Whenuapai in line for V8 Supercar race

V8 Supercar racing has been held at Pukekohe (left) but Whenuapai seems to be favoured now. Picture / APN

Whenuapai Air Base is being touted as the new home for the V8 Supercars after Hamilton cut its losses with the event yesterday.

Race organisers V8 Supercars Australia and Hamilton City Council agreed to terminate the contract two years early after a final send-off for the city next April.

This followed a big loss for V8 Supercars this year and the Hamilton council racking up a bill of more than $40 million and race-related loans of about $22 million since taking on the street race in 2006.

Last night, a spokesman for Defence Minister Wayne Mapp told the Weekend Herald discussions were taking place about using Whenuapai Air Base for the V8 Supercars.

Motor-racing legend Frank Radisich and town planner Peter Sinton struck a deal with former Defence Minister Phil Goff, giving them a right to hold racing at the base from 2008 to 2014.

Mr Sinton said yesterday that the event should never have gone to Hamilton with its limited population and costly street course.

"It's a bums on seats equation. Auckland is the only place that can hold a big event, make it pay and get a big crowd." He said Whenuapai was the only place to hold the Supercars in Auckland.

There was improved access with the completion of the Hobsonville motorway link and the air base provided an open view track capable of hosting 200,000 over three days.

All that was needed was a new 3.5km track that kept off the main runway, he said.

The Auckland Council has held informal discussions with the race organisers against the backdrop of a strategy aimed at luring big events capable of boosting the Auckland economy.

The strategy was devised to restore Auckland's tarnished reputation as an event city after losing several prominent events to other cities in the early 2000s, including the V8 Supercars to Hamilton.

Auckland lost the chance to host the international motorsport event after political infighting and a failure to get resource consent for the race to take place round Victoria Park.

It is understood the council is not looking at a central city street race and ruled out Pukekohe.

Yesterday, Hamilton city councillors voted 6-4 to accept a deal from V8 Supercars Australia to terminate the contract early and take ownership of the council-owned purpose built race infrastructure, which includes concrete barriers and fences which cost council at least $7.3 million. V8 Supercars acting chief executive Shane Howard said the loss made at the 2011 event, which attracted only 105,432 over the three days, led to the cancelling of future events. He felt the races could have been better attended by people in the region.

He said all indicators pointed to Auckland as the preferred location with its corporate presence, large number of hotels, population numbers - the same things he blamed for Hamilton's failure.

Wellington would be the only other option.

Wellington last held a V8 car race round a central city street course in 1996.