| The annual V8 Supercar Championship Series is well | | | | everything to play for. |
| and truly underway, with competitors currently battling | | | | A similar format is followed for each race, which sees |
| it out in the hopes of being crowned ultimate victor. | | | | drivers complete a practice and qualifying round, as |
| Each year, drivers must race against each other in 14 | | | | well up to three races. As already mentioned, the |
| different rounds, completing a series of sprint races - | | | | competitors must either complete an endurance race - |
| with distances of 250 km or 120 km - plus endurance | | | | a single race, with compulsory pitstops - or a sprint |
| races. | | | | race. There are currently two tracks offering |
| The Championships, which have been going since 1993, | | | | endurance races: Phillip Island 500 and Bathurst 1000. |
| draw over 250,000 spectators, as well as millions of | | | | The next stage in the competition, the Gulf Air Desert |
| television viewers. As such, twelve of the 14 rounds | | | | 400, is gearing up for yet another exciting race |
| are held in Australia, whilst New Zealand is host to one | | | | weekend. Hosted at the Bahrain International Circuit, |
| (Hamilton 400) and Bahrain another (Gulf Air Desert | | | | the event is returning for its third consecutive year, |
| 400). | | | | having been voted the V8 Supercar 'Event of the |
| In general terms, V8 Supercars is a category within | | | | Year' in 2007. |
| touring car racing. It sees customised street cars - | | | | Reflecting the growing worldwide appeal of |
| based on the Ford Falcon or Holden Commodore car | | | | motorsports, reports are that the Gulf Air Desert 400 |
| models - legally race against one another across a | | | | has already attracted unprecedented interest, with |
| variety of purpose-built racetracks and street circuits. | | | | spectator figures expected to reach well over the |
| As well as attracting huge interest in New Zealand, V8 | | | | 30,000 seen last year. |
| Supercar racing is the most popular motorsport in | | | | Located in the middle of the desert, the race track |
| Australia. | | | | measures 5.4 kilometres or 3.37 miles long and includes |
| Because the V8 Supercars are similar in weight and | | | | 15 turns. It is one of Bahrain's premier sports events, as |
| speed, it is usual to see the top 20 drivers qualifying | | | | well as the Bahrain International Circuit's biggest |
| within a second of each other. The result is a fast | | | | international sporting affair. Thirty one V8 Supercar |
| paced, close racing experience, providing viewers with | | | | racers are expected to take part this year. |
| an action-packed Championship and drivers with | | | | |