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DARWIN AND TOWNSVILLE FORMATS CONFIRMED

By Heath McAlpine

Soft tyres will be the only compound available to Supercars teams this weekend. Image: LAT

Further information has been revealed in regards to this weekend’s Darwin SuperSprint and the opening Townsville Supersprint round.

By DAN McCARTHY

The schedule for the final event at Hidden Valley replicates the last weekend’s action, however the Supercars will contest the entire weekend using the soft tyre compound.

Saturday’s action will kick off earlier due to the Northern Territory Government elections as well as the traditional Dreamtime clash between Richmond and Essendon taking place that night.

As a result, the rookie practice session begins at 8:20am local time followed by two practice sessions, three-part qualifying including the Top 15 Shootout and Race 16 beginning at 1:50pm local time for a duration of 38-laps or one-lap after 2:45pm

Sunday begins at 10:20am with two back to back 10-minute qualifying sessions and conclude with the third and final 38-lap race commencing at 2:25pm.

A combined local Darwin support category is listed on the schedule, it will contain a sole practice/qualifying session and a trio of 20-minute races, one on the opening day and two on Sunday. Each support category race precedes a Supercars Championship race.

A return of the Top 10 Shootout will occur at Townsville, and as previously reported by Auto Action two support categories will feature during the opening weekend.

In the lead up to the Top 10 Shootout the elimination segments remain with only four cars eliminated in Q1. This will leave 20 cars participating in Q2, though only half will progress to the Top 10 Shootout.

Three 39-lap races have been set for the weekend with five sets of the soft compound tyres to use from the start of qualifying through until the conclusion of Race 3.

The Townsville Tin Top support category will be made up of racing sedans, from Porsche Carrera Cup cars, to Super3 machines, MARC Cars and Sports Sedans.

While the North Queensland Supersprinters will give local drivers the opportunity to race on their own street circuit.

The full Townsville event schedule is yet to be revealed, but will be released in coming days.

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