Courtney's words of wisdom

[Trevor]

Words of wisdom

James Courtney previews the Winton V8 Supercar round
JAMES COURTNEY
May 12, 2010 - 10:10AM

Winton Raceway may lack the profile and big-budget facilities of some V8 Supercar Championship venues, but this week's round on the north-east Victorian circuit is still important for many reasons.


Firstly, there are a maximum 300 points up for grabs at Winton, the same as Bathurst and every round, and since I'm currently second in the championship I want as many of them as I can get.

Secondly, it's important for the category to race in rural areas because they are target markets for Ford and Holden, the two manufacturers in the championship.

If you want proof, go for a walk around the car park at Winton on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday and you will see a much higher percentage of Falcons and Commodores and V8 utes than around the outskirts of the Gold Coast or Sydney street circuits, not to mention Abu Dhabi and Bahrain!

Thirdly, permanent tracks such as Winton are the 'lifeblood' of Australian motorsport, and need to be supported to maintain and improve facilities. These types of circuits are where our best young drivers learn racecraft.

Mark Webber raced Formula Fords at Winton before heading to Formula One, as did many V8 Supercar drivers on the grid this week. And tracks such as Winton are also enjoyed year-round by amateur racing enthusiasts who compete in club, State, and historic events.