Pukekohe Park Raceway

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Pukekohe Park taken in July 2016.Pukekohe Park]] Pukekohe Park is home to horse racing, motor racing and several community events & activities in the heart of Pukekohe, New Zealand. It is located 40km south of Auckland City in 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.HistoryThe 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.