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Important update on 1476AM‘Holy heck, it's real': Ruapuna manager fizzing for inaugural Supercars event
Savannah Lendich Jonkers • April 16th, 2026 1:47 pm
Supercars in Taupo | Photo: Kerry Marshall/Photosport
Ruapuna Motorsport Parks Track Manager Mark Wederall was pinching himself when the V8’s rolled into the venue for an event which has been 20 years in the making.
Wederall told Sport Nation Mornings on Tuesday the option to race Supercars at the circuit was always stored in their minds, however following the closure of Pukekohe Raceway, the idea became an option.
“We knew that we were good enough to race Supercars so we reached out to them, didn’t get a lot of reaction.
“Then maybe a couple of years ago, Christchurch NZ also reached out to us and they’d obviously had some conversations with Supercars and that’s when we knew there was a real possibility this could happen.”
Following the confirmation of the event last May, Wederall said the club had just 10 months to get the venue up to scratch.
“There’s been a report done for Supercars with work that they’d like us to do and what we did was focus on the most important stuff for year one, and we've done that and some more.
“We’re focused on the most important stuff and we’ve got all that ticked off so we’re pretty happy with where we’re at.”
Wederall said as the venue holds an FIA licence and meets all safety requirements, the biggest addition to the venue is infrastructure including building grand stands and corporate suites.
“It’s looking absolutely amazing.”
For year two and three of the three-year-deal with Supercars, Wederall explained the club will make improvements to the circuit itself and transform the pit lane to being a world-class motorsport facility.
“Without those pit garages, that's the thing we lack at the moment. If we have them and do the work on track then I'm confident in 2029 we will see Supercars back at Ruapuna.”
Ruapuna has had great interest from sponsors in the past year who wish to support the track, he added.
“That’s really cool for us because obviously going forward we need to build some garages, we need better garaging for Supercars and we need a lot of corporate partners to assist us to get that over the line.”
When asked about the possibility of a third New Zealand Supercars round in Cromwell, Wederall said it’s up to Supercars and if they have the appetite for it.
“We’ll focus on us and if there is room for three, how cool would that be.”
Tune into Sport Nation for live commentary of the Supercars Championship in Christchurch (April 17, 18 & 19).
Listen to the full interview:
2026 Christchurch Super 440
Friday: Practice 1 - 1:55pm, Qualifying (Race 10) - 2:15, Race 10 - 4:35.
Saturday: Qualifying (Race 11) - 10:05am, Qualifying (Race 12) - 11:00am, Race 11 - 12:45pm, Race 12 - 4:10pm
Sunday: Qualifying (Race 13) - 11:50am, Top Ten Shoot Out - 12:45, Race 13 - 3:05pm
