Why revamped SMSP will provide 'world-class' entertainment

Michael Caruso believes Supercars fans are set for a "world-class" spectacle when the 2021 season resumes at a revamped Sydney Motorsport Park.

The Eastern Creek circuit will host four successive weekends of racing from this weekend.

This weekend’s Bunnings Trade Sydney SuperNight will be the first of three Sydney events to feature night racing.

For the first time, the Repco Supercars Championship field will race under the 132 permanent stadium LED light towers installed at the circuit in late 2020.

The 132 light towers include 864 individual light fittings placed around the four circuit configurations and training skidpan.

Team 18 Bathurst 1000 co-driver Caruso attended a light test at Sydney Motorsport Park last week alongside Supercars’ general manager of television and content Nathan Prendergast.

“I was really impressed, I think the group out at SMSP have done a fantastic job,” Caruso told Supercars.com.

“The money invested by the New South Wales Government has been well spent because I couldn't fault anything that they've done, to be honest.

“It's very well lit, particularly from a driver's perspective for the apexes, and you can see all the way through each corner.

“I think it's going be fantastic viewing and also the drivers should enjoy it as well, given that they can be confident that the lighting will be good enough for racing.”

Caruso drove for Kelly Racing in the inaugural Sydney SuperNight in 2018.

The single 300-kilometre race was run under temporary generator-powered lights capable of 150LUX.

Sydney Motorsport Park’s new permanent lighting system now provides 800LUX on pit straight, with a minimum of 400LUX on the rest of the circuit.

Caruso believes the new system will make for thrilling viewing for spectators at the venue and for viewers watching the broadcast.

“In terms of spectacle, the lighting will only enhance that because the vision that we will get to see on television and what the trackside fans will see should be world-class,” Caruso said.

“We probably won't see too much of a difference [in the racing] but the real factors will probably be the temperature and those types of differences that probably affect the race car bit more than we are used to, given that a lot of the racing is done during the day.

“From what I understand a few teams have done testing during the break and those that haven't will be using the opportunity at SMSP to test later on during the event.

“Supercars drivers are the best in the country, they are the class drivers in the nation, so they should have no problems getting straight back into it and putting on some quality racing.”

The 2021 Repco Supercars Championship will continue at this weekend’s Bunnings Trade Sydney SuperNight. Tickets for all four upcoming Sydney events are on sale now.

All sessions will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and streamed via Kayo. The Seven Network will broadcast live from 3:30pm AEDT on Saturday and 12:30pm AEDT on Sunday.