Supercars at 600 rounds: The milestone races
This weekend's OTR SuperSprint will be be a special round in the story of the Australian Touring Car Championship/V8 Supercars Championship.
Tailem Bend will not only host Round 8 of the 2023 Repco Supercars Championship, but also the 600th ATCC/Supercars round.
The very first race was won by David McKay at the Gnoo Blas circuit in Orange, NSW way back in 1960.
In 63 years since, the premier racing category in Australia has blossomed into what is regarded as the best touring car championship in the world.
The Bend Motorsport Park may be one of the youngest circuits in Australia, but will have the honour of hosting round No. 600.
The V8 Supercars era began in 1997 Pic: AN1 Images
It’s not the first time the number 600 has featured this season — back in April, Mark Winterbottom carried the number in celebration of his 600th Supercars race.
Only Craig Lowndes, Garth Tander and Winterbottom have started 600 or more races, with Lowndes also the record-holder with 300 rounds.
Lowndes debuted in 1996, which goes to show the sheer number of rounds held in the modern era compared to the early years of the ATCC.
The 100th round was won by Kevin Bartlett in his iconic Nine Sports Chevrolet Camaro at Sandown in 1980.
Twelve years later, John Bowe raced his Shell Sierra to victory at Sandown, with Mark Skaife winning the 300th round at Oran Park in Sydney’s west in 2001.
Milestone ATCC/Supercars rounds
Race | Year | Track | Round winner | Car |
1 | 1960 | Gnoo Blas, NSW | David McKay | Jaguar 3.4 Mk 1 |
100 | 1980 | Sandown, VIC | Kevin Bartlett | Chevrolet Camaro |
200 | 1992 | Sandown, VIC | John Bowe | Ford Sierra RS500 |
300 | 2001 | Oran Park, NSW | Mark Skaife | Holden Commodore VX |
400 | 2009 | Hamilton, NZ | Jamie Whincup | Ford Falcon FG |
500 | 2016 | Phillip Island, VIC | Scott McLaughlin | Volvo S60 |
600 | 2023 | Tailem Bend, SA | - | - |
It took eight years for the 400th round, won by Jamie Whincup at Hamilton in New Zealand.
The most recent centurion round in Supercars was 500, won by Scott McLaughlin aboard his Garry Rogers Motorsport Volvo.
Round winners haven’t been recognised since 2008, although scoring the most points on a weekend still carries weight.
For the record, Whincup leads the way with 55 round wins, ahead of Lowndes (52), Skaife (42), Shane van Gisbergen (38) and Peter Brock (37).
Supercars action at The Bend commences on Saturday with two practice sessions, knockout ARMOR ALL Qualifying and the 20-lap Race 20.
Milestone ATCC/Supercars races
Race | Year | Track | Winner | Car |
1 | 1960 | Gnoo Blas, NSW | David McKay | Jaguar 3.4 Mk 1 |
100 | 1979 | Sandown, VIC | Bob Morris | Holden Torana A9X |
200 | 1990 | Winton, VIC | Jim Richards | Nissan Skyline GTS-R |
300 | 1996 | Symmons Plains, TAS | Craig Lowndes | Holden Commodore VR |
400 | 1999 | Calder Park, VIC | Mark Skaife | Holden Commodore VT |
500 | 2002 | Pukekohe, NZ | Mark Skaife | Holden Commodore VX |
600 | 2006 | Oran Park, NSW | Todd Kelly | Holden Commodore VZ |
700 | 2009 | Darwin, NT | Michael Caruso | Holden Commodore VE |
800 | 2012 | Homebush, NSW | Will Davison | Ford Falcon FG |
900 | 2015 | Gold Coast, QLD | van Gisbergen/Webb | Holden Commodore VF |
1000 | 2019 | Albert Park, VIC | Scott McLaughlin | Ford Mustang GT |
1100 | 2022 | Winton, VIC | Shane van Gisbergen | Holden Commodore ZB |
Tickets for the OTR SuperSprint are on sale on Supercars.com and Ticketek.com.
