Motorsport: Pukekohe ready, say V8 organisers

Remedial work at Pukekohe Park Raceway will be completed in time for the Australian V8 Supercar meeting this weekend, Motorsport New Zealand said today.

The raceway still has to get its licence from MNZ after the track owners and Franklin District Council replaced the stormwater drains that run underneath the venue south of Auckland.

But MNZ motorsport manager Kerry Cooper said the last of the work was expected to finished by Wednesday morning, ahead of the V8 teams arriving on Thursday.

"It is absolutely all go," Cooper said.

"There is no impediment."

The raceway was closed from November to last month and to allow the drainage programme to be undertaken.

Some areas of the track had to dug up and relaid, and as the ground resettled some bumps appeared.

Cooper said that problem had been fixed and testing yesterday had shown there were not problems with the circuit itself.

"The asphalt aspects are perfect," he said.

"There are no major construction issues. There is some remedial and reinstatement work still to be done on areas that have been disturbed outside the asphalt."

The second round of the Australian V8 series runs from Friday until Sunday, and it will be the fifth and last time the New Zealand round is held at Pukekohe.

Negotiations are continuing with series owner Avesco and promoter IMG on a possible street race in Wellington.

- NZPA