By Matthew Agius
The 2006 V8 Supercar Championship Series heads to Queensland Raceway at Willowbank in the state of the same name, for the sixth round of the year, as the popular touring car category approaches the halfway mark of the season.
Queensland Raceway has been a staple host of championship events for the past decade. However its race format has varied between championships, with 2006 representing yet another year of change at the Willowbank circuit. This weekend, three sprint races will be incorporated into the event schedule over Saturday and Sunday, the second of which will be a reversed grid heat. This is a different format to last year, which was the final 280 kilometre ‘mini-enduro’ since 2003. Before this, Queensland had hosted a five-hundred kilometre endurance race for several consecutive years, requiring two drivers per car.
The circuit itself appears unchallenging, with a relatively simple design incorporating two long and two short straights, on a tight corner layout that takes the appearance of a paperclip. However looks are deceptive and the level of competition at the track makes for a tough race for all drivers. Coupled with the fact that straying from the racing line usually resorts with cars being sucked off the circuit at high speeds, Queensland is a lovely challenge for drivers – both old and new – to try their hand at Sunshine State glory.
