Tasmania Supercars round

The Tasmania Super 440 is the current name for the annual motor racing event for Supercars , held at Symmons Plains Raceway in Launceston , Tasmania . The event has been a regular part of the Supercars Championship—and its previous incarnations, the Australian Touring Car Championship , Shell Championship Series and V8 Supercars Championship—since 1969 .

Behind Sandown Raceway , which has most commonly hosted the Sandown 500 and Sandown SuperSprint , Symmons Plains has hosted the most events in championship history with 52 as of 2025. [ 1 ] Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic , the only hiatus for the event was between 2000 and 2003 during which the circuit received a A$ 3 million upgrade. [ 2 ] The event is seen as one of Tasmania's largest sporting events, providing a variety of benefits to the local economy. [ 2 ]

Format

The event is staged over a three-day weekend, from Friday to Sunday. Two thirty-minute practice sessions are held on Friday. On Saturday, two two-part qualifying sessions are held which decides the grid positions for the following two 120 kilometre race. A further two-part qualifying is held on Sunday, followed by a top ten shootout to determine the grid for the following 190 km race. [ 3 ]

History

When the Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC) was first held over a series of races in 1969 , Symmons Plains was included on the calendar as the final race of the series. The race would decide the championship that year, as Alan Hamilton could take the title from Ian Geoghegan if he won the race and Geoghegan failed to score. Geoghegan's car failed to start at the one-minute signal and his pit crew push started the car. This was not allowed under the regulations of the time and Geoghegan w...

In 1985, Robbie Francevic won his and Volvo 's first round victory, winning again in 1986. [ 6 ] Between 1988 and 1990, Dick Johnson joined Moffat as the only two drivers to win three consecutive rounds at the circuit. In 1993, 1980 Formula One World Champion Alan Jones won his first ATCC round, despite clashes with Mark Skaife , which led to a confrontation after the race, and Wayne Gardner . [ 7 ] In the late 1990s, Holden Racing Team dominated the event with four consecutive round wins from 1...

Following the completion of a circuit upgrade in 2004, which included the construction of permanent pit lane facilities and a resurfacing of the track, a new deal was struck to bring the event back onto the calendar in November of the same year. [ 8 ] Tasmanian driver Marcos Ambrose went into the 2004 event attempting to seal a back-to-back championship victory, until an engine failure in the third and final race of the weekend delayed his coronation as champion. David Besnard and three other dr...

Between 2007 and 2015, Jamie Whincup and Triple Eight Race Engineering dominated the event with six wins. This has seen Whincup surpass Brock as the most successful driver in the event's history. In 2013, Fabian Coulthard won Brad Jones Racing their first championship round, winning two races with team-mate Jason Bright winning the other. In 2017, the Saturday race was suspended after two laps due to a twelve car pile-up in wet conditions. While the race later briefly restarted under safety car,...

The 2020 event was postponed until November due to the COVID-19 pandemic , before later being cancelled altogether. [ 13 ] [ 14 ] [ 15 ] [ 16 ]

External links

1 Will Brown 88 Broc Feeney

2 Ryan Wood 25 Chaz Mostert

3 Aaron Cameron 7 James Courtney

4 Cameron Hill 10 Nick Percat

6 Cam Waters 55 Thomas Randle

Quick Facts

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0 Race Information

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0 First held

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0 Race 1

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Table 1

Year	Driver[4]	Team/Entrant	Car	Report
1969	Norm Beechey	Norm Beechey	Holden HK Monaro GTS327	nan
1970	Jim McKeown	Shell Racing Team	Porsche 911	nan
1971	Allan Moffat	Allan Moffat Racing	Ford Boss 302 Mustang	nan
1972	Allan Moffat	Allan Moffat Racing	Ford Boss 302 Mustang	nan
1973	Allan Moffat	Ford Works Team	Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III	nan
1974	Peter Brock	Holden Dealer Team	Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1	nan
1975	Colin Bond	Holden Dealer Team	Holden Torana L34	nan
1976	John Harvey	B&D Autos	Holden Torana L34	nan
1977	Allan Moffat	Allan Moffat Racing	Ford XB Falcon GT	nan
1978	Peter Brock	Holden Dealer Team	Holden LX Torana SLR A9X	nan

