A second New Zealand Supercars round in New Zealand, to be held at Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell, is on the cards following a meeting by the Central Otago District Council.
Council discussions at a Wednesday meeting surrounded the potential for the 4.1km, 22-turn figure-eight circuit to host Supercars from 2026, joining Taupo International Motorsport Park on the calendar.
“We (Tony Quinn and I ) have always believed that Central Otago and the Queenstown Lakes region have the potential to host one of the most iconic events on the Supercars calendar,” Highlands CEO Josie Spillane told Velocity News. “This region, renowned as the adventure capital of the world, offers breathtaking scenery, world-class activities, and a destination that is truly a world of difference from major cities.
“New Zealand is very fortunate to have seven race tracks but there is only one Highlands. Its unique location and outstanding facilities make it an exceptional contender for a Supercars event, and we are confident it would deliver an unforgettable experience for drivers, teams, and fans alike.
“We already enjoy a fantastic working relationship with the team at Supercars, so we know what we can achieve when we work together I think it would be very special.
“Bringing events of this scale like supercars requires a collective effort of key stakeholders and we are delighted that our local council is on board to be part of this incredible opportunity for Central Otago.
“At eleven years young, we’ve modern facilities and drivers really rate the track with Kiwis, Shane van Gisbergen and Liam Lawson, rating it their favourite track in the world – what could be more fitting for a Supercars event.
Spillane continues; “Our teams have already proven their ability to deliver world-class events both within our region and beyond, including Taupo. Bringing Supercars to Highlands is a bucket-list item for TQ and I, as well as our teams. You can count on us to put our best foot forward to try and get it across the line! We’ve a seat at the table, so watch this space.
“Obviously there’s a journey and many more steps to go through yet, but I’m very confident that New Zealanders would love to see a Supercars race at Highlands and enjoy all that our region has to offer and we are committed to absolutely playing our part to make it happen.
“It’s fantastic for race fans that Supercars have options in NZ and Australia and it’s a real feather in our cap, that we are on the dance card, but doesn’t’ come as a surprise they’d want to be here – the regions, the activities and the destination are all world class and I’m confident it would add another sell out event to the Supercars championship – Kiwi’s love Supercars – and we’ve no less than five drivers on the Current Super Car grids, – Kiwi race fans would be out in full noise to see Supercars at Highlands.
“It’s early stages, but so far, all the lights are green….
“Our reputation is one of getting things done and we don’t waste any time, so we’ve already opened up viewing areas, the tracks been given a tick of approval and we’ve a consent in place to make it all happen, we like to walk the talk as they say!
“Warbirds, Wheels Over Wanaka and the Queenstown Marathon, Winter Games also showcase that there is plenty of capacity in region to host visitors to major events so logistics are all doable, it’s just having smart people involved – and the Supercars team are experts.”
Supercars’ return to the country was well-received in 2024, where 67,000 fans attended the inaugural ITM Taupo Super400.
Despite poor weather conditions, a sold out crowd were on Saturday to see Andre Heimgartner win at home, and a full house was again present on Sunday when Will Brown led home teammate Broc Feeney. Two podiums for DJR’s Anton De Pasquale, which ultimately were his only ones of the 2024 season, saw him win the coveted Jason Richards Memorial Trophy.
A track-to-town parade was also well-received by the community, who packed out Taupo’s waterfront on Thursday evening to get up close to all 24 cars.
The success of the round led to discussions of the possibility of a second New Zealand event at Highlands.
“Supercars is constantly pursuing and evaluating opportunities to expand the sport’s reach, both in Australia and abroad,” a Supercars spokesperson said in a statement.
“New Zealand is home to an avid motorsport fan base, as evidenced by the sell-out success of the inaugural ITM Taupō Super400 this past April, and no less than five Kiwi drivers on the current Supercars grid.
“There has been great interest among our stakeholders and supporters in a second Supercars event in the land of the long white cloud, which we will continue to explore alongside our ongoing efforts to sustain and grow the success of our event in Taupō.”
Tickets for the 2025 Taupo Super440 remain on sale, with a revised programme bringing two 120-kilometre races on Saturday, April 12, before a 200-kilometre finale on Sunday, April 13.
