Hampton Downs is already beginning to ensconce themselves within the Supercars spectrum. Since last week, Supercar officials, council workers and race teams have begun to arrive at the series most recent addition to the calendar.
The recent announcement of the change of venue from Pukekohe Park to Hampton Downs has been both maligned and welcomed by the public. Hampton Downs is a lesser-known race circuit in comparison to Pukekohe, and whilst boasting a spectacular array of advanced technology and safety mechanisms that ultimately improve the show for drivers and teams, the circuit itself is truly located in the middle of nowhere.
Last year’s Supercars event at Pukekohe Park in September recorded approximately 114,000 spectators across the weekend in what was New Zealand’s largest sporting event of 2019.
The proximity to the local community and the simplistic train system to and from the Auckland CBD gave Pukekohe Park an easier experience to the weekend than is expected at Hampton Downs. Yet, similar volumes of the general public are expected to barge through the main gates of Hampton Downs on Anzac weekend.
The ultimate issue caused by such masses of people is on viewing and traffic. Hampton Downs features a variety of different viewing points that will enable fans to enjoy a mixture of high speeds and overtaking through corners.
While Talk Motorsport was unable to fully identify the exact location of temporary grandstands and general admission viewing spots, Supercar officials have already begun marking out enclosed areas of the track that resemble admission and grandstand locations.
Expect plenty of viewing access from the final sweeper through into turn one, as well as through the technical infield of the International circuit configuration.
Traffic management has been at the forefront of public interest since it was confirmed Hampton Downs will host the Anzac Day round. The circuit is situated directly off SH1, sparring public allegations that the main highway will become unrecognisably clogged across the weekend.
One Supercar event management official working at Hampton Downs claimed that they are well accustomed to similar issues in Australia. Namely, when Supercars ran race meetings at Phillip Island, it only has one source of access via a two-lane bridge situated along one of the Island’s main roads. A traffic management scheme, one expected to be similarly operated at Hampton Downs, ensured that traffic congestion was kept to an absolute minimum. Whilst congestion is unavoidable, especially along one of New Zealand’s most travelled highways, solutions are already under scrutiny and an action plan should not be too far away.
The most likely solution is that Supercars will schedule a support class race post the chequered flag of the main event. While this race will not be televised, and barring it is not the fan favourite Central Muscle Cars, the revamping of the schedule will stagger spectators leaving the venue.
Likewise, an additional temporary lane along the shoulder of SH1 near the circuit can minimise traffic jams and ensure a steady flow of traffic near the circuit. At this stage no official statement of exactly what the plan of action entails has been released.
Parking doesn’t appear to be an issue with the surrounding farmland and Meremere Drag Strip offering ample opportunity to park nearby at the venue, without large volumes of congestion. Park and Ride shuttle options will be used with confirmed routes expected shortly.
Supercar teams are also interested in understanding the Hampton Downs circuit. The circuit is vastly different from the high-speed Pukekohe. Unusual undulation and cambered corners correlate into a very unbeknown race track for most teams. Team representatives will eventually begin visiting the venue and using sophisticated 3D imagery and CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) software to find an ideal base setup before free practice begins on the Friday.
The ultimate benefactor of the change in venue is Hampton Downs. A world-leading facility that will soon be in the limelight of global attention come Anzac weekend. Largely all New Zealand race tracks suffer from the lack of financial aid due to low numbers and increasing track costs. While the shift will be detrimental to Pukekohe Park who prided itself on the one weekend, Hampton Downs now has the prime opportunity to showcase the facility in a whole new light, a golden opening for economic and social gains to further develop the venue before racing becomes too costly to operate.
“We need to make sure we can deliver a brilliant experience for our fans and our partners this year for this event then once we get through this event we’ll look at plans moving forward,” said Supercars CEO Sean Seamer. The race meeting may be months away but the preparation to ensure an exciting and enjoyable public experience is now well underway.
This year’s event at Hampton downs will commence on the eve of Anzac weekend on April 24th.
Comments