Rounds almost every

fortnight in 2009

Release date: 20/07/2008 Next years V8 Supercar calendar will be the most compact ever and is expected to have a range of initiatives to make racing more exciting.

There will be 14 rounds, plus the non-Championship round at the Australian Grand Prix over 38 weeks.

V8 Supercars Chairman Tony Cochrane said it was the shortest V8 season ever.

“It would be perfect to have 15 events over 34 weeks but 15 events over 38 weeks is a pretty good effort,” he said.

“We’re certainly looking forward to the announcement of the 2009 calendar in the first week of September.”

Cochrane said the Board was also investigating night races for next year.

“Would love to do it, in fact,” he said.

“(We would) love to be on prime time on a Saturday night on Network 7; because I think we would rate our pants, off to be honest.”

Cochrane said the Board was looking at other format changes to round next year in response to fan research.

“Those format changes are being fully reviewed and costed,” he said.

Cochrane said V8 Supercars would announce race formats at the L&H 500 at Phillip Island later this year.

But it is understood that one of the three days at some – if not all – sprint rounds are likely to be scrapped, with a 100km race taking place on the Saturday and a 200km race scheduled for the Sunday.

The Queensland Government yesterday announced that the inaugural Townsville round next year will run from July 10 to 12.

BigPond Sport understands next year’s Queensland Raceway round will be moved from July to the third weekend in August.

Cochrane said he expected a decision later in the week on whether the New South Wales Government wanted a round at Homebush next year.

“I’m holding out great hope but it’s a 50-50 decision if you want me to put a percentage on it,” he said.

Cochrane confirmed that there would be no race in Sydney if the Homebush event did not eventuate.

And besides a push to contain costs for V8 teams next year, the category is embarking on a bit of cost containing for fans.

Cochrane said V8 Supercars has fixed the sanction fee with 2009 promoters at 2008 prices in the interest of the fans, hoping as a result that the venues also freeze ticket prices.

“We recognise fans are doing it a bit tough at the moment due to the economic climate,” he said.

“Unfortunately we don’t have the power to do it at all V8 events, but we’re not putting up our sanction fee, hoping they will not put up prices.”

Cochrane said entry fees for the four events, which V8 Supercar promotes – Bathurst, Townsville, Phillip Island and Tasmania – will next year remain at 2008 prices.