Vodafone Gold Coast 600 Supercars

Start your engines! We’re gearing up for a wild ride at the Gold Coast 600 Supercars! Party time in paradise kicks off on the 25th of October for a spectacular two-day extravaganza sure to rev up the ever-growing crowds.

The already vibrant streets of the Gold Coast will be transformed into a world-class race track and entertainment mecca set to dazzle a crowd of well over 100,000 raving fans.

The entertainment line-up is almost as impressive as a Supercar engine with seven national and internationally renowned acts over two nights.

Why is the Gold Coast 600 so popular?

Even for the mildest car enthusiast, the atmosphere of a Supercar event is electric. There’s something for everyone, families, rev heads, party-goers and festival-lovers. Of course, the Gold Coast is a stunning location and holiday destination with a host of attractions and activities to enjoy around the region, which attracts people from around the nation and the globe.

This year organisers endeavour to make the event bigger and better than ever, with the addition of two entertainment stages within the racing precinct. This year organisers are thrilled to offer entertainment within the area so party-goers don’t need to spill out into the Gold Coast Streets in great numbers, they can remain at the event and enjoy all the evening’s entertainment.

“Win lose or draw, driving or spectating, it’s always a cracker event and a massive highlight.” – Jamie Whincup

History of the V8 Supercar event

While many of us think of the V8’s like an epic rivalry between iconic Australian household models Ford and Holden, (or Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup) the First V8 Supercars began in 1960. Known then as the Australian Touring Car Championship, it was then a single 20 lap, 75-mile race and not a national series. Back then the winning vehicle was a Jaguar Mark I 3.4 Litre. Many different models competed in those days including FJ Holden, Austin Lancer, Ford Zephyr, Morris Major, Peugeot, Fiat and more. The Jag’s placed first, second and third.

In 1995 it was declared that Supercar racing would be a showdown between only two models, the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon – both Australian built. And that is the battle we all know and love. In 2013 new generation Supercar regulations opened the race up to more vehicle manufacturers including Nissan, Mercedes and Volvo.

In April 2016 Virgin Australia reached an agreement with the series to rename the event the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, and how here we are.

The annual event sees Supercars racing around picturesque Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast to the delight of over 100,000 fans.

The 2018 GC600 was one of the Coast’s most successful events despite poor weather causing organisers to abandon the event on the final day of racing. Over three days 196,192 enthusiasts enjoyed racing in Paradise.

How are the Supercars modified from the road car models?

Because V8 Supercar racing was designed to be an affordable sport for sponsors, drivers and event-goers, the level of modifications allowed on competing vehicles are quite restricted to keep them as standardised as possible. This makes for a level playing field that emphasises the skills of the drivers and doesn’t put any team at a distinct advantage. Everything from the body, engine and aerodynamics must be of similar construction. How very Australian.

• While Supercars are based on the standard four-door road cars, they are custom made using a control chassis with a full roll cage, and extra reinforcement around the driver’s side.
• All cars must use a 5.0-litre V8 engine that is naturally aspirated. A naturally aspirated engines run on atmospheric pressure rather than forced induction due to turbochargers – just like the standard road car petrol engine, however capable of producing between 460 and 485 kW of power versus a standard 270 kW engine.

• The body is based on the standard production car; but lowered, shortened or lengthened to meet regulations. Tail lamps are the same as the road vehicles but the windscreen is of Polycarbonate construction – approximately 250 times stronger than glass.

• The cars also feature a fire extinguisher system and a collapsible steering column that you won’t find on your standard four-door sedan.

• The standard aero kit on your road car is built for looks, handling and fuel efficiency, while the racing version is focused on aerodynamics and performance (and looks too).

• There are a host of added safety features to keep our speedsters as safe as possible.

It is estimated the cost of modifying a car including the engine is around $300,000 AUD.

Gold Coast Supercars 2019 Event Overview

When: 25th – 27th October 2019 Surfers Paradise Circuit

Vehicles: The hot models burning rubber in the 2019 season include:

• Ford Mustang GT
• Holden ZB Commodore
• Nissan Altima L33

Past success: 2018’s event was attended by over 196,000 people – the second biggest crowd of the Supercars era!

Off-track entertainment: Party-goers will enjoy a massive line up of world-renowned DJ’s, Pop Rock, and alternate artists including:

• British DJ Carl Cox
• DJ Eric Powell
• Hot Dub Time Machine
• Example
• Kingswood
• Mental as Anything and
• The Vanns

Price: There are a number of ticketing options available for 1-3 days Grandstand, Fan stand and Trackside. You can also enjoy a Pit Lane Walk. Get your V8 Supercar tickets early! They’ll be more expensive at the gate.

Getting there: For information on transport two and from the venues consult your event guide for updates on road closures and transport options.

Sponsors: These amazing events can’t go ahead without sponsors! Big shout out to:

So who’s going to win the iconic surfboard trophy this year?

Get ready to party in the fast lane, but please stay safe, don’t drink and drive, and always drive safely – leave the racing to the big boys on the track. Enjoy the show!

(ps. Go, Holden!)