MOTORSPORT: 2023 Supercars calendar revealed

A 12-event schedule for the 2023 Repco Supercars Championship calendar has finally been announced, and the highlight is confirmation the Sandown 500 will return to its traditional pre-Bathurst slot in a two-driver format.

With the pandemic forcing the contraction of the endurance race program over the last three years, next year’s Penrite Oil-backed event at the historic suburban Melbourne venue will revert to its traditional position as the curtain-raiser to the Repco Bathurst 1000.

However, this move isn’t without controversy, with Motorsport Australia and the Australian Racing Group having previously booked the September 16-17 date for its SpeedSeries program, which will now have to find an alternate weekend.

The debut for the Gen3 Supercars ruleset featuring the Chevrolet Camaro and new Ford Mustang is set for March 10-12 at the Thrifty Newcastle 500, followed by the Australian Grand Prix event, a trip west to Perth and a potentially frosty event on the third weekend in May at Tasmania’s Symmons Plains Raceway.

The northern swing will then feature Darwin, Townsville and Sydney Motorsport Park, before a return to The Bend Motorsport Park, Sandown, Bathurst, the Gold Coast and Adelaide.

“With the Camaro vs Mustang debut, the return of the Sandown 500 and our marquee event, the Repco Bathurst 1000 celebrating its 60th anniversary, 2023 is shaping as one of the most exciting in the history of our sport,” said Shane Howard, Supercars CEO.

“This year we have seen huge crowds return to our events, and Adelaide is shaping as a spectacular finale for the Holden Commodore and Ford Mustang rivalry.

“We cannot wait to roll out our Gen3 Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro at Newcastle in March.”

Of note, the return west across the Nullarbor Plain is backed by a new multi-year agreement with the Western Australian government, although the event is to revert to daytime running, with the only night race scheduled for Sydney Motorsport Park.

Notable omissions from the 2022 schedule include Winton Motor Raceway in regional Victoria, plus New Zealand, with a replacement for the closing Pukekohe Park Raceway unable to be secured.

“We are still in progressive talks with our counterparts there for an event in the future, however as they continue it is in the best interest of all parties involved to focus on 2024 and beyond,” said Howard.

“We have every intention to return to New Zealand, and we are confident of an announcement in the new year regarding a partnership with a new venue.”

Elsewhere, the revamped Queensland Raceway also missed a slot, although it will act as the test track for Queensland teams, with the southern contingent to remain based at Winton.

The Dunlop Super2 and Super3 fields will join their main-game counterparts at Newcastle, Perth, Townsville, Sandown, Mount Panorama and Adelaide, while free-to-air coverage on the Seven Network is slated for Newcastle, Darwin, Townsville, Bathurst, the Gold Coast and Newcastle.

The 2022 season concludes next weekend with the VALO Adelaide 500.

2023 Repco Supercars Championship Calendar
March 10-12: Thrifty Newcastle 500, Newcastle Street Circuit
March 30-April 2: Beaurepaires Melbourne 400, Albert Park
April 28-30: Perth SuperSprint, Wanneroo Raceway
May 19-21: NED Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint, Symmons Plains Raceway
June 16-18: Darwin Triple Crown, Hidden Valley Raceway
July 7-9: NTI Townsville 500, Townsville Street Circuit
July 28-30: Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight, Sydney Motorsport Park
August 18-20: OTR SuperSprint, The Bend Motorsport Park
September 15-17: Penrite Oil Sandown 500, Sandown Raceway
October 5-8: Repco Bathurst 1000, Mount Panorama
October 27-29: Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500, Surfers Paradise Street Circuit
November 23-26: VALO Adelaide 500, Adelaide Parklands Street Circuit

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