Street party in Murray Bridge will kick off Tailem Bend’s Supercars weekend
There will be no transporter parade this year, but it will still be a big weekend at the Bend Motorsport Park in 2023.
Murray Bridge has stolen Tailem Bend’s thunder ahead of this year’s Supercars race at the newly renamed Shell V-Power Motorsport Park.
A street party on East Terrace, Murray Bridge will kick off OTR Super Sprint weekend in 2023, replacing the traditional transporter truck parade on Railway Terrace, Tailem Bend.
Between 4.30 and 6.30pm, fans will be able to:
- Meet some of their favourite Supercars drivers
- Check out racing cars from some of the weekend’s support categories
- Inspect classic vehicles from local car clubs
- Listen to live music
Nearby businesses have got in on the action, too.
The Bridgeport Hotel will offer a meet-and-greet session with Supercars drivers Mark Winterbottom and Scott Pye from 12-1pm, while Murray Bridge Marketplace will run a night market from 4-9pm to appeal to the expected crowd.
Mayor Wayne Thorley said he was thrilled that Murray Bridge would get a taste of the “world-class” motor racing on offer over the weekend.
The Super Sprint itself – the 600th round of racing in Supercars’ history – will kick off on Friday with practice and qualifying at the venue known until this week as the Bend Motorsport Park.
Fuel company Shell’s global owner, Viva Energy, announced a 10-year naming rights sponsorship of the motor sport park on Wednesday.
The first of three Supercars races will begin at 4.30pm on Saturday, with the others to follow at 12.50pm and 3.50pm on Sunday.
Coca-Cola Racing’s Brodie Kostecki will enter the weekend as the championship leader, with teammate Will Brown and Red Bull Racing veteran Shane van Gisbergen close behind.
Meanwhile, a Saturday night concert, “Rocking the Murray”, will bring rock acts Kingswood and Choirboys to the stage at the motor sport park.
Free buses will ferry motor sport fans from Murray Bridge and Tailem Bend to the race track and back all Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
While the loss of the transporter parade was surely disappointing, Tailem Bend will still get a street party of its own in the coming months.
The Coorong council has flagged that an event will be held on October 20, ahead of the first drag race meeting at the Bend.
- More information: www.thebend.com.au/otr-supersprint-the-bend.
- Tickets to the OTR Super Sprint: From $35 at www.outix.co.
- Watch the race: 7.30am-6pm Saturday and 8am-6pm Sunday on Fox Sports and Kayo; highlights will be shown from 1.25-2.30am Sunday on Seven.
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