Australia/New Zealand motorsport thread

[Coronis]

So NASCAR going to Chicago again for the street race this weekend so I’ll be watching that. Fun stat I read: SVG who obviously is the favourite going in, has the chance this weekend to become the most successful NASCAR Cup driver not born in USA. Currently he, Daniel Suarez (his Mexican teammate), Ambrose and Montoya all have 2 wins. One of Suarez’s wins was on an oval, all the rest for these guys have been road races. Looking further ahead, the overall road record is 9 wins, far from out of reach you’d say. (tbf including Chicago, there are 6 road races this year, for much of NASCAR’s history there were only 2 at max)

 

[Flem274*]

I think the other guys will be better prepared, especially if it's dry.

The circa 2017 Supercars field looks increasingly GOAT and near F1 standard (a la DTM 2005) in retrospect, but it is weird someone who isn't the best touring car driver of his generation can make NASCAR guys look amateur in any road race with marginal weather. They've buried bigger names.

 

[Coronis]

I think the other guys will be better prepared, especially if it's dry.

The circa 2017 Supercars field looks increasingly GOAT and near F1 standard (a la DTM 2005) in retrospect, but it is weird someone who isn't the best touring car driver of his generation can make NASCAR guys look amateur in any road race with marginal weather. They've buried bigger names.

At least from what I saw last race, one of the main things was his tyre management which he’s carried over from Supercars. Some guys would be matching or sometimes bettering him early in the stint, but about halfway through a stint he’d start to have an ever increasing advantage. Reckon they’re all pretty lucky to have the stages tbh, and to have more SCs in general. Any long green flag runs and he’ll destroy. Not saying it’d be a cakewalk or anything, but I reckon he’s definitely the favourite going in… wonder what the odds are.

 

[Coronis]

Well here they are - and almost forgot Brown’s gonna be there too!

 

[Coronis]

SVG on pole by a half second

 

[Coronis]

Anddddd he’s done it

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Had an appointment monday morinig so I didn't get the chance to watch the race until yesterday, but yeah a pretty dominant performance from SVG in the end.

Michael McDowell drove really well to hold him off in the first stage, although I did get the sense SVG was biding his time to sime extent. Then he went out with a throttle issue and that 88 car looked miles faster than anyone even when strategy dropped him back. Shame about Brown getting taken out early, not really that much he could have done with the track almost entirely blocked ahead of him





Fun fact on McDowell: he actually made his top level US open wheel debut in the exact same race as Will Power, Surfers Paradise 2005 in the Champ Car days before reunification

 

[Coronis]

Had an appointment monday morinig so I didn't get the chance to watch the race until yesterday, but yeah a pretty dominant performance from SVG in the end.

Michael McDowell drove really well to hold him off in the first stage, although I did get the sense SVG was biding his time to sime extent. Then he went out with a throttle issue and that 88 car looked miles faster than anyone even when strategy dropped him back. Shame about Brown getting taken out early, not really that much he could have done with the track almost entirely blocked ahead of him





Fun fact on McDowell: he actually made his top level US open wheel debut in the exact same race as Will Power, Surfers Paradise 2005 in the Champ Car days before reunification

Yeah I felt bad for McDowell, it would’ve been interesting to see how that played out. It sort of felt like how it was in Mexico with Gibbs(?) except SVG was behind but not in front. After Mcdowell was out though it practically felt like a foregone conclusion.

 

[Coronis]

Ok I’m about to go to my nephews party. Just realised we’re on this weekend. I’m jinxing it but 888 qualifying 14th and 20th won’t win this race. Even more shocking - Aaron Cameron in 13th

 

[Coronis]

Well that’s a messed up grid compared to yesterday. Can tell you honestly a Reynolds pole was not on my bingo card this year.

 

[Coronis]

Jackson Evans has really had a horrible run of bad luck lately. Feeney is really looking ominous rn.

Fun day for Tickford 1-2-3-4 in Super2 and then last and second last cars running in the main series.

Great drives from both WAU drivers.

 

[Coronis]

SVG on pole again in NASCAR. Whilst McLaughlin crashed in qualifying and starts last for both Indycar races.

 

[Coronis]

fwiw McLaughlin went from 27th to 4th in the first race and was taken out lap 1 in the second race.

SVG dominated, surviving a few late yellow flags with fresh tyres on chasers. Has now won 3 road races in a row (all from pole) and 4 total road races. This also ties him with 3 other drivers for most wins in the season so far. iirc still 2 road races to go this season.

 

[Coronis]

McLaughlin - loses a wheel and crashes on lap 2
SVG - has a flat tyre and loses 5 laps about 10 laps in

rip

 

[Coronis]

Officially jinxing him now but um. SVG has qualified 11th for an oval. His teammates qualified 31st and 33rd. That’s scary.

 

[Flem274*]

Excellent jinx

But yes he is starting to click.

Would be incredibly funny if he exploits the stupid finals system to take the championship W after being on toast at the start of the year.

 

[Coronis]

Excellent jinx

But yes he is starting to click.

Would be incredibly funny if he exploits the stupid finals system to take the championship W after being on toast at the start of the year.

If he can not be in the bottom four in the first round, he’s almost guaranteed to make it to third round, with the Roval in the second round. From there its only what, 4 races? Anything could happen.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

If he can not be in the bottom four in the first round, he’s almost guaranteed to make it to third round, with the Roval in the second round. From there its only what, 4 races? Anything could happen.

One of those last 4 is Talladega too, which is genuinely as much as an unpredictable wildcard as it gets. So while definitely unlikely, it isn't completely beyond the realms of possibility.

Think making it through the first round will be a tough ask though

 

[Coronis]

One of those last 4 is Talladega too, which is genuinely as much as an unpredictable wildcard as it gets. So while definitely unlikely, it isn't completely beyond the realms of possibility.

Think making it through the first round will be a tough ask though

It would be hilarious if he somehow won though. NASCAR might finally rethink their playoffs lol

 

[GoodAreasShane]

It would be hilarious if he somehow won though. NASCAR might finally rethink their playoffs lol

There has genuinely been a champion in this playoff format who won the title without winning a race all year (Matt Crafton, Truck Series 2019) and that didn't lead to any sort of change so I wouldn't hold my breath.

Agree that the format is decidedly not great though. Makes it all the more irritating that Supercars are operating with something similar this year