25 Years of the VAILO Adelaide 500

Since 1999, the VAILO Adelaide 500 has become a must-do annual event – and the 2024 version certainly showed why.

Incredible racing, sensational supporting motorsports, a plethora of old and new off-track activities and big-name concerts are what the event is known for.

To celebrate 25 years since that first event, the VAILO Adelaide 500 seemed to take them all to a new level.

 

TWO TITLES IN ONE WEEKEND

 

For 20-odd years, winning the Adelaide 500 at the start of the season set many drivers up for championship years, including Jamie Whincup in 2008 and 2009 and Scott McLaughlin in 2019.

With the Adelaide event now held at the end of the season, this year, the phenomenon happened in reverse – the Supercars champion took out the VAILO Adelaide 500 title.

Red Bull Ampol Racing’s Will Brown secured enough points in Saturday’s race to be assured the 2024 Supercars championship.

Then, after starting third on the grid for Sunday’s race, he was able to maintain a solid race, taking the lead late and blazing past the chequered flag first.

The winner of Sunday’s race also claims the honour of receiving the VAILO Adelaide 500 winner’s wreath and trophy, capping off a remarkable weekend for the popular driver.

 

THE NOTORIOUS TURN 8

 

Experienced VAILO Adelaide 500 fans know Turn 8 is where a lot of the car crashes have occurred in the past 25 years and the most notorious corner in Australian motorsport lived up to its name in 2024.

In 2018, a crash by Jamie Whincup in qualifying was a major talking point. This year, not one, not two but three drivers did it – Richie Stanaway, Cameron Hill and David Reynolds.

Then in Sunday’s qualifying session, Jaxon Evans swiped Turn 8 which crumpled his Camaro that crashed into the opposite wall. He did not start the Sunday race.

Other categories that saw cars crash at Turn 8 across the weekend included Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup and Dunlop Series.

The resulting damage from all the incidents this weekend will continue to be talking points in the sport for years to come.

 

NEW EVENTS STEAL THE SHOW

 

Organisers have a 25-year history of bringing new things to the Supercars event that quickly become a fan-favourite attraction – think the Stadium Super Trucks, After Race Concerts and even children’s activities.

Speedway and Supercross have joined that list this year, with many fans attending the VAILO Adelaide 500 specifically to see those attractions.

The NAPA Speedway Sprintcars in the City event involved top national and international racers on Thursday and Friday nights, while the Australian Supercross Championship’s penultimate round was held on Saturday night.

The two weren’t just new additions to the event’s attractions – they were events in their own right.

Many fans are calling for both to become fixtures of the event in future.

 

CRACKER CONCERTS

 

The VAILO Adelaide 500 has always ended with the booming beats of at least one massive After Race Concert headlined by a major Australian or international music act.

This year, two After Race Concerts on Saturday and Sunday nights featured two internationally renowned acts at the top of the bill – Cold Chisel and Crowded House.

They kept most of the day’s attendees entertained long into the evenings.

It was Crowded House’s debut performance at the Adelaide street circuit, but Cold Chisel’s third appearance in 25 years – with its frontman Jimmy Barnes performing even more times at an After Race Concert as a solo artist.

The two bands were supported by six Australian artists and bands at the new Concert Stage venue located near Gate 1.

 

AMAZING ATMOSPHERE

 

Ask any Supercars driver what it is about the VAILO Adelaide 500 that they love the most, and they usually say it’s not the fun of driving the circuit but the unbelievable festival atmosphere.

The 25-year event was buzzing even more than usual, largely thanks to many special events celebrating its history.

Legends of the sport from over the years gone by, such as drivers Craig Lowndes and John Bowe, were part of special Q&A discussions held for fans in the new Pub in the Park precinct.

The event’s Fanbassador, Greg Murphy, was one of the previous Adelaide 500 competitors to speak at the Legends Luncheon on Thursday.

Each race winner had their hand prints immortalised in cement to be displayed in future.

The inaugural winner of the Adelaide 500, Craig Lowndes, presented this year’s winner Will Brown with the VAILO Adelaide 500 winner’s wreath to big cheers from the crowd.

Premier Peter Malinauskas said on the VAILO Adelaide 500 grid ahead of Sunday’s race that organisers worked hard to evolve the event over the past 25 years and would continue to do so in future.

“This is the jewel in the crown – outside of Formula 1, this is the centre of motorsport in this country,” he said.