The loss of Hamilton’s hosting of the ITM400 round of the Australian V8 Supercar Series after 2012 is not good for New Zealand motorsport. With no replacement venue announced, this may leave the door wide open for the event to exit the shores of NZ.
It is difficult to understand why Hamilton hasn’t worked and it appears to be a lack of fans through the gate, the share cost of staging a street race coupled with the actual lack of returns to the city for hosting such an event.
Hamilton’s proximity to Auckland’s population coupled with the ease that the local council was able to stage the event should have worked. The fact that it hasn’t may be the death of street racing in NZ.
It has been suggested by Nikki Preston and Bernard Orsman on the nzherald.co.nz website that Whenuapai airfield is the option being considered by the NZ Government and V8 Supercars.
This suggestion doesn’t make any sense other than Whenuapai airfield is a large area within Auckland. The article stated that “all that was needed was a new 3.5km track that kept off the main runway.”
The authors don’t seem to have taken into consideration the costs of building that track, the resource consents coupled with the actual staging of the event. It makes no sense that you would build a race track for one event per year as it is highly unlikely that local residents would allow the noise of racing for the remaining other 51 weeks.
Hamilton may represent the end of street racing in New Zealand. If there is to be an alternative venue then we must support the utilisation of the current race tracks that are already in use in New Zealand. Investment in this option is an investment in the future of our motorsport. Hamilton shows us that investment in street racing is never long term.
Hampton Downs appears to be the logical choice as it is closest to the largest population base of Auckland but it is understood that the circuit is currently not ready for such an event with the need for the extended track to be finished, better pit facilities and grandstands for spectators. But we already have the basis of a modern facility and further investment is certainly for the long term future of the sport within New Zealand.
The ITM400 is a fantastic event to have in the country and we must try and keep what we have. Now that Hamilton has released it we must use this opportunity to tie the event into the motorsport structure that already exist and not in someone’s whimsical idea.
