V8 Supercars: Pukekohe to host penultimate race in 2016

Pukekohe will host the ITM Auckland SuperSprint in November next year. Photo / Greg Bowker

Auckland will host the penultimate stop in the expanded 2016 V8 Supercars calendar released today.

Next year's ITM 500 Auckland event at Pukekohe Park Raceway on November 4-6 will be an integral part of the calendar that features the first-ever championship event in Malaysia and more regular racing throughout the season.

V8 Supercars Chief Executive James Warburton said the calendar promised to be "the most exciting the sport had seen and a major win for fans," and described the Auckland event as a key fixture.

"It's one of the critical events at the climax of the season and we see it as key part of the calendar which now includes two international events in Auckland and Kuala Lumpur," said Warburton.

Highlights for 2016 include the season-opening Clipsal 500 Adelaide on March 3-6, the shifting of the WD40 Phillip Island Super Sprint from November to April to follow the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix, a debut championship event in Kuala Lumpur from August 12-14, shorter times between events with a four-week winter break, and the Coates Hire Sydney 500 to close the season a week earlier on November 25-27.

"We have a taken a close look at the calendar and come up with something that will be great for the teams, drivers and fans across Australia," added Warburton.

"This more compact calendar delivers consistent and regular events throughout the season and expands the championship into Asia in what is a truly exciting development for the sport.

"We believe it will result in an even bigger following for our sport both locally and overseas with bigger crowds and our expanded television coverage.

"A more condensed calendar will help build even more momentum and still provide adequate breaks for the teams and drivers.

"We have also moved the Coates Hire Sydney 500 forward to the end of November in what we expect will be a massive grand finale to the season."

The formats for the events will be announced later in the year.

V8 Supercars held a demonstration event in Kuala Lumpur last month and will return to the Malaysian capital next August in the first championship event.

Traditionally held in November, the WD40 Phillip Island Super Sprint will now be held from April 15-17 and is one of three championship events in Victoria as well as the Australian Grand Prix.

2016 V8 Supercars season
Clipsal 500 Adelaide - March 3-6
Tyrepower Tasmania SuperSprint - March 18-20
Australian F1 Grand Prix - March 31-April 3
WD-40 Phillip Island SuperSprint - April 15-17
Perth SuperSprint - May 6-8
Winton SuperSprint - May 20-22
SKYCITY Triple Crown Darwin - June 17-19
Castrol EDGE Townsville 400 - July 8-10
Coates Hire Ipswich SuperSprint - July 22-24
KL City Grand Prix, Kuala Lumpur,- August 12-14
Sydney Motorsport Park SuperSprint - August 26-28
Wilson Security Sandown 500 - September 16-18
Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 - October 6-9
Castrol Gold Coast 600 - October 21-23
ITM Auckland SuperSprint - November 6-8
Coates Hire Sydney 500 - November 25-27