SUPERCARS might forever be lost to Newcastle after a decision by the city’s council last night.
A majority vote will see restoration works begin at Newcastle’s East End, effectively destroying elements of the street circuit which hosted Supercars in 2017, 2018, 2019 and this year.
Mayor Nuatali Nelmes was among those supporting the move – quite the contrast to her council pinning the blame on Supercars and the New South Wales Government for a failure to renew the Newcastle 500 for 2024.
With all three parties needing to agree, Supercars and the State Government were onboard, but council claimed community consultation had only been tied to a five-year extension of the event as opposed to a one-year deal.
Merely two months later, council has acted to ensure there will be no fifth edition of the ‘500’ – despite Supercars’ desires to investigate a 2025 return.
Callum Pull was the sole councillor voting against the restoration works last night, per the Newcastle Herald.
“The Newcastle 500 was without a doubt the biggest event we ever had and in my view is something that we should be working very hard to return as soon as possible,” he said.
“I don’t see the need to permanently kill off an event in Newcastle when both the state government and Supercars have left the door open and offered what council said it wanted, being negotiations on a long-term deal.
“The pedestrian crossings, the roundabouts that are currently there, they still work – and spending more money on one of the best maintained roads in Newcastle when we still have roads in the western suburbs that don’t even have guttering to me is just wasteful.”
Deputy Mayor Declan Clausen meanwhile reiterated that Newcastle should instead be supporting a Supercars race being established in nearby Cessnock.
“There is an option for us to see the benefits that come to the City of Newcastle and our broader region through Supercars by supporting that event in wine country,” he said.
“So I’m really pleased and hope that those discussions with both the state government and Supercars continue so that we can see it, alongside a whole range of other great events, continue within our region.”
Supercars is opening its 2024 season at Mount Panorama as part of a 10-day SuperFest also involving the Repco Bathurst 12 Hour.
