Newcastle 500 Far Exceeds Expectations with More Than 190,000 Spectators

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The Newcastle 500 far exceeded expectations.

The anticipated number of 150,000 racegoers was smashed with more than 192,000 fans flocking to Newcastle's CBD over the last three days.

It could become the largest annual sporting event with 56, 478 patrons on Friday, 69,526 on Saturday and 66, 238 on Sunday, plus some 9, 000 corporate guests.

Supercars CEO James Warburton said the whole weekend was phenomenal.

“The venue is incredible; the crowds have been huge and the live pictures of the boats, ships, the harbour, the beaches and Newcastle being beamed live around Australia and the world are amazing."

2017 Supercars Champion Jamie Whincup had nothing but praise for the inaugural event.

"It was an unbelievable event and I'm not just saying that cause we're here. Friday morning to see people queued up for hundreds of metres just to get in, the driver's parade there was so many people, it was absolutely packed out."

"I don't reckon anyone who came out this weekend was disappointed and didn't get value for money. I think they were unbelievable pictures that went all over the country and all over the world on what supercar racing is all about. No doubt this will grow from strength to strength."

All of the drivers who landed podium finishes across the weekend in the Supercars events agreed the track certainly was a challenge.

"It's one of the toughest no doubt. Those runs down the hill are incredibly difficult. It's so easy to make a mistake, very difficult to pass so if you're back in the pack coming through is really tough," said Whincup.

Novocastrian Aaren Russell agreed it took Saturday's race to figure out the track and it's tricks.

"Today was a lot easier, to be honest, I think yesterday was a bit of a great unknown so today we all knew kind of where the spots were where you could pass and what wasn't on. I had a few bloody hairy moments with some other cars that I thought were going to shove me into a wall so maybe I drove a little conservative," said Russell.

Nothing but Smiles from Racegoers

Racegoers were very happy with the event and with more than 190, 000 of them it was hard to find anyone who wasn't enjoying themselves.

"Awesome event. Well planned out. It's such a mind spin to see cars going through the middle of Newcastle and around the streets we usually drive on," said Mark from Maitland.

"And it's such a great showcase for our city to the world. The world is watching. It's pretty awesome."

The race precinct saw it's fair share of spectators who simply went along to soak up the atmosphere.

"I'm not a car person and I don't like car racing at all but I had to come because of the event. I can see the attraction but the main thing is Newcastle has got it all. The views, the weather, the city," said David from Newcastle.

Everyone agreed the weekend really shone a spotlight on Newcastle not only here in Australia but throughout the world.

Garry from Gorokan on the Central Coast agreed and with many others found it easy and trouble-free to jump on public transport and head into the race precinct.

"Nice easy walk from the station to the track."

"Better than Sydney."

"Lovely weather, like the track. It could be a little bit wider but other than that it's great."

The event would have had its teething problems, and one of the only things spectators would have liked to see was more big screens and loudspeakers so they knew what was happening throughout the whole race.

Whincup taking a splash in the fountain. Image Supercars Australia Facebook page.

The Coates Hire Newcastle 500 returns to Newcastle next year on November 23-35.

Novocastrian Aaren Russell Speechless after Newcastle 500

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Aaren Russell was absolutely speechless after the final race at the Newcastle 500.

The Novocastrian driver came across the line in 19th position in the final race yesterday after a weekend of ups and downs.

At 26-years-old, Russell said he just wanted to make Newcastle proud after he crashed out in Saturday's race and failed to finish.

"I actually shed a couple of tears in the car. I just felt like the weight of Newcastle was on me and I felt like I just let everyone down so to be able to do this today in this car with this team, they've got such a small budget so to race up there with some of  the big boys today is just, I don't know I can't describe it!"

"I'm buggered. I'm absolutely shattered."

Russell had a couple of close calls during the 250km race between other drivers on the track, but he had other problems as well with his cool suit not working properly through much of the race.The suit is meant to keep drivers cool at 2 degrees celcius, but Russell's suit was only getting down to around 12 to 15 degrees celsius.

"I was bloody hot all race. The drink bottle failed a little bit towards the middle stint so it was all going on."

Image Supplied.

Drivers appeared to use Saturday's race to try figure out what they would and wouldn't be able to do on the new street circuit. Russell said that made yesterday's race much easier.

"I think yesterday was a bit of a great unknown so today we all knew kind of where the spots were where you could pass and what wasn't on. I had a few bloody hairy moments with some other cars that I thought were going to shove me into a wall so maybe I drove a little conservative."

