2015 Series Information Version #1 November 2014 www.super6touringcars.com.au Introduction THE DIAL BEFORE YOU DIG AUSTRALIAN SUPER SIX TOURING CAR SERIES (formally known as Saloon Cars) is an initiation to the traditional Ford vs Holden rivalry. The Saloon Car concept was created late in 1998 by a group of enthusiasts who thought that relatively late model six cylinder Holden Commodores and Ford Falcons would make inexpensive and popular race cars at an entry level. Super Six Touring Cars are basically very simple. The vehicles are six cylinder production based model VY/VT Commodore and BA/AU Falcon sedans, slightly modified for competition, safety and reliability. The category is a full-on traditional battle between Holden and Ford that offers competitors high-speed thrills at a relatively low cost, and of course entertainment for the spectators. Saloon Car racing has brought to Australian Motor Sport something that has been needed for a long time; close, high-speed competition at a realistic cost. Super Six Touring Cars are viewed as a vital step in Australian Touring Car racing. Drivers require a minimum of a Provisional National Circuit licence (PC), but preferably a CAMS National Circuit Licence (NC). Four important points underpin the category; • In relative terms, minimisation of the cost of running and maintaining the cars. • Providing a ‘place to race’ in a relaxed but safe and well managed environment. • Maintaining a close working relationship with the Shannons Nationals, CAMS and suppliers. • Maintaining a controlled category with pro-active technical compliance. The Australian Saloon Car Company Pty Ltd (TASCCO) is the Category Manager and provides the following: • Organises and promotes the Series in conjunction with the Shannons Nationals and circuit operators. • Sponsorship and media coverage for the Series. • A sound financial base for the Series. • Competent administrative services to competitors. • Compliance with all CAMS requirements, ensuring that the Technical and Sporting Regulations are strictly adhered to. The Cars Derived from road going six-cylinder Ford Falcons (BA/AU) and Holden Commodores (VY/VT). The vehicles are six cylinder production based model Commodore and Falcon sedans, slightly modified for competition, safety and reliability. 2 How do you join the Series? A. B. C. D. Make sure you have a current CAMS Provisional Circuit (PC) or National Circuit (NC) licence. Secure a funding package. Get hold of a car i.e. build or buy Enter the Series (or individual rounds) with Series Management. Sporting and Technical Regulations The Australian Super Six Touring Car Series Sporting and Technical Regulations contain the essential information to take part in the 2015 Super Six Series. The current Regulations are available on the Super Six Website www.super6touringcars.com.au. We have also produced this ‘Category Information’ document to provide any additional information and to answer frequently asked questions. Series Format The Series runs with the Shannons Australian Motor Racing Nationals. Founded in 2006, the Australian Motor Racing Nationals is firmly established as Australia’s ‘alternative’ national motor racing tour, offering fans and competitors diversity in circuits and categories with an array of motorsport excitement to suit every kind of enthusiast. From Formula 3 open-wheelers to international GT cars, thundering V8s and screaming LeMans-style sports cars, ‘The Nationals’ truly has something for everyone. With exciting racing, a variety of quality cars and extensive television coverage on SBS Speedweek and Fox Sports’ SPEED TV Australia has attracted a lot of attention. Once known as ‘The quiet achievers’ of motor sport, the Nationals now have built a solid foundation and a sensational product as it continues to evolve into a series of ‘must see’ events for Australian motor sport enthusiasts. Interest continues to grow and all of the rounds are at Australia’s best circuits. Racing is enjoyable and well managed. www.thenationals.com.au All rounds of the Australian Super Six Touring Car Series are run with the Shannons Australian Motor Racing Nationals to ensure industry support, a stable format and consistency of officials, series personnel, and TV product etc. In addition, the proven format will ensure that the competitors know what to expect at each round. 