Test Of Endurance

The Virgin Australia Supercars Championship goes into longdistance mode with the Pirtek Endurance Cup, which rewards the best-performing combination across the RABBLE.club Sandown 500, Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 and Vodafone Gold Coast 600.

- Adrian Musolino

The Virgin Australia Super cars Champion-ship season hits top gear with the Pirtek Endurance Cup, the three long-distance events where the entry list doubles with the addition of co-drivers. The Pirtek Endurance Cup gets underway at Sandown, the traditional home of the Bathurst curtain-raiser. Melbourne’s fickle spring weather and two qualifying races often jumble the grid and produce surprise results, such as Tickford Racing’s Cameron Waters and Richie Stanaway’s first wins last season.

Then it’s to Mount Panorama for the Bathurst 1000, the biggest and most prestigious event in Super cars. Last season’s wet race saw Erebus Motor sport’s David Reynolds and Luke Youlden prevail for a popular win in a race where the championship contenders fell by the wayside. With 300 points on the line and 1000km of racing at the sacred 6.12km circuit, the Great Race plays a crucial role in determining the winner of not only the Pirtek Endurance Cup but also the Virgin Australia Super cars Championship.

The Pirtek Endurance Cup concludes with the Vodafone Gold Coast 600, two 300km races on the punishing street circuit. With co-drivers starting the races in their last hit-outs of the season, there’s plenty of action before the lead drivers jump in to decide the Pirtek Endurance Cup.

These are the contenders for the long-distance crown.

DJR TEAM PENSKE

Scott McLaughlin enters the Pirtek Endurance Cup as the driver to beat in the championship, determined to go one better after his last-gasp defeat in the title race last season.

McLaughlin will once again team with Frenchman Alexandre Prémat for their fourth endurance campaign together – two at Garry Rogers Motor sport and two at DJR Team Penske.