Today is a historically significant day at the Sydney Telstra 500 as a chapter of the V8 Supercars Championship closes with the final race under the current technical regulations.
With all-new cars built under ‘Car of the Future’ regulations being introduced for the 2013 championship, the current generation of cars will farewell the series today and filter back into the Dunlop Series from next year onwards.
It’s also the last time that Holden and Ford will hold exclusive place on the V8 Supercar grid ahead of the arrival of Nissan and SBR/Erebus-run Mercedes-Benz E-Class racecars next year.
Since the Australian Touring Car Championship/V8 Supercars Championship moved to the current five-litre Holden versus Ford rulebook for the start of the 1993 season, Holden has dominated all of the major categories of success.
Craig Lowndes’ victory yesterday was the 350th race win by a Holden in the ‘V8 era’ compared to Ford’s 217, while Holden also leads the pole positions (166 to 129), fastest laps (323 to 241) and podium results (499 to 393) categories in the era.
The TeamVodafone Holden star is also aiming at finishing second in the championship today, his win yesterday moving him into the runner-up position with a three-point margin over Ford’s Mark Winterbottom.
If Lowndes can finish second in the championship it will be the second consecutive year that TeamVodafone has finished 1-2 in the title and the first time in the 50-plus year history of the ATCC/V8SC that a team has recorded a 1-2 in the championship in two straight seasons.
With Lowndes’ teammate Jamie Whincup to collect his fourth championship trophy today, it also gives Holden drivers 11 championship victories in the current V8 era to Ford’s nine.
After a night spent rehydrating and resting their tired bodies, the drivers will round out the 2012 season today on the tricky 3.42-kilometre street layout.
Weather conditions are predicted to be kinder to the drivers today than yesterday’s searing heat that left many seeking medical assistance at the end of the 74-lap race.
The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting a top temperature today for the Olympic Park precinct of 24 degrees with scattered showers easing during the day.
The on-track action will kick off for the V8 Supercars at 10.05am AEDT with a 20-minute qualifying session ahead of the final race of the season – Race 30 over 74 laps – at 3.05pm AEDT.
Keep checking back to the BigPond Sport V8 Supercars website for updates from the track throughout the day as the 2012 V8 Supercars Championship comes to a close.
