What's new
The Front Row Forums

Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

With Holden gone, what will become of the V8 Supercars...

Life's Good

Coach
Messages
13,971
Late to the party on this topic but there is a perfectly good alternative to V8 Supercars that potentially quenches the ‘big banger’ thirst. It’s the TA2 Muscle Car series modelled on the Trans Am series in the USA.
http://ta2racingaustralia.com/
For me, the great thing about this series is the volume of these cars sold here isn’t enough to warrant full factory support meaning it’s run by teams, not corporates therefore not open to manipulation in one teams favour (those who follow V8 Supercars closely would know what I’m talking about).
TCR(as mentioned earlier)is another series worth following. Multiple manufacturers, well known drivers & international competition. It’s all well & good to bag the cars (rice burners etc.) but V8 Supercars (Falcon vs. Holden)became a series where the supporters started buying Hilux’s, Rangers, not Falcons & Commodores. That tells me the traditional fan wasn’t truly supporting those cars as was the case through the 80’s & 90’s.
If it was up to me I’d build Aussie Motorsport on weekends consisting of:
TCR - manufacturer involvement, focused on technology for the ‘win on Sunday, sell on Monday’ mantra
TA2 - Big, loud racers to satisfy the hardcore fan that just loves racing
S5000 - Old school V8 single seaters(I’m a biased single seater fan so it’s an indulgence - watch them at the AGP this weekend)
 
Last edited:

Parra

Referee
Messages
24,894
New rules are a winner. Allowed for different strategies and results were heaps of overtaking and different podiums, including Percat winning and race 3 was close to being an upset as well.

Was interesting to hear how many drivers enjoyed the weekend more, with more time on track and less or no data analysis.

Really like how both NRL and Supercars used the disruption to tweak the rules and improve the spectacle.
 

Hoofhearted

Juniors
Messages
719
https://www.supercars.com/news/championship/camaro-to-join-supercars-grid-in-2022/

Camaro to join Supercars grid in 2022
  • VIRGIN AUSTRALIA SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP
  • 4 Hours Ago
  • By Stefan Bartholomaeus
RED-BULL-Camaro-Front_.jpg

The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will join the Supercars Championship grid in 2022, under the category’s new Gen3 rule package.

Supercars and Chevrolet parent company General Motors have confirmed the American muscle car will take on its traditional rival, the Ford Mustang, in a new era for the sport

The news comes on the eve of the final Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 featuring factory-backed Holden Commodores.

RED-BULL-Camaro-Side.jpg


With GM electing to shutdown Holden's operations this year, the current Commodores will race on in 2021, before the Gen3 Camaros debut the following season.

Current Holden factory team Triple Eight is spearheading the project, having been charged with the design of the Gen3 Camaro race car body by Supercars under the endorsement of GM.

The Intellectual Property for the race car will be retained by Supercars, meaning other teams will also be able to race Camaros, either by purchasing complete cars from Triple Eight or by building their own.

Renders of a Gen3 Camaro Supercar dressed in Red Bull, Penrite Racing and Walkinshaw Andretti United colours have been released by Supercars as part of the announcement.

2022-Penrite-Camaro-Front2.jpg


Category boss Sean Seamer said: “It’s great news to have GM continuing their presence in Australasia’s leading motorsports category.

“The Camaro will play a key role in the development of our new generation of race cars, so when it hits the track, it’s sure to excite not only our younger fans, but importantly, all those who remember the nameplate’s rich history in the sport.”

GM president Mark Reuss added his backing of the project, saying: “We at GM are thrilled to continue an involvement in Supercars in Australia and New Zealand.

“Chevy Camaro will be an exciting addition to the track, and we have every confidence Triple Eight will ensure the race-going version will be a faithful representation of the road-going Camaro ZL1’s DNA.”

AOL-Camaro-Side.jpg


It won’t be the first time Camaros have competed in the Australian Touring Car Championship.

Bob Jane won the 1971 and ’72 titles in a ZL1, while later entries included Kevin Bartlett’s famous Channel 9-backed Z28.

The Roland Dane-led Triple Eight has run Holdens in Supercars since defecting from Ford in 2010, taking over factory team status in ’17.

AOL-Camaro-Front.jpg


“It’s very pleasing to bring such an iconic car, the Chevrolet Camaro, back to Australia’s race tracks,” said Dane.

“Personally, I have enjoyed a long motorsports relationship with General Motors, dating back to the 1990s in the British Touring Car Championship, so I’m happy to be able to continue that.

