SpeedSeries stunned by Sandown clash
By Thomas Miles
Date posted: 23 November 2022
Whilst many will be celebrating the return of the Sandown 500, some were left shellshocked by the announcement of the 2023 Supercars Championship calendar.
The 2023 Sandown 500 will take place on September 15-17, which is the same weekend a SpeedSeries round was scheduled at the historic Victorian circuit.
Motorsport Australia and Australian Racing Group had the date locked in more than a month ago when it released its 2023 calendar for categories such as TCR, S5000, Trans Am and more.
SpeedSeries was certain it would race on that weekend up until Tuesday night when it was shellshocked to discover the Sandown 500 will also take place then.
After the owners of Sandown, the Melbourne Racing Club, awarded the mid-September weekend to Supercars, SpeedSeries was left with no choice, but to make a reluctant change to its calendar following Supercars’ announcement.
“Motorsport Australia was told, as late as Tuesday afternoon, that we still held the booking for Sandown on 15-17 September,” a Motorsport Australia spokesperson said.
“Today we have now discovered the circuit has clearly been double booked, which is certainly frustrating given we announced and locked in this date some time ago.
“In the interests of everyone involved, we have agreed to move the SpeedSeries booking to a new date to be confirmed.”
A draft 2023 Supercars calendar seen during the Gold Coast 500 had penned the Sandown 500 for September 1-3, leaving many surprised by today’s announcement.
Supercars has not raced a September Sandown round since 2018 with the following year’s 500km endurance classic held in November, while the last two years’ sprint rounds were held earlier in the year.
SpeedSeries has filled the void and raced at the Victorian circuit in the September time slot in 2019 and 2022.
The Sandown stoush is the latest instalment in the strained relationship between Supercars owners RACE and ARG, which reached boiling point following a rejected buyout offer from overseas sports media group FanTech.
SpeedSeries now has to find a new date for its Sandown round with the six other events set to remained unchanged, leaving a two-month window between Queensland Raceway and the finale at Bathurst.
Another potential opening could be the Victorian To Be Confirmed round scheduled at the end of May.
The 2023 SpeedSeries kicks off in Tasmania, a fortnight before the Newcastle 500 opens Supercars new season.
For more of the latest motorsport news pick up the latest issue of AUTO ACTION.
AUTO ACTION, Australia’s independent voice of motorsport.
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