A new qualifying format is on the cards for the Tasmania SuperSprint event this weekend.

 

It will put a great emphasis on the Friday practice sessions, as these results will impact the qualifying sessions. There are three, ten minute, back to back, elimination style qualifying sessions that will work as follows.

 

The bottom 16 cars in Friday practice will start qualifying session 1 on Saturday, with only the top 6 going through to qualifying session 2. The top 10 fastest cars in Friday practice will go straight through to qualifying session 2. Then the top 10 progress to qualifying session 3 to determine the first five rows of the race.

 

This allows all cars to get their own space to put in their best qualifying performance possible. Everyone will be vying to make it into qualifying session 3. With such a small track that only has three corners – one of those being the slowest corner on the Supercars circuit, there is no room for error here. Qualifying will be as important as ever at Symmons Plains.

 

All sessions will be LIVE on Fox Sports across the weekend. 

 

TRACK TIMES

Friday 6^th April

11:30-12:15 – Practice One

15:00-15:45 – Practice Two

Saturday 7^th April

11:05-11:25 – Practice Three

12:55-13:05 – Qualifying Part One

13:10-13:20 – Qualifying Part Two

13:25-13:35 – Qualifying Part Three

16:45-17:40 – Race Seven – 120kms / 50 Laps

Sunday 8^th April

9:55-10:15 – Practice Four

11:05-11:15 – Qualifying Part One

11:20-11:30 – Qualifying Part Two

11:35-11:45 – Qualifying Part Three

14:05-15:30 – Race Eight – 200kms / 84 Laps

 

FAST FACTS

- Track Length – 2.410km // Direction – Anti-Clockwise // Fastest Speed – 270km/h // Average Speed – 167km/h

- Qualifying Lap Record – 50.9676s, Jamie Whincup, Triple Eight, 2014, VF Commodore

- Race Lap Record – 51.4370s, Jamie Whincup, Triple Eight, 2017, VF Commodore

- Nick’s double podium at Albert Park was the first time he’s scored two VASC podiums in the one weekend

- Nick is eager to get his first Top Ten result at Symmons Plains this weekend, he came close last year, finishing 11^th in the Sunday race

- Nick won the 2008 and 2009 Australian Formula Ford Championship rounds here. 2009 was his title winning season.

- Only twice has a Symmons Plains ATCC/VASC race ever been red-flagged. Last year’s Saturday race was red-flagged and suspended on lap two after a serious multi-car accident in wet conditions. Nick was one of the unlucky ones caught up in the incident.

 

MEET NICK

Saturday 7^th April

9:10--9:40 – Super Track Walk @ Starting Grid

14:45-15:15 – Supercars Autograph Session @ Back of Team Garages 

 

WANT MORE?

LIKE US on Facebook ‘BJR Supercars’

FOLLOW US on

Twitter: @bjrsupercars / @nickpercat  

Instagram @bjrsupercars / @nickpercat

Published: 04 April 2018.