Tasmania is having a coming-of-age moment, with the Apple Isle’s popularity extending beyond the usual tourist traps, to see unprecedented interest in next year’s Symmons Plains Supercars round, set to be held in Launceston in the first half of the 2022 season.
With the exciting news that the 2022 Supercars series is set to expand to 13 rounds, and with fresh ownership at the helm, we’ve decided to get in quick and start planning our Supercars calendar for next year, especially with exciting hot lap and driving experiences being held at Symmons Plains in late February.
If you’re thinking of heading to Tassie for all the V8 Supercars action at Symmons Plains, here’s what we know so far about the exciting line-up and what to expect from everyone’s favourite Tasmanian SuperSprint.
Symmons Plains Raceway will be one of the first rounds held under RACE ownership
In news that’s surprising to few, Archer Capital has confirmed that its majority share in Supercars will be sold to the consortium that was known as the TLA/TRG group during the infamous Supercars bidding wars. Now known as Racing Australia Consolidated Enterprises Ltd (RACE), the group is led by Barclay Nettlefold together with Australian Racing Group and Henslow, and there’s rumours of exciting developments in the works.
This isn’t just good news for Supercars as a category, it holds special significance for Symmons Plains Raceway and motorsport in Tasmania, as the raceway will be one of the first tracks to host the new owners early in 2022. While there are no official dates for Symmons Plains 2022 just yet, we do know that Newcastle—who’ll return to the Supercars calendar after a two year hiatus—will kick off the season with wild racing on the streets of Newy from March 4-6. Symmons Plains has been slated for the first half of the season, with rumours that Supercars ownership might even place them second on the bill.
Tasmanian motorsport fans were thrilled by the ARG organised ‘Race Tasmania’ event held on consecutive weekends in January 2021. The multi-class action was run on both the Symmons Plains circuit near Launceston and Baskerville Raceway in Hobart and attracted good crowds who were entertained by a wide selection of racing cars. It is expected that with ARG invested in the new Supercars ownership, Race Tasmania will be staged again in 2022, possibly over the Australia Day weekend again.
Tasmania SuperSprint teams 2022
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter who owns Supercars, we’ll be heading to Symmons Plains to see the best V8 racing that Australia has to offer. That’s why we’re so pumped to see all the drivers and teams that have been locked in for the 2022 Supercars season, and as such, Symmons Plains Raceway.
There’s been some interesting movement in the team line-ups coming into 2022, most notably Matt Stone Racing coming into the season with a brand new team of drivers, making Zane Goddard a free agent and one to watch as more announcements are made.
Keep in mind it’s also the last year of Ford vs Holden racing for Supercars in Australia, signifying the end of an era that will undoubtedly bring a tear to the eye of thousands of die-hards, but with great opportunity to bring a new generation of fans to the increasingly popular Touring Car Masters.
From what we know so far, the following drivers are contracted for the 2022 Supercars season, and likely to be heading to Symmons Plains raceway in 2022.
According to the latest info from Supercars Australia, as of October 27, 2021, the 2022 Repco Supercars Championship grid so far looks like this:
Red Bull Ampol Racing
- Broc Feeney
- Shane van Gisbergen
Shell V-Power Racing Team
- Anton De Pasquale
- Will Davison
Tickford Racing
- Cameron Waters
- James Courtney
- Thomas Randle
- Jake Kostecki
Walkinshaw Andretti United
- Chaz Mostert
- Nick Percat
Brad Jones Racing
- Andre Heimgartner
- Bryce Fullwood
- TBA
- TBA
Kelly Grove Racing
- David Reynolds
- TBA
Team 18
- Mark Winterbottom
- Scott Pye
Erebus Motorsport
- Will Brown
- Brodie Kostecki
Blanchard Racing Team
- Tim Slade
Team Sydney
- Garry Jacobson
- Fabian Coulthard
Matt Stone Racing
- Jack Le Brocq
- Todd Hazelwood
Symmons Plains SuperSprint events 2022
While we’re not sure what a RACE group ownership will mean for possible support categories being held at the Tasmania SuperSprint, we can give some insight into how the main event will run, if they follow the footsteps of 2021.
Last year, the event kicked off with three 44-lap sprint races, each with a mandatory pit stop (that will be sure to keep fans on the edge of their seats). A three-part qualifying system was also introduced. Part one saw the paddock split in two, with an alternating garage order of one car per two-car team on the track in 5 minute sessions. From there, the top 16 teams across both groups continued on, while the bottom four locked into the 17-24 positions based on times. The remaining teams then revert to the traditional system, with a 10 minute qualifier for Q2, eliminating six, with the rest going on to fight for a pole in the final 10-minute session.
The next day of racing will likely see the same groupings over two eight-minute sessions to determine the order for Race 7, immediately repeated to determine the grid for Race 8.
Symmons Plains Raceway
If you can make it down to Symmons Plains for the Tasmania Supersprint in 2022, you’ll be impressed by the raceway and its interesting history. The track began life as a sheep grazing station, owned by two motor racing enthusiasts, brothers John and Gavin Youl who were quality race drivers in their own right. Luckily, the brothers had the means and backing of a supportive family who said they could use some of the land on the edge of the property to build their own circuit.
Today, Symmons Plains Raceway is the oldest V8 racing track in Australia. Renowned for being short and fast, V8 Supercar fans at Symmons Plains have made SuperSprint the largest sporting event in the state of Tasmania!
Symmons Plains Raceway is 2.41 kilometres long with tight corners that make it very hard on the brakes. There’s two main overtaking opportunities—the banking at the hairpin and the left hander at the end of the back straight.
Symmons Plains lap records
Famous for being short and fast, there’s been some formidable lap times at Symmons Plains. However, no one has beaten Australian, Mark Winterbottom with his unbelievable 0:51.2276 lap time at the Symmons Plains Supercars Championship on April 7, 2019. With Winterbottom likely racing at Symmons Plains in 2022, could we see him beat his own record, or will there be a new champion on the SuperSprint podium?
Things to do in Symmons Plains, Tasmania
That’s all the information we have so far as we head into the Symmons Plains round of Supercars in 2022. But we do have an incredible event you need to check out. Fastrack Experiences will be holding exhilarating Supercar driving and hot lap experiences at Symmons Plains for two days only on February 26 & 27, 2022. Hosted by Australian motorsport legend John Bowe, a Tasmanian from Devonport, places for drives and hot laps with “JB” are certain to book out fast, so you’ll have to get in quick.
If you’ve ever dreamed of getting behind the wheel of your own purpose-built V8 Supercar as it drives at top speed around the legendary Symmons Plains Raceway, then book your experience or buy a gift voucher for you or a mate, today.
We can’t wait to see you on the track at Symmons Plains! Keep up to date with our hot lap days and all the latest V8 Supercars news by following us on Facebook and Twitter.