It had been several years since I last went to the Clipsal 500. I've kept up with the series since then, but I'd forgot how different it was to see professional Motorsport at the track. Being able to feel the roar and see your favourite drivers whiz pass, battling for track position right in front of you is bloody fantastic. I probably saw less than 2% of the actual racing that was going on, but it was quality. Sure, on the TV you can see a whole lot more racing and get constant updates on almost everything, but it doesn't compare to being there. You observe the racing on the TV, but you experience it at the track.
This was also the first chance I got to see the new entries to the sport. Since the start of the 2013 season, three new manufacturers have joined the category; those being Nissan, Mercedes and Volvo. Even though they joined the sport a year earlier, the Nissan and Mercedes teams have had limited success. This is in comparison to the single Volvo team, run by Garry Rogers Motorsport, who have been a regular front runner from the start.
The sound of the Volvo S60 Polestar pictured above sounds unlike any other car in the category. It has a kind of deep and smooth sound compared to the aggressive rumble of the other V8's. Compare them for yourself in the video below.
While there has been plenty of support for these new-comers in the sport, it seems there are still some people who miss the days where it was just Holden Vs Ford. During a safety car period, a tow truck drove towards us, and as it went past it revealed a banged up Mercedes on the back. "Haha! It's a Mercedes!" one beer-bellied bogan exclaimed, while nudging his mate. "Oooh yeah, one them new Mercedes crashed! HAHA!"
A was super keen to catch a glimpse of the aptly named support series, 'Stadium Super Trucks'. And that's exactly what I saw; a glimpse.The fence line was completely full of spectators, all keen to get a look at these wild machines. And they really are wild, like a big toy. In fact, that's exactly what they are. These identically built, 600 horsepower trucks are made to represent their scaled-down radio-controlled counterparts by Traxxas.
Watching these trucks is unlike any other Motorsport I have seen. When they fly off the man-made jumps, they look like rabbits bouncing up and down in a field. In the corners, the front inside wheel lifts up as if it's waving to the spectators, almost tipping on their side in the process. It's absolutely ludicrous.
However, I do think these are a bit of a novelty. Don't get me wrong, they are very impressive machines, and I've also heard the sport is a way of allowing people to experience the excitement of watching off-road racing without having to travel quite so far, which makes sense. But I can't see myself following the sport. It all just seems a little bit over the top. However, once a year is fine with me, so if they come back next year I'm sure I'll be as keen as a bean to get my fix of exaggerated, unnecessary, over-the-top American racing.
