It’s the maiden appearance of Gen3 out west as the Repco Supercars Championship heads to CARCO.com.au Raceway (previously Wanneroo) as the series enters its third round with a very open scenario.
For the first time this season three races will be contested across a weekend at a duration of 42 laps, ensuring a tough battle.
The WA Sporting Car Club built the facility in 1969 and will this year celebrate 50 years of hosting an Australian Touring Car Championship/Supercars round, although the global pandemic ensured it missed out on holding an event during 2020 and 2021.
Always providing drama, it was recently resurfaced and the racing is always close around a circuit, which is lapped at a sub-minute pace.
Upgrades 10 years ago moved the pit building for the third time to the inside of the front straight after previously being placed on the outside since the mid-1980s and over the rise towards Kolb Corner previous to this.
Just like when Car of The Future was introduced, Gen3 has sprung some surprises including the rise of Coca-Cola Racing by Erebus and stronger Brad Jones Racing, though some things do remain the same as Red Bull Ampol Racing continue to be a strong contender.
After a superb run at the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix, Brodie Kostecki leads the title by 32-points from opening race winner Chaz Mostert in the Optus Mobil 1 Racing Ford Mustang.
Following disqualification in the opening race of the season, Shane van Gisbergen is steadily rising up the standings and sits third 54-points in arrears. Unlike previous seasons, the New Zealand ace is making small mistakes, though his form in Perth recently is good after securing two out three victories in 2022.
Andre Heimgartner leads the Brad Jones Racing charge in fourth from Will Brown and Cam Waters, who visited Martinsville recently to watch a NASCAR Cup race.
Broc Feeney, David Reynolds, Jack Le Brocq and Bryce Fullwood round out the top 10. The latter two making a cracker start to the season.
It’s been a difficult start for Shell V-Power Racing as Will Davison sits 11th and Anton De Pasquale languishes in 18th, but Western Australia has provided many highlights particularly last year. Can the Queensland-based squad turnaround its form out west?
Repco Supercars Championship veteran Mark Winterbottom will also clock up 600 race starts in the category.
One parity change has been announced regarding Centre of Gravity as the Camaro will feature redistributed weight to better match the Mustangs. In total, 4.97kg of ballast will be readjusted in the rear of the Chevrolets just behind the fuel cell.
The Bosch Power Tools Perth Supersprint is set to take place on April 28-30.