Motorsport: Auckland confirmed for V8 supercar championship

1.25pm

As revealed in the Herald earlier today, the streets of downtown Auckland have been confirmed as the venue for the New Zealand round of the V8 Supercar Championship from 2006.

In an official announcement this afternoon, championship organiser Avesco said it was opting for Auckland ahead of a rival bid for the race to be staged at an upgraded Manfeild track near Palmerton North.

The contract is for seven years with options beyond that.

Pukekohe Park Raceway, south of Auckland, has hosted the New Zealand round for the past four years.

However, Avesco has said it was made clear from the start that the event would be moved from there after next year because of inadequate facilities.

"There is no doubt Auckland is the premium street location for a race of this kind," said Tony Cochrane, Australian Vee Eight Supercar Company (AVESCO) Chairman, at this afternoon's official launch.

"At the end of the day Auckland offered the best in terms of logistics, the appeal of a street circuit format, worldwide television audiences, media facilities, spectator comfort and viewing, world class accommodation and easy access to an international airport."

He said 170,000 people were expected to attend the first event in 2006.

"We expect that this event can ultimately rival what has been achieved at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide where 238,000 people watched the first championship round of this year," Mr Cochrane said.

"I'm supremely confident the New Zealand event can become one of the world's greatest street races and deliver Auckland directly into 500 million homes across the world and a global television audience of more than 100 million people on race day."

He said the race would literally be held through the heart of Auckland. The start-finish line and pit lane would be beside Victoria Park, which will host race control, administration, corporate facilities, family attractions and merchandising areas.

From there the circuit runs past the Auckland viaduct, up to Sky City Casino and back down to Victoria Park. The track is 2.6km long with an extremely fast back straight. More than 10,000 grandstand seats will be available as well as ample viewing areas and large screen televisions throughout the circuit.

"It will be similar to the Gold Coast circuit that hosts the V8 Supercar Championship Series and Indy, in that it is centrally located in a major capital city," Mr Cochrane said.

"We know that crowds of 300,000 attend the Gold Coast event with a major proportion, seven out of 10 as research shows, of those people there specifically for the V8 Supercars.

"Auckland has the potential to mirror those events in New Zealand. It will be a week long party that will provide Auckland and New Zealand with a massive economic boost."

- NZPA