The Toyota HiLux, Ford
Ranger, Mitsubishi Triton,
Nissan Navara, Holden Colo-
rado and Mazda BT-50 have
been homologated for the Supe-
rUtes series, which launches
in 2018. SuperUtes will see
production models upgraded
with race kits, using production
turbodiesel engines and a con-
trol gearbox and ratios.
Supercars will be hoping
to tap into the growing four-
wheel-drive/SUV sector to
entice manufacturers into the
fold, with the likes of Holden
already committing to race its
Colorado in the category next
season.
Like with SuperGT, having
manufacturers working within
the five pillars and having an
Australian motorsport pres-
ence could make it easier for
Supercars to persuade them to
enter its premier touring-car
category.
SUPER
Australia hasn’t had a high-
powered open-wheel category
since the demise of Formula
Holden. In fact, Australian
open-wheelers have been in a
state of flux since the Tasman
Series glory days of the 1960s.
This makes Supercars’
interest in open-wheelers an
intriguing one.
Supercars announced plans
for a modern-day Formula
5000 category at odds with a
rival Formula Thunder 5000
project. The two have come
together and are now working
on securing investors to launch
the category in 2018.
Super5000 serves two
purposes for Supercars. Firstly,
it’s another marketplace and
home for its current hardware
because the Super5000 utilises
Supercars’ V8 engines andtransaxles. Secondly, it adds
another V8-powered category
and its own open-wheel series
to its race weekends.
Critics of Super5000 remain
unsure of the category’s
relevance.
Will it be a historic series
similar to Touring Car Masters
or will open-wheel aspirants
really step up from the likes of
Formula Ford and Formula 4 to
race in Super5000 on their way
to Europe and North America?
There’s a lot of uncertainty
around all five pillars. But
there’s strength in numbers,which means that Supercars’
future isn’t solely reliant on
the fate of the Virgin Australia
Supercars Championship.“AUSTRALIA
HASN’T HAD A
HIGH-POWERED
OPEN-WHEEL
CATEGORY SINCE
THE DEMISE
OF FORMULA
HOLDEN.”SUPERUTES
SUPER