Supercars revving up for Pukekohe return

Hampton Downs won’t host the racing this year, but is in the frame for 2022 when there could be two NZ rounds – and there is support for an annual double.

Supercars will be back racing in New Zealand later this year, but at Pukekohe Park, rather than Hampton Downs.

With the trans-Tasman bubble opening tomorrow, Supercars CEO Sean Seamer has confirmed the New Zealand round will go ahead on November 6-7, the penultimate round of the season.

‘‘The biggest thing for us, as it was for many New Zealanders, was the news around the transTasman travel bubble,’’ Seamer told Sunday Star-Times.

‘‘With that being announced and the robust plans that have been put around it, it gives us a high degree of confidence, which is why we’re excited to get over there in November. It will have been just over two years since we were last there.

‘‘The event we had at Pukekohe in 2019 was the best we’d had in New Zealand for a very long time, from a racing, attendance and experience point of view. So we’re looking forward to getting back and putting on a good show.’’

The New Zealand round was cancelled last year. It was initially due to take place in Pukekohe, but then switched to Hampton Downs because of issues with Auckland Council’s unitary plan over racing on Anzac Day at the historic circuit.

It was the subject of much debate as to where the New Zealand round would be, once Supercars returned to the country, but Steve Armitage, general manager destination of Auckland Unlimited, which is part of Auckland Council, said it had to be Pukekohe.

‘‘Logic has always dictated that it would return to Pukekohe, provided we didn’t have to deal with similar issues around Anzac weekend,’’ Armitage said.

‘‘We’d been in regular conversation with Supercars and with Hampton Downs, because there’s no question that they were extremely helpful and a good, willing partner.

‘‘We want to continue working with them around what the future of this event holds.

‘‘But for the time being and as we’re still looking to deliver outcomes exclusively for Auckland given our investment in the event, it made sense for it to return to Pukekohe.’’

Auckland Unlimited pays around $1.2 million a year to host a round of Supercars. But with the event attracting more than 114,000 spectators when it was last held in 2019, those costs are more than covered, with what it provides to the city.

Although Hampton Downs has missed out for this year, the track, which is in northern Waikato, is in the running to host Supercars from 2022.

‘‘Pukekohe is an historic track and we love racing there,’’ Seamer said.

‘‘It always produces good racing and it’s a good viewing experience for the fans.

‘‘But we are still in discussions with Hampton Downs. It’s still very much on our radar, in consideration for the future and we’re in ongoing discussions about that.’’

One option is for there to be back-to-back Supercars rounds in New Zealand next year, at Pukekohe Park and at Hampton Downs, which would encourage visitors to spend more time in the Auckland/Waikato region.

‘‘As part of our calendar planning for next year, we’re looking at a range of different options,’’ Seamer said.

‘‘Including the time of year we come over, but also which track we go to while we’re there.

‘‘We are in close discussions with Hampton Downs about trying to make something happen there, because they have been very good to us.

‘‘It’s a great track and Supercars would produce a very good show at that facility.’’

Armitage said he’d like to see two rounds in New Zealand each season.

‘‘I don’t think we’ve made any secret of the fact that we’d love to see more than one round in New Zealand,’’ Armitage said.

‘‘We’re off contract at the end of this year and we’ll have to sit down and discuss with Supercars what the future brings from an Auckland perspective.

‘‘We’ve had Scott McLaughlin and now Shane van Gisbergen in dominant form, there is clearly interest in the New Zealand market and there is a need for them to continue to grow their coverage and participation here in New Zealand.

‘‘I think there’s an opportunity for us to have a pretty open conversation that has Auckland in the mix, but potentially looks a bit broader once we get through the completion of this contract.’’

Seamer confirmed that they were looking at the possibility of having two races on the calendar.

‘‘There is certainly some interest,’’ he said.

‘‘There has always been interest from the New Zealand fanbase and New Zealand drivers, to try to do two races over there, in some way, shape or form and we’ll explore that as part of the the planning for next year’s calendar.’’

‘‘Pukekohe is an historic track and we love racing there. It always produces good racing and it’s a good viewing experience for the fans.’’ Sean Seamer, above Supercars CEO