3 The Australian Super Six Touring Car Series provides some exciting choices to pick from (see schedule below). There are 6 rounds. Trophies will be awarded to the 3 highest point scorers at each round outright & in Division Two, and again for the overall points at the end of the series. There will be two double points rounds in 2015. Round 2 Winton (Dial Before You Dig Challenge) and Round 6 at Wakefield Park. The round format is normally (apart from round 2): One x 20-minute practice sessions. Two x 20-minute qualifying session. Three x 20 minute races expressed as a number of laps. Round 2 Winton ‘Dial Before You Dig Challenge’ format Practice - Two (2) Practice sessions (normally Friday) Qualifying - One (1) Qualifying sessions (normally Saturday) Top-ten ‘’shoot-out’’ – To determine the top ten starting positions for race one. Races - Two (2) x Thirty (30) lap races Unofficial practice sessions (usually 3 x 20 minutes) will be available. These sessions are normally conducted on the day prior to the Shannons Nationals rounds. An entry fee (between $100 and $180) is payable directly to the promoter. These sessions are not compulsory. Division Two Championship The addition of the Division Two Championship in 2014 was a great success and it will continue in 2015. The idea behind the Division Two championship is to give mid to rear of field competitors the opportunity to take part in the podium presentation at each round of the Series, and compete for both the outright and Division Two Championship. All driver will be seeded for divisions one and two according to their performances in previous national rounds and/or their domestic race meetings. Drivers entering particular rounds of the Series will be seeded on their merits. 4 Division Two points will be awarded as per the points table documented in the 2015 Series Sporting Regulations, with double points awarded for round two (Dial Before You Dig Challenge) at Winton and Round 6 at Wakefield Park. Division Two drivers will be eligible for outright (Division One) points, whereas Division One drivers will not be eligible for Division Two points. Division Two seeded drivers who qualify more than twice in the top five or finish any race more than twice in the top five during the 2015 Series will then only become eligible for outright (Division One) Championship points. All drivers will be re-seeded after the final round of the 2015 national series. Entry Procedures As expected, there is paperwork to be completed prior to the start of any Series/event. Initially, we provide; A Series Entry Form for the Shannons Nationals. This form is valid for the Series and saves the paperwork for each individual round. Sporting & Technical Regulations Round schedules, Supplementary Regulations & Further Regulations for each round. Category management, including garage allocations, document checking, timing & points information etc. At the commencement of the Series, competitors need to complete the series entry forms. An entry confirmation also needs to be completed (minimal time required) prior to each round. An invoice will be issued by TASCCO prior to each round. Entries fees must be paid 7 days prior to each round. Entry Fees The following fees (per round) are applicable; Per Round: $820 + GST per car Garages (sometimes marquees) are an additional cost, which varies from $150 to $450 depending on the venue. The average price is around $200. Entry fees include television coverage, live Internet TV coverage and media coverage. Friday practice is optional and is an additional cost payable to the event promoter ($100 - $180 depending on the circuit). 5 Sponsorship All cars are required to race with nominated decals, and other decals as per the Sporting Regulations. 2015 Schedule The 2015 Australian Super Six Touring Car Series will be contested in three states: Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6 27-29 March 12-14 June 3-5 July 7-9 August 18-20 September 16-18 October Sandown Raceway, VIC Winton Raceway, VIC (Double Points Round) Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW Queensland Raceway, QLD Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC Wakefield Park, NSW (Double Points Round) (Note: Dates include Friday Practice) Media Coverage Free to Air Television Following each round, The Australian Super Six Touring Car Series enjoys 20 minutes of television time on SBS Speedweek. Speedweek shown on SBS on Sundays 2.00pm. Audience In 2014, Shannons Nationals TV coverage on SBS Speedweek attracted growing audiences that compare favourably with similar motorsport properties aired in Australia. 6 Shannons Nationals coverage attracted an average of 345,000 people nationally (5 capital cities + regional audiences, supplied by Nielson TV ratings data). In 2014, the total reach of Shannons Nationals shows on SBS totalling more than 6 million people (estimated, August 2014). This reach is further extended when subscription TV coverage is taken into account. Pay TV Fox SPEED Channel The 1 hour Shannons Nationals Show is exclusive to Nationals categories, airing approximately one week following first airing on SBS Speedweek. This show is often repeated several times. International Coverage A considerable number of countries are provided with satellite & cable programming via the Motors TV Network reaching an estimated 21 million homes throughout the UK and continental Europe. On Demand Coverage SPEEDWEEK and SPEED TV shows are available to view online following their airing on TV, that substantially increases the level of awareness via opportunities to share content online. The following outlets are the key ‘on demand’ outlets for Nationals TV content. - The