Supercars and the Adelaide 500. The words just go together.

Now they’re united again after an almost three-year hiatus.

Those three years were a rollercoaster for the relationship. The race was the last to go ahead in 2020 before the outbreak of the pandemic, and at the end of the year its contract was ripped up by South Australia a season early.

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It took a change of government this year to revive the event, and such is the enthusiasm for one of the country’s greatest street tracks that it was fast-tracked to become the final round of this year, a shift from its traditional season-opening slot.

Ordinarily eight months would be ample time to set up a well-established street course, but with some infrastructure sold, other parts in need of restoration and most of the circuit itself requiring resurfacing, South Australian organisers have been up against it to be ready on time.

But the finishing touches were put on the parklands circuit with just moments to spare, and today the iconic track at long lasts welcomes back the Supercars.

And there couldn’t be a more symbolically significant way to end the 2022 season.

This year’s calendar has been just about normal compared to those of the preceding pandemic years, the sport able to crisscross the country freely after two seasons of border restrictions and Covid…