Darwin Turns Up The Heat

Darwin Turns Up The Heat

The annual SkyCity Triple Crown round of the V8 Supercar championship is always one of the hottest -one of the reasons SP Tools-backed Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon driver Shane van Gisbergen is looking forward to it this weekend.
The 21-year-old who currently lies fourth in the series points standings behind fellow Ford driver James Courtney and Holden teammates Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes has showed sparkling form at the five 'hot weather' meetings held so far this season.

But he has not quite been able to emulate that form at the two 'cold weather' meetings, at home in Hamilton in April and across the Tasman at Winton last month.

This weekend's meeting in Darwin is the first in just over a month after the early season cancellation of the traditional Perth round in early June.
The format remains the same as at previous championship rounds with practice today (Friday), the first qualifying session, Top Ten Shootout and first (120km) race of the weekend on Saturday, then a second qualifying session and second race (this time over 200kms) on Sunday.

This weekend the soft tyre option (just the one set in this case) is limited to Sunday's race.

There has also been a slight change to the engine rules which will get its first airing this weekend. Previously engine builders had a certain amount of freedom with their camshafts.

Now V8 Supercars has made camshafts a control part, a move which is believed will extend engine life and - hopefully - cut costs.
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