A revised Supercars calendar is expected to be announced later this week without a New Zealand round.
Velocity News reported last week that the suspension of the trans-Tasman travel bubble put the fate of the November weekend at Pukekohe Park at serious risk of cancellation.
With no firm date on when the travel bubble will reopen, time is quickly running out for Supercars teams and personnel to work out the logistical side of travelling to and from New Zealand.
Now, Australian media report that a reworked schedule will be released this week, which will feature significant changes.
New Zealand is expected to be cut, as is a round in Western Australia.
If Pukekohe is cancelled, it will be the second year in a row that New Zealand misses out on hosting a round of the series.
The Bathurst 1000 will likely be postponed, allowing more time for New South Wales to get on top of their Covid-19 outbreak.
A postponement will mean the blue ribbon event has a higher chance of going ahead with fans and mean teams should not have to quarantine when entering the state.
The series is obligated to have three rounds in NSW, meaning they must have two more rounds there before the season is over.
Supercars CEO Sean Seamer says nothing is off the table concerning calendar changes, including a delay of Bathurst.
“We want to do [the rest of the season] in a way whereby we are delivering the best possible experience to fans,” he said.
“We know that it is not just about having the event, it’s about creating a positive experience for the fans, for our sponsors and partners as well, whereas last year we were trying to get the rounds away.
“What we learned was that was great, but you can only really do that for one year.
“Making sure we give ourselves every opportunity to get the fans back and deliver the best possible experience is critical to our planning, and that’s why there are a range of different options on the table that we’re working through right now.”
Unfortunately, that “positive experience for the fans” is at the expense of New Zealanders who will be starved of live V8 action for another year.
There is a silver lining of a Bathurst postponement for Kiwi duo Greg Murphy and Richie Stanaway.
The wildcard entry needs the travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand to reopen to cross the ditch.
Pushing the race date backs gives the pair more time to get to Australia for the race.
And another bites the dust.