“We’re very pleased that GM have entrusted development of the Gen3 Camaro to Triple Eight for this exciting new era of Supercars racing.

“The Camaro looks fantastic as a road car and there’s no doubt that it will make a spectacular, aggressive race car.

“Preparations for the introduction of Gen3 regulations are well underway, but our sights this week are fully focussed on delivering the best results possible for Holden and Holden fans.”


Interim Chairman & Managing Director of General Motors Australia & New Zealand, Kristian Aquilina added: “We loved every minute of our 51-year involvement through Holden.

“There will never be another Holden, but we now welcome Camaro to the stage and hopefully a whole new generation of fans with it.”
 
Messages
8,480
https://www.supercars.com/news/championship/camaro-to-join-supercars-grid-in-2022/

Camaro to join Supercars grid in 2022
  • VIRGIN AUSTRALIA SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP
  • 4 Hours Ago
  • By Stefan Bartholomaeus
RED-BULL-Camaro-Front_.jpg

The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will join the Supercars Championship grid in 2022, under the category’s new Gen3 rule package.

Supercars and Chevrolet parent company General Motors have confirmed the American muscle car will take on its traditional rival, the Ford Mustang, in a new era for the sport

The news comes on the eve of the final Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 featuring factory-backed Holden Commodores.

RED-BULL-Camaro-Side.jpg


With GM electing to shutdown Holden's operations this year, the current Commodores will race on in 2021, before the Gen3 Camaros debut the following season.

Current Holden factory team Triple Eight is spearheading the project, having been charged with the design of the Gen3 Camaro race car body by Supercars under the endorsement of GM.

The Intellectual Property for the race car will be retained by Supercars, meaning other teams will also be able to race Camaros, either by purchasing complete cars from Triple Eight or by building their own.

Renders of a Gen3 Camaro Supercar dressed in Red Bull, Penrite Racing and Walkinshaw Andretti United colours have been released by Supercars as part of the announcement.

2022-Penrite-Camaro-Front2.jpg


Category boss Sean Seamer said: “It’s great news to have GM continuing their presence in Australasia’s leading motorsports category.

“The Camaro will play a key role in the development of our new generation of race cars, so when it hits the track, it’s sure to excite not only our younger fans, but importantly, all those who remember the nameplate’s rich history in the sport.”

GM president Mark Reuss added his backing of the project, saying: “We at GM are thrilled to continue an involvement in Supercars in Australia and New Zealand.

“Chevy Camaro will be an exciting addition to the track, and we have every confidence Triple Eight will ensure the race-going version will be a faithful representation of the road-going Camaro ZL1’s DNA.”

AOL-Camaro-Side.jpg


It won’t be the first time Camaros have competed in the Australian Touring Car Championship.

Bob Jane won the 1971 and ’72 titles in a ZL1, while later entries included Kevin Bartlett’s famous Channel 9-backed Z28.

The Roland Dane-led Triple Eight has run Holdens in Supercars since defecting from Ford in 2010, taking over factory team status in ’17.

AOL-Camaro-Front.jpg


“It’s very pleasing to bring such an iconic car, the Chevrolet Camaro, back to Australia’s race tracks,” said Dane.

“Personally, I have enjoyed a long motorsports relationship with General Motors, dating back to the 1990s in the British Touring Car Championship, so I’m happy to be able to continue that.

“We’re very pleased that GM have entrusted development of the Gen3 Camaro to Triple Eight for this exciting new era of Supercars racing.

“The Camaro looks fantastic as a road car and there’s no doubt that it will make a spectacular, aggressive race car.

“Preparations for the introduction of Gen3 regulations are well underway, but our sights this week are fully focussed on delivering the best results possible for Holden and Holden fans.”


Interim Chairman & Managing Director of General Motors Australia & New Zealand, Kristian Aquilina added: “We loved every minute of our 51-year involvement through Holden.

“There will never be another Holden, but we now welcome Camaro to the stage and hopefully a whole new generation of fans with it.”

'VIRGIN AUSTRALIA" Supercars...??!?!

They went to the wall with Covid and taken over.... but now sponsoring?? Wow.

Hope there's more variety of cars involved in the series. I followed racing closely back in the 80's and early 90's when there was more variety, but lost interest since pretty much the turn of the century. Would watch the odd race. That's just my view.
 

nöyd

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
9,808
Gonna be a great day at work tomorrow, I work with a guy who used to work with Triple 8 on Lowndesy's car but got the flick when the great man retired, I asked him during the week who would win, he said "SvG, because it will rain", and it was the rain, albeit just a small shower, that got SvG to the front, and he never looked back.

