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“It would be ideal”: Tony Quinn hopeful of Supercars double for New Zealand
Logan Swinkels • August 21st, 2023 4:14 pm
When Supercars departed Pukekohe, it left a New Zealand-sized hole in the championship’s 2023 calendar. Now, Taupō International Motorsport Park is rolling out the welcome wagon.
Monday’s announcement of Supercars’ return, with support from the New Zealand Government and Taupō District Council, has given motorsport fans plenty to cheer about.
As the owner of both Hampton Downs and Taupō International Motorsport Park, Tony Quinn spoke with Mark Stafford on SENZ Afternoons following the news – describing the moment as ‘payday’ for those working hard behind the scenes to secure a Supercars event for New Zealand.
Tourism was a key factor in picking the Taupō track over Hampton Downs. The latter is situated between Auckland and Hamilton, however Quinn suggested that a central North Island location would do a better job of showcasing the country to tourism bodies coming from Australia.
“I think if we’re going to attract them, we need to show it off quite well and Taupō is a hell of a lot easier to showcase than Hampton Downs,” Quinn joked.
“I mean there’s nothing wrong with Hampton Downs, but it is built on a swamp, next to a prison, and a rubbish tip for a neighbour.”
While this latest addition to the race schedule is a great first step to bringing the Generation 3 V8s across the ditch, which is a costly exercise for the teams, Quinn is thinking about the bigger picture as well. Currently, the championship is set to return from 2024 until at least 2026 with backing from the government’s Major Events Fund initiative.
“If Taupō and the region can provide a great event for Supercars and make them (feel) welcome, maybe we can convince the V8s to spend two weekends in New Zealand, one after the other - it would be ideal to have an endurance event at Hampton Downs and a sprint race at Taupō.”
The excitement is echoed by Supercars CEO Shane Howard.
“A key priority for Supercars has been the Championship’s return to New Zealand and its passionate fan base.
"This support is a great step forward in ensuring we can begin a new chapter of racing at the world-class circuit in Taupō. Supercars is now focused on identifying a suitable date for the event in 2024,” Howard said in a statement.
The setup at Taupō International Motorsport Park includes four racetrack configurations – the 3.32km international circuit option will be what Supercars use for the event. The venue also features an impressive three-story pit lane complex with 32 garages.
For fans looking to attend, Quinn told SENZ Afternoons that the option to allow camping will be explored – and given the picturesque nature of nearby Lake Taupō, it could be an attractive prospect for visitors.
More information on race dates is expected to be announced by Supercars over the coming weeks.
