SUPERCARS has made no attempt to assess competing at Australia’s newest racetrack despite doubts around the Newcastle 500’s 2024 status.
That’s the claim of Circuit Italia manager Damien White, a three-time Bathurst 1000 starter and former Supercars executive.
According to a Newcastle Herald report yesterday, “the Newcastle 500 appears unlikely to go ahead in 2024”.
Furthermore it reads, “a resolution is unlikely and it is too late to lock in the contractors required to stage the event in March next year”.
This year’s season-opener through the streets of the New South Wales coastal city was the last in its existing contract.
Newcastle is the key hold-up to Supercars releasing its calendar for next year.
Both Supercars and the NSW state government have thrown their support behind the event’s continuation but Newcastle council has been more circumspect.
Meanwhile, just up the road, the finishing touches are being put on Circuit Italia – which would seem an intriguing option to keep Supercars in the Hunter region and meet the contractual need to open the season in NSW.
“If all of the parties see benefit to having Supercars in the region, and for whatever reason the street race is faced with insurmountable pressures, there’s a solution for them within the same region,” White told the Herald.
“Some months ago, when we first made public comment about an openness to a conversation with Supercars, we wrote to (Port Stephens MP) Kate Washington, the NSW Minister for Sport and the NSW Minister for Tourism.
“We also reached out to the CEO of Motorsport Australia and the CEO of Supercars.
“To this point, none of those people have responded in any way.”
White continued: “It may be that the numbers don’t stack up, or they don’t think the circuit is right for them. There are so many things that can get in the way.
“But what I do know, now as a resident in this region, I’m passionate about driving visitation.
“This facility will be a major asset for the region. With the proximity to the airport just 17 minutes away, you’re central to the tourism hot spots in Port Stephens and Newcastle.
“In terms of infrastructure, I’ve heard people talk about our lack of a pitlane building or lack of enough toilets to host a major event,” he continued.
“My response to that is that if you can bump the temporary infrastructure into a temporary circuit in a city, it’s a hell of a lot easier to bump the temporary infrastructure into a permanent circuit that is not in people’s backyards.”
Of the circuit’s progress, White added: “The asphalt’s down. We’re nearing the time we’ll install all the circuit safety controls, the light panels, timing systems, CCTV. The circuit (is nearly) ready.”
It’s unclear when exactly Supercars will announce its 2024 schedule.
With no official commitment yet to continuing as a Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix support category at Albert Park, the only formal dates locked in are for the all-new ITM Taupo SuperSprint on April 19-21.
A Mount Panorama season-opener, which occurred in 2021, has been speculated as a back-up plan if Newcastle falls over.
