MOTORSPORT: Supercars fire up again

Supercars is back in action and so apparently is the V8 sedan category’s former czar Tony Cochrane.

Widely credited with building the Supercars business to its height during an 18-year tenure that finished in 2012, Cochrane has popped up in the media a couple of times this week in articles critical of current Supercars management.

He was the author of a column in last Saturday’s Gold Coast Bulletin that lumped Supercars among professional sports that failed to manage the COVID-19 crisis properly.

It was a rare foray for Cochrane even though he has made his views on Supercars matters public more often in the last couple of years, including this proposal for an AFL-inspired salary cap.

But it was the first time he’s criticised current Supercars CEO Sean Seamer, who he has previously supported in public.

Cochrane’s second media appearance of the week was in an article written by his former pitlane foe, John Crennan, the tough and talented businessman behind the rise of the Holden Racing Team in the 1990s and 2000s who also played a key role in bringing Nissan into Supercars in 2013.

Still keenly invested in the category, Crennan called for Supercars to set up a ‘crisis cabinet’ headed by Cochrane to deal with the many short and long-term issues now challenging its existence.

“The person central to any recovery and reset of Supercars must be former supremo, Tony Cochrane,” Crennan wrote in his motorsport column in the latest edition of the Australian Automotive Dealer Association magazine.

“His proven leadership and intellectual sports deftness is crucial for Supercars next stage.”

In his article Crennan ran through a long list of challenges facing Supercars, breaking them up under three headings.

The first group were those flowing from COVID-19 including sponsorships, government funding and team sustainability.

The second grouping were what he labelled “self-inflicted”, including television contract negotiations, Supercars being for sale for so long and the struggles of Team Sydney.

The final grouping included “out of the blue events” such as the axing of Holden, the receivership of naming rights sponsor Virgin Airlines and the return to the category of controversial sponsor Peter Adderton.

“There would be little argument from good judges the sport urgently needs Tony Cochrane,” wrote Crennan. “Every button should be pushed to have Tony either head up the crisis cabinet or take a lead role in organizing a new ownership regime.

“Non capitulation to team vested interests and deal making strengths were the hallmarks of his success.”

Whether Seamer and co take Crennan’s advice we’ll wait and see, but there’s no doubt they have plenty to deal with.

The good news is after three months on the sidelines Supercars returns to racing at Sydney Motorsport Park this weekend.

Conducted over two days and three 32-lap sprints, the TV-only event will be closed to spectators, have no support events and attendance limited to only essential personnel.

A full 24-car grid has entered despite plenty of speculation the COVID-19 lockdown would claim teams denied sponsor funds and other income.

Phil Munday’s 23Red Racing did fold, leaving Will Davison without a drive. But their place was taken in the fourth Tickford Racing Ford Mustang by James Courtney, with backing from the aforementioned Adderton and his company Boost.

Seven-times Supercars champion Jamie Whincup will start race 500 on Sunday, becoming the eighth driver to achieve that honour. Courtney, the 2010 champion, will contest his 200th Supercars round and Brad Jones Racing’s Nick Percat his 200th race.

After the opening round in Adelaide way back in March, defending champion Scott McLaughlin leads the pointscore by 27 points in his Mustang ahead of factory Holden driver Whincup. Fellow Holden driver Chaz Mostert is third.