Motorsport: Future up in the air at Pukekohe

Scott McLaughlin in action during Friday practice at Pukekohe Park Raceway. Photo / Matthew Hansen

This weekend could be the last Supercars event in New Zealand with no deal agreed to for next year and rival international venues circling.

ATEED [Auckland Council's events arm] and Supercars have been working on a three-year extension to keep the New Zealand round at Pukekohe until 2020 but negotiations have dragged on and no agreement has yet been reached.

While both sides remain optimistic of a deal being struck there remains the possibility of places like Sepang in Malaysia or a Bangkok street race taking the slot if something isn't sorted in the next few weeks.

While most expected a new deal to be announced this week while leading drivers were in town it appears nothing is likely.

"Contract negotiations are ongoing," said Steve Armitage, General Manager Destination - ATEED. "ATEED will conclude these negotiations before we make any further announcements."

By all accounts funding isn't the stumbling block with an MOU signed by both parties weeks ago that detailed ATEED's investment.

One of the problems had been the state of the ageing South Auckland track, which has badly needed money spent on it - money that is hard to come by for the track and funding that neither ATEED nor Supercars wants to stump up with.

But new track boss Peter Hunt said they have worked hard on a limited budget to get the venue in order for this weekend.

"We have resurfaced the back straight and we have also resurfaced the pit area and exit onto the circuit," Hunt told Weekend Herald.

"We have done some remedial work to the approach to turn one and also the approach to ITM Mountain - coming out of the sweeper and going up the mountain.

"It is 20,000m² - maybe a quarter of the track [that has been resurfaced].

"The circuit hasn't really been touched in a major way since its refurbishment in 2013 so it is in need of some TLC.

"We haven't fully completed turn one and the approach to the mountain - we have pre-leveled it but we have another application of asphalt to do post the Supercars. It has improved the safety aspects of those high speed corners.

"We have committed $600,000. We have spent a good lot of that already and there is more to finish off as I've discussed."

Hunt is certain that the track can afford to maintain the surface over the next 3-5 years with careful budgeting and is adamant that it won't be a reason to hold up the ongoing negotiations.

"Absolutely - hence why we have made this initial investment and why we will continue to invest," he said. "In hindsight we probably have been a bit remiss of not having a programmed maintenance and upkeep of the track surface but we now have that in place.

"We have just invested a good amount of money in the pit garages, which has refurbished them and put fire alarms in them etc.

"Regardless of Supercars or not we want to provide the best racing circuit, surface and facilities for Aucklanders.

"Supercars is a very important event for us but there are other events we would like to attract back to Pukekohe Park such as the Grand Prix and Toyota Racing Series.

"The investment is with the eye on Supercars but we have our eye on the ball for providing a top class facility for motorsport in general. We have engaged with Supercars around that investment. They are very happy with that investment."

The New Zealand round has been included on a 2018 Supercars calendar but if a deal is not reached by the end of the year they will almost certainly opt for Asia instead.