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"No bad ideas" for Sydney Supercars formats, layouts

Supercars boss Sean Seamer says there will be "no bad ideas" when the Commission meets today to discuss formats for the Sydney quadruple header.

Supercars action under lights

Supercars action under lights

Mark Horsburgh, Edge Photographics

Thanks to border closures up and down Australia's eastern seaboard, Supercars has been forced to stage four of its five remaining rounds at one circuit – Sydney Motorsport Park.

The Eastern Creek venue will host four consecutive weekends of racing starting from late October and running to late November.

While a three-race format, including one under lights, has been locked in for the opening SMP weekend, the formats for the other three will be discussed at a Commission meeting today.

According to Seamer some "interesting ideas" have already been thrown about as the series looks to create four different race experiences from the same venue.

"[It was] not an easy decision to have to be doing four rounds in the same facility but it gives us plenty of opportunity to innovate in terms of having the lights there, different track configurations, and it is in a major metropolitan area being Sydney, so helpful [with] reconnecting with fans and partners after a long layoff," said Seamer.

"I've heard some pretty interesting ideas [about formats].

"What I can say from speaking to the team representatives is that nothing is off the table and I think collectively we need to differentiate these events and put on a really good show.

“We’re very fortunate with the facility, not just with the lighting and the track configurations but that track produces really good degradation and therefore, even for the purists, really good racing as well.

“So it will be interesting to see but from what I can tell you right now, there is a high degree of willingness to do what we have got to do to put on a good show.”

As flagged by Seamer, different track configurations could come into play across the four weekends.

Supercars usually uses the 3.9-kilometre Gardner circuit, however the 4.5-kilometre Brabham layout and the 2.8-kilometre Druitt circuit are also on the table.

“It’s something that we looked at last year and I think we’ll have to reconsider that as part of our options [at the Supercars Commission meeting],” added Seamer.

“It would be premature for me to call right now exactly what track configurations are likely to look like. The Commission is considering everything and they’ll work through that.

"But at this stage we’re working on the basis that there’s no bad ideas. We have got to look at everything."

Points of difference are also likely to come through the undercard. The combined Super2/Super3 field will race at the final SMP event, as will S5000 in what will be the first of two Tasman Series rounds.

Seamer confirmed that the likes of Stadium Super Trucks and Australian Superbike are in contention for support slots across the four weeks.

As revealed by Motorsport.com recently Supercars is also looking at giving enduro drivers some testing miles during the SMP swing.

Teams are also keen to host corporate ride days, something that's been impossible for most during this latest COVID shutdown.

How those extra-curricular sessions will be incorporated is another matter that will be discussed by the Commission today.

“The teams have all flagged that that’s something they want to do, both testing and co-driver sessions, at the events,” confirmed Seamer.

“The Commission will be working through those final details later this week.

"What we really wanted to do first was lock down the first four events, be clear about the format of the first event, and then give everybody some time to think about what they can do, or what we can do, collectively, to make sure that the experiences on the subsequent weekends are differentiated from an on-track and off-track point-of-view.

“Then, as part of that, look to consider the testing, co-driver sessions, and potential ride days.”

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