By the time you read this New Zealand will have completed an amazing month of Motorsport helping make up the deficit in petrol fumes for the sports addicts!

September 9-11 featured the Australian Supercars with their thundering V8’s in the ITM Supersprint at Pukekohe. Of note this will also be the last time you will see them there as Pukekohe is bowing out as a Motor Racing destination in April 2023 to allow for expansion of the Horse Racing training facilities. Pukekohe hosted the first NZ round of SuperCars in 2001, with our very own Greg Murphy taking out all three races. The SuperCars shifted to the Hamilton Street circuit for the 2008-2012 years before returning to an upgraded Pukekohe circuit in 2013 through to 2019 with no races here in 2020 or 2021 due to Covid.

Then for the gravel rash fans 29th September to 2nd October will see WRC rally series return to our shores for the Repco Rally New Zealand. This is the first time since 2012 that the Rally will be a full WRC event (it was scheduled for 2020 but Covid put paid to that), so it has been a long time between drinks for Kiwi rally enthusiasts to see the factory cars and drivers on our awesome metal roads that drivers have rated some of the best in the world. Rally New Zealand can trace its ancestry back to 1969 with the first Rally New Zealand although the name has changed multiple times to Heatway International Rally, Silver Fern Rally and many more. 1977 was the first time it was a round of the WRC (World Rally Championship) the Group B era through to the late 80’s was the heyday of the rally for many local fans, especially the 1982 event which saw Micelle Mouton driving the Audi Quattro amongst a stellar field and huge spectator interest (Including your editor) with long traffic jams between stages from spectators.

We hope readers got their motorsport top up in September, whether they were lucky enough to attend one or both events live or at least watch the TV coverage.