THE future of the Newcastle 500 is up in the air but Supercars might not be lost to the region altogether.
Council was the key cog which did not come to the party in time for the Newcastle street race to open the 2024 Repco Supercars Championship, the category itself and the New South Wales state government having committed.
Supercars has vowed to not give up on reviving the event for the following year, ideally as part of a long-term arrangement.
In the meantime, Cessnock in the Hunter Valley – 50km west of Newcastle – has put its hand up to be considered as an alternative.
Cessnock Mayor Jay Suvaal was quick to express interest following the 2024 Newcastle 500’s demise, declaring his region’s airport or streets could be turned into Australia’s newest motorsport circuit.
Intriguingly, that proposal now officially has the support of the Newcastle council.
“Council voted to support City of Newcastle’s commitment to hosting major events, as well as prioritising universally accessible experiences,” the City of Newcastle last night announced via social media.
“Council supports Cessnock City Council’s effort to retain Supercars in the Hunter with the proposed Wine Country 500.”
Newcastle East residents and businesses had been key opponents to the existing event which closed seasons 2017-19 and held the first ever Gen3 round earlier this year.
Supercars will next year meet its contractual obligation to host three annual events in NSW by twice visiting Mount Panorama, as well as a stop at Sydney Motorsport Park.
The full 2024 calendar is yet to be released, but five rounds have now been formally locked in: the Bathurst 500, Taupo SuperSprint, Darwin Triple Crown, Townsville 500 and Gold Coast.
