The Newcastle 500 will host the first race of the Gen3 era as the new seventh generation Mustang takes on General Motors' Chevvy Camaro, which replaces its Holden vehicles in this year's series.
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The next-generation racers will roll out of pit lane on Saturday, March 11, initially for a qualifying session before a Top 10 Shootout for Saturday's pole position.
Supercars released the track schedule for the three-day Newcastle 500 on Saturday morning, starting with the first event on Friday, March 10.
Saturday will begin with a one-lap pace challenge for the Gen3 cars, the fastest 10 drivers from which will go on to compete in the Shootout before the city will host the first race of the series over 95 laps on the challenging Newcastle street circuit.
Sunday will begin with a drivers' parade before another shootout and a second 250-kilometre race to conclude the three-day start to the series.
All tolled, the Newcastle stop will encompass 11 on-track events between four categories, marking what Supercars called an "historic" beginning to a new era of racing.
Supercars 2023: Newcastle 500 track schedule
Friday, March 10:
- 9.05am: Touring Car Masters Practice
- 9.35am: Aussie Racing Cars Practice 1
- 10.10am: Dunlop Series Practice 1
- 11.15: Gen 3 Mustang vs Camaro Supercars Practice 1
- 12.05: Supercars demonstration, track crossing
- 12.20pm: Touring Car Masters Qualifying
- 12.50pm: Dunlop Series Practice 2
- 1.45pm: Supercars Practice 2
- 2.30pm: Supercars demonstration, track crossing
- 2.45pm: Aussie Racing Cars practice 2
- 3.15pm: Touring Car Masters 12-lap trophy race
- 3.50pm Supercars practice 3
Saturday, March 11:
- 9.15am: Touring Car Masters 12-lap race 1
- 9.40am: Supercars demonstration, track crossing
- 9.55am: Aussie Racing Cars qualifying
- 10.25am: Dunlop Series Qualifying Race 1, Dunlop Super 3
- 10.45: Dunlop Series Qualifying Race 1, Dunlop Super 2
- 11.15am: Supercars Gen3 Mustang vs Camaro Qualifying 1
- 11.40am: Supercars demonstration, pit lane walk, track crossing
- 12pm: Touring Car Masters 12-lap Race 2
- 12.35pm: Supercars Top 10 Shootout, Gen3 Mustang vs Camaro
- 1.15pm: Aussie Racing Cars 12-lap Race 1
- 1.50pm: Dunlop Series, 12-lap Race 1
- 2.20pm: Promoter event, track crossing
- 2.40pm - 3.20pm: Supercars 95-lap Race 1, series opener
Sunday, March 12:
- 9.15am: Touring Car Masters 12-lap Race 2
- 9.50am: Supercars Driver's Parade, track crossing
- 10.25am: Dunlop Series Qualifying Race 2, Dunlop Super 3
- 10.45: Dunlop Series Qualifying Race 2, Dunlop Super 2
- 11.15am: Supercars Gen3 Mustang vs Camaro Qualifying 2
- 11.40am: Supercars demonstration, pit lane walk, track crossing
- 12pm: Touring Car Masters 12-lap Race 3
- 12.35pm: Supercars Top 10 Shootout, Gen3 Mustang vs Camaro
- 1.15pm: Aussie Racing Cars 12-lap Race 3
- 1.50pm: Dunlop Series, 12-lap Race 2 and Podium
- 2.20pm: Promoter event, track crossing
- 2.40pm - 3.20pm: Supercars 95-lap Race 2, Podium
Simon McCarthy
Simon McCarthy is a journalist working at the Newcastle Herald in NSW. He writes news and features, and produces video and multimedia, for the Herald and Herald Weekender magazine. He contributes regularly to the Newcastle Herald’s daily Topics column, and is the co-creator and producer of the Toohey’s News podcast. McCarthy has worked as a journalist in regional NSW since 2013. He joined the newsroom of the Newcastle Herald in 2017 from the Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he worked from 2015 to 2016.
Simon McCarthy is a journalist working at the Newcastle Herald in NSW. He writes news and features, and produces video and multimedia, for the Herald and Herald Weekender magazine. He contributes regularly to the Newcastle Herald’s daily Topics column, and is the co-creator and producer of the Toohey’s News podcast. McCarthy has worked as a journalist in regional NSW since 2013. He joined the newsroom of the Newcastle Herald in 2017 from the Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he worked from 2015 to 2016.