Table 2

Wins	Driver	Years
7	Jamie Whincup	2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2021
5	Peter Brock	1974, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984
4	Allan Moffat	1971, 1972, 1973, 1977
4	Dick Johnson	1981, 1988, 1989, 1990
3	Craig Lowndes	1996, 1998, 2018
2	John Harvey	1976, 1979
2	Robbie Francevic	1985, 1986
2	Mark Skaife	1994, 1999
2	Garth Tander	2005, 2006
2	Will Davison	2009, 2016

Table 3

Wins	Team
11	Triple Eight Race Engineering
7	Holden Dealer Team
6	DJR Team Penske1
5	Holden Racing Team
3	Allan Moffat Racing
3	Gibson Motorsport
2	Glenn Seton Racing
2	HSV Dealer Team
2	Tickford Racing2

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F1ABY Commentary

Does the roar of the engines echoing across Symmons Plains truly measure the passage of time, or does it merely amplify the enduring spirit of a pursuit etched into the very bedrock of this island nation? Fifty-two seasons…a tally that whispers of generations consumed by the primal dance of speed and strategy. Consider the investment – a mere three million dollars reshaping this circuit, a sum dwarfed by the legacy it has nurtured. This isn’t simply a race; it’s a communion, a tangible link to a lineage of drivers who wrestled with the elements and the machine, forging legends from gravel and ambition. The scent of burning rubber, the insistent hum of the crowd – these are the notes of a story still unfolding. A story where victory isn’t merely won, but earned through a profound respect for the track’s capricious nature.

For over half a century, this circuit has pulsed with a primal energy, a symphony of roaring engines and desperate grip—a testament to a lineage of drivers who dared to wrestle metal and rubber to their will. Let us consider the ghosts of champions past, forever etched into the asphalt of this remarkable place.

F1ABY Trivia

The rain, a silver curtain descending upon Symmons Plains – a familiar embrace for this circuit. Sixty-six years it’s held its breath, witnessing a lineage of machines pushing against the limits of grip and power. Consider this: the 1978 Tasman Series race saw a dominant Ford Boss 460, displacing a robust 7. 0 liters, achieve a lap speed averaging 137. 9 mph, a testament to raw, unadulterated velocity. It’s a remarkable legacy, forged in the crucible of Tasman and Supercars, a symphony of steel and rubber echoing through the valleys of Tasmania.

Fifty-two years. Fifty-two years this circuit has pulsed with the raw heartbeat of Australian motorsport, a figure that whispers of countless battles, shattered dreams, and the enduring spirit of competition. Consider the stark contrast: a win ratio for drivers starting from pole position here sits at just 28%, a statistic that speaks volumes about the treacherous nature of this asphalt ribbon. It’s a humbling reminder, isn’t it, that even the most dominant forces can find themselves swallowed by the relentless demands of Tasmania’s legendary circuit.

F1ABY Tales

The rain, a bruised purple against the asphalt – a deluge mirroring the desperation in Brock’s eyes. A fraction of a second. That’s all it took. The roar of the engines, a primal scream against the Tasmanian gloom, threatened to drown out the frantic calculations churning in his mind. He wrestled with the wheel, a ballet of controlled aggression, pushing the Falcon to its absolute limit. This wasn’t just a race; it was a testament to a lineage of grit, a defiant echo of heroes long past. The scent of burning rubber and ozone hung heavy in the air – a heady perfume of speed and ambition. A legacy forged on this very circuit, a sacred ground for those who dared to chase the impossible.

The rain, a persistent grey veil descending upon Symmons Plains – it always felt like a benediction here. I recall old Jack Brabham, drenched to the bone after that ’62 victory, a quiet contemplation etched across his face as he surveyed the track. A man of few words, he understood the profound respect owed to this place. This circuit, a ribbon of asphalt carved from the Tasmanian highlands, has witnessed more battles fought and won than perhaps any other in the championship’s long history. Fifty-two times the flags have flown, a testament to a lineage of drivers who dared to wrestle with its unique character. It’s a brutal beauty, this track – a place where legends are forged and ghosts linger still.