how it all works but it also is a fair chance that Supercars already has, or is working on commercial agreements with the category managers of the mentioned series.

In some ways it's similar to the announced CBS buyout of Network 10 - the commercial deal has been announced but it still requires regulatory approval before proceeding and CAMS is of course a regulator.

[Trevor]

I can tell you that there was a time when V8SC's looked at giving CAMS the arse and going it alone, basically sanctioning (and getting their own insurance) their own events, but the overseas events squashed that as they needed the FIA link

It was at a time when CAMS stewards (and some rulings) where driving V8SC's nuts

Remember that Supercar testing was (and maybe still is) done under AASA