Another guy whose desk is next to mine is a Ford fan, he can look forward to a decent spray lol
 
Messages
8,480
Gonna be a great day at work tomorrow, I work with a guy who used to work with Triple 8 on Lowndesy's car but got the flick when the great man retired, I asked him during the week who would win, he said "SvG, because it will rain", and it was the rain, albeit just a small shower, that got SvG to the front, and he never looked back.

Another guy whose desk is next to mine is a Ford fan, he can look forward to a decent spray lol

Enjoy it mate.

Not to rain on your parade though.. but a genuine question is how does it feel that this was the last Bathurst involving a Holden badge?

I was a Ford fan as a kid coz dad owned Ford utes but when they all went to Sierras I backed Holden. And went it all went to “Supercars” I only had occasional interest.

Now both Ford and Holden are gone as I knew them as a kid. Absolute end of an almighty Australian era. And even though I’ve not been an avid follower for a long time I’m still very reflective and saddened that it’s come to this. Can’t imagine what it’s like for avid fans of the blue or the red...
 

Joely01

Bench
Messages
4,553
Enjoy it mate.

Not to rain on your parade though.. but a genuine question is how does it feel that this was the last Bathurst involving a Holden badge?

I was a Ford fan as a kid coz dad owned Ford utes but when they all went to Sierras I backed Holden. And went it all went to “Supercars” I only had occasional interest.

Now both Ford and Holden are gone as I knew them as a kid. Absolute end of an almighty Australian era. And even though I’ve not been an avid follower for a long time I’m still very reflective and saddened that it’s come to this. Can’t imagine what it’s like for avid fans of the blue or the red...

Obviously a bit of a mixed day for Holden, winning it but also being last time at the mountain.

But I think the sport has been more of a team supporting sport for a few years now, and will continue to be so even more now.
You go for either, Redbull, Shell, Erebus or BJR etc... and are happy if a fellow team of the same make wins it.

The old Holden v Ford battle hasn’t been the same for a while now
 

nöyd

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
9,808
how does it feel that this was the last Bathurst involving a Holden badge?

Can’t imagine what it’s like for avid fans of the blue or the red...

I've been a multi-year 888 platinum member, had heaps of hot laps with both CL and JW, (never with SvG however), I've owned nothing but Commodores - VT, VE and now a 2015 Craig Lowndes SSV Redline - I suppose you could say I'm an avid fan :)

I can't explain why it has not upset me that Holden is gone, I've grown up Holden all the way back to my grandfather, if anything I feel the most for the guys and girls on the production line that have lost jobs.

I suppose if I didn't own any Commodore(s), it may have possibly stung a bit more. In a sense I suppose I'm just grateful that I had the chance to own one. In 2014 I drove my previous car (2011 VE) from Brisbane to Bathurst for the Great Race (which didn't end up all that great), and am very hopeful of doing it again in the near future.

Highly likely I will continue to support 888 as they progress on to the Camaro. Hopefully more manufacturers hop on board, Toyota, Kia, maybe even the return of BMW. Lots of rumours and possibilities ahead.
 
Messages
8,480
I've been a multi-year 888 platinum member, had heaps of hot laps with both CL and JW, (never with SvG however), I've owned nothing but Commodores - VT, VE and now a 2015 Craig Lowndes SSV Redline - I suppose you could say I'm an avid fan :)

I can't explain why it has not upset me that Holden is gone, I've grown up Holden all the way back to my grandfather, if anything I feel the most for the guys and girls on the production line that have lost jobs.

I suppose if I didn't own any Commodore(s), it may have possibly stung a bit more. In a sense I suppose I'm just grateful that I had the chance to own one. In 2014 I drove my previous car (2011 VE) from Brisbane to Bathurst for the Great Race (which didn't end up all that great), and am very hopeful of doing it again in the near future.

Highly likely I will continue to support 888 as they progress on to the Camaro. Hopefully more manufacturers hop on board, Toyota, Kia, maybe even the return of BMW. Lots of rumours and possibilities ahead.

Great stuff mate, good to hear.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,411
Very good race this year, could have saved a few hours and just watched the last 20 laps though lol

I wonder if they open the makes up a bit if it would work. Is there any BMW or Mercedes models that could be competitive for example? Good to see Camaro getting in on it but is feeling very American now.
 

Parra

Referee
Messages
24,894
There will be Commodores in the field in 2021 as well. Just no factory support. So one more chance for a Holden badge to win at Bathurst.
 

Latest posts

Top