V8 Supercars update: 5 things to know about Clipsal 500 Adelaide
Motorsports fans are gearing up for the 2016 Clipsal 500 Adelaide, which will be held from Thursday, Mar. 3.
Clipsal 500, a round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series, is arguably Australia's largest domestic motor sport event. Legendary motor sport authority Murray Walker even called it the “best touring car event in the world” in 2005, according to the race’s web site.
Organisers are touting this year’s event as the biggest to date. Prior to the opening of the race program, take a look at some of key information about it. Here are five things to know about Clipsal 500 Adelaide.
1) Drivers regarded it the most physically demanding race.
The nature of the circuit and the effect of the heat are among the reasons why drivers find this round of the race the most challenging. On top of those, however, Clipsal 500 used to consist of two 250-kilometre races run on Saturday and Sunday. In 2014, the event changed its format, breaking down the Saturday race into two 125-kilometre races. The Clipsal 500 track measures 3.22 kilometres in length. Cars race around it at an average speed of 146 kilometre per hour, with a top speed of 251 kilometre per hour.
2) The event packs in quite a crowd.
Clipsal 500, which was first held in April 1999, attracts over 250,000 racing fans. In 2015, the event reported more than 280,000 patrons over the four days. It distinguishes itself as the first carnival-style event, featuring a lot of attractions beyond motorsports. Clipsal 500 includes eight on-track race categories, Enduro-X, nightly concerts, drift demonstrations, stunt bikes, cars of the screen, among others.
3) Craig Lowndes is set to break records in 2016.
The 41-year-old professional race car driver made history when he became Clipsal 500’s inaugural winner in 1999. To date, Lowndes had been on the grid for every event – a total of 17 so far – with Garth Tander. This year, Lowndes is set to surpass Russell Ingall’s record for the most Australian Touring Car Championship/V8 Supercars Championship round starts of any driver. In January, the three-time V8 Supercars champion underwent a surgery after breaking his collarbone during a recreational motorbike accident, according to Fox Sports.
4) Clipsal 500 is named after the event’s sponsor.
Clipsal by Schneider Electric, Australia’s leading brand of electrical accessories, has been the naming rights sponsor of the event since 1999. The inaugural race was known as Sensational Adelaide 500. In 2014, the company agreed to extend its sponsorship until 2017.
5) The Holden Racing Team has the most Clipsal 500 Adelaide wins.
With Lowndes behind a Holden Commodore VT, the Holden Racing Team collected its first of seven wins in 1999. To date, it holds the record for having the most number of wins at the Clipsal 500. In 2016, four manufacturers will be represented on the grid at the Clipsal 500 Adelaide, namely Holden, Ford, Nissan and Volvo.
