V8 Supercar star Russell Ingall could not be happier with the news that his home race, the Gold Coast Indy 300, has been secured for the next six years.
A deal was reached this week with both the new-look IndyCar Series in the US and V8 Supercars Australia, ensuring that the race is now secure up to and including 2013, with major plans now being put in motion for a massive 20th anniversary celebration in 2010.
V8 Supercars have raced on the streets of Surfers Paradise for championship points for the past seven years, and Ingall, who won the round in 2003 and was runner-up last season, says that the news is a major boost for the event.
“It is great news that the event here on the Gold Coast is going to be even bigger and better for the next six years,” the 2005 V8 Supercar champion noted.
“The Gold Coast Indy 300 is my home race and the circuit is literally only a short drive from my home. It's the biggest thing that happens in Queensland each year and to have confirmation that the event will continue to be a world-class spectacle for the next six years is fantastic for this city.”
The event was in doubt after the merger of the two major US open-wheel racing series, but officials immediately flew to the United States to secure a race of the newly-united IndyCar Series to replace the Champ Cars that had been the focal point since the event began back in 1991. The final piece of the puzzle was put in place after positive discussions with V8 Supercars chairman Tony Cochrane this week.
“The Gold Coast event is right up there with any racing carnival in the world,” Ingall continued, “Not only do you have one of the most beautiful places on the planet as the setting for the race, you have the best touring car category in the world sharing top-billing with the best of US open-wheel racing.”
Ingall won his home event in 2003, the year he made the switch from Holden to Ford, but, this year, ‘The Enforcer' is back in red and will take the Supercheap Auto Racing Holden to the Gold Coast for round eleven of 14 on the V8 Supercar calendar.
![Russell Ingall in the new Supercheap Auto Racing Commodore [pic credit: Veracity Media]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/405200.jpg)
