SUPERCARS has announced a date change for the 2024 Penrite Oil Sandown 500, bringing the traditional pre-Bathurst enduro forward by a week.
The 60th anniversary event will now take place on September 13-15.
“The Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) has recently advised Supercars that Sandown cannot meet the operational needs of a Supercars event at the date originally announced as part of the 2024 calendar,” read a statement from Supercars.
“Supercars while working with the MRC have agreed to bring the 60th celebrations of the Sandown 500 forward a week to September 13-15.
“The date change provides the greatest opportunity for Supercars to deliver the best possible event that showcases the rich history of the Sandown 500.”
The 60th anniversary event might also be the last edition of the Sandown 500, with plans already in place for The Bend Motorsport Park to host an enduro in 2025.
While the date change makes for a more evenly spread out 2024 Supercars calendar, equalising the gaps before and after Sandown to four weeks apiece, it could have negative implications on at least one team.
Grove Racing was widely expected to again sign an international co-driver – perhaps bringing back Frenchman Kevin Estre – but the earlier Sandown slot now sees it clash with the World Endurance Championship’s 6 Hours of Fuji.
Previously, there were no clashes between the 2024 Supercars and WEC schedules.
Estre is part of Porsche Penske Motorsport’s WEC Hypercar program.
Grove does at least have one gun co-driver locked in regardless: five-time Bathurst 1000 winner Garth Tander.
Updated 2024 Repco Supercars Championship calendar
Round 1: Thrifty Bathurst 500, Mount Panorama (February 23-25)
Round 2: MSS Security Melbourne SuperSprint, Albert Park (March 21-24)
Round 3: ITM Taupo Super400, Taupo Motorsport Park (April 19-21)
Round 4: Perth SuperSprint, Wanneroo Raceway (May 17-19)
Round 5: Betr Darwin Triple Crown, Hidden Valley Raceway (June 14-16)
Round 6: NTI Townsville 500, Reid Park Street Circuit (July 5-7)
Round 7: Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight, Sydney Motorsport Park (July 19-21)
Round 8: Ned Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint, Symmons Plains Raceway (August 16-18)
Round 9: Penrite Oil Sandown 500, Sandown Raceway (September 13-15)
Round 10: Repco Bathurst 1000, Mount Panorama (October 10-13)
Round 11: Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500, Surfers Paradise Street Circuit (October 25-27)
Round 12: VAILO Adelaide 500, Adelaide Parklands Street Circuit (November 14-17)
