![\"Three-stop](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Dunlop-Sydney-500-1620x1080-1.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJayden Ojeda’s Camaro receiving a church of juice at Symmons Plains. Image: Supplied <\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJayden Ojeda’s Camaro receiving a church of juice at Symmons Plains. Image: Supplied <\/p>\n
The category made a late decision to add a third compulsory pit stop (CPS) to the Sunday race at Symmons Plains alongside an increase in the scheduled distance.<\/p>\n
Supercars last year reduced the Sunday race distance in Tasmania to 78 laps (188km) due to concerns not all cars could make it through 200km with just two stops.<\/p>\n
Increased fuel burn this year due to a revised blend led to Supercars opting to increase it to 84 laps (202km) and mandate three stops.<\/p>\n
That resulted in a somewhat confusing race in which pit activity seemed to be the dominant focus, rather than on-track action.<\/p>\n
Jamie Whincup, boss of Ford homologation team Triple Eight, made it clear post-race why the late change had been made.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe GM guys said they couldn\u2019t make it on fuel so they changed the rules, which made it quite technical,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Adrian Burgess, boss of Chevrolet homologation squad Team 18, gave a slightly different perspective, suggesting the Toyota\u2019s economy was also a factor.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s called the Sprint Cup, not the Conserve Fuel Cup,\u201d Burgess told Speedcafe.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to be racing hard, and I think going to three CPS alleviated any risk that all of one brand could do it on two and the other brands have to do it on three.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that was the right choice.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019ll be a lot of other tracks where we don\u2019t even need to have that consideration, but here you\u2019re wide-open throttle for too long, so you\u2019re always fuel-hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Broc](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SI202605270059.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Broc Feeney stops for service en route to victory. Image: Supplied<\/p>\n
Suggestions the Ford is more economical than the Chevrolet appeared during the Enduro Cup last year and have grown louder since the change in fuel blend.<\/p>\n
Speedcafe understands the 200km races in Townsville, Perth and Ipswich could all require either a third CPS or a reduction in lap count to avoid an awkward economy race.<\/p>\n
Supercars motorsport boss Tim Edwards downplayed to Speedcafe any suggestion the consumption between brands is significantly different.<\/p>\n
He did confirm, however, that new fuel flow meters were run across the three marques at Symmons Plains in a bid to gain more data.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re obviously always monitoring it, we pumped [fuel out of] a load of cars after the race as well, just to understand how much fuel people finish with,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re comfortable with where the fuel consumption is, but we\u2019ll have some even more accurate data from the new sensors that we put in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Edwards explained that stipulating a third stop \u2013 rather than allowing teams to choose \u2013 was necessary due to the relatively short nature of the races.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople say you should have just left it up to the teams to work out. Unfortunately, our races are not the same length as NASCAR races,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf someone could do it on two and the rest were doing it on three, you might as well just hand them a trophy before the race.\u201d<\/p>\n
A review of consumption figures will likely also look at whether GM teams are being disadvantaged with longer pit stop times if their engines are indeed thirstier on fuel.<\/p>\n
Supercars uses a fuel blend made up of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent bio-gasoline.<\/p>\n