Sandown completes Sports Sedans calendar

The 2024 Precision National Sports Sedan Series season is now complete with the iconic Sandown Raceway locked in as the final piece of the puzzle.

The penultimate round of the season between trips to SMP and Bathurst had been a TBA, but it will now be held at the historic Victorian venue on August 23-25.

The Sports Sedans will steal the spotlight at the Victorian State Series meeting run by the Victorian Sports Sedans Association.

Precision National Sports Sedan Series president Michael Robinson said the “Home of Horsepower” was always a preferred venue with initial hopes to race alongside the Supercars at the iconic Sandown 500.

“It (TBA) was not what we wanted or planned, but we had been looking at options since late last year and coordinating things is very hard,” Robinson told AUTO ACTION.

“We were originally booked on the Supercars Sandown 500 but that changed due to some circumstances on Supercars end.

“We had been considering some options like Phillip Island but a state meeting date got changed to October and that didn’t quite work for us. Then Sandown came up again and it was all confirmed yesterday.

“It gives us five weeks after Sydney and a bigger gap to get prepared for Bathurst so it has worked out quite well.

“It fits in with the competitors who have other things booked and it is good to have five rounds.”

Despite missing out last year, Sandown has been a staple of Sports Sedans hosting the finale in 2019 and 2022 and with two long straights, it suits the powerful and modified beasts.

“It is a popular track being a horsepower track,” Robinson said. 

“We have been there a number of times over the years.

“There is also the fact that it might turn into housing in the next few years so whether it is the last time or not we don’t know, but it is a chance to race on it.”

Being a Victorian State Series meeting the Sports Sedans will be live streamed on Blend Line TV with three races in addition to practice and qualifying are expected to be held at Sandown.

Before then the Precision National Sports Sedan Series will go racing on the Supercars stage at Sydney Motorsport Park.

After an entertaining SpeedSeries round at The Bend where Thomas Randle overcame some significant hurdles to take a clean sweep, Robinson is hopeful of a strong near 30-car field at SMP.

The prestigious Des Wall Trophy will be on the line in round 3 where 2022 champion Jordan Caruso is expected to return after a fire cut short his South Australian stay.

“It was a very successful meeting with great racing and very good quality cars at the front of the field,” Robinson said of The Bend.

“Thomas shone with his expertise and experience to win and you can’t ask for much more than the competition at the front where it goes down to the final laps.

“It was not ideal starting early in the morning, but it is a big event with seven good categories and we had two of our races live streamed on 7 Plus, which was great.

“I think we have 29 cars listed to enter (at Sydney) but we may lose a few. It should be a very good field.”

After two rounds Peter Ingram leads Geoff Taunton by 27 points in the 2024 Precision National Sports Sedan Series title race.

2024 Precision National Sports Sedan Series calendar

Round 1: Symmons Plains SpeedSeries March 15-17

Round 2: Tailem Bend SpeedSeries May 31-June 2

Round 3: Sydney Motorsport Park Supercars July 19-21

Round 4: Sandown Victorian State Race Series August 23-25

Round 5: Mount Panorama Bathurst International November 8-10

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