Clipsal 500 to start the 2017 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship season
The Virgin Australia Supercars Championship starts with a bang on the streets of Adelaide this week.
With more than 270,000 fans expected to watch the first event of the year it will be back to the future for this year’s event, with the return of two 250-kilometre races held on Saturday and Sunday.
For the first time two Top 10 Shootouts will determine the ARMOR ALL Pole Position for both races.
The weekend’s racing will include a number of milestones:
Simona De Silvestro becomes first full-time female driver in the Supercars era in car #78 (Nissan).
16-year-old Alex Rullo becomes the youngest driver to race in the 58-year history of the VASC (Australian Touring Car Championship), for Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport.
Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport starts its 100th Virgin Australia Supercars Championship round at the site of its maiden race win last year when Nick Percat led the field across the line.Chaz Mostert (Supercheap Auto Racing) makes his 50th start.
James Moffat (Wilson Security GRM) makes his 200th start.
Nine Supercars make their debut (Triple Eight, Garry Rogers Motorsport, Prodrive, Erebus, Nissan and DJR Team Penske).
A number of drivers have changed teams for 2017, in a bid to claim the championship from defending Champion, Shane Van Gisbergen.
Fans at the Clipsal 500 will get the first opportunity to see drivers with their new teams, including:
Garth Tander – the three-time Bathurst champion who has returned to where it all began with Garry Rogers Motorsport after nine seasons with the Holden Racing Team.
Scott Pye – After two seasons with DJR Team Penkse, Pye will race alongside James Courtney with Walkinshaw Racing.
Nick Percat – The defending Clipsal 500 Champion has joined the Brad Jones Racing Team after two seasons with Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport.
Jason Bright – After seven years at Brad Jones Racing, the veteran has moved to Prodrive.
Holden has been the dominant force at the Clipsal 500 in recent years having topped the podium every year since 2013.
With no Clipsal 500 producing a 100 percent finish rate, drivers will be hoping the new Dunlop soft and super-soft tyres will help usher in a new era for the event which enters its 19th year.
The event also features local hip hop success stories The Hilltop Hoods, Baby Animals and Hunters and Collectors.
This is the 14th time the event has kicked off a new Virgin Australia Supercars Championship year.
Daily Video News Releases (VNRs) with vision from the Clipsal 500 Adelaide will be sent to media from Wednesday. For further information regarding interviews/vision please contact Supercars Media.
Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=23546.msg116111#msg116111
