Gold Coast and Townsville Supercars events locked in
By Thomas Miles
Date posted: 24 September 2024
Supercars will carry on racing at Townsville and Gold Coast for at least the next three years after the Queensland Government extended its support.
Thanks to a three-year extension from the Queensland Government, the big-ticket Townsville and Gold Coast 500 events will remain key parts of the Supercars calendar until at least 2027.
The two races have been backed by the Queensland Government since 2010 and become fan favourites in the familiar August and October times lots.
The Gold Coast 500 has been the traditional post Bathurst street party since becoming a championship round in 2002, while Supercars has been racing on the streets of Townsville since 2009.
In addition to confirming the extensions, the press release stated the 2025 Supercars calendar will be announced in “early October.”
Queensland Premier Steven Miles was delighted to announce the news, outlining the boost Supercars provides to the state.
“This is a huge win for motorsports fans and a huge win for the visitor economy,” he said.
“These events will deliver more than 280,000 visitor nights and inject approximately $100 million into Queensland’s economy for each year of this extended deal.
“These Supercars events are some of the biggest events on the Queensland calendar bringing visitors to the host destinations from far and wide and we are committed to keeping Queensland on the grid with world-class events that benefit our communities and drive significant economic returns.”
“Supercars events draw huge crowds to Queensland, accelerating tourism and supporting local businesses,” said Minister for Tourism and Sport, Michael Healy.
“Through our partnerships with Supercars and local stakeholders, we are ensuring these events continue to generate high-octane returns for our state.
“I look forward to keeping these engines running hot for another three years.”
Supercars CEO Shane Howard also welcomed the news having lost Newcastle this year.
“I want to extend my thanks to Premier Steven Miles, Minister Michael Healy, and the Gold Coast and Townsville City Councils for their unwavering support of two of Queensland’s largest sporting events,” he said.
“These events not only bring significant tourism and economic benefits but also create local jobs and showcase Queensland to a vast television audience, both in Australia and abroad.
“They’ve been incredibly successful by all measures.
“Our teams, drivers, and fans love these events, and we’re excited to have them locked in as core parts of our calendar for the years ahead.
“We’re eagerly looking forward to the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 in just over a month.”
Supercars will return to the Gold Coast on October 25-27.
Image: Mark Horsburgh
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