V8 Supercars Australia chairman Tony Cochrane insists that this week's confirmation of funding for the proposed street race at Townsville in northern Queensland will not prevent the series from chasing the chance to add another event in Sydney.
There has been much talk about the V8s taking to the streets of the city's Olympic Park 'precinct' to replace the Oran Park round which disappears next year, and Cochrane responded to recent media speculation, prompted by the confirmation of the Townsville project, by claiming that Sydney had not missed the chance to stage a round of the championship.
“V8 Supercars Australia still has open and ongoing dialogue with the New South Wales government," he insisted, "We are prepared to meet with premier [Morris] Iemma and his team any place, any time to discuss our current proposal."
Various news sources in Australia reported that Sydney had lost out to the 'regional outpost' of Townsville, claiming that Cochrane had failed to win city backing after three years of negotiations with NSW officials. Iemma meanwhile, was quoted as saying that a race around the Olympic stadium was not 'economically viable', although a spokesman for the premier later revealed that V8 officials had renewed their application to hold a race around the Olympic Park at Homebush Bay.
“Securing the crucial federal government funding for a street race in Townsville in 2009 does not deter us from continuing to lobby the government for a blockbuster event in Sydney," Cochrane continued, "We have the room in our 2009 calendar for one more event - and possibly two if we do not renew our contract with the Lexmark Indy 300 which concludes next year - [and] a Sydney street race would be the ultimate climax to our 2009 V8 Supercar Championship Series with an event that will ultimately match those currently held in Adelaide and on the Gold Coast.
