Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes were not the only winners to come out of Symmons Plains on the weekend, with the 46th Tasmanian SuperSprint living up to its revered reputation on the Supercar calendar.
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The threat of rain on Sunday merely added to the excitement as hordes of Tasmanian and interstate racing fans gathered for the conclusion of the event.
More than 55,000 people made their way through the gates across the three days, representing a 6.5 per cent increase from 2017.
Supercars chief executive Sean Seamer said it was another successful showing from Northern Tasmania.
“It really shows the incredible support for Supercars here in Tasmania and the rich history of motorsport here,” he said.
“This event completes the national footprint for Supercars and we love it.
“It’s an impressive race track which makes for fantastic, tight racing.
“The weather was amazing and all the fans I spoke to really loved it.
“The fans here and the millions watching in Australia and around the world were treated to a brilliant show with plenty of action across the entire weekend.”
It was good news for Launceston’s economy, with the influx of visitors providing welcome business for restaurants and hotels.
Launceston Chamber of Commerce president Neil Grose said everything should be done to keep the event as it is.
“From an economic point of view, it’s critical we keep these huge numbers of visitors coming into Northern Tasmania,” he said.
“It really helps everyone get ready for the winter.”
There were glimpses of the colder months on Sunday, with overcast conditions greeting drivers for the second and final race.
Nissan Motorsport driver Rick Kelly said the track was known for producing entertainment in rain, hail or shine.
"If there is some rain, it will definitely spice things up, because you have to change tyres there is usually a fair bit of action around this place when it is wet," he said.
"If the track stays dry, I expect the same cars will be towards the front.
"This track generally produces some pretty exciting racing, no matter what the conditions."
Symmons Plains hosted the seventh and eighth races of the 2018 Supercar season.
The next stop for the series is Phillip Island on April 20.
Sean Slatter
Journalist at Fairfax Media based at Launceston.
Journalist at Fairfax Media based at Launceston.
