With such drivers making the step up to the top level, including 2005 champion Dean Canto (Team Repco Valvoline Cummins), Warren Luff (Fujitsu Racing), Jose Fernandez (Fujitsu Racing) and Lee Holdsworth (Team Repco Valvoline Cummins), the series has the knack of producing better racing than its more challenging big brother.
The series is also the only of the two that allows the entry of privateers, and the category will this year boast one of its largest private entry contingents for some time.
Several operations also boast talent worthy of main game seats, and it is these driver who are likely to contest the championship.
2005 competitor Adam Macrow continues to drive for Howard Racing in the series and is championship favourite after the signing of Dean Canto and Warren Luff to main game teams. In his own right, Macrow would have got a top seat had more been available – his talent is top quality and his determination is unrivalled in this series.
His competition this year is less challenging than last, but may spring a few surprises on him. Dick Johnson Racing’s Grant Denyer has become team leader after Canto’s departure, but for the Channel 7 Sunrise weatherman, he is still developing his skills in a V8 – that said, he will probably finish in the top five of the championship, as will Brad Jones Racing’s Gary MacDonald who won last year’s Privateers’ Cup, and Holden’s front runner Tony D’Alberto of GMAC Racing. The likes of Mark Porter and Chris Pither may also take a few wins, with Perkins Engineering and the two youth development Falcons for Dick Johnson Racing.
Both championships will kick off at the Clipsal 500 Adelaide in late March, with the V8 Supercar Series running through to the Grand Finale in December.
V8 Supercar Championship Series
Rd 1: Clipsal 500 Adelaide, 23 Mar - 26 Mar 2006
N/C: Australian Grand Prix Support, 30 Mar - 2 Apr 2006
Rd 2: Placemakers V8 New Zealand, 21 Apr - 23 Apr 2006
Rd 3: V8 400 Perth, 12 May - 14 May 2006
Rd 4: Winton Raceway, 2 Jun - 4 Jun 2006
Rd 5: Skycity Triple Crown Darwin, 30 Jun - 2 Jul 2006
Rd 6: Queensland 280, 21 Jul - 23 Jul 2006
Rd 7: Oran Park Raceway, 11 Aug - 13 Aug 2006
Rd 8: Betta Electrical 500, 8 Sep - 10 Sep 2006
Rd 9: Super Cheap Auto 1000, 5 Oct - 8 Oct 2006
Rd 10: Gillette V8 Challenge, 19 Oct - 22 Oct 2006
Rd 11: Ferodo Triple Challenge, 10 Nov - 12 Nov 2006
Rd 12: Bahrain International Circuit, 22 Nov - 24 Nov 2006
Rd 13: Bigpond Grand Finale, 8 Dec - 10 Dec 2006
