Pukekohe Raceway to cease motorsport activities from 2023

[madbugger]

https://www.speedcafe.com/2022/07/20/pukekohe-park-to-cease-motorsport-activities/


Pukekohe Park, the current home of Supercars' New Zealand round, has announced it will cease motorsport activities in 2023.
No motorsport events will take place at the racecourse after April 2, 2023.
The venue is owned by Counties Racing Club Inc, with the race track built around a horse racing precinct.
An announcement from Auckland Thoroughbred Racing (ATR) outlines that the end of motorsport activities next year will be to "focus" on ATR's thoroughbred racing.
It means this year's Supercars Championship round, the ITM Auckland SuperSprint, could be the last at Pukekohe Park Raceway.

[mikeamerica84]

Well, this will be unfortunate to motorsport fans.  I guess NZ's next best bet is Hampton Downs?

Of course, they COULD revive the Hamilton street circuit.  The two things I remember about that was the ridiculous chicane down the one straightway and the poor guy that had his house encircled by the track.  He could not get in or out for the round and had to move out for the weekend.  He also had cats and the promoters paid for him to put his cats up in a cattery for the weekend.

The next year I think they just gave him some free tickets.  Yeah.... great.  Like the bloke could not just sit on his front porch and watch the cars go by.

[stevo qld]

I think one (or more) of Tony Quin's NZ circuits would be the front runner, especially after Tony demonstrated a willingness to spend big on improvements at Ipswich.

[murph_fan51]

Well, this will be unfortunate to motorsport fans.  I guess NZ's next best bet is Hampton Downs?

Correct.

[Bloopy]

Of course, they COULD revive the Hamilton street circuit.

That was a financial disaster. Now things are even more expensive and the general population is even less interested in motorsport. It's difficult to imagine anyone would front up with enough cash to convince any town in NZ to host Supercars street races again.

[kennymiesta]

Really sad news. Another one of the "classic" circuits looks to be gone for good

[skaifeman]

Weird in that usually it's the horse facilities that save the tracks (ala Sandown for the past few years), but this one is obviously far more successful as a business case over the circuit.
Shame, watching them through the final corner to turn 2 has always been awesome.

We really should have two events over there, the series Champion has been from NZ for the past 4 years, looking like 5. And 5 of the last 6. Heimgartner has the idea, North and South Islands:
https://www.speedcafe.com/2022/07/25/heimgartner-calls-for-south-island-nz-supercars-round/

[murph_fan51]

Maybe this is a blessing in disguise...we will get to see Supercars at a new track.
As iconic as Pukekohe track was, it arguably is not the best track in NZ.
Highlands (in the South Island) would be bloody spectacular but I'm not sure Supercars would pay for shipping the cars over the Cook Straight.
It'll be at Hampton Downs in the foreseeable future (which is great because I live 10 mins away )