First held 2017 Distance 250 km Distance 250 km | Laps 97 Laps 97 | |
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Venue Newcastle Street Circuit | ||
The Newcastle 500 (formally known as the Coates Hire Newcastle 500) will be a motor racing event for Supercars that will be held at the Newcastle Street Circuit in Newcastle, New South Wales starting in 2017.
Contents
History
From 2009 until 2016, the final event on the Supercars calendar was the Sydney 500 at the Sydney Olympic Park Street Circuit. In early 2016, it was announced that the 2016 running of the event would be the last, with Supercars then opening discussions with Destination NSW for a replacement event in the state. Initial plans for a race at Gosford on the state's Central Coast fell through after several months of negotiations, leaving Newcastle as the leading alternative.
In September 2016, Newcastle's place as the final event of the 2017 season was confirmed in an announcement made by Supercars CEO James Warburton and then-Premier Mike Baird. In December 2016, the track layout and a November 2017 date for the inaugural event were then confirmed.
Criticism
Many East End residents have raised concerns about the implications of the event's running in this area of the city. Up to 140 residents staged a protest resulting in clashes against Supercars fans, among concerns about noise restrictions and lack of access during the race weekend.