MOTORSPORT: Homebush comes up short on TV

While the key average in the five mainland capital cities was 401,000 on Saturday and the national average (which adds regional viewers) was 579,000 that day, those numbers slipped to 390,000 and 562,000 on Sunday.

The drivers' championship having been clinched on Saturday by Jamie Whincup would not have helped the Sunday figures.

The Sunday numbers for Perth two weeks earlier were 487,000 (five capitals) and 718,000 (national).

V8 Supercar telecaster the Seven network claimed the Sydney Telstra 500 audience was up 4.5 per cent on last year's grand finale (which included  Mark Skaife's retirement from full-time racing) at Oran Park. Seven also proclaimed it had "strong audience shares" last weekend against the second cricket Test and outpointed the Australian Open golf.

Yes, the golf, also in Sydney and shown on the Ten network, averaged 276,000 across the five capitals on Sunday -- 114,000 less than the V8s.

However, the cricket -- screened on the Nine network and in which Australia has been playing a West Indies team that was being seen as an easybeat (even if that has subsequently proved otherwise) -- averaged 649,000 on Sunday -- 259,000, or 66.4 per cent, more than the V8s.

The V8 numbers would have been better, probably considerably better, if the drivers' championship had gone to the wire on Sunday -- and that is how and where there's scope for improvement next year. But the reality is that the five capitals average on Sunday for an event some of the hype merchants declared was "Bathurst coming to Australia's biggest city" was only one-third of that (1.182 million) two months earlier for the 1000km classic at Mt Panorama.

So Homebush has a long, long way to go to challenge, equal or top Bathurst.

For the record, here are the five-capitals Sunday averages over the last five rounds of this year's V8 Supercar Championship:

Bathurst  1,182,000
Gold Coast     717,000
Phillip Island    354,000
Perth      487,000
Sydney     390,000

Incidentally, V8 Supercars Australia executive chairman Tony Cochrane has threatened in the Gold Coast Bulletin that the show he heads may quit the Gold Coast SuperGP and move its headquarters because of the Gold Coast City Council, and particularly councillor Susie Douglas.

Davison collects best and fairest award
Will Davison's fine debut season with the Toll Holden Racing Team was capped Monday night when he won the "best and fairest" medal at the V8SA awards night.

Voted on by media, this medal commemorates Barry Sheene, the legendary British motorcycle world champion who came to Australia, settled on the Gold Coast and was a prominent commentator on Ten in the early days of the V8 Supercar brand. As great a racer and personality that Sheene was, there is an irony that he not only never raced V8 Supercars but that the championship is now (back) on Seven.

Anyway, that should not detract from Davison's achievements, including Bathurst and Phillip Island endurance victories with Garth Tander.

Here's the list of V8 Supercar awards:

Armor All pole position award: Jamie Whincup, TeamVodafone
Armor All best presented team: Jim Beam Racing
Privateers Cup champion: Jonathon Webb -- MW Motorsport
V8 Supercar media award: James Phelps -- News Ltd
Fujitsu champion: Jonathon Webb -- MW Motorsport
Mike Kable young gun: James Moffat -- Sonic Motor Racing Services
Most improved award: Car 22 -- Toll Holden Racing Team
Hall of Fame inductee: John Bowe
Best volunteer group: ITM Hamilton 400
Event of the year: Dunlop Townsville 400
Champion manufacturer of the year: Ford
Champion team of the year: Toll Holden Racing Team
Bathurst champions: Will Davison and Garth Tander, Toll Holden Racing Team
Barry Sheene medal: Will Davison, Toll Holden Racing Team
Third place: Garth Tander, Toll Holden Racing Team
Second place: Will Davison, Toll Holden Racing Team
2009 champion: Jamie Whincup, Team Vodafone

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