One of New Zealand’s largest annual sporting events, the ITM Auckland SuperSprint, will return to the famous Pukekohe Park Raceway for the penultimate round of the 2021 Repco Supercars Championship.
It has been confirmed today that Supercars will return to the North Island circuit on 6-7 November, following the recent announcement of the trans-Tasman travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand.
This year marks the 20th anniversary since the Supercars Championship debut at Pukekohe, in what was the first ever points round to take place outside of Australia.
Supercars CEO Sean Seamer said he was delighted that racing will return to the Auckland circuit again in 2021.
“This is fantastic news for our New Zealand-based fans and corporate partners,” Seamer said.
“We’ve been working closely with Auckland Unlimited and ITM to put this event in place and we are excited to return to Pukekohe again in 2021.
“Pukekohe holds a special place in Supercars’ history as the first venue to host an international Championship round, which is what we will celebrate this year, 20 years since that spectacular debut.
“The Jason Richards Memorial Trophy, awarded to the winner of the ITM Auckland SuperSprint, is one of the most sought-after awards for Supercars drivers, which adds something extra to this event every year.
“We look forward to working with local stakeholders over coming months to put together another memorable ITM Auckland SuperSprint.”
Auckland Unlimited General Manager Destination Steve Armitage said today’s announcement heralds a new era in the event’s history.
“The return of the ITM Auckland SuperSprint provides yet another reason for visitors from both sides of the Tasman to join Aucklanders at Pukekohe Park Raceway this November.
“The ties between our countries have always run deep but the events of the last year have offered us all a stark reminder of our value to one another. Hosting one of the featured events on the series calendar is a great way to acknowledge this, so we will be settingour sights on a strong turnout from locals and visitors alike.”
ITM CEO Darrin Hughes said he was looking forward to welcoming the Supercars field back for the first time since 2019.“We’re thrilled to host the New Zealand round of the Supercars Championship at the ITM Auckland SuperSprint this November. With 11 years of supporting Supercars under our belts, our stores and customers can’t wait to cheer on the (Kiwi!) teams at Pukekohe again.”
Jonny Errington, Chief Commercial Officer for Sky said the team was excited to share the Supercars action once more.
“Kiwis always do well in Supercars, and Shane van Gisbergen has already shown how he’s intending to take on others on the grid this year. It will be tremendous to see him and other Supercars stars back in action on Kiwi soil in November. We’re delighted to be able to bring this to life for fans on Sky Sport. The season is off to a blazing start already and to culminate here at home is fantastic.”
The ITM Auckland SuperSprint is scheduled to take place 6-7 November at Pukekohe Park Raceway. Tickets will be available through Ticketek from May 1. In NZ, all race coverage will be available on Sky Sport, with streaming available live on Sky Sport Now and Sky Go. In Australia, the event will be broadcast live on Foxtel and streamed on Kayo.
