Reverse grids to be phased out

The format, which had seen three major lap one incidents in four reverse grid races, will still apply for the next two rounds at Queensland Raceway and Oran Park, but has been dropped for the final four rounds of the season at Surfers Paradise, Symmons Plains, Bahrain and Phillip Island.

These four rounds are crucial to deciding the championship, as they will take place after each driver has competed in the two endurance events, the Betta Electrical 500 at Sandown and the Super Cheap Auto 1000 at Bathurst.

The endurance events often feature unpredictable results, with co-drivers, weather and increased chance of accidents and mechanical failure possibly making or breaking a driver's season.

"While the board felt the reverse grid format had met many of the intended objectives it did recognise that it wasn't suited to all circuits," said V8 Supercars Australia Chief Executive Officer Wayne Cattach.

"It was acknowledged that at least two of the circuits in the closing rounds of the Gold Coast and Tasmania, were unlikely to suit a reverse grid format and it was decided it will not apply to the balance of events after we race at Oran Park in mid-August.

"The fans had mixed reactions to the format with some very positive and others critical. What it did do was stimulate a lot of interest and provide some great scenarios each time it was contested.

Despite the incidents in the reverse grid races, Cattach said the damage was not as big a problem as some believed it would be: "It certainly did not create the mass carnage that many had predicted."

There will also be change to the points system. Instead of 128, 64 and 128 points for the first, second and third race winners, this will change to 105, 105 and 110 but will continue with equal weighting between all the positions.

The meeting also began discussions about the 2007 season and how it will fit in with the recently-signed television agreement with Network Seven, looking at race formats, the calendar and further changes to the points structure.