This September’s Supercars event at Auckland’s Pukekohe Park will be the track’s last, after the Auckland Racing Club announced the closure of the circuit from April 2023.
Motorsports will no longer be run at the circuit with the Auckland Thoroughbred Racing (ATR), announcing plans to develop the club for its own purposes.
The last motorsport event at the racecourse will be on 2 April 2023 before the site turns its focus to ATR’s thoroughbred racing activities.
ATR CEO, Paul Wilcox, said in a statement regarding the venue,
“While the motorsport closure does represent the end of an era; it will pave the way for the Club to continue in its widely reported plans to future-proof the sport of thoroughbred racing in Auckland.
“We can appreciate that today’s announcement will be big news for many. Motorsport has
undoubtedly had a strong association with Pukekohe Park, becoming synonymous with our racecourse since the first-time cars and bikes raced on it in 1962.
“However, our purpose is to facilitate thoroughbred racing at our Auckland venues with our vision being to provide a sustainable future for our sport in New Zealand.”
Pukekohe Park was the site of Supercars first international event in 2001, and whilst the New Zealand leg of the season hasn’t always been held there (2008-2012 at the Hamilton Street Circuit), Supercars CEO Shane Howard lamented the loss of the track.
“It’s obviously a great loss to farewell a circuit with so much history and heritage to both New Zealand and Australian racing,” Said Howard.
“Legends were created here, and it was the location of Supercars’ first ever international Championship race.
“It’s legacy will live on for many years to come.”
The circuits closure mean that Supercars will need to option out another venue for next season, and in terms of it being held in New Zealand still, Howard was quoted as saying,
“We have other great venue options available and will now begin discussions regarding our 2023 calendar.
“It’s our absolute intent to continue racing in New Zealand and we are now exploring alternative venues for the New Zealand event for the future.”
Supercars resumes for the OTR SuperSprint at ‘The Bend,” on July 29-31.
Pukekohe’s final Supercars event will be held on September 9-11.
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