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Although Pukekohe Park Raceway is better known internationally as a motor racing circuit, it is primarily a horse racing circuit in New Zealand. It is located south of Auckland City in the North Island. The track is now owned by Pukekohe Park Limited. In the centre of the circuit there is a horse racing course, which dictates the use of the site as it's owned by the Counties Racing Club. ==History== The Raceway was opened in 1963 as a permanent track, replacing Ardmore (an aerodrome) 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 (later 1000 km) 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. In the centre of the circuit there is a horse racing course, which dictates the use of the site as it owned by the (Counties Racing Club Inc ), who had not invested a large amount of money in the motor racing track over the years and many would say that this would leads to its slow demise. Even though the club holds very few horse race meetings each year, it is used as a stables and training facility. However, on 15 October 2012, New Zealand Herald reported that the raceway is to undergo a NZ$6.6 million upgrade which will allow the V8 Supercar Championship to return there in April, 2013. Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development, the Ministry of Economic Development and V8 Supercars are contributing $2.2 million each to the upgrade. New Zealand Herald also reported that Auckland deputy mayor Penny Hulse said the event will be held at the raceway until 2017.〔 Work on the track started in November 2012 and the V8 Supercar Championship races will be staged from 12–14 April 2013.〔 The changes to the track included a series of corners before the hairpin turn, meaning safer, slower races. The upgrade will include a new race control building, timing building and corporate viewing facility opposite the main grandstand as well as the addition of overhead pedestrian bridges. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Pukekohe Park Raceway」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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