The V8 supercar series is etched forever into the minds of all Australian motorsport fans, and the series has been running for over 35 years now in some way shape or form. The classic Holden verses Ford battle is set to kick of its 2008 season at the Clipsal 500 Adelaide street circuit on 21st of February.
The enthralling combination of competitive drivers, passionate fans and 600+hp V8's is a recipe for some seriously close racing. Two types of vehicle compete in the series, both of which are home grown and designed Australian vehicles. The Ford Falcon is unique to Australia and has been made for over 40 years and can be had with a 4.0L I6, 4.0L I6 Turbo and 5.4L V8 engines. The Holden Commodore is sold in limited numbers in the Middle East, North America and the UK under various GM brands and can be equipped with a 3.6L V6 to an enormous 6.0L V8. However, both Ford and Holden race cars ditch the production units for bespoke 5.0L pushrod V8's and live axle rear suspension to keep the racing as close as possible. There will be plenty of scrapes, dents and broken wing mirrors to look forward to in a few weeks.
Press ReleaseRecord 22 million Australians tune into V8 Supercar Championship Series
Release Date: 05/02/2008
V8 Supercars Australia is looking to build on the record 22 million television viewers of 2007 - up from 17.5 million on the previous season - during this year’s Championship Series.
Last year the sport was watched by just on 22 million (Source: Mitchells) people across Australia as the first year return to Network Seven rocketed the sport to new heights. It was a 25 per cent hike in total viewers across Australian metropolitan and regional markets.
“The move to Network Seven and their all-network commitment to the sport could not have had a more successful first year back,” V8 Supercars Australia Chairman Tony Cochrane said.
“The partnership is getting stronger and stronger as Network Seven discovers the huge fan base of our sport which spreads from Broome to Brisbane and Darwin to the Derwent.
“Compare this to the A League that was recently applauded for having a 23 per cent increase to 2.8 million viewers and it offers you a real perspective on what Australians are watching.”
Crowds in 2007 were also up by around 1.5 per cent up on comparison with the previous year.
“V8 Supercars can no longer be considered as a second class citizen in the Australia sporting arena,” Mr Cochrane said.
“It also is reflected in our international television numbers which are receiving the same phenomenal growth.”
The 2008 season launch will take place at Melbourne’s Peninsula function centre at Docklands tomorrow evening to invited guests including Australia’s leading businessmen, corporate guests, celebrities, Seven personalities, V8 Supercar drivers and teams.
XXXX GOLD will be the beer on tap at all twelve Australian V8 Supercar events and will be actively involved in the atmosphere of the V8 Supercar Championship Series, including the XXXX Angels.
Lion Nathan joins an increasingly large stable of sponsors who have recognised V8 Supercars as an outstanding investment opportunity in the sporting landscape.
In 2008 a new street race will be held in Hamilton, New Zealand, to a sell-out crowd of 150,000. The amazing reception in New Zealand has guaranteed the event a record crowd for the country, once again.
The build-up to the inaugural Townsville street race in 2009 will also continue. Townsville is also shaping up as an event that will be one of the biggest in Australia.
On the racing front 2007 Champion Garth Tander has switched to the powerful Holden Racing Team, Russell Ingall to the Paul Morris Supercheap Auto outfit and Todd Kelly to Jack Daniel’s Racing.
Albury-based Team BOC has swapped camps from Ford to Holden and found a new driver in Cameron McConville while the HSV Dealer team replaced Garth Tander with Paul Dumbrell. And Stone Brothers Racing recruited another Kiwi Shane Van Gisbergen to partner James Courtney.
And the top three from last year’s Fujitsu (development) Series, Tony D’Alberto, Michael Caruso and Kiwi Kayne Scott, all have secured drives in the Championship as reward for their great form of 2007.
The L&H 500 at Phillip Island is a new addition to the calendar as the lead into the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 at Bathurst with the Sandown track now hosting a sprint round of the Series in June.
Sydney’s grand old lady Oran Park will host this year’s grand final in its final year of distinguished service to Australian motorsport before it closes its doors in 2009.
The Clipsal 500 in Adelaide begins the year as usual from February 21 to 24 followed by Eastern Creek in Sydney. One week after Eastern Creek is the non-Championship Australian Grand Prix.
V8 Supercars return to the Australian Grand Prix for the Manufacturer’s Challenge which pits Holden and Ford against each other in a combined points score format.
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