Fleet managers who follow the Supercars Championship will want to mark their calendars for this weekend’s Tasmania Super440 — a jam-packed round that promises wheel-to-wheel racing, bold tyre strategy, and tight lap times at one of Australia’s most distinctive circuits.
After a quick turnaround from the New Zealand leg, Team 18 returns to the grid for Round 4 of the 2025 Repco Supercars Championship at Symmons Plains Raceway, a track affectionately nicknamed the “Pork Chop” for its unique shape. The venue, located near Launceston, is set to host its 96th, 97th, and 98th Supercars races, continuing its long-standing tradition as a favourite among fans and drivers alike.
For fleet professionals with a passion for performance and engineering, Symmons Plains offers a study in efficiency and precision. The circuit features a high-speed layout with long straights and sharp braking zones, including the slowest corner on the Supercars calendar — the notorious Turn 4 hairpin. It’s a place where setup, tyre strategy, and split-second decisions can mean the difference between a podium and the back of the pack.
Mixed Tyre Strategy Keeps Teams on Their Toes
This weekend, teams will once again be managing a mixed compound tyre format. Saturday’s two 50-lap sprint races will mix things up with Race 11 and Sunday’s 78-lap Race 13 run on the Dunlop Super Softs, while Race 12 on Saturday afternoon will use the standard Soft compound.
For Anton De Pasquale, driver of the #18 DEWALT Racing Camaro, it’s an opportunity to continue building on a strong start to the season. “We’ve made progress every round,” said De Pasquale. “We started front row in the last race, so that’s a big step forward. Now it’s about putting the whole weekend together.”
He added that the combination of tight margins and tyre strategy at Symmons Plains could lead to bold race-day decisions. “I reckon we’ll see some big dive bombs at the hairpin. Managing tyres will be key, but there are definitely chances to make things happen.”
Reynolds Looks to Rebound
On the other side of the garage, David Reynolds is aiming to turn his season around. The TRADIE Energy Racing driver has had a tough start but is confident heading into Tasmania. “We’ve got a few new parts in the car this weekend to try and figure out what’s going on with my speed,” Reynolds said. “I was really fast at Tassie last year, so we’ve got a good base to build from.”
Reynolds also noted the intensity of Saturday’s sprint format. “Saturday’s pretty hectic! Engineers, mechanics, everyone’s flat out. You’re trying to figure out how to drive on two different tyres. Sunday’s a bit more strategic with just one quali and the longer race.”
What to Watch — Key Times and Fan Access
The Team 18 transporter arrives in Tasmania mid-week, and the festivities begin with a fan signing session at the National Automobile Museum of Tasmania in Launceston on Thursday from 4:30pm–5:30pm.
Track action kicks off Friday with two practice sessions, before a busy Saturday featuring knockout qualifying and two sprint races. Sunday offers the traditional longer-format race, complete with a Top 10 Shootout to determine the grid.
Key Timings (AEST):
Friday 10 May
- 11:55am – Practice 1
- 3:00pm – Practice 2
Saturday 11 May
- 9:05am – Qualifying (Race 11)
- 9:55am – Qualifying (Race 12)
- 12:05pm – Race 11 (50 laps)
- 3:55pm – Race 12 (50 laps)
Sunday 12 May
- 9:35am – Qualifying (Race 13)
- 11:55am – Top 10 Shootout
- 2:45pm – Race 13 (78 laps)
