DALE'S PLACE

The Supercars Championship has fired up with many showcase events over the years—the Adelaide 500, then a few years in Newcastle.

Funding from Destination NSW means Supercars has had to find a home within the state for the season opener and it has bounced between Sydney Motorsport Park and Mount Panorama, Bathurst over recent years.

But those events lacked the ‘big event’ feel of Adelaide and Newcastle.

So Supercars tried a new format for 2025 and were blessed with one of the greatest Supercars races in history. But more of that later.

There were a whole raft of changes for the 2025 season that teams had to contend with. Apart from the new three-stage championship format, at the top of the list was the introduction of NASCAR-style suel churns, replacing the fuel towers seen for so many years. There was also a new Dunlop soft tyre.

At the end of the first weekend, despite many drivers and teams going up and down through the qualifying and race results – and the belief there would be some new faces on the podium – it was the usual big guns who left Round 1 with the silverware and the important points.

Tickford, with a revitalised and dominant Cam Waters, made a clean sweep, and the primary chasers were Triple 8 and Walkinshaw Andretti United. So, not much has changed at the top end of town.

Waters' performance in particular was the culmination of many years of promise, but this year he looks more aggressive and focused than ever before. Tickford, too, looked to have exorcised the demons of old that have plagued the team over the years and cost is many successes.

Teams that were on the Yo-Yo included DJR, Erebus and Grove Racing. They all featured at some point with Matt Payne from Grove as the stand-out from this group.

The format and fan engagement provided at SMP were also a step up with a family-friendly area adjoining merchandise alley.

Support categories also were the right mix, with Super 2, Porsche Carrera Cup, Touring Car Masters and the revitalised SuperUtes all provided good on-track action.

The question, however, was the three-day format when many teams have been calling for less racing. A 26-lap race on Friday night was not enough to attract an after-work crowd in Sydney. With a drawn-out afternoon schedule, this addition will no doubt be under review.

But Saturday was a solid crowd, and they were treated to an outstanding – no, mega – race.

It may even be the race that proved Cam Waters is not only a top contender but also the early favourite to blitz The Finals at season's end for a breakthrough championship win.

But like any first day of school, there were tears and settling-in woes.

A fuel churn was still connected to Cam Hill’s MSR Camaro as he trundled down pitlane, Blanchard Racing team-mates James Courtney and Aaron Love had a major shunt on a qualifying out lap, the PremiAir pair of Richie Stanaway and James Golding boxed-on during the Friday night race as if they were mortal enemies,  Stanaway lunched an engine in a flame-and-smoke show, rookies Cooper Murray and Kai Allen enduring a tough initiation.

MSR, the team that left Round 1 at Bathurst in 2024 in third place, now sits last in 2025, wildcards aside. Matt Stone Racing had a weekend to forget.

So the Supercars championship has kicked a goal in the opening event in 2025, but the four sprint races coming up at the Formula 1 Grand Prix meeting at Albert Park will be a litmus test.