The Movers and Shakers of Coates Hire Newcastle 500

This year’s upcoming Coates Hire Newcastle 500 promises to be one of the most exciting on track with all 24 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship drivers vowing to put their best foot forward in a bid to stand atop the podium and look out over Wharf Road. Some of the drivers to look out for in 2019 include:
Scott McLaughlin McLaughlin is undoubtedly at the top of his game right now. The Shell Ford Mustang driver claimed last year’s Championship on the street of Newcastle in emphatic style on the Sunday, after running out of fuel in the opening race of the event.
This year he has been almost unrivalled. He has won both races at the Adelaide 500, became the first-ever Supercars driver to win Darwin’s Triple Crown, claimed his maiden Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 crown in a race that will be talked about for years to come and broke the all-time record for wins in a year.
The 26-year old kiwi is all but assured of lifting the Championship Trophy again in Newcastle on November 24 and will be hoping to do so after yet another race victory. Easily the favourite for this year’s event.
Jamie Whincup Whincup snatched the title in arguably the most memorable finale to a Supercars season ever back in 2017 and celebrated with a backflip into the Harbour. 2019 hasn’t gone perfectly to plan for Supercars greatest ever race and title winner, and the seven-time Champion will be looking to finish the year on a high in his Red Bull Holden.
David Reynolds Reynolds is one of just three drivers to have officially won a race in Newcastle and will be out to claim his second race win on the streets of the CBD this year when he takes to the track in the Penrite Racing KISS Commodore.
Fans will love the livery Reynolds and teammate Anton De Pasquale will roll out in at Newcastle, which is promoting Saturday night’s concert by the rock legends KISS, supported by Newcastle’s own, The Screaming Jets.
Shane van Gisbergen Stripped of his only race win in Newcastle post-race last year, van Gisbergen will be out to prove a point in 2019.
The 2016 Supercars Champion is second in Championship standings behind McLaughlin heading into Newcastle this year, but that won’t mean a thing when they go door-to-door up Watt Street this year.
Lee Holdsworth The veteran has wound back the clock in 2019 having one of his best-ever seasons in Supercars in the Bottle-O Mustang of Tickford.
Holdsworth has been unlucky on a few occasions to miss the podium this year and will be hoping to break his luck in Newcastle this year after a strong showing on the street circuit in previous years.
James Courtney In what will be his last year with Walkinshaw Andretti United, Courtney will be hoping to go out on a high before moving to the Sydney-based team in 2020.
The 2010 Supercars Champion is a street circuit specialist and has gone within a whisker of a podium at Newcastle in previous years.
Simona De Silvestro In 2017, De Silvestro showed the world that she was the real deal on the streets of Newcastle, with some of the best passing moves seen in Supercars.
A favourite on and off the track with young fans, everyone will be cheering, hoping Newcastle is the event the Swiss superstar finally gets a Supercars race win in her Harvey Norman Nissan Altima.