Longer-format racing returns this weekend for the first time since the Sydney Motorsport Park season-opener back in March.
There will be two 250-kilometre races held on the hybrid street and parklands circuit in Far North Queensland, which means refuelling will be in play for just the second time this season.
Adding to the strategic intrigue is a mix of tyre compounds, with both the hard and super soft compounds available to drivers.
From the start of qualifying onwards each driver will be limited to four sets of the hard compound tyre. There are then two sets of the super soft, one for each race. Using both dry compounds is mandatory in both races.
Like in Darwin the minimum tyre pressure is higher than the traditional 17 psi, but had been brought back from 20 psi to 19 psi for both compounds.
The grids for the two races will be set via two-part qualifying. The first will be a 15-minute, all-in session to determine grid positions 11 onwards.
The 10 fastest from that session will then duke it out for pole in a Top 10 Shootout.
Series leader Shane van Gisbergen will head to Townsville looking to bounce back from a difficult, at least by his standards, Darwin Triple Crown.
The Kiwi didn't win any of the three races in the Top End and finished 21st after clashing with Will Davison in the finale, which saw his series lead cut down to 214 points.
Triple Eight does has exceptional form on the Reid Park circuit, though, which means van Gisbergen will head to FNQ as the outright favourite despite his Darwin wobble.
There has been a change in the field since Darwin too, with Garry Jacobson parting ways with PremiAir Racing just a day after the Hidden Valley event.
His seat has been taken by James Golding, who will make his first start as a main game full-timer since the final round of the 2019 season in Newcastle this weekend.
2022 Supercars Townsville 500 session times
All times local (GMT+10)
Friday July 8
7:25-7:45 Touring Car Masters – Practice
7:55-8:15 Toyota 86s – Practice 1
8:25-9:05 Super2/Super3 – Practice 1
9:30-9:55 Carrera Cup – Practice 1
10:10-10:40 Supercars – Practice 1
11:05-11:25 Touring Car Masters – Qualifying
11:35-11:55 Toyota 86s – Practice 2
12:05-12:45 Super2/Super3 – Practice 2
13:10-13:35 Carrera Cup – Practice 2
13:45-14:05 Toyota 86s – Qualifying
14:15-14:35 Touring Car Masters – Trophy Race
14:50-15:20 Supercars – Practice 2
Saturday July 9
7:55-8:15 Toyota 86s – Race 1
8:25-8:35 Carrera Cup – Qualifying 1
8:40-8:50 Carrera Cup – Qualifying 2
9:05-9:15 Super3 – Qualifying (Race 1)
9:20-9:30 Super2 – Qualifying (Race 1)
9:50-10:05 Supercars – Qualifying (Race 1)
10:35-10:55 Touring Car Masters – Race 1
11:20-11:45 Toyota 86s – Race 2
12:00-12:30 Supercars – Top 10 Shootout (Race 1)
12:45-13:10 Carrera Cup – Race 1
13:25-13:55 Super2/Super3 – Race 1
14:45-16:48 Supercars – Race 1
Sunday July 10
8:00-8:20 Touring Car Masters – Race 2
8:30-9:10 Carrera Cup – Race 2
9:25-9:35 Super3 – Qualifying (Race 2)
9:40-9:50 Super2 – Qualifying (Race 2)
10:10-10:25 Supercars – Qualifying (Race 2)
10:40-11:00 Touring Car Masters – Race 3
11:25-11:45 Toyota 86s – Race 3
12:00-12:30 Supercars – Top 10 Shootout (Race 2)
12:45-13:10 Carrera Cup – Race 3
13:25-13:55 Super2/Super3 – Race 2
14:45-16:48 Supercars – Race 2
