Aaahh, Queensland’s Gold Coast – the epicurean and cultural hub of the north, where Monaco meets Tuscany via Cologne in a gentle fusion of fashion and urbane sophistication.

Well, okay, maybe not.

V8 Supercars has just released a promo edit for this October’s Gold Coast 600, which features birds, boobs, beer, booze and beaches in high rotation. Cue an instant tut-tut response in the cauldron of social media, with naysayers decrying the debasement of it all.

Now, I’ve covered a few GC600s, and if ever there’s a case for not reinventing the wheel, this is totally it. Battling through hordes of shirtless/topless, tanned, well-drunk revellers of both sexes makes for a pretty tiring work weekend, but I tell you what… everyone’s having an awesome time.

There’s been as much action up in the balconies overlooking the circuit over the years as there has been on the track – and not only from the fans. A reasonably prominent GT racer once confided in me that what he would have spent on brake pads and tyres for a race weekend kept him and four mates up to their necks in booze, food and, erm, entertainment for the entire race week…

Judging by the responses on the vid itself, the fan base is okay with it. V8 Supercars has its issues and its detractors at the moment, but it’s absolutely right in promoting the party aspect of the Goldie as hard as it can. It’s an expensive race to run, and it needs thongs through the gates to keep its sponsors coming back.

The 600 is a three-day street party for the young and inebriated, and it always has been. It’s hot, it’s humid, the beer flows freely and the Gold Coast doesn’t have the reputation as Australia’s premier party town for nothing. If that ain’t your bag, it’s a race to stay away from. If you haven’t experienced it, though, it’s definitely an eye-opener…