By Matthew Agius
The V8 Supercar Championship Series travels to Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast for the support race for the Lexmark Indy 300, with a title fight set to boil over in the concrete barriers of the popular Queensland street circuit.
The final Queensland based event for the 2006 championship, the Gillette V8 Supercar Challenge incorporates three races across the weekend, with practice and qualifying on the preceding Friday. Coming off the enduros and an ultra short turnaround period for many teams, this is a critical round for many teams and drivers and indeed the top teams battling for the championship. Historically, this round became an official championship round in 2003, after several years as a support race in much the same capacity of the V8s at the Australian Grand Prix.
With the championship exiting the drop-worst round factor, reverse-grid racing has also been abolished as of this weekend. The circuit is one that is a real challenge for drivers. Thankfully the race format is of three sprints, however the concrete barriers are very close to the narrow track. With other street circuits in the series such as Adelaide having clearly defined concrete barriers and corners, and the Australian Grand Prix having sand traps to save cars from crashes, Surfers is unbelievably difficult to drive on, with no salvation for driver error or being punted into any of these walls. Qualifying here is prime, and not finishing well will cost you.
Team Betta Electrical were the standouts last year at this circuit, although that may be because of Craig Lowndes, who also drove incredibly well in 2004 with Ford Performance Racing. Based on their previous form this year FPR should do well too, as should the Toll HSV Dealer Team who won here several times with Greg Murphy as Kmart Racing.
Lowndes is looking forward to consolidating his championship team this weekend after winning the Supercheap Auto 1000 with teammate Jamie Whincup.
![Lowndes/Whincup - Team Betta Electrical Falcon [Pic credit: Ford]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/272467.jpg)
