Motorsport: NZ Grand Prix staying at Manfeild

Taylor Cockerton leads the Toyota Racing Series field. Photo / Matthew Hansen

The New Zealand Grand Prix is staying at Manfeild for the next three years.

Serious interest from Hampton Downs owner Tony Quinn led to a bidding process which involved Manfeild, Hampton Downs and Pukekohe but ultimately the detail provided and support for the lower North Island track has swung the decision to resist moving the once-iconic event.

Pukekohe Park effectively withdrew from the running at the 11th hour by not submitting a final bid while Hampton Downs' bid was nowhere near as detailed as the one put forward by Manfeild.

Series promoter Geoff Short labeled the Manfeild bid as extensive.

"The first thing was the whole region getting behind it," Short told herald.co.nz. "It was presented by the mayor of Palmerston North Grant Smith and the mayor of Fielding Margaret Kouvelis but effectively their commitment to the event is unprecedented.

"It is unprecedented as far as funding, getting support of other councils etc. We had letters of support from the mayor of Wellington, New Plymouth, Whanganui, Hastings and Napier all supporting the region and getting behind the event.

"That commitment is what stood out."

The local support for Manfeild got particularly parochial once Quinn's attempts to wrestle away the rights to host were made public.

With councils wanting to help keep the event in the region ideas were sought to help come up with a much better level of promotion and financial support to ensure the Grand Prix attracts bigger crowds.

"Obviously funding towards the event and being able to grow the event was a significant step forward for the Grand Prix as well," Short said.

"They are willing to do some promotions within their own community - we are talking about accessing all of their rate-payers and promote this event properly and getting bums on seats.

"There are some other initiatives that I can't talk about just yet as well.

"Effectively it could mean we reach a number of households and I believe it could multiply the event ten-fold."

Manfeild chief executive Julie Keane was delighted to be told the Grand Prix was staying at the Feilding track and was quick to point out the wider support for the leading reason for their success.

"We are very ecstatic about the announcement not only from Manfeild's perspective but also from a region's perspective," Keane told herald.co.nz.

"It is quite significant for us.

"The strength of our bid was focused on the wider region so making sure there was an understanding from MotorSport New Zealand and Speedworks Events that from the region's perspective it meant a lot more than just to us.

"The support of the councils from within what we call the middle million has been a resounding success and we are particularly grateful to them for their support and commitment to the proposal we put forward."