Asian Motor Sports

Leading V8 drivers Saturday night predicted the Sydney 500 would become a world-class event and rival Bathurst as Australia’s greatest race.

Mount Panorama is the home of motorsport, but Supercars stars are predicting the Homebush street race will become the biggest event on the V8 calendar.

“It is the place where champions will be made,” James Courtney said.

“It will be our grand final, and you would think that the championship won’t be decided until we start our engines in Sydney.

“It is an event that we are all very excited about and it could rival Bathurst as one of the great races.”

After roaring across the Harbour Bridge in his Jim Beam Racing Falcon, hot-shot Courtney said the Sydney 500 would explode into a classic battle.

“The event is going to be huge - an entertainment spectacular,” he said.

“But the racing is going to be even better. It is the last event of the year and all the drivers will be laying it all down. No one will be leaving anything behind.

“The track itself looks awesome and I think there are going to be plenty of thrills and spills. It will be a very tough track to conquer. It will definitely be one of the biggest races of the year.”

Veteran driver and 2005 V8 Supercars champion Russell Ingall said the Sydney 500 was “going to be a three-day party”.

“For the last four to five years the series has pretty much gone down to the wire and a new street race in Sydney’s just going to make the show better,” Ingall said.

“It’ll be sitting on the edge of your seat-stuff for the fans.

“They’re promising it’s going to be a world-class event and I think you’ll find it’ll do Sydney proud.”

Hometown hero Mark Winterbottom said the Sydney 500 would become a historic event.

“It already has history and we haven’t even had a race there,” Winterbottom said.

“It was the home of the Sydney Olympic Games. We will be driving around a place where many legends have already been made.

“I come from out Blacktown way so I am just wrapped that Sydney will finally have a big event. I’ll be claiming a bit if a hometown advantage.”

Holden star Rick Kelly is predicting at least four drivers will be in the championship hunt on December 4, when the Sydney 500 screams to life.

“I think it will be one of the big events,” Kelly said.

“Everything is unknown and that is the exciting thing. We have never raced there before and it is the grand final.

“There will be no advantage for anyone. In the past we have finished at Phillip Island and we all know what teams that track favoured. In Sydney we will have no idea.”