Hi to all you V8 Supercars fans around the world.
This is one race that dad and I always got to, we stay at the Novotel, in a room that looks down over the track. That way if it gets too hot or too wet, we can go back to our room and watch the race from the comfort of your own room…
This weekend is the Coates Hire Sydney 500 races 36 37 and 38.
Let’s take a look back at happened at Homebush, Sydney Olympic Park 12 months ago in 2014.
Before race 36 got started the Red Bull Racing Australia team had to repair Craig Lowndes car. Because he had a shunt in qualifying. When the team had completed the repair on Craig’s car where were big Cheers from the people watching on, Craig’s Race Engineer at the time was Jeromy Moore he followed the car out of the v8 paddock. Both the triple 8 boys and the Dick Johnson Racing boys both had repairs to do. On cars 888 of Craig Lowndes and car 66 driven by Marcos Ambrose respectively.
In race 36 Will Davison started on pole position alongside him was Jamie Whincup. On lap 1 of 37 Jamie Whincup led the field down turn 1, Jack Perkins got spun around at turn 1 by Dale Wood. During the opening laps.
On lap 2 Todd Kelly James Moffatt and Michael Caruso were all running into each other. Russell Ingall was trying get through the field.
On lap 3 Marcos Ambros was down in 19th spot, Marcos has not driven in the V8 class races since 2005, when he left Australia for the US and Nascar racing.
On lap 4 Jamie Whincup lost his driver’s side mirror. Will Davison and David Reynolds were battling for 2nd spot, they were running 2nd and 3rd at the time.
The restart was on lap 14 at the half way mark Scott Pye was out of first race. Jamie Whincup was putting huge pressure on Tim Slade.
In the end no one could catch the top 3 drivers. Jamie Whincup Tim Slade and David Reynolds.
Results for race 36
1st – Jamie Whincup – Red Bull Racing Australia
2nd – Tim Slade – Supercheap Auto Racing
3rd – David Reynolds – Rod Nash Racing
In race 37 Jason Bright started on pole position alongside him was Shane Van Gisbergen. On lap 1 of 37 Jamie Whincup got the jump from the 2nd row off the grid, to lead the field.
On lap 2 Shane Van Gisbergen was putting pressure on Scott McLaughlin for 4th spot.
On lap 3 James Courtney was putting pressure on him. During the opening laps everybody was starting find their rhythm, but in the middle of the race the rain started to dump. Jamie Whincup was first of the Red Bull cars to come in to the pits to change from slicks to wets. Which turned out to be a good decision. But for the cars who stayed out on slicks would have been in big trouble and could have hit the wall at turn 5.
Due to the weather and the down pouring of rain, the track became too wet and the race was called to a halt. Dad and I were back in our room by this time and were very grateful to be watching from a dry advantage point.
Results for race 37
1st – Jamie Whincup – Red Bull Racing Australia
2nd – Shane Van Gisbergen – Tekno Autosports
3rd Scott Mclaughlin – Volvo Polstar racing.
In race 38 Scott McLaughlin started on pole position alongside him was Garth Tander on lap 1 of 74 Garth Tander led into turn 1. There was contact between James Courtney Rick Kelly and Mark Winterbottom. Shane Van Gisbergen was putting pressure on Scott McLaughlin. Jamie Whincup had been able to get passed James Courtney at the final turns.
I love it when you look up at the big screen and they show an incident and on this particular occasion they said that Garth Tander was involved, but as someone in the know, I can see that it is not Garth, but James Courtney as Garth was leading the race…
On lap 2 the pack was trying to catch the race leaders.
On lap 3 Rick Kelly was trying to find a way to get around Scott McLaughlin. After the opening laps the pit lane was full of cars pitting once they were called by their team to pit in the middle of the race the 2nd pit stops were about commenced for all the teams to put 4 new tyres on the cars and then the race closing in on the final stages.
Towards the end of the race Garth Tander was leading until he ran off down the Escape Road. Then Shane Van Gisbergen took the lead of the race back and held it till the race officials and race control red flagged the race due to the soaking wet track.
Again dad and I decided to leave the track early as the weather was closing in and went to watch the race from our unique advantage point…
Results for race 38
1st – Shane Van Gisbergen – Tekno Autosports.
2nd – Garth Tander – Holden Racing team.
3rd – James Courtney – Holden Racing Team.
Who will win the Coates Hire Sydney 500 this week? And who will win the 2015 V8 Supercars championship?