Pukekohe Park Raceway


Pukekohe Park is a horse racing, motor racing, and community events facility located in Pukekohe, New Zealand, approximately south of the Auckland CBD, in the Auckland Region of the North Island. The venue, owned by Counties Racing Club Inc. is used seven days a week for horse training, driver training, motor sport events, cycling and various events and functions.

History

The Raceway was opened in 1963 as a permanent track, replacing Ardmore as the host circuit of the New Zealand Grand Prix. Annually for several years, the mainly European based Grand Prix drivers such as Stirling Moss, Graham Hill, Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart, would head downunder for a relaxed Tasman Series during the European winter.
For many years Pukekohe was the venue for New Zealand's premier production car race, the Benson and Hedges 500 mile race featuring drivers such as Peter Brock, Dick Johnson and Jim Richards. In 1996 the New Zealand Mobil Sprints held one round in Pukekohe. Pukekohe Park Raceway also held an annual round of the popular Australian V8 Supercar race from 2001 to 2007. However, the New Zealand round moved to Hamilton Street Circuit in 2008. On 5 July 2012, it was announced that V8 Supercars would return to the circuit in 2013 as part of a 5-year deal with the circuit operators following a series of upgrades to accommodate for the series' return.
The changes to the track included a series of corners before the hairpin turn, meaning safer, slower races. The upgrades also included a new race control building, timing building and corporate viewing facility opposite the main grandstand as well as the addition of overhead pedestrian bridges.
In the centre of the circuit there is a thoroughbred training centre, which dictates the use of the site as it owned by the . The Club is host to 14 horse race meetings a year and is used six days a week as a stables and training facility.

New Zealand Grand Prix

The New Zealand Grand Prix has been held at Pukekohe on 29 occasions, the first being in 1963, and the last to date being held in 2000. Between 1964 and 1975, the NZ Grand Prix at the circuit was also a round of the Tasman Series. Winners of the NZ Grand Prix at Pukekohe include Kiwis Bruce McLaren, Chris Amon, Craig Baird, and Paul Radisich, internationals such as Australian Frank Gardner, Italian Teo Fabi, and Brazilian Roberto Moreno, as well as Formula One World Champions John Surtees, Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart and Keke Rosberg.
YearDriverCarEntrant
1963 John SurteesLola Mk4 ClimaxBowmaker-Yeoman Credit Team
1964 Bruce McLarenCooper T170 ClimaxBruce McLaren Motor Racing
1965 Graham HillBrabham BT111A ClimaxScuderia Veloce
1966 Graham HillBRM P261Owen Racing Organisation
1967 Jackie StewartBRM P261R.H.H. Parnell
1968 Chris AmonFerrari 246TChris Amon
1969 Chris AmonFerrari 246TScuderia Veloce
1970 Frank MatichMcLaren M10A ChevroletRothmans Team Matich
1971 Niel AllenMcLaren M10A ChevroletN.E. Allen Auto Indust. Ltd
1972 Frank GardnerLola T300 ChevroletLola Cars Ltd
1973 John McCormackElfin MR5 Repco HoldenAnsett Team Elfin
1975 Warwick BrownLola T332 ChevroletBDS Racing
1976 Ken SmithLola T332 ChevroletKen Smith
1977 Keke RosbergChevron B34Fred Opert Racing
1978 Keke RosbergChevron B34
1979 Teo FabiMarch 79B
1980 Steve MillenRalt RT1
1981 Dave McMillanRalt RT1
1982 Roberto MorenoRalt RT4 FordGoold Motorsport
1983 David OxtonRalt RT4 Ford
1984 Davy JonesRalt RT4 Ford
1985 Ross CheeverRalt RT4 Ford
1986 Ross CheeverRalt RT4 Ford
1987 Davy JonesRalt RT4 Ford
1988 Paul RadisichRalt RT4 Ford
1989 Dean HallSwift Cosworth
1990 Ken SmithSwift Cosworth
1991 Craig BairdSwift Toyota
2000 Andy BoothReynard 94D HoldenNRC International

Supercars Championship

In 2008 the Supercars Championship round in New Zealand moved to the Hamilton Street Circuit so Pukekohe held its final event on the weekend of 20–22 April 2007. In 2013 Supercars returned to Pukekohe after the Auckland government confirmed that stakeholders would put $6.6 million into making the circuit more suitable for Supercars. These upgrades include a new chicane on the back straight, more pedestrian bridges and a makeover of the circuit's appearance.

Lap records