"I'm really happy with the times. We were so consistent in the first part of the race and we even got the lead in that first stint so that's pretty cool."

"Everyone has been so supportive and it just means the absolute world to me so I'm kind of on top of the moon. I tried to cross the track at the end there to jump in the harbour but they wouldn't let me cross the track so that'll have to wait for another day."

"I'm just really happy to finish the event. I'm pumped."

Supercars Drivers have Nothing But Praise for Big Crowds in Newcastle on Day Two

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Scott McLaughlin had nothing but praise for the crowd in Newcastle today after taking out the big race of the day in top spot.

Qualifying this morning saw McLaughlin score Pole position heading into Race 25 this afternoon with a fastest lap time of 1 minute 09 seconds. Championship contender Jamie Whincup came over the line in fifth position.

Newcastle's own Aaren Russell finished 23rd in qualifying with a time close to the front of the pack at 1 minute 10 seconds.

It didn't take long for the fresh track to see one of its first major crashes when the V8 Supercars hit the circuit late today.

Whincup's bid for the championship title took a major blow when he made contact with Michael Caruso on Turn 3, Whincup ran out of room on the turn as Caruso turned in, leaving the Holden's right-front steering arm and lower control arm needing to be replaced.

Whincup returned to the race 13 laps later and ended up finishing in 23rd position gaining just 42 points. It doesn't look like even a win will get him the Championship title tomorrow.

It leaves McLaughlin only having to finish 11th or better in the race tomorrow to take out the Supercars 2017 Championship title.

Second place was taken by Fabian Coulthard, trailed by Tim Slade.

It's louder then it seems! An estimated 60,000 people streamed through the gates today to see Newcastle looking absolutely brilliant. #newcastle500 pic.twitter.com/rt93KUY461

— Jessica Rouse (@JessRouse95) November 25, 2017

All three drivers were blown away by both the track and the crowds.

"All weekend the support has been unbelievable," said McLaughlin.

"Obviously all weekend you've seen kilometre lines at gate one trying to get in and the drivers parade to be honest we said was better than Bathurst."

"We're blown away by the place and that podium certainly topped it off."

It was heartbreak for Novocastrian Russell out on the street circuit though, he had a disappointing finish hitting the side of the track after a couple of close calls.

He was sitting just outside the top ten in the race before the incident and didn't return back to the track hoping to make amends when he hits the track tomorrow.



There was another incident earlier in the day during the V8 Ute's qualifying where two spectators suffered minor injuries when two utes collided causing debris to fly over the fence.

A man and a woman suffered minor cuts and were taken to the trackside medical centre for treatment.

In a statement, Supercars Australia said a medical team was on hand within minutes and that incidents of this nature are "extremely rare".

An estimated 60,000 people streamed through the gates today.

Not the First Place You'd expect to Find the Knights...

BY JESSICA ROUSE

It's not the first place you'd find the Newcastle Knights, but this morning they took a walk around the Newcastle 500 Supercars track.

Knights players Jamie Buhrer and Nathan Ross were joined by V8 Supercar greats Scott McLaughlin, Jason Bright and Novocastrian driver Aaren Russell to take a walk around the track and offer advice on what the drivers should do while they're staying in Newcastle.

There's just 10 days to go until the inaugural Newcastle 500 and the drivers arrived today to find the track nearing its completion.

Supercar Drivers and Newcastle Knights walk the track.

"It's crazy, I've now walked it three times properly and each time it just progresses so much, it's quite crazy to think how much they can do in a couple of weeks so I know all of these other guys saw it back in July and there was nothing here and now there's this massive amount of infrastructure that the town has built," said Novocastrian driver Aaren Russell.

"It's going to be a crazy racetrack but I'm looking forward to it."

The drivers all agree the track has a little bit of everything when it comes to scenery.

"There's not many places you can go and you get kind of like a San Francisco feeling through Watt Street and then also have the harbour and the beach as well so I think these guys and myself as well, we're just keen to get here and the scene is set , you've got two guys who are fighting for the championship and its going to come down to this race at Newcastle," said Aaren.

Supercars driver Jason Bright says they expect 50 per cent of the crowd to be first time supercar event attendees and they hope they develop a love for the sport from what will be a great race.

"That's the beauty of street races like this. We basically bring the racing to the people, when we're having races out in the country or at a permanent circuit you rely on the pure motorsport fan to come and watch our races whereas at events like this we come into the city and it's a big event for the city," said Jason Bright.

Aaren Russell, Scott McLaghlin, Jamie Buhrer, Jason Bright and Nathan Ross.