V8 Supercar racing under a cloud

The 2007 V8 Supercar calendar seems to have escaped without controversy. Those for the following years might not be so lucky. Sydney's Eastern Creek was re-admitted to the championship but, even so, its future and the future of V8 Supercar racing in Sydney remains cloudy.

The way the calendar appears to be panning out, Eastern Creek and Winton will be fighting for one spot on future calendars as soon as 2008.

And as 2008 is the last guaranteed year for Oran Park before the area becomes a housing development, if Eastern Creek misses out, so will Sydney.

Perhaps none of this would have mattered had Sydney secured the street race around Sydney Olympic Park. But the State Government has ruled that out.

Of course the Queensland Government, returned last week for a record fourth term, has no such qualms about motor sport.

Not only does Queensland support the huge Indycar event, where the V8s have co-billing, but a street race in Townsville in 2008 is but a stroke of the pen away.

The Townsville race threatens the place of either Eastern Creek or Winton on the 2008 calendar. Given Winton was preferred to Eastern Creek this year, the Victorian track appears to have the inside running. However, if it comes to the crunch, the V8s might consider a system that gives the round to each venue in alternate years.

That could come down to an auction, putting pressure on motorsport fans to support their local event. Whichever venue comes up with the bigger crowds eventually wins the round permanently. That pre-supposes the V8 bosses have no further expansionary ideas. And that seems unlikely.

There seems to be serious interest in South Africa and other nations around the Pacific rim. They never knock back a good idea, but Hawaii? Come off the grass.

As for 2007, fears that there would be large gaps in the middle of an expanded season have proven unfounded.

While not ideal, there is no more than a month between any two races and importantly there are only three weeks between Sandown and Bathurst.

Some rounds will be forced to finish early to allow for the commitments the new TV broadcaster Channel 7 has with AFL games.

Just how that goes down with viewers might well be the litmus test for the future.

So, too, the response to the June holiday weekend date for Eastern Creek.

The success of Bathurst was initially based on the October long weekend date.

Could a holiday weekend be just the fillip Eastern Creek needs to pull a decent V8 Supercar crowd?

Or do shortcomings in viewing facilities remain a valid criticism?