The fairness and integrity of the series is maintained because the cars are kept away from fiddling fingers and talent-enhancing chequebooks. This they unfailingly do, with an interval of one second typically covering the first dozen screaming Suzis on the grid, two seconds covering at least two dozen. The racing is fast, tight and fair, and an encouraging reminder that people in their late-teens and early 20s are still too dumb to know fear. Roman's description was verified at the Turn Two hairpin, where both my car's exterior mirrors were clobbered against the side windows as we charged through three-abreast. At the end of it, we all laughed and lied ourselves stupid.
Competitors declare themselves happy if they're having to buy one new panel per round.
Despite the rubbing and ribbing on the racetrack, most of the drivers stick together throughout the day. It's like a high-speed Boy Scouts outing. This, and the brilliant racing, is making circuit promoters increasingly keen to slot the Kumho Suzuki GTi Cup package into their race programs. CAMS and Channel Seven are committed for the next three years. The drivers need only turn up with their helmets.