2021 Supercars and Supports

[theracer120]

Bottom post of the previous page:

Shane van Gisbergen wins after starting 15th with a last lap pass on Waters. That was a pretty excellent last few laps and an excellent drive from SVG.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Shane van Gisbergen wins after starting 15th with a last lap pass on Waters. That was a pretty excellent last few laps and an excellent drive from SVG.

Yeah, I must admit I thought that when he dipped out of qualy early he might be suffering from his shoulder injury, but a great drive and indeed a great race. He was clearly in pain when he got out as his left arm was just hanging a bit limp and he couldnt use it to hang on to his trophy on the podium.

Looking at the sky round here (about 15 minutes from Sandown), I would not be surprised to see a bit of rain over the next 24 hours which might liven up tomorrows races and qualy.

[Cheeveer]

Absolutely sensational racing. Those last 10 laps will go down in history. And SvG is on the verge on making the championship boring, but with that kind of drives, he deserves it.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Looking at the sky round here (about 15 minutes from Sandown), I would not be surprised to see a bit of rain over the next 24 hours which might liven up tomorrows races and qualy.

Already raining here, not hard but certainly quite wet..... 7:15am. Not looked at the radar to see what the rain is forecast to do and whether it is moving on but the forecast was for it to not be wet until this afternoon and then it was only as 'likely showers'.
I think the first supports racing today are S5000 just after 9am, followed by Heritage touring cars and then V8 SC qualifying at 10.30 local time

Edit: Just checked the radar and the rain is mainly North of the track, but still certainly in the area.
Link follows to the local radar. Click on the 64klm option (if it doesnt open on it) and Sandown is just outside Oakleigh heading towards Dandenong in the bottom right quarter of the image.
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR024.loop.shtml

[Everso Biggyballies]

Shane van Gisbergen wins after starting 15th with a last lap pass on Waters.

Hate to sound picky and it isnt meant that way, but SVG actually started 17th and not 15th.... makes his drive through the field even more impressive.

The main reason I mentioned it was that in doing so SVG set at new record..... he has now set the record for the lowest starting position for the winner of a single driver race in Australian Touring Car Championship history.

Norm Beechey previously held that record when he won in 1965 from 14th on the grid. (56 years ago.)

[Everso Biggyballies]

Just had a quick downpour as the cars were getting ready for qualy so quickly on with the wets. Cars going out with 5 minutes to go..... trying to get some heat in the tyres for a couple of laps before having a crack at setting a time in the last couple of minutes

[Everso Biggyballies]

SVG just went fastest and then nosed it into a barrier..... managed to get it out before they waved a red which saved his bacon (a red gets the driver a loss of fastest lap and out of the session.

[Everso Biggyballies]

SVG gets pole for todays first of two races from Whincup Mostert and Waters.




We now have another ten minute session straightaway to set the grid for the second race today.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Gisbergen goes back-to-back and nabs pole position for Race 5, from Whincup, Davison, Reynolds, Heimgartner, Winterbottom, Brodie Kostecki, De Pasquale, Mostert, and Waters.
Good performance from the two Kelly cars of Reynolds and Heimgartner. Brodie K did alright too for Erebus.

First of todays V8SC races today at 1:30pm local time.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Race is close to starting as they go on their warm up lap. Track is wet but it has stopped raining now..... they are all on wets but will the track dry or will more rain come. Likely to be some SC involvement so we could see some rolling of the dice changing from wets to dries if it stays dry.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Clean start by all and all bar Reynolds got round the first lap. Whincup got the jump but Mostert led the first lap from SVG who also passed Whincup. Some great dicing and position changes at the front between Mostert and SVG, side by side undercuts .... but it gets interrupted by an SC for I think McAuley Jones stopped on the side of the track.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Jones looked like a mechanical failure but he may have droppped oil. Reynolds spun on the opening lap after a bit of a nudge from someone and looks to have broken something as he is back in the garage. SC still out.
Mostert leads van Gisbergen, Whincup, Waters, Heimgartner, Courtney. Davison, Pye, De Pasquale, and Percat

[Everso Biggyballies]

Green flag. SVG passes Mostert into T1 as Mostert got on some oil. Waters up to 3rd from Heimgartner Courtney and Whincup.

And we still have 27 laps leftof this!

[Everso Biggyballies]

Hint of a dry line starting to appear but not anything like close to slick conditions. Be interesting and key to teams to hold off their compulsory stop until they know whether the rain will hold off and they can change to slicks. They cant afford to have to make a second stop for rubber.... either to change to slicks or change to fresh wets.They are still 10 seconds off the dry track times.
Other onsideration is they cant chane a half set if they change compound so they would have to do a 4 tyre change (with only two rattle guns) so a change of compound is a double time stop


They are starting to chase the wet patches to cool the wets down though.

[Everso Biggyballies]

A couple of the teams at the back have rlled the dice and come in to change to dries. What happens to them over the next few laps will set the trend for the frontrunners.
Waters has stopped for dries and he was nearer the front. Could be a genius move or a foolish one.

[Everso Biggyballies]

The leaders are coming in now as well. They rejoin and Waters has jumped Mostert and close to SVG with the bonus of warmer tyres.