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Most have driven the track in various equipment, though only a handful have ever raced there.<\/p>\n
None will have ever driven a Supercar there until Friday morning\u2019s solitary 45-minute practice, which marks the start of a jammed schedule.<\/p>\n
Championship leader Brodie Kostecki said the truncated build-up could create some \u201cspicy\u201d scenarios as drivers learn on the fly.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s quite a different track than I\u2019d say we\u2019re probably used to,\u201d said the Dick Johnson Racing driver.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a bit tight and pretty narrow in some spots, so the racing\u2019s probably going to be pretty exciting at points throughout the races.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re just excited to be here for the double-header and it\u2019s great to be here in Christchurch.<\/p>\n
Click here <\/a>to see what it takes to build the Gold Coast street circuit <\/p>\n \u201cThe track\u2019s going to be pretty spicy at some points throughout the races I\u2019d say.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just looking forward to the on-track battles.\u201d<\/p>\n Ruapuna is characterised by a high-seed kink at the end of the front straight that narrows dramatically for the second turn where passing will be possible.<\/p>\n Turn 3 is colloquially known as \u201cPothole\u201d for the ruts that often get dug out on the corner exit.<\/p>\n The Turn 4 hairpin is expected to be a hot spot for passing with a big braking zone.<\/p>\n The rest of the track has high risk attached for any moves given the tight and twisty esses and flowing flip-flop through Turn 9 and 10.<\/p>\n \u201cThe track\u2019s very tight in some spots,\u201d Kostecki explained.<\/p>\n \u201cit\u2019s probably going to race pretty interesting at some points, but we don\u2019t really know until we head out onto the track for the first time and we all fire down into turn one.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure there\u2019ll be a gaggle of cars probably in the sandpit at some point.\u201d<\/p>\n David Reynolds is one of just a handful of drivers to have raced at Ruapuna, though his last experience was more than a decade ago in 2009 racing a Porsche Carrera Cup car.<\/p>\n The Team 18 driver likened it to \u201clittle Mickey Mouse country-style\u201d tracks including Winton Motor Raceway, Queensland Raceway and One Raceway (formerly Wakefield Park).<\/p>\n \u201cAll these little, really difficult tracks to drive \u2013 it takes a little bit to understand them,\u201d said Reynolds.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not assuming anyone\u2019s going to roll out there and put the fastest time down ever in the first lap. It\u2019s going to take a little bit to learn the ways of the track<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been 15 years since I raced here, but I remember it really well. The track has changed in bits and pieces. The kerb profile is slightly different, but the layout is the same.\u201d<\/p>\n Another unknown is the track surface and how the Dunlop soft compound tyre and super soft compound tyre will degrade.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why a race on Friday will benefit the category,\u201d said Reynolds.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s definitely more deg on the super soft tyre and when you\u2019re driving on that tyre, you\u2019ve gotta be really conscious of how you drive it.<\/p>\n \u201cNo one\u2019s done a full Supercar race here before, so you don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first lap\u2019s always the most chaotic, like where can I make the biggest advantage? Where\u2019s my best placement of the car? Where can I go around the outside and get a few spots and not get crashed into?<\/p>\n \u201cNo one really knows that yet, so it\u2019s gonna be exciting, really exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n Friday\u2019s program begins with practice at 7:35am AEST before qualifying at 12:15pm AEST. Race 1 of the weekend is slated for 2:35pm AEST.<\/p>\n Supercars Christchurch Super440 \u2013 Schedule, how to watch, TV times, & more<\/a><\/p>\n
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