It’s that time of the year when Supercars has unveiled its calendar for the 2024 season. While the schedule remains largely intact, there is one notable absence: The Bend in South Australia will be notably missing from the roster this year.
Let’s look at why The Bend has been left off the list while diving into the 2024 Supercars calendar.
The decision to omit The Bend from the 2024 calendar is closely tied to the intricacies of Supercars’ television contract, a critical component of the championship’s financial structure. The TV deal mandates 12 rounds; any additional events must secure funding outside this agreement.
Historically, events at The Bend have been unique in that they were co-marketed by the circuit itself, a rarity in a calendar predominantly composed of Supercars-promoted slots. The decision to bench the South Australian round is a strategic move aimed at aligning with the contractual obligations while optimising financial sustainability. However, South Australia will be back on the cards in 2025 when The Bend returns to the roster with an endurance race.
Supercars will race at the Tony Quinn-owned Taupo Motorsport Park from April 19-21. The Taupo Motorsport Park, nestled in the heart of the North Island, promises to provide a thrilling backdrop for the high-octane action synonymous with Supercars racing. The last time the championship visited New Zealand was in 2022, when the closure of Pukekohe Park Raceway for motorsport activities temporarily put the Kiwi rounds on hold when last year’s negotiations with Hampton Downs stalled.
In another notable shift on the calendar, the season-opener, traditionally held in Newcastle, will now unfold against the iconic backdrop of Bathurst.
The Australian Grand Prix event, a highlight on the Supercars calendar, will undergo a format tweak. Supercars will vacate its pitlane garages to make way for Formula 2, signaling collaboration with other motorsport disciplines. Victorians flock in the hundreds of thousands to see both the World’s and Australia’s elite motorsport formats at the annual Albert Park blockbuster.
Tasmania’s Symmons Plains, a circuit renowned for its fast and technical layout, will also see a change in its calendar position. Traditionally held in May, the event will now occur in August, offering a different climatic challenge for drivers and teams.
The Perth, Darwin, and Tasmanian events will showcase revamped time-allotted SuperSprint races. In these SuperSprint events, the fresh format will feature two races over the weekend, each lasting 60 minutes on either day. The Melbourne SuperSprint, part of the F1 Grand Prix, will stand out with four Championship races, with drivers vying for the prestigious Larry Perkins Trophy.
A novel Super400 format will debut at the Taupō and Sydney events. These will be 200km races with mandatory refuelling. Sydney will claim the spotlight as the exclusive night race of 2024.
The enduring 500km format, featuring two 250km races with refuelling and Top Ten Shootouts on both racing days, will persist at the Bathurst 500, NTI Townsville 500, Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500, and VAILO Adelaide 500. Meanwhile, the traditional endurance formats for the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 and Repco Bathurst 1000 will remain unchanged.
The Dunlop Super2 Series will see ZB Commodores go head-to-head against the Ford Mustangs and will make appearances on the support card at the Bathurst 500, Perth SuperSprint, NTI Townsville 500, Penrite Oil Sandown 500, Repco Bathurst 1000, and VAILO Adelaide 500.
Both Foxtel and Kayo have committed to broadcasting every practice session, qualifying round, exhilarating Shootouts, and the heart-pounding races live and ad-free.
In addition, the Seven Network will bring the excitement of six marquee events directly to living rooms nationwide. Viewers can tune in to Seven Network’s live broadcasts of the Bathurst 500, the betr Darwin Triple Crown, NTI Townsville 500, the iconic Repco Bathurst 1000, the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500, and the VAILO Adelaide 500.
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