Definitive 2010 calendar revealed
V8 Supercars Australia has confirmed its final 2010 calendar, which includes the City of Ipswich 300 at Queensland Raceway but omits the Perth event that had been provisionally scheduled for June.
As announced last week, Queensland Raceway remains on the calendar for 2010 pending a major upgrade of the circuit facilities prior to any commitment for 2011 and beyond, while the Gold Coast round has become a three-day event entitled 'SuperCarnivale', following the Queensland government's backing of a completely revamped format that sees the event become the season's third endurance weekend.
The Falken Tasmania Challenge has also been confirmed as taking place a week later than initially scheduled, on 12-14 November, at Symmons Plains in Launceston.
"It is great news that we have been able to secure the City of Ipswich 300 but disappointing we have been unable to find a workable solution to the similar issues we have at Barbagallo Raceway," acting V8 Supercars Australia CEO Shane Howard said.
"We are extremely disappointed for all of our fans in WA. As a group, we have worked overtime in trying to get this third world facility revamped so that both the paddock and the pit-lane meet basic OH&S legislation."
Howard laid the blame for the failure to resolve the Barbagallo situation squarely at the feet of circuit officials.
"Despite a reduced sanction fee of around 25 per cent of the actual cost for us to race in Perth, committing to a long-term five-year deal and offering the services of Mark Skaife and our engineers to design the new circuit at our cost, we still get a lip service response," he claimed.
"The situation is best summed up by a recent seven-page letter and subsequent letters that have received just a one paragraph response at best. Our WA fans will at least have the extensive free to view live coverage on the 7 Network.
"Hopefully, this opens the door for other regions of Western Australia to approach us with a view to bringing one of the world's greatest touring car championships to a new destination in the future."
The V8 Supercar Championship Series will commence in Abu Dhabi next week with the inaugural Yas V8 400, followed by a back-to-back weekend in Bahrain at the Gulf Air Desert 400.
The season will have a distinctive autumn and spring phase to it. A February start means there will be nine events up until mid-June, a nine-week break and then six events to finish the season, again culminating again with the massive Sydney Telstra 500 in December.
The final 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series calendar is as follows:
February 18-20Yas V8 400Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi
February 25-27Gulf Air Desert 400Bahrain International Circuit, Bahrain
March 11-14Clipsal 500Adelaide Parklands, Adelaide#
March 26-28Australian Grand PrixAlbert Park, Melbourne
April 16-18ITM Hamilton 400Hamilton, New Zealand
April 30-May 2City of Ipswich 300Queensland Raceway#
May 14-16TBCWinton#
June 18-20SkyCity Triple CrownHidden Valley, Darwin
July 9-11Armor All Townsville 400Townsville, Queensland#
September 10-12L&H 500Phillip Island
October 7-10Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000Mt Panorama, NSW#
October 22-24Gold Coast SupercarnivaleSurfers Paradise, QLD
November 12-14Falken Tasmania ChallengeSymmons Plains, Tasmania
November 19-21Norton 360 Sandown ChallengeSandown#
December 3-5Sydney Telstra 500Homebush Park, Sydney#
# denotes Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series support
