THE trio who graced the Repco Supercars Championship podium last night hope there’ll be no need for a Sunday circuit swap.
Emergency pre-event resurfacing at the Turn 8 hairpin flared up yesterday, forcing a sudden shift onto Sydney Motorsport Park’s shorter Druitt configuration for all support categories as the affected piece of track began to strain under scorching skies.
The main game field did at least make full use of the persisting opportunity to stay on the Gardner layout, with plenty of hard racing under lights through Turns 5-8 which otherwise would’ve been cut out.
Now, another test of the Turn 8 asphalt awaits with today’s running exclusively in daylight and temperatures forecast to reach the mid-30s.
“I don’t know if I want to touch the ‘Blacktown bullring’,” said Grove Racing’s Matt Payne, with reference to Druitt.
“I don’t want to go around that track.”
Dick Johnson Racing star Brodie Kostecki joked he and his peers are “allergic” to the 2.8km alternative but in all seriousness called on officials to play on.
“If the track rips up during our race, well we drive around when it’s torrential rain, so if a little bit of marbles is on the circuit it’s not going to be the end of the world,” he said.
“We did a whole Adelaide race that one year with the track breaking up in every single corner, so it should be fine.
“Just leave the track how it is and if it’s breaking up, just drive around it. We’re all professionals.”
Race 2 winner Anton De Pasquale concurred: “I don’t think we should do the ride track.”
All support categories are again using the Druitt layout today. Sunday Supercars qualifying will take place from 12:10pm AEDT.
The Super2 field qualified and raced on Druitt yesterday. Pic: Ross Gibb