Sunday, 28 July 2019:
 | | JAMIE WHINCUP driver of the #88 Red Bull Holden Racing Team celebrates after winning the 2017 Supercars Drivers Championship in Newcastle, Australia | |
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Star drivers Chaz Mostert and Jamie Whincup have defended Queensland Raceway, amid speculation the Supercars track might be dumped from the 2020 calendar.
Teams are keen for fewer races next season and the Ipswich SuperSprint is potentially in the firing line.
Mostert finished third in Saturday's opening race at Ipswich and said it was important to keep racing in regional areas.
"It'd be pretty upsetting because I don't get a lot of podiums but generally get some at Queensland Raceway, so if Queensland Raceway is off the calendar, what hope do I have?" Mostert said.
"This track for me, you look at the simplicity of it, six corners and people think maybe it shouldn't be on the calendar but I reckon this place produces some of the best racing.
"You've got three wide for the start, degradation, a lot of strategies, so you see a lot of passing here for a simple track.
"For me, the greatest thing about this category is we go to so many different types of tracks, simple ones, streets circuits, and the guy who gets to hold up the championship trophy at the end of the day has been great at a bunch of different tracks.
"That's what is so good about this category here in Australia in that we have so many different things compared to categories around the world.
"I haven't seen as many people as I did on the hill today so you've got to keep coming to these regional areas because it gives the opportunities for the fans to come out."
Whincup snapped a 24-race win drought on Saturday and said the Ipswich set-up had improved this year, and added he'd love to come back.
"If we go back a couple of years ago, there was a big fight to get another set of tyres in at turn six for safety and it was almost too difficult to mow the grass before we even got here," Whincup said.
"So it's good to see they've made an effort this year. They've extended the curbs a little bit, flag marshal posts are a little bit better, so they have had a bit of a spend.
"I'd certainly love to come back here."
