Pit stop tweaks for The Bend, Sandown

Tweaks have been made to pit stop processes for the OTR SuperSprint and Penrite Oil Sandown 500.

Next weekend’s Tailem Bend round will be the final sprint event of the 2023 Repco Supercars Championship, with three 20-lap sprints to be held.

The compulsory pit stop (CPS) window will open after lap 3 has commenced, per a change in the event Supplementary Regulations.

It’s a change from normal sprint rounds — except the Albert Park round — where the CPS window commences before the start of lap 5.

Drivers will race on Dunlop’s Soft compound for the weekend. With the new CPS window, teams will have more flexibility around strategy.

Notably, Shane van Gisbergen executed successful overcuts last year, although the undercut has proven more powerful with the new Gen3 cars.

Rule 5.6.1.5 now reads: Should the SC be deployed prior to the leader commencing lap 3 on the Race Track, and the SC period continues after the commencement of lap 3, the CPS window will not open. Teams will be updated as to when the window will open via RMC and the Instant Messenger.

Teams and drivers will shift to enduro mode after The Bend, beginning with the Penrite Oil Sandown 500.

At Sandown, the crew member that operates the spike — that activates the air jacks — must operate from the fast lane side of the car.

The air spike in Gen3 cars was moved just forward of the door. Previous generation cars had the air spike located in the B-pillar on the window.

It’s a change from the spike being operated from the garage side.

Per 5.12 (Use of Equipment/Tools) in the event Supplementary Regulations, new Rule D11.7.8 states: Air jacks must always be manually operated from the Pit Garage Fastlane side of the Car during any Pit Stop.

Sandown is anti-clockwise, with driver changes and refuelling to take place on the right side of the car. Shifting the air spike to the fast lane reduces crowding, given tyre changes will also be taking place.

Supercars will hit the track at The Bend on Saturday August 19, with two practice sessions, qualifying and Race 20 to be held.

The OTR SuperSprint will conclude with two qualifying sessions and two races, Race 21 and Race 22, on Sunday August 20.