The key Supercars event and driver milestones in 2024
Sandown to celebrate 60th anniversary of race, 50th of Supercars
Tasmania brings up 55 years; 15 years of Townsville, 30 years of Gold Coast
Drivers and teams to hit significant milestones of their own in 2024
The 2024 Repco Supercars Championship, which gets underway at the Thrifty Bathurst 500 on February 23-25, is set to feature several major event, driver and team milestones.
The 2023 season was headlined by the 60th anniversary of the Great Race at Mount Panorama, with the Repco Bathurst 1000 celebrated by a near-record crowd.
Come 2024, and there will be plenty of significant history to celebrate at over half of the rounds, while several drivers and teams will have milestones of their own to cherish.
Sandown
Melbourne’s most historic venue, Sandown, will be home to some of the biggest celebrations of the year, with the 60th anniversary of the Sandown 500. There will be celebrations to pay respect to the 1964 running of an international six-hour race which evolved into the Sandown 500. The September 20-22 event will also be the 50th anniversary of the first Sandown endurance event for the Australian Touring Car Championship/Supercars Championship.
Tasmania
The 2024 running of the NED Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint, held on August 16-18, will celebrate the 55th anniversary of ATCC/Supercars racing at Symmons Plains. The Launceston circuit held its first round in 1969, with Norm Beechey taking round honours aboard a Holden Monaro GTS 327.
Townsville
It’s going to be a big party in North Queensland, with the NTI Townsville 500 to celebrate its 15th anniversary of Supercars racing. The Reid Park Street Circuit debuted in 2009, with Jamie Whincup and James Courtney sharing the honours. The 2.86km venue will also record its 40th race on the Sunday of the event.
Gold Coast
The party will go to a new level at Queensland’s biggest annual sporting event, the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 runs, on October 25-27. The 2024 event will the 30th anniversary of Supercars first racing on the iconic Surfers Paradise street circuit, with John Bowe taking victory for Dick Johnson Racing in 1994.
Adelaide
End of season celebrations will include the VAILO Adelaide 500 celebrating its 25th anniversary. The 2024 season finale, set for November 14-17, will feature celebrations centred on the very first running of the Sensational Adelaide 500 in 1999. The 1999 event was won by Craig Lowndes, who is the ‘Fanbassador’ for this month’s event. The Adelaide 500 was inducted into the Supercars Hall of Fame in 2005, with the Sunday race of the forthcoming event the 50th in Adelaide.
Sydney Motorsport Park
Sydney Motorsport Park will host the sole night race of the season during the Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight on July 19-21. The first race of the weekend will be the 75th race at the Eastern Creek venue, some 32 years after John Bowe won both races in the first event way back in 1992.
Darwin
Hidden Valley Raceway will also celebrate its 75th race at the betr Darwin Triple Crown on June 14-16. The Sunday race will be the 75th, some 26 years after Craig Lowndes won the very first race in the Northern Territory in 1998.
Drivers and teams
It’s also going to be a big year for drivers and teams in 2024. Reigning champion Brodie Kostecki records his 100th race start at the Thrifty Bathurst 500, and his 50th round start at the Penrite Oil Sandown 500. Tim Slade will celebrate 200 rounds at the Perth SuperSprint, and 450 races in front of friends and family at the VAILO Adelaide 500.
David Reynolds’ first season with Team 18 will feature his 200th round in New Zealand and 450th race in Tasmania. Team 18 itself will record 150 round starts at the Thrifty Bathurst 500, as will Erebus Motorsport. Both teams debuted in 2013.
Anton De Pasquale (Tasmania) and Jack Le Brocq (Bathurst 500) will celebrate 200 races, with Le Brocq hitting 100 rounds at the Repco Bathurst 1000. Matt Stone Racing will also clock 200 races in Sydney.
Brad Jones Racing driver Andre Heimgartner will hit 250 race starts in Melbourne, with teammate Bryce Fullwood clocking up 150 races on the Gold Coast.
2023 rookies Matt Payne and Cameron Hill will both reach 50 races on the Gold Coast, with Thomas Randle hitting 100 in the same race. Then, there’s Blanchard Racing Team, which has expanded to two cars and will clock its 100th race in New Zealand.
Chaz Mostert (Tasmania) and Nick Percat (Sydney) will both record their 150th round starts, with veteran duo James Courtney and Will Davison both set to reach 250 rounds in Darwin.
