VALO Adelaide 500 Thursday Wrap

The return of Supercars to the streets of Adelaide has brought thousands of fans back to the race track who enjoyed the plethora of off-track activities in the summer sunshine and even a late crash at the infamous Turn 8.

 

Crowds spent the day soaking up the off-track atmosphere at the VALO Adelaide 500 before watching Ford young gun Thomas Randle go fastest in Supercars’ Practice 1 with a time of 1:19.8035.

 

The time proved how slick the new surface is, as it was just more than half a second slower than the circuit’s practice and qualifying lap record of 1:19.2412.

 

While race fans were blown away at the pace of Supercars and the support categories, the Supercars drivers themselves were blown away by the new additions at the precinct and the number of fans already at the circuit on the first day of the event.

 

Shell V-Power Racing driver Will Davison said he could already tell it was going to be a big weekend.

 

“It always was pumping here… but if anything, it’s got that edge again,” he said.

 

“It’s great for drivers, but it makes it even more special when you know how much the state embraces it as well.”

 

Monster Energy Racing driver Cameron Waters said it was awesome to be racing back in Adelaide.

 

“It’s a cool event. It’s a shame it got the bullet but they’ve brought it back bigger and better which is great,” he said.

 

“It’s an awesome way to end the season.”

 

Off-track, the Heritage Grandstand precinct was the place to be as spectators stocked up on merchandise early, took part in activities in the Family and Activation Zones, then watched the antics of the Airtime FMX motorcycle stunt riders and Boost Mobile Freestyle BMX Invitational athletes.

 

On track, the circuit tripped up a few drivers in support categories as well as Supercars.

 

SA’s own Sebastien Amadio’s day ended in the fence in the S5000 Tasman Series, while Steven Page also hit the wall in the Dunlop Super2 Series.

 

Brad Jones Racing’s Macauley Jones clipped the concrete at Turn 8, bringing Supercars and the day’s practice sessions to an early end.

 

To close the day, Royal sports couple Zara and Mike Tindall were among the lucky race fans to receive hot laps in race vehicles, jumping into a Race Control Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Corvette.

 

Zara’s reaction after the hot lap no doubt also summed up the first day of the event for everyone – after a thumbs up to her husband, “it was awesome, awesome,” she said.