Nationals website Super Six Touring Car Series website MotorsportsTV iPhone and Andrioid Application MotorsportsTV and Speedweek websites Onboard cameras are placed in cars at the discretion of the TV producer. However, ‘exclusive’ cameras are available for a cost of $250 + GST. This means that TV footage is guaranteed, sponsor logos can be placed on the car’s dashboard, and a DVD of the footage is posted to the driver. Live Internet Streaming The Nationals recognizes the growing influence of the internet on broadcasting and has been a pioneer in Australian motor sport ‘live streaming’. The action form the Sunday racing at each Nationals round is streamed live via the Internet on Nationals TV www.thenationals.com.au and the Shannons Nationals Facebook page. The Internet TV is broadcast quality taken directly from the television outside broadcast van. In 2014 Audiences averaged more than 7,500 per event. With a now well known live presence the Shannons Nationals is developing an enthusiastic following that is having the positive flow-on effect of drawing larger crowds to their events. 7 Print Media The Shannons Nationals and the Australian Super Six Touring Car Series feature regularly on ‘industry’ publications in both print and electronic versions. The Series enjoys an excellent relationship with publications including Auto Action, Speedcafe.com and many other motorsport media outlets in Australia and beyond. In addition to ‘industry’ media, our media manager actively pursues opportunities in ‘mainstream’ media at each round. The Shannons Nationals also produce their own publication, ‘The Racing Magazine’. The Racing Magazine Australia is the in-house motorsport-based publication produced by the Australian Motor Racing Nationals. Published nine times per year (plus a 10th electronic version) – to correspond with each round of the series – the magazine is a glossy, high-quality publication with a focus on relevant stories and interesting, behind-the-scenes features. Whilst the magazine includes Event Program information, it is not your ordinary trackside program - Instead it expands to become a more mainstream, motorsport specific magazine with unique content and great photos. Each issue is available online for download with 70% of traffic coming from online sources, social media and the Nationals website. Each issue has a readership of approximately 5,000 people (including online). A majority of the readers directly ‘motorsport people’ within or associated with the sport and/or the Super Six Series. Car Info Car Numbers New competitors need to apply to Series management for a car number. If a number is are not used in the Series for one year it may be re-allocated. Control Bridgestone Tyres All competitors must run the specified Bridgestone control tyre/s. Bridgestone Potenza RE11 Type SR2, 235/50 R16, 235/45 R17 or 245/40 R18. At the first round of the Series a maximum of six (6) new tyres per automobile shall be permitted for use during qualifying sessions and races. At each subsequent round of the Series, a maximum of two (2) new, and four (4) previously marked tyres are permitted for use during qualifying sessions and races. For automobiles competing in their first round in the Series, except round 1, a maximum of four (4) new tyres per automobile shall be permitted for use during qualifying sessions and races at that round. The use of unmarked tyres during qualifying or races is not permitted. The six nominated tyres (as detailed above) must be presented to the TO or his nominee for marking no later than 30 minutes prior to the start of the first qualifying session. Each Competitor is responsible for ensuring that each tyre is marked or re-marked as appropriate. 8 Replacement tyres shall only be permitted with the prior express approval of the TO. If a marked tyre is replaced with a new tyre after the commencement of the first qualifying session, the automobile must start the next race from the rear of the grid. Fuel A single control fuel supplier provides fuel at each event. Competitors must only use fuel that is provided by the official control fuel supplier, which is available for purchase at each round. MoTeC Beacon: 996 A MoTeC lap counting beacon is placed at the start/finish line. The frequency is 996. The Series beacon is positioned closest to the start/finish line and no other beacons/stands may be placed within 3 metres of this ‘official’ beacon. Cars for Sale/Lease Please advise details of any suitable cars that may be for sale or if you are looking to buy or lease a car. We are happy to place details on our website and/or pass on any information to potential buyers/sellers. Contacts Category Management/Entries Les Morrall 0419 570903 les.morrall@tascco.com.au Fax: 03 94321111 Category Administration/Website Liam Curkpatrick 0438 033246 liam@thenationals.com.au Fax: 08 82941583 Technical Officer Paul Grey jpgrey@bigpond.net.au 0404 470429 Driving Standards Officer/Technical Advisor Peter Dane 0414 575451 sales@redistrip.com.au 9