New Zealand’s first-ever Supercars Championship double header in Christchurch and Taupō delivered a $21.4 million boost to the economy.

The Supercars made their long-awaited South Island debut at Christchurch’s Ruapuna Raceway in April and returned to Taupō International Motorsport Park for a third consecutive year.

An economic analysis of the events has shown visitors spent about $9.5 million in Christchurch and $7.9 million in Taupō, while international visitors spent a further $4.0 million elsewhere in New Zealand.

The events attracted about 3000 international visitors, who spent $9.3 million during their stay and generated more than 34,000 international visitor nights across the country.

The championship signing event in central Christchurch. Photo: Repco Supercars Championship

Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger said the inaugural Supercars races had exceeded expectations.

“As a long-time follower of Supercars, it’s hard to express just how fantastic it was to welcome the event to Christchurch, both for our city and our local motorsport community.

“Seeing fans turn out in force, enjoying the racing at Ruapuna while supporting local businesses across the city, was incredibly rewarding.

“We’re thrilled to provide Supercars with a home in Christchurch as part of our world-class events calendar and look forward to building on this success in the years ahead,” Mauger said.

The events were supported by the New Zealand Government’s Major Events Fund, ChristchurchNZ and Taupō District Council.

Despite the cancellation of racing in Taupō due to Cyclone Vaianu on April 19, the two events saw more than 95,000 people pass through the gates across five days, with both Saturday and Sunday selling out in Christchurch.

Said Supercars executive chairman Barclay Nettlefold: “The passion shown by fans in both Taupō and Christchurch was extraordinary, and we’re incredibly proud to have delivered a successful first double header across both islands.

“From the outset, our ambition was to create something bigger than two standalone race weekends. We wanted to give fans a reason to travel, stay longer and experience more of New Zealand while delivering meaningful economic outcomes for our partners and host cities.

“The results speak for themselves. More than $21m in visitor expenditure and 34,000 international visitor nights is a tremendous outcome for New Zealand and demonstrates the strength of Supercars as a major tourism and events platform,” Nettlefold said.

The Repco Supercars Championship made its long-awaited debut at Christchurch’s Ruapuna Raceway. Photo: Repco Supercars Championship

Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Louise Upston said the result highlighted the importance of major events in driving regional growth and international visitation.

“The inaugural Supercars double header has been a major success, delivering a significant economic boost for Taupō and Christchurch.

"We welcomed approximately 3000 international visitors, alongside fans who travelled from across New Zealand to experience the racing.

“Major events like these attract visitors, support local businesses, and help grow our tourism economy,” said Upston.

  • The dates for next year’s New Zealand double header will be announced in the coming months as part of the 2027 Supercars Championship calendar.

-Allied Media