V8s dump Barbagallo

V8 Supercars Australia has dumped Barbagallo from its 2010 schedule, with acting chief executive Shane Howard slamming the circuit as 'third world'.

With Queensland town Ipswich added to the schedule this year, the V8s won't be heading to Barbagallo in Perth after all despite originally being included because, according to Howard, the track just isn't up to standard.

"It is great news that we have been able to secure the City of Ipswich 300 but disappointing we have been unable to find a workable solution to the similar issues we have at Barbagallo Raceway," Howard said.

"We are extremely disappointed for all of our fans in WA. As a group we have worked overtime in trying to get this third-world facility revamped so that both the paddock and the pit lane meet basic OH&S legislation."

"Despite a reduced sanction fee of around 25 percent of the actual cost for us to race in Perth, committing to a long-term five-year deal and offering the services of Mark Skaife and our engineers to design the new circuit at our cost we still get a lip-service response."

"The situation is best summed up by a recent seven-page letter and subsequent letters (we have sent) that have received just a one-paragraph response at best."

Howard hasn't given up hope of V8s returning to Western Australia in future years though.

"Our WA fans will at least have the extensive free-to-view live coverage on the Seven Network (and) hopefully this opens the door for other regions of Western Australia to approach us with a view to bringing one of the world's greatest Touring Car Championships to a new destination in the future," he said.

The season will start next week in Abu Dhabi and head to Bahrain the following weekend before the first round in Australia, the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide from March 11-14, with the final round to be the Sydney 500 at Homebush from December